China Cabinet
Item
Title
China Cabinet
Creator
Craftsman Workshops
Date
1911 (ca.)
Dimensions
91 x 70 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches
Medium
Chestnut and glass with copper hardware
Object No.
1994.11
Credit line
Gift of the Minwax Company
Description
The smaller of the two China Cabinets designed for the Log House Kitchen, this–like all the examples of furniture custom-made for the property–reflects the balance Stickley struck between customization and the serial production of his factory. While many think of "custom-made" as "hand-built," and often associate the Arts and Crafts movement with handicrafts, the realities of factory floor and the flow of work dictated the manner in which all of the custom pieces were built. From the shaped and lapped moldings, to the machined dovetails, to the construction of the drawers and runners, these were products of an industrial process that were cloaked in the language of "the worker" and "the dignity of labor" while taking advantage of the efficiencies provided by machinery and specialized labor.
In some ways, Arts and Crafts practitioners like Stickley served as mirrors to a cultural phenomenon: reflecting a shared yearning for quality, honesty, and an authenticity many felt was slipping away. During the period much written about by and about the Arts and Crafts movement in general–and by Stickley in particular–served as a type of balm to soothe the frazzled and weary nerves of a generation who had awoken to this cultural conundrum. It should be noted, however, that the remedy proposed had less to do with elevating the status or changing the conditions of these factory workers and more with attaching a moral aspect to the products that would alleviate consumers' trepidations and allow them to feel good about their purchases.
In some ways, Arts and Crafts practitioners like Stickley served as mirrors to a cultural phenomenon: reflecting a shared yearning for quality, honesty, and an authenticity many felt was slipping away. During the period much written about by and about the Arts and Crafts movement in general–and by Stickley in particular–served as a type of balm to soothe the frazzled and weary nerves of a generation who had awoken to this cultural conundrum. It should be noted, however, that the remedy proposed had less to do with elevating the status or changing the conditions of these factory workers and more with attaching a moral aspect to the products that would alleviate consumers' trepidations and allow them to feel good about their purchases.
Associated names
Gustav Stickley
Provenance
Original to Craftsman Farms