Stickley Brothers Quest American Voice Clark Mission Oak Arts Crafts HC DJ VG

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Stickley Brothers Quest American Voice Clark Mission Oak Arts Crafts HC DJ VG. The Stickley. Gibbs M. Smith Publisher in Salt Lake City. Published by. The book's central thesis is captured in its subtitle. The five Stickley brothers —. Gustav Stickley's furniture famously bore the motto. Enlightening Minds · American Decorative Arts · Arts & Crafts Movement · Mission Style Furniture History Gibbs M. Smith Publisher · Salt Lake City · 2002 Hardcover with DJ · 160 Pages · 130 Color + 30 B&W Photographs · 8×10 in ▦ VG · 1st Printing · ISBN 9781586850531 The Stickley Brothers The Quest for an American Voice Dr. Michael E. Clark · Jill Thomas-Clark Fine Arts, Elmira College · Registrar, Corning Museum of Glass The definitive scholarly photographic survey of all FIVE Stickley brothers — Gustav, Albert, Charles, Leopold, and John George — and their parallel pursuits of an American Arts & Crafts furniture style 130 color photographs · Furniture shop marks · Timeline · Bibliography · Index ▦ ▦ ▦ ▦ Edition Note — 2002 First Printing This copy is the 2002 first edition first printing of The Stickley Brothers: The Quest for an American Voice, published by Gibbs M. Smith Publisher in Salt Lake City. The volume was the first comprehensive scholarly treatment of all five Stickley brothers in a single illustrated volume. Subsequent Amazon/distribution listings sometimes show 2008 dates reflecting later printings, but this copy traces to the original 2002 publication. ▦ ▦ ▦ About This Book The Stickley Brothers: The Quest for an American Voice by Dr. Michael E. Clark and Jill Thomas-Clark is the first single-volume scholarly survey of all five Stickley brothers and their parallel careers in turn-of-the-twentieth-century American furniture manufacturing. Published by Gibbs M. Smith (Salt Lake City) in 2002 as a substantial 160-page coffee-table volume with 130 color photographs and 30 black-and-white illustrations, the book brings together photographic and documentary evidence of each brother's work in a comparative frame that had not previously been attempted in the Arts & Crafts literature. The book's central thesis is captured in its subtitle. The five Stickley brothers — Gustav, Albert, Charles, Leopold, and John George — operated separately for most of their careers, each pursuing his own version of what an authentically American furniture style might look like in the wake of European Arts & Crafts (Morris, Voysey, Mackintosh) and against the prevailing tide of Victorian over-ornamentation and industrial mass production. Gustav claimed publicly that he had established an American style. Albert publicly contradicted him. Leopold, who outlived all his brothers and saw the firms through the Arts & Crafts decline of the 1920s and the Depression, made his own quieter statement in the long-running firm he co-founded with John George. Clark and Thomas-Clark examine each brother's work — with particular emphasis on the early years and the transitional moments where styles diverged — and let the reader make the comparative judgment. For collectors, antique dealers, woodworkers, and decorative-arts scholars, the book also serves as a practical reference: it includes a dedicated chapter on the distinct furniture shop marks used by each of the brothers' firms (essential for attribution and authentication of unmarked or partially-marked pieces), a comprehensive timeline of the Stickley brothers' lives and businesses, an Arts & Crafts resources section, and a substantial bibliography and index. The 130 color photographs include both period furniture pieces and historical interiors, with attention to documenting the construction details, shop marks, and stylistic signatures that distinguish each brother's output. Did You Know? Gustav Stickley's furniture famously bore the motto "Als Ik Kan" stamped or branded into the work — a Flemish phrase meaning roughly "as I can" or "to the best of my ability," which Gustav adopted from William Morris, who had himself adopted it from Jan van Eyck's signature on his fifteenth-century paintings. The motto, paired with the iconic joiner's compass and "United Crafts" or "Craftsman" stamp, became one of the most recognized maker's marks in American decorative arts. From 1901 to 1916 Gustav Stickley also published The Craftsman magazine, the foundational American Arts & Crafts journal, which featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Greene & Greene, and other architects, alongside complete plans for Craftsman bungalow homes that were built across the United States in the 1900s and 1910s. While Gustav's Craftsman Workshops declared bankruptcy in 1915 and Albert's Stickley Brothers Co. in Grand Rapids closed in 1940, Leopold's firm L. & J.G. Stickley continues to operate today as Stickley Furniture in Manlius, New York — bought from the family in 1974 by the Audi family, who have continued to manufacture reissued Mission Oak and original Cherry Mission designs for more than half a century. ▦ The Five Stickley Brothers ▦ Gustav Stickley1858–1942 Craftsman Workshops · Eastwood, NY · 1898–1915 The most famous of the brothers. Founded the Craftsman Workshops in Eastwood, New York; published The Craftsman magazine (1901-1916); developed the iconic Mission Style in quartersawn white oak; published Craftsman bungalow home plans; declared bankruptcy 1915. Central figure of American Arts & Crafts. Albert Stickley1862–1928 Stickley Brothers Co. · Grand Rapids, MI · 1891–1940 Founded Stickley Brothers Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, manufacturing "Quaint Furniture" — a distinctively English-influenced line of Arts & Crafts furniture that competed directly with Gustav's Craftsman line. Publicly contradicted Gustav's claim to having created an American style. Charles Stickley1860–1927 Stickley & Brandt · Binghamton, NY Eldest of the brothers. Partnered with Albert in the