Craftspeople still strive to make authentic furniture based on that of the Christian sect, which by 1850 had 6,000 members in the eastern and central U.S. Shaker Workshops, founded in 1970, continues to offer this simple, light, strong furniture that blends into homes from Colonial to Modern. The signature low-back chair (in hard maple) is neat and practical, sliding away under the table after meals. The original was made at the Shaker community at Mt. Lebanon, New York, ca. 1850. A full line of furnishings and oval boxes is sold through the company’s catalog and store in Arlington, Mass. Shaker Workshops, (800) 840-9121, shakerworkshops.com
The Shaker Chair
The low-back Shaker chair.