Tag Archives: Stickley Museum

furniture, history, Karen Tashkovski

The Stickley Walking Tour

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Yesterday Amanda Clifford took us on a free walking tour of the neighborhood surrounding the Fayetteville Free Library, former home of the Stickley furniture factory and current home of the Stickley Museum, of which she is the Director.

Patri, Janine and I were joined by Mae and Joe, a lovely couple from Ohio for this adventure, which took us past several small waterfalls that make up the Ledyard Canal (the water that powers it initiates from Beard park pond), and Leopold Stickley’s former residence. The latter is a grand Victorian-style home on Clinton. He and his employees could walk to work back then.

In fact, the entire neighborhood was built around this waterway because it had the ability to power a flour mill and helped establish a knife factory and other businesses that, although no longer there, maintain a spirited presence in the area.

Stickley’s presence is still very much alive thanks to the Audi family. The factory has since moved a few miles down the road and, a few miles in the opposite direction one can find the Stickley showroom.

I loved learning about the history of the Stickley family – how the parents, German immigrants who’d settled in Wisconsin had eleven children. Their dad abandoned the family and the boys learned masonry and carpentry from their uncle. Gustav, Albert, John George and Leopold all established businesses. The Stickley company we know today was purchased from Leopold’s widow. Gustav’s furniture plans came with that sale because he’d sold them to his brother before his own company went bankrupt. So nothing is a reproduction, rather, they are simply re-issuing or re-launching furniture that comes from the original L & JG Stickley business.

It’s such an amazing American success story, really. Gustav launched the Arts & Crafts movement right here in Syracuse, New York, and that is just so cool! I have always loved the clean lines and sturdy quality of the quarter-sawn oak pieces. It is just so classic.

Amanda Clifford is available to answer questions at the Stickley Museum. Just go inside the library and take the elevator to the second floor on Tuesdays, Fridays or Saturdays. She welcomes school groups of all ages. To schedule a group tour call her at (315) 682-5500 extension 2257.

furniture, Karen Tashkovski, museum

Stickley-gasm

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So, this happened today….

I sat in the Dalai Lama’s chair – the one in the photograph (above). The actual one. It is located at the Stickley Museum, 300 Orchard Street, Fayettevile, New York 13066. It’s on the second floor of the Fayetteville Free Library.

The building was the first home of the Stickley factory. The area is now mostly residential but back in the early twentieth century, it was a hub of industry due to its proximity to the Ledyard Canal.

I had no idea of this incredible history nor an idea of the amazing artifacts and furniture I would encounter today. I am a huge fan of Stickley. I have nine pieces in my personal collection.

The brothers Stickley went their separate ways. Leopold’s wife sold his company to the Audis. Mr. Audi was one of the top salesmen for the brand and was considered family. There is a photograph showing them all at a dinner party together in the late ’50s right before Leopold Stickley.’s passing.

I just love this, because it ensures a continuation of a great legacy. The Stickley name is synonymous with the Craftsman style. The Audis resurrected this style in the late ’80s, creating a Mission renaissance. The current company’s factory is down the road in adjacent Manlius, New York. There they create a diverse collection of contemporary and modern Colonial style goods, as well as continuing to make traditional Mission-style furniture (now made slightly larger to accommodate twenty-first century customers with bigger houses and more clothes to fill dressers).

Included in this museum are original items owned by Gustav Stickley including those formerly and famously owned by Barbara Streisand, some of which were photographed for the cover of one of her record albums.

I gasped when I first entered the space. I had been photographing the room on the first floor, which is filled with Stickley furniture and used as a gaming center, in addition to quiet reading. Four women were there playing Mahjong and there was a sign for a sewing club. I thought that was the museum until I saw the sign to take the elevator up to the second floor. And…wow.

There I was greeted by Amanda L. Clifford. She’s the director of the museum. She is a Syracuse University graduate with a degree in Art History and a devoted employee of the Stickley organization. Ms. Clifford has a wealth of information at her fingertips regarding the craftsmanship of the furniture and how it has evolved through the century. Her knowledge of each of the Stickley brothers’ individual and group/partnered trajectories and of Harvey Ellis, the architect who was employed briefly by Gustav, was just so informative.

*The Harvey Ellis furniture is identified by iconic floral inlays. He died before he saw any of his beautiful designs put into production! So tragic.

The museum is open Tuesday from 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm or by appointment. There is also a Stickley factory tour you can take (1 Stickley Drive, Manlius, New York 13104). Visit their website at www.stickleymuseum.com or call (315) 682-5500. <3