NH Furniture Masters take their Auction Online

Furniture World Magazine

Continuing their unique approach to marketing fine custom made furniture, the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association (NHFMA) is now exhibiting their annual show and auction on the Web. Each September NHFMA auctions off about 35 pieces of work that are exhibit throughout the summer months. Now you can go to the web to view and bid on the pieces. The work spans all styles of furniture including: Period, Early American/Shaker, Classic Reinterpretations. Contemporary and Art Furniture Nationally known furniture makers Jere Osgood, Jon Brooks and David Lamb are members of the group. The site is impressive. There is a library of articles, a wood glossary, a calendar of events, pages for each of the 26 NHFMA members, three years of auction catalogs and a slide show explaining how to patron (commission) a piece. With over 200 photographs of furniture, you can find most anything with the advanced Java search feature that allows consumers to search for both a style of furniture (such as Early American) and a type of furniture (such as a sideboard). Most people think of attending auctions to purchase antiques. However, most people can not afford the antiques they want much less find them. A pair of Langley Boardman chairs recently sold at auction for $30,000. It costs far less to purchase a replica of these same chairs. The NH Furniture Masters' Exhibit and Auction offers an affordable way for people to buy the antiques of tomorrow. Developed by Harbour Light Productions of Portsmouth, NH, and Mira Marketing of Kittery Point ME, the new site is meant to be a resource for those wishing to learn about furniture making as well as a tool for the auction to reach a wider audience. "The Internet is a superb way for the NHFMA to broaden its audience. The design and functionality of the site represents the artists well and allows users to appreciate the quality of their work," says Jenny Brillhart of Harbour Light Productions. "We wanted the site to reflect the standards of excellence that NHFMA stands for, and to reach out to the public as an educational tool," says Laurel McEwen of Mira Marketing. "When someone has a question about fine furniture we want them to think of fumituremasters.org." Three years ago a group of 13 New Hampshire Furniture makers took their work public in an unusual way - by creating an exhibition of patroned work that culminates in an auction. Titled Three Centuries of NH Furniture Making, this exhibit and auction is reviving New Hampshire's centuries old tradition of cabinetmaking. Back in the 1700s if you needed furniture you hired a cabinetmaker. NH had a significant number of fine cabinetmakers including Samuel Dunlap, Langley Boardman, and Judkins & Fenter. But with the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and the mass productions of furniture, these cabinetmakers dwindled, and those that remained basically disappeared into the woods. Now, at the dawn of the 21st century most people don't know how to buy custom furniture. Many believe that die cost is beyond their means. Most just don't know where to start. How do you find a cabinetmaker? How do you explain what you are looking for? What does it costs? The new Web site www.furnitureinasters.org explains how to commission furniture. The auction is a unique merger of art and economics. Each piece is patroned. which enables the master to have the cost of the piece underwritten. If the piece is sold at the auction, then the patron is built a replacement piece for the original price. For the patron their piece gets media attention and frequently appreciates in value. For the master, his work gains broader recognition and appreciation. This year the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion of Portsmouth, NH hosts the first opening of NHFMA Three Centuries of NH Furniture Making exhibit. Starting June 25th the show runs until July 18th. "It is an honor to have the Furniture Masters returning to the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion this summer. This collaborative effort between the NHFMA, the Wentworth-Coolidge Commission, and the New Hampshire Historical Society strengthens our collective mission to connect historic New Hampshire with the present. We are delighted that this superbly crafted furniture will once again be displayed in the elegant colonial surroundings of New Hampshire's first Royal Governor," says Molly Bolster the mansions' Director. Last year over 1000 people attended the show, which was more than double the total number of visitors to the mansion for the entire 1997 season. On July 19th the show opens at the Boston Architectural Center, Newberry Street, Boston, MA and runs through August 13th. On August 17th the exhibit moves to the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, NH. Bidding on the new Web site starts June 26h with the first opening in Portsmouth, NH and continues throughout the summer until the final live auction on September 25"' in Concord, NH at the NH Historical Society. The N14 Historical Society can be reached at 603-225-3381. The Boston Architectural Center can be reached at 617-262- The Wentworth-Coolidge mansion can be reached at 603-436-6607. The NH Furniture Masters can be reached at 603-863-4795.