Cushman Furniture Guide
The Cushman Furniture company, also known as H.T. Cushman Furniture, was a Vermont furniture company that became well-known for the eclectic line of American-made furniture pieces. The company, which sold hands several times towards the end of its business lifespan, went out of business in 1980. Like other New England Furniture companies, like Ethan Allen, Stickley and Harden Furniture, Cushman benefited from the hardwood forests of Vermont.
Cushman Colonial Bennington, Vermont
The Cushman Furniture company was an innovative business that pivoted several times throughout its early years in order to meet the changing demands of American consumers. The company’s furniture pieces were well known for their solid materials and hardy American craftsmanship.
Cushman Furniture Company History
The Cushman Furniture company was first founded as the H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company in 1886. The early pieces produced by the company tended to be smaller pieces, such as coat racks, hat hangers, and other accessories.
By 1900, however, the company began producing furniture in order to meet growing demands for high quality furniture. The company became known in the early 1900s for its line of Mission-style furniture, but with popularity of the Mission-style declining by the 1910s, the company pivoted once again. They began producing smoking stands, known as “smokers,” and became well-known for their smoking stands aimed at middle-class families and college students.
By the 1930s, smoker stands had gone out of fashion, and the company once again looked for a way to reinvent their catalog. In 1933, they officially launched a new collection of furniture inspired by the Colonial Revival movement from the early 19th century. This new line, called Cushman Colonial Creations, was a smash hit and the company began producing colonial-inspired furniture in earnest for the next few decades.
Cushman Colonial Furniture Tag, usually found in the drawer.
In 1965, the company was purchased by General Industries; in 1971, Green Mountain Furniture Company purchased it from General Industries. However, in 1980, Green Mountain Furniture went out of business, taking Cushman Furniture with it into closure.
Cushman Furniture Company Products
One of the more unique aspects about the Cushman Furniture Company is the company’s frequent reinvention which coincided with the launch of new products. The company’s earliest products included small accessories and pieces for the home; its second revival launched its Mission-style furniture; its third revival produced a wide variety of smoking stands; and finally, its last reinvention saw the creation of a decades-long line of Colonial Revival furniture. Its Colonial Revival furniture line included bedroom sets, dining room sets, along with furniture for almost every room in the home.
Some of the most quintessential products by Cushman feature beautiful Vermont maple. In fact, there were some beautiful finishes by Cushman that really showed off the color and depth of beautiful maple wood.
Cleaning Vintage Cushman Furniture
When cleaning vintage furniture by Cushman, use a mild cleaner like Murphy’s Oil Soap and warm water. This helps to take off any grime, or any build up of polish or cleaners.
Then, you can use a few different products to restore the finish of Cushman furniture. Of course, simple Howards Restore-a-Finish in different colors can help bring back the original luster. Simply buff it on with a soft tee shirt rag. Then, you can take some thick wax or Beeswax to polish back the light sheen.
Of course, if you have a highly damaged finish on your Cushman furniture, you can also easily refinish it. Most of the vintage Cushman Furniture from years past is made with solid wood boards. So, sanding off the finish and re-staining is pretty straightforward.
As far as stains and finishes go, we recommend Minwax and Mohawk brand products. These types of high end finishes and stains are easy to use and have great lasting power.
Tips For Purchasing Cushman Furniture Company Products
If you are interested in purchasing Cushman Furniture Company products, you should consider the following essential tips.
Tip: Narrow down the date via the style of furniture.
Of course, this is the best way to date vintage Cushman Furniture: Since the company made multiple distinct pivots throughout its business lifespan, it is surprisingly easy to narrow down furniture dates simply via the type of furniture you are looking to purchase. Mission Style furniture will be from 1900-1910 or so; smoking stands will be from the 1910s-1920s or early 1930s at the latest; and the Colonial Revival furniture will have the widest range, from 1933 until 1964 when the company was purchased.
Remember to keep the above guide in mind when purchasing Cushman Furniture Company products. You may also want to visit our Cushman Furniture Video to see more about this brand.
Cushman Colonial Creations value guide
If you are looking to sell your Cushman Colonial Furniture, you may have questions regarding its value. Cushman Colonial Furniture can have a pretty decent resale value. For instance, vintage Maple and Birch dressers by Cushman can sell for between $200 and $800, if in gently used condition.
Likewise, a Cushman Colonial dining table can sell for between $400 and $1500 in a vintage furniture store. Of course, quality vintage chairs by Cushman in great shape can cost between $50 and $150 a chair.
Finally, vintage Cushman Colonial hutch cabinets generally sell for between $400 and $600, with really nice large models selling for around $1200.
Well, that concludes our article on Cushman Bennington Vermont Furniture. Hopefully you found this simple guide helpful!