by John Welford

Created on: October 28, 2010

Shaker furniture derived from the beliefs and practices of a religious group that was never particularly numerous and which only had a relatively short lifespan as an active movement. However, the artefacts which its members produced, particularly their furniture, have had a lasting appeal. Indeed, they have influenced and inspired later designers, especially those of a functional and minimalist turn of mind.

The origin of the Shakers, or “Shaking Quakers”, was in 18th century England when a young Quaker woman, Ann Lee, founded a small sect of her own, the members of which emigrated to the Colonies in 1774. They set up a community at Watervliet, New York, where they could farm and practice their religion. Other communities were later established, although at its height, in around 1860, the Shakers only had some 6,000 members.

At the heart of Shaker belief was simplicity, austerity and hard work, with little room for frivolity and certainly none for luxury. Pleasures were few and far between, “letting go” being confined to the music and dancing of their religious celebrations, which is where the “Shaker” nickname originated. One pleasure they denied themselves was sexual intercourse, even in marriage, so families could only be formed by adoption. Many Shakers of later generations had been orphans who were adopted and brought up by members of the sect.

Shaker furniture reflects these beliefs not only in its pure functionality and lack of decoration but also in its excellent workmanship. “Mother Ann” had stated: “Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to live, and as you know you must die tomorrow”. This meant that, whether a Shaker was baking a loaf or making a chair, the result had to be as close to perfection as possible. This attention to quality is one reason why so much Shaker furniture has survived to the present day.

Another reason is that the relatively small number of Shaker craftsmen did not confine themselves to making pieces for the use of their own community. The items they made, particularly chairs, were not only well-made but, because they used only as much wood as was essential to the construction, cheap to make. Thousands were therefore sold outside the Shaker settlements, throughout much of the 19th century.

Mother Ann’s stipulations virtually dictated the Shaker style: “Whatever is fashioned, let it be plain and simple, unembellished by any superfluities

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