Hitchcock Furniture Company Buying Guide
The Hitchcock Furniture Company is one of the oldest furniture companies in the United States. Of course, they are well known for producing high quality furniture with professional craftsmanship. Hitchcock placed an emphasis on durability, timelessness and the ingenuity expressed by the founder of the original company in the 19th century.
There is something so special about New England Furniture. You see the quality and workmanship in other companies, too, like Kittinger Furniture and Stickley Furniture. (Not to say that southern furniture companies, like Henredon, don’t have incredible furniture as well.)
However, Hitchcock and other New England Companies tend to follow more traditional styles than others.
Let’s take a closer look at the history of the Hitchcock Furniture Company along with some helpful tips to keep in mind if you want to spot fakes versus authentic Hitchcock Furniture Company pieces.
Hitchcock Furniture Company History
The history of the Hitchcock Furniture Company can be traced all the way back to 1818. In 1818, a man named Lambert Hitchcock founded his own furniture company while living in Connecticut. The furniture produced by Lambert Hitchcock was detailed, durable and featured unique hand stenciled designs that allowed him to create elegant looking chairs that could be sold for affordable prices.
Lambert Hitchcock died in 1852. In 1946, another man bought out the name for the company and began reproducing reproduction Hitchcock chairs based on the original designs. This second revival of the company closed in 2006 and it seemed for a time that it would be the end for the Hitchcock Chair Company’s legacy.
However, in 2010, an antique dealer and furniture restoration specialist named Rick Swenson purchased the Hitchcock Chair Company name along with his business partner Gary Hath. The business’s legacy continues through Swenson and Hath’s work today.
How to Spot Fakes vs. Authentic Vintage Hitchcock Furniture Company Pieces
The best way to spot a fake Hitchcock Furniture Company to understand what the original chairs looked like so that you can eliminate fakes that obviously do not share these details. Identifying Hitchcock Furniture comes down to knowing the attributes and the signatures of true Hitchcock.
Authentic Hitchcock chairs were typically made with birch, maple or oak wood. Then, the Hitchcock factories used black, dark green, and a very dark brown paint that bordered on black. After the initial coats of paint, the craftspeople stenciled golden, green and white designs on the frames. Finally, they striped on a very thin gold bands that go up around halfway up the leg of the chair and a yellow ocher stripe around the legs.
As for the seats, the original Hitchcock chairs featured layers of rush, cane or wood planks. Indeed, very few Hitchcock chairs feature upholstery.
Of course, you will also want to look for a maker’s mark on the piece. Indeed, the different signatures on the back of the chairs can help date your Hitchcock Furniture.
Dating Antique Hitchcock Chairs
The specific marks on Hitchcock chairs correspond to different periods of Hitchcock history. You can use this information to date Antique Hitchcock Chairs.
From 1820 to 1832, the chairs were imprinted with “L. Hitchcock. Hitchcocks-ville, Conn. Warranted.” Then, from 1832 to 1843, the maker’s mark is Hitchcock, Alford & Co. Hitchcocks-ville. Conn. Warranted.” Finally, there are some later chairs made between 1843 until 1852, which have ‘L. Hitchcock. Unionville. Conn. Warranted.”
A note on reproductions: In 1946, the revived Hitchcock Chair Company began producing reproductions from the original factory. Indeed, the reproductions will either have no maker’s mark, which indicates they were made from 1948 to 1952. Conversely, they will read ““L. Hitchcock. Hitchcocks-ville. Conn. Warranted.”
Make sure you carefully look at the maker’s mark, since it is easy to mix up the 19th century marks and modern marks at a glance.
Remember to keep the above information in mind when shopping for Hitchcock Chair Company furniture.
How to Clean Hitchcock Furniture
Because of the mix of painted and stained finishes common on Hitchcock, you may want to know how best to clean it. Of course, over the years, grime, dirt and wax can build up on fine furniture like Hitchcock.
So, the best first step involves using a very mild cleaner diluted in warm water. Obviously, you do not want to douse the furniture in water. Rather, use just a bit of the soapy water on a rag and then dry immediately. I prefer using a drop of Murphy’s Oil Soap for this step.
After the piece has dried, you may wish to touch up any paint flaws with a tip of a black furniture pen or wooden furniture pen. Mohawk makes a great tool for this, but I have also noticed a black sharpie marker can work in a pinch if you are careful to run a rag over the small area soon after the touch-up.
As far as furniture waxes, Hitchcock furniture can take a couple different brands. Guardsman wax, Beeswax by Howards or The Ultimate Bees Wax are my favorite furniture polishes for Hitchcock Furniture. Of course, a soft tee shirt or buffing pad offer the best choice when it comes to fine furniture like Hitchcock.
Hitchcock Furniture For Sale
Hitchcock Furniture started in North Western Connecticut in the 1800’s. Their signature design of stenciled and paint decorated furniture found homes all across the country. Hitchcock made fine chairs, stenciled dressers and tables that echoed Colonial designs. Today vintage Hitchcock Furniture looks beautiful in antique homes and primitive interiors.
Gently Used Hitchcock furniture can really make any home look more beautiful, homey and pulled together. Of course, you may have questions regarding your Hitchcock Furniture. Or, you may be looking for advice regarding restoring your Hitchcock Furniture. Finally, you may wish to know the value of your Hitchcock Furniture.
Please feel free to reach out to us with your questions. We do our best to answer your emails and comments. Ultimately we hope our guides help consumers find the most beautiful and affordable used Hitchcock chairs and Hitchcock tables on the market today!
Find the perfect Hitchcock accent furniture for your home today! And, if you like Hitchcock, consider reading our Ethan Allen guide as well. Ethan Allen Hitchcock style furniture also had quite a following!
If you can’t get enough of this vintage furniture maker, make sure you check out our video Page. Hitchcock Furniture: What makes it special?