Our focus this week is on Bent Bros. which was the fourth oldest New England Furniture manufacturer. They didn't just make chairs, but that was their specialty. They worked mostly with solid maple woods and their most popular creations are the solid maple Windsor chairs which we have in our inventory. These chairs were made in the 1960s and they are as solid as they were the day they were purchased. They are made from all solid woods, are hand planed, glued, screwed and joined in all of the right ways. These chairs should outlive generations and they still look great.
Sadly, many of these wonderful manufacturers of chairs have struggled to the point of having to close their doors. Recently in New England we have lost Hitchcock Chair Co., Nichols and Stone and others. Imports have arrived such as the Hooker dining table and chairs that we also have in our inventory. These imports have a more updated design, an appealing finish and are very attractive. The chair made by Hooker which is imported from China appears to be very solid and sturdy as well. But when we examine the chair closer, it is supported and secured with a weak engineered wood. Held together by a hex screw, nothing is glued or joined in a proper way. In fact, this chair was assembled from parts on its arrival to the original retailer's warehouse. What this means is that these screws will loosen and when they do, the chair will have play in it. When the chair rocks back and forth from this play, the engineered wood won't be strong enough to support the weight of an individual's shifting weight. The connecting wood at the corners of the chair could crack and the engineered wood is difficult to repair.
The, new, imported chairs have cut corners and prices and they have challenged the mettle of America's best chair companies. Bent Bros is no longer producing chairs, but these featured chairs will carry on for generations. The imported chairs may hold together for five to ten years. That is a drastic difference. If these Bent Bros. chairs were manufactured today, they would retail for between $500 - $700 each. This set of eight chairs is priced for $1,499.
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