The Maddox Furniture Company is a vintage furniture company that was well known for their historically inspired desks, which included large secretary desks as well as writing desks. Although the company closed more than 100 years ago, its furniture pieces remain coveted by antique furniture collectors and homeowners today.
About Maddox Furniture
The Maddox Furniture Company was founded in 1890s in Arstown (Jamestown area), New York. The company, which began as a family business venture, quickly expanded to include a larger factory and expansive catalog. The company’s staple item quickly became its historically inspired secretaries and desks, which became their signature produce.
Maddox Furniture Company History
Not much is known about the founders of the Maddox Furniture Company. It is known that the business was founded in 1898 by at least several members of the Maddock family. Indeed, this family owned a porcelain and decorative item production business. Some report that William Maddox founded the furniture division of the business.
William Maddox had several successful ventures during his lifetime. In addition to his furniture products, first sold under the name “Maddox Tables,” he also created several furniture making machines which he sold to other manufacturers around the country. In fact, he was one of the first furniture manufacturers in the United States to patent one of his inventions: a machine used for polishing table tops.
Furniture Company, Maddox Tables
With an abundance of forests in New York state, developed railroads, and lots of furniture cabinet shops in the area, Maddox was able to grow and develop a niche for fine secretary desks and tables. Like other New York Furniture companies, including Kling Furniture, Harden Furniture and Stickley Furniture, Maddox held a reputation for fine solid wood furniture derived from New York forests.
By the late 1800s, the company was already well known for its historically inspired pieces. The company’s historically inspired pieces ranged in style. They made Tudor style desks as well as 18th century tables, which included elaborately decorated pieces with black lacquer and gilding.
In some cases, the historically correct pieces were considered fine reproductions and they were produced with a reproduction mark: “Maddox Colonial Reproductions.”
The company continued to be successful. However, in 1919, the Maddox Family decided to sell the company to the Shermean Brothers Company. To my knowledge, the Shermean Brothers Company still used the Maddox Furniture name and branding throughout the 20th century. Building on the reputation of the Maddox family, the Shermean Brothers continued to mark their products with the “Maddox” labels.
Thus, many pieces from the twentieth century include a “Maddox Furniture” label. However, the Maddox Furniture name was sold again in 1978 to the Crawford Furniture Company (Jamestown, NY).
Sadly, in 2002, the Crawford Furniture Company dissolved.
Maddox Furniture Company Products
Throughout its operation, the company produced dozens of different furniture pieces. Naturally, its most well-known pieces are its desks and secretary desks which were inspired by–or in some cases, were exactly reproduced from–existing historical pieces.
These historical pieces range in style and size, from plain and simple to very grand and elaborate.
During the 1920s through the 1960s, multiple models of Maddox Secretary Desks were produced. Of course, the models ranged from very simple desks to very elaborate ones. Several unique features might appear on Maddox Secretary desks, including:
- Bookcase Tops with Glazed Glass Doors
- Serpentine or Blockfront style drawers
- Elaborate Finials and Federal Inspired Broken Arch Tops
- Fancy feet, including ball and claw and Queen Anne style legs
- Fine Woods, like mahogany veneers or inlaid sections
- Elaborate desk interiors, with multiple drawers and cubby holes (often called pigeon holes)
- Solid Brass Hardware
- Secret Compartments
Obviously, the larger, more impressive and finer models featured multiple aspects described above. Indeed, the most expensive models of Maddox Secretary desks required fine woodworking skills and multiple weeks of work to produce. After all, the secretary desk stands as a status symbol in fine homes. Fine Furniture by Maddox Company demonstrated taste and means in 20th century homes.
In addition to their historically inspired desks and secretaries, the company also produced a much smaller catalog of accent items such as side tables and smaller desks.
Tips for Purchasing Maddox Furniture Products
If you want to furniture Maddox Furniture pieces, you will need to look for secondhand options as the company is no longer active in any capacity. Thus, your best option is to search online or through a second hand furniture dealer.
The price of second hand Maddox Furniture Company products will depend on the exact piece, the year it was made and the overall condition of the piece.
In general, however, you can expect to pay around $300 to $500 for a standard Maddox Furniture Company desk. So, for instance, if a Maddox secretary desk has a simple front, perhaps a selection of drawers and doors and is in good condition, this price range can be expected.
If you are looking for their historical reproduction pieces or any pieces with more complex mechanical functions, then you may need to pay more than you would for a “simpler” historical writing desk. For example, Maddox Furniture Company secretary desks with hidden compartments and similar features are often sold for at least $1500–and up–on the secondhand furniture market. However, it goes without saying, condition can make the difference too, in a vintage Maddox desk.
Maddox Furniture For Sale
Maddox Furniture Company made fabulous secretary desks of all different designs, sizes and styles. This fabulous fine vintage furniture company specialized in solid wood desks.