Willett Furniture
Willett furniture company is well known for their solid cherry wood furniture in classic and contemporaries styles which became the embodiment of 1930s and 1940s southern home interiors. Although the company is no longer operational, their furniture continues to be highly valued by collectors and home owners interested in purchasing something with old-school Southern charm.
About Willett Furniture Company
The Willett Furniture company was founded by two brothers in Louisville, Kentucky who had been in the lumber business for several years. Their experience in the lumber industry gave them the push to pursue a furniture company that specialized in using cherry wood and maple wood as the base for their furniture. Over the years, the company transitioned through several different styles in an attempt to appeal to changing tastes of modern consumers.
Willett Furniture Company History
The Willett Furniture company was founded in 1934 by W.R. Willett and C.H. Willett. The company was so successful in their first ten years that by 1946, the company reported a profit if 2.6 million dollars and the company was considered the largest producer of cherry and maple wood furniture in the country.
The earlier pieces from the Willett Furniture catalog indicate they were created using classical Southern interior styles. Often, Willett furniture from this period features classic details, like a rope-work style design that appeared on table legs, sideboards and wrapped around their dressers and tables. This rope-work feature echoed to Empire style furniture, yet felt new and fresh to consumers. This line was called “Wildwood” by Willett Furniture. Additionally, most Willett Furniture was made with darker woods, such as cherry wood, and stained in rich deep finishes.
However, other less traditional lines also were put into production in the 1950s. For instance, the “Transitional” by Willett featured more Danish-inspired designs that were popular among young American families. At the peak of this decade, less ornamentation and sleek designs became the rage. And Willett Furniture followed this trend, even modifying the Willett logo to keep up with the times.
In 1949, the Willett brothers purchased an additional Factory with the intention of creating kitchen cabinets. However, the kitchen cabinets were not as popular as their traditional Furniture business and the kitchen cabinet Factory closed sometime in the early 1950s.
During the 1960s, with this failure of the kitchen cabinet business still looming, the Willett company continued to face difficulties. Probably due to more competition, including from other solid cherry brands like Pennsylvania House, Ethan Allen and Harden Furniture, Willett saw declining business. Ultimately, the business underwent financial difficulty and was forced to close during the 1960’s.
Willett Furniture Company Products
Over the past two decades, Willett Furniture Company Furniture has become more desirable on the secondhand market. Prices for second-hand pieces continue to rise, particularly with the continued increase in popularity of cherry wood and 1930s and 1940s furniture from the South. Their most popular pieces are their larger furniture items, such as tables, matching dining room sets as well as chests and dressers. Accent pieces, such as side tables, are also popular.
Tips for Purchasing Willett Furniture Products
If you are looking to purchase Willett Furniture Company products, you will have to look for second hand options at antique shops, second hand dealers and so on. If you are looking for a specific piece, you may be able to search for them online or on our second hand furniture database. Otherwise, you will need to identify the old advertisements or possibly catalogs if you can manage to find them.
It is important to note that certain Willett Furniture Company pieces are more desirable than others on the second hand market. Of course, this can drive the prices of vintage Willett Furniture upwards. Original Mid Century designs are often considered more popular than their reproduction designs, at the moment. However, this also depends on a matter of taste.
During the 1940s, the company produced a line of reproductions based on historical antiques. In some cases, many are so well done that they are often mistaken for genuine antiques until the Willett Furniture maker’s marks are discovered.
In general, Willett Furniture pieces have held up very well due to their quality hardwoods, and fine craftsmanship. All in all, unless a piece has been poorly treated, you most likely will find Willett Furniture tables, Willett Furniture dressers and Willett Furniture chairs are well worth the money.
Additionally, because most of Willett Furniture is made of solid cherry and maple, it is relatively easy to refinish and restore. Thus, a fine cherry dining table or dresser by Willett can most certainly have a new life.
Willett Furniture For Sale
Willett Furniture made phenomenal solid cherry furniture for many years out of their Louisville Kentucky factories. Indeed, Willett furniture has seen some resurgence in the past years with collectors! The fine solid wood furniture by Willett will certainly provide great value for your home for many years.