| Sometimes, the name of a furniture theme can tell you | | | | was maple, although some cherry, birch, and walnut |
| everything you need to know about it. Shaker theme | | | | was also used. One of the most classic examples of |
| furniture is one such name. | | | | the theme is the Shaker side chair. The chair is very |
| The Shakers were a small millennial religious sect that | | | | simple in design, but at the same time has such fine |
| began in England in 1772, and moved to America just | | | | attention to detail and utility of design that they are still |
| prior to the Revolutionary War. They were related to | | | | very popular. The side chair was crafted with a ball |
| other better known groups such as the Quakers and | | | | and socket joint in the front legs that allowed the chair |
| Amish mainly for their beliefs in isolation from society | | | | to be leaned backward while keeping the rear legs |
| and opposition to war. They also were greatly | | | | solidly planted on the floor. This allowed a safe rocking |
| concerned with the maintaining of a simple lifetheme. | | | | motion. |
| The guiding principles of the sect were equality, | | | | One legacy of the theme that endures today is the |
| modesty, and faith, and they were concerned with a | | | | Shaker theme rocking chair. It is the prototype of the |
| search for order and harmony in life. | | | | modern rocking chair of today, and was designed for |
| This set of religious beliefs is reflected in the furniture | | | | use by elderly people. It was thought that the rocking |
| that they produced. The theme might be summed up | | | | motion was healthy for them. The idea of utility can be |
| by the saying, "beauty is in utility." In the period following | | | | seen in the Sewing Rocker that was designed |
| the Revolution until the Civil War, the sect enjoyed their | | | | specifically for women and allowed them to sew or |
| largest numbers, and a large quantity of handmade | | | | knit easily while rocking. |
| furniture was produced by Shaker craftsman in home | | | | Cabinets and Cupboards were very popular pieces. |
| shops. The utility and practical nature of the theme | | | | They were not embellished at all with any extra |
| made a market for it outside of the sect itself, and | | | | decoration, but were masterpieces of utility and |
| pieces found their way into general circulation. The | | | | consistency. In the present time, Shaker furniture |
| advent of the Industrial period following the Civil War, | | | | pieces that are original and in good condition are highly |
| and the decline in numbers of the sect itself due to an | | | | sought antiques, and although some attempts to |
| increasingly secular spirit in America led to a decline in | | | | recreate the theme for commercial sale have been |
| the number of Shakers. This in turn led to an end of | | | | made, the careful inspired religious care that the |
| the production of Shaker theme furniture. | | | | Shakers put into the making of each hand crafted |
| The main wood of choice in Shaker theme furniture | | | | piece can not easily be duplicated in a factory. |