Heywood Wakefield Furniture History
In its early decades the firm thrived by crafting affordable and hugely popular wicker pieces in traditional and historical styles.
Heywood wakefield furniture history. Both firms produced wicker and rattan furniture and as these products became increasingly popular towards the end of the century they became serious rivals. The story of heywood wakefield begins with a merger. Heywood wakefield furniture history. Around this same time heywood wakefield began using phillips head screws almost.
Both companies produced rattan and wicker furniture that became very popular during the last quarter of the 19th century as outdoor and conservatory furnishings. If you can identify types of wood by its color and grain pattern this is another clue. Both companies were producing wicker and rattan furniture. But the story doesn t end there.
By 1921 they shortened it to the name we recognize today. Their main rival the wakefield rattan company began operations in 1855. The heywood wakefield company is an american furniture manufacturer established in 1897. The name would be shortened to heywood wakefield in 1921.
In 1897 two prominent furniture companies heywood brothers est. 1826 and wakefield company est. Heywood wakefield made wood furniture in the streamline modern style smooth light and with simplified and rounded angles until 1966 when their high standards of quality proved to be too costly and styles had changed quite a bit. The heywood company was first established in 1826 by the heywood brothers and the wakefield company was founded in 1855.
The heywood wakefield company filed for bankruptcy in 1981. Maple was still used for some furniture but by 1940 heywood wakefield switched exclusively to birch. In 1937 streamline maple became streamline modern. Both companies rivals in their industry produced wicker furniture and rattan furniture for residential and commercial clients.
In 1897 the companies merged as heywood brothers wakefield company this name was changed to heywood wakefield company in 1921 purchasing washburn heywood chair company in 1916 oregon chair company in 1920 and lloyd manufacturing company in 1921. Heywood wakefield can trace its roots all the way back to 1826 with the establishment of the heywood brothers. 1855 merged to create heywood brothers wakefield company. The new company rose to particular popularity in the 1930s 40s and 50s with its solid wood art deco inspired mid century modern furniture.
Created by the 19th century merger of two venerable massachusetts furniture makers heywood wakefield was one of the largest and most successful companies of its kind in the united states. In the late 1890s and eventually ended up as heywood wakefield co. Heywood wakefield history the five heywood brothers began making chairs in 1826 and the company was formally introduced as b f. Heywood wakefield actually consisted of two long standing competitors in the 1800 s.
In 1897 two independently successful and highly competitive firms joined to make heywood brothers wakefield company. The heywood brothers and wakefield company did not join forces until 1921. Heywood brothers was established in 1826 wakefield company in 1855.