Shaker Furniture’s Minimalist Design and Maximum Function

The Shaker communities of New York and New England placed a special emphasis on simplicity in their life and work. Their plain and utilitarian yet elegant designs interest collectors today. A recent auction at Willis Henry Auctions in Duxbury, Massachusetts, featured 285 antique Shaker items, from boxes to furniture to textiles and more. Prices ranged […]

Shaker Boxes: The Beauty of Function 

Nesting boxes like oval Shaker boxes have been used in home decorating trends for decades. Yet the purpose of the boxes made by the religious Shaker settlers of the 19th century was utilitarian. They were used for storage, not display or decoration. A recent sale at New Haven Auctions of Branford, Connecticut, featured eight examples […]