Georgetown Galleries Furniture Company was once a powerhouse in the furniture industry. Although only around for a few decades, this Huntington, West Virginia Company produced incredible cherry and mahogany bedroom furniture, dining room furniture for a high end clientele.
Georgetown Galleries Company History
Georgetown Galleries Company History really didn’t start until 1946. It was in that year that the company owner, Llyod Ritter changed the Huntington Factories name. In order to differentiate from other furniture companies in the Huntington, WV area, Ritter chose the name and felt it had greater global appeal. Not only that, but the name gave greater prestige to the fine cherry and mahogany furniture that the factory had been producing.
In fact, the script and logo of Georgetown Galleries also strengthened the brand’s association with the 18th century traditional styles of furniture of the factories.
Indeed, the company mostly used fine Honduran mahogany, one of the strongest and most beautiful lumber products available at the time. And, most of Georgetown Galleries pieces were constructed of solid mahogany.
For instance, this Georgetown Galleries Mahogany Buffet shows beautiful solid mahogany drawer fronts and tops. The beautiful serpentine front drawers necessitated a thick slab of mahogany in order to create the shaped drawer. These extra details on Georgetown Galleries Furniture set it apart from other competitors.
This attention to detail helped skyrocket the company in the 1950’s. By the middle of that decade, the company’s sales figures reached their peak of over $3 million dollars in sales. At its highest capacity, the factory oversaw between 175- 200 fine craftsmen and workers, according to this news article.
The traditional, timeless styles and fine quality of the products earned Georgetown Galleries a great reputation nationwide, and even overseas in some cases.
Georgetown Galleries Furniture Decline
However, despite this growth, by the end of the decade, the company faced tough financial times. Perhaps it was the price of mahogany and cherry, or the cost of the extra detailing that forced higher labor costs, but Georgetown Galleries lost much of its strength in the market.
I can only imagine that Georgetown Galleries met its fate in the same way that Pennsylvania House, Harden Furniture and other companies did later in the century.
The cost of producing fine furniture calls for a high retail price, and competitors with inferior raw materials and less demanding designs can always undercut on that end.
By 1963, Georgetown Galleries was declared bankrupt by an Ashville, North Carolina Judge. The company’s remaining assets were sent to auction to cover its outstanding liabilities.
Vintage Georgetown Galleries Furniture
Vintage Georgetown Galleries Furniture pops up from time to time, but really is not as common as other vintage brands. Their short company history makes it tougher and tougher to find this quality furniture.
However, the rarity makes it all the more exciting to find. We sold a Georgetown Galleries Dining table that was just stunning. (Georgetown galleries dining tables can sell for anywhere between $800 and $1800.)
Likewise, restored Georgetown Galleries Furniture often makes its way to ebay or craigslist. Because it is usually made of solid mahogany, Georgetown Galleries pieces tend to look beautiful when restored.
Additionally, because it was a bit of a short-lived phenomenon, you can often find this type of furniture for an incredible price.
Georgetown Galleries Value
Georgetown Galleries value can seem a bit misleading at times. Certainly, when we consider the materials and quality, we believe it warrants a great resale price. However, truth be told, vintage mahogany dressers and china cabinets just don’t command an extremely high value on the second hand market.
Of course, the overall condition can really affect the price of Georgetown Galleries Furniture. Something that looks brand new, or that may even have a new finish, could still go for thousands of dollars. Likely, though, you will find a mahogany piece by Georgetown Galleries in the $800-$1500 range if in pristine, like new condition. A cherry piece may still command a $600-$1200 price tag.
However, nothing is stagnate in the furniture market. We could see that this type of cherry and mahogany appreciate in the coming years. Comparatively speaking, it would cost a fortune to produce what Georgetown Galleries made back in the 1950’s today.
If you would like to learn more about this fine furniture company, make sure you hop over to the Georgetown Galleries video.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free to send us your questions or comments below.
Used Georgetown Galleries Furniture For Sale
Georgetown Galleries Furniture made beautiful traditional furniture. Their factories were in Huntington, West Virginia. Find great quality solid wood furniture by Georgetown Galleries! We often run across Georgetown Galleries furniture with a Hathaway’s tag from Park avenue in NYC.
Finding used Georgetown Galleries Furniture for sale is like stumbling upon a treasure. The company made furniture that no doubt will last decades, if not generations.