early years before Albert moved to Grand Rapids. Operated Stickley & Brandt Chair Company in Binghamton, NY. Less prominent in the historical record than his more famous brothers. Leopold Stickley1869–1957 L. & J.G. Stickley · Fayetteville, NY · 1900–Present Co-founded L. & J.G. Stickley Inc. in Fayetteville, NY with John George. Outlived all his brothers. Saw the firm through the Arts & Crafts decline, the Depression, and into the postwar era. The L. & J.G. Stickley firm continues today as Stickley Furniture, now owned by the Audi family since 1974. John George Stickley1871–1921 L. & J.G. Stickley · Fayetteville, NY · 1900–1921 Youngest of the brothers. Co-founded L. & J.G. Stickley with Leopold; the "J.G." of the firm name. Less prominent in the historical record than Leopold, with whom he partnered until his death in 1921. ▦ What's Inside ▦ 130 Color Photographs — period furniture pieces from each brother's output, documenting construction details and stylistic signatures 30 Black-and-White Photographs — historical context, the brothers themselves, period interiors Comparative Survey — first single-volume treatment of all five brothers in comparative frame Furniture Shop Marks Chapter — dedicated reference section for attribution and authentication of unmarked pieces Comprehensive Timeline — the brothers' lives, partnerships, and firms across five decades Early Years Emphasis — particular attention to the formative period and stylistic divergences "Voice" Thesis Framework — examines each brother's distinct claim to American Arts & Crafts authorship Arts & Crafts Resources Section — guide to museums, collections, dealers, and reference materials Selected Bibliography — scholarly sources for further reading in Arts & Crafts furniture history Subject Index — full index for reference use ▦ About the Authors Dr. Michael E. Clark is Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Elmira College in Elmira, New York. His scholarly work focuses on American decorative arts and the Arts & Crafts movement. He lives in upstate New York. Jill Thomas-Clark is Registrar at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York — one of the world's leading institutions devoted to the history and art of glassmaking. Her work on Arts & Crafts movement subjects has appeared in Style 1900: The Journal of the Arts & Crafts Movement, the principal scholarly periodical of the field. The authors also collaborated on J.M. Young Arts and Crafts Furniture, a parallel scholarly treatment of another important Arts & Crafts furniture maker. The Clarks' upstate New York base places them geographically within the heart of the Stickley territory — Gustav's Craftsman Workshops were in Eastwood (now part of Syracuse, NY), and Leopold and John George's L. & J.G. Stickley remains in Fayetteville, NY — and their long-standing engagement with the Arts & Crafts collecting community in central New York gives the book a depth of regional and scholarly knowledge that is particularly evident in the photographic documentation of pieces from private collections. ▦ ▦ ▦ 🪑 Mission Oak FurnitureQuartersawn white oak, straight lines, exposed mortise-and-tenon joinery. 🔨 Shop Marks ReferenceDedicated chapter on each firm's marks for attribution. 📚 The Craftsman Era1901-1916 — Gustav's magazine and the American Arts & Crafts publishing world. 🏠 Craftsman BungalowThe architectural style Gustav's Craftsman magazine popularized. 🏭 Five Brothers, Five FirmsCraftsman Workshops · Stickley Bros · L. & J.G. · Stickley & Brandt 🪞 Decorative Arts ReferenceFor collectors, dealers, woodworkers, and design historians. Title The Stickley Brothers Subtitle The Quest for an American Voice Authors Dr. Michael E. Clark & Jill Thomas-Clark Author Affiliations Elmira College · Corning Museum of Glass Publisher Gibbs M. Smith Publisher · Salt Lake City Publication Year 2002 · First Edition / First Printing Format Hardcover with original dust jacket Dimensions 8 × 10 inches · Coffee-table format Pages 160 Illustrations 130 color + 30 black-and-white photographs Brothers Covered Gustav · Albert · Charles · Leopold · John George Movement American Arts & Crafts (~1890–1920) Style Mission Style · Mission Oak · Craftsman · Quaint Furniture Material Focus Quartersawn white oak · fumed oak · hammered copper Reference Apparatus Shop marks · timeline · bibliography · index Original Retail $39.95 Companion Volume J.M. Young Arts and Crafts Furniture (same authors) Goodreads Rating 4.57 / 5 ISBN-13 9781586850531 ISBN-10 1586850539 Subject Area American Decorative Arts · Furniture History · Design Reference Condition VG · 1st Printing · See Notes ⚠ Condition — Very Good (VG) · 2002 First Printing Dust jacket edges show some wear (see photos) Cover edges show some wear consistent with a 20+ year-old coffee-table volume 2002 First Edition / First Printing — original Gibbs Smith hardcover Original dust jacket present and intact Binding tight and square — no spine cracking, no rolling Pages clean and crisp throughout — no creases, folds, dog-ears, or tears No writing, highlighting, underlining, or marginalia anywhere No previous-owner inscriptions or bookplates All 160 pages present and intact — all 130 color and 30 B&W photographs unmarred Sold as-is; all flaws fully disclosed — please review photos before purchase Ideal For Arts & Crafts Furniture Collectors Stickley Furniture Library Mission Style Reference American Decorative Arts Scholars Craftsman Bungalow Restoration Quartersawn Oak Furniture Reference Antique Furniture Dealers & Appraisers Auction House Reference Library Interior Design Library Gustav Stickley Bibliography L. & J.G. Stickley Collectors Stickley Brothers Co. (Grand Rapids) Collectors Style 1900 Magazine Readers American Furniture Woodworkers Frank Lloyd Wright Era Design Greene & Greene Adjacent William Morris / Arts & Crafts Library Furniture Shop Marks Reference Gibbs Smith Design Books ▦ ▦ ▦ ENLIGHTENING MINDS · SAME OR NEXT BUSINESS DAY SHIPPING · ALL FLAWS DISCLOSED · QUESTIONS WELCOME