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Some of the most elegant homes in the
world, including palaces and embassies, are furnished
from the Stickley John Widdicomb Collection. This
collection has a long history of high style and
exquisite detailing, including intricate veneers and
hand-painted decoration. The Stickley John Widdicomb
Collection tells the world that you will accept only
the very best life has to offer.
In 1858 George Widdicomb, father of
John Widdicomb, came from Devonshire, England to
settle in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He gathered together
twelve craftsmen and set up a small cabinet shop,
which prospered from the start. His English training
was different from the frontier training of the
average small town cabinetmaker and his well made
furniture found a ready market. The outbreak of the
Civil War put a sudden end to the new enterprise, when
the entire work force, including his sons, joined the
Union army.
Following the war, George Widdicomb was joined by his
four sons, John, Harry, William and George, Jr., and
the business started up again. The trade, entirely
local to start with, was quickly expanded. The
Widdicomb name soon became known in Chicago, then East
as far as Boston, Philadelphia and New York. In 1897,
one of the boys, John Widdicomb, felt the need for a
plan of his own and started in a small way making
interior woodwork and fireplace mantels on a site
across the street from that of his father.
Ralph Widdicombe, a nephew of John, had earlier become
interested in the designing of fine furniture, and
when his uncle branched out for himself, Ralph joined
him. For fifty-three years, until his retirement in
1951, all John Widdicomb Company furniture was
designed by Ralph Widdicombe, known as the Dean of
furniture designers. Ralph Widdicombe always retained
the old English spelling of his name ending with the
"e". Although Ralph Widdicombe will always be
remembered best for his classical designs, he was
awarded first prize for his Modern bedroom suite at
the Paris Exposition in 1900. In 1924, working from
models he had procured in Eorope, Ralph Widdicombe
introduced Louis XV Provincial designs, which were the
first of their kind to be made in this country, and
started the wave of popularity for French Provincial
that still continues.
The Widdicomb name, which had been shared by two
manufacturers since John left his father in 1897, was
brought together again in November of 1970, when John
Widdicomb Company purchased the name and goodwill of
the Widdicomb Furniture Company, the latter having
ceased production several years previously.
In May of 2002, the John Widdicomb Company closed its
Grand Rapids doors and a new chapter in the history of
this revered company began. Operating as a division of
the renowned L. & J.G. Stickley, Inc., John Widdicomb
is now manufactured with pride in Manlius, New York
and is positioned to flourish for years to come.
The John Widdicomb line includes nearly one hundred
French, Italian, English, and Russian reproductions,
as well as a broad range of pieces from the Moderne
tradition of the early 20th century, all of which are
crafted in limited quantities - and in the tradition
of highest quality for which the Widdicomb name has
been internationally known for over one hundred
forty-five years.
John Widdicomb furniture is available through Stickley,
Audi & Co. stores, other fine retail stores world
wide, and to interior designers through Baker Knapp
and Tubbs showrooms in major cities in the United
States. |
