Walk around most homes and you’ll find tables and chairs, dressers and desks, but you’ll be hard pressed to see any furniture that is as finely crafted as the ones put out by members of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association.
These folks have put in hours (way more than anyone could ever count) fine tuning their craft that is shown in every piece they make.
The association has been around since 1996 and currently has about 20 members who are constantly churning out amazing pieces that we would be too afraid to actually use.
They host about four exhibits a year at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, and the one currently housed in the space is a unique one.
“It’s a great place where we can show our work,” said Ted Blachly, gallery director for the association.
It’s called Looking Back: Vintage Works, and the theme was created to celebrate some of the early work done by members of the association. And actually, each piece in the display is at least 25 years or older, which is longer than the group has been around.
“I just had this idea that we should show work by members of the group that predates the creation of New Hampshire Furniture Masters,” Blachly said.
Your first impression is that the furniture looks brand new and there’s no way it’s at least a quarter century old. But it must be true, as some piece range as far back as the early 1960s.
There are a couple tables and chairs – things that you think of when you’re talking about furniture. But there’s also this cool collection of animal chairs by Jeffrey Cooper that any parent would love to have for their child. Assuming they weren’t going to color all over them.
But what is most impressive is the detail work in all of the pieces. It’s amazing to see what some of the members were able to do 25, 30 and even more than 50 years ago. It would have been cool to put current pieces alongside to see just how far the craftsmanship has come.
Jon Brooks’s stool was made during his college days at Rochester Institute of Technology.
“You wouldn’t recognize it as his style,” Blachly said.
Blachly’s cupboard was part of the first show of the Guild of N.H. Woodworkers and has since served many purposes in his home.
“These are personalized pieces that are part of what we own,” Blachly said.
David Lamb made his Canterbury End Table while serving as an apprentice at Shaker Village. Some had the pieces in their personal collections, while others had to borrow them from family members who currently own the work.
“The level of quality in the workmanship is really very good,” Blachly said. “So it shows that a lot of these guys were working at a high level back then.”
And if you like the pieces that you see here (and at the exhibit) check out the portfolios at the table. It’s got all kinds of great examples of the furniture masters work and how to get in touch with them – if you want a piece made or something.
The exhibit is up through June 11 and can be viewed while the Chamber is open, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more info about the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association, visit furnituremasters.org.
