Mission furniture enjoying renewed popularity By Anita Stratos What is it? Mission oak hall seat Where to find it: Davidson Mill Village 2430 Route 130 North Brunswick (732) 940-8600 Photo by Veronica Yankowski Part of the allure of antiques is the thrill of discovery when that perfect piece presents itself and you know that somehow it was just waiting for you to take it home. The other part is knowing the living history of the piece: when it was made, how it was used, and where it spent its last 100 or so years. The more you know, the more value is added to the piece. An exciting example of just such a find is at Davidson Mill Village in North Brunswick, where a stunning mission oak hall seat stands proudly among the shop's "wonderland of antiques and collectibles." Mission furniture is very hot now, with two of the best known collectors being Barbra Streisand and Louie Anderson. This simple, functional style of furniture had it origins in the 1890s in the western United States and appears to have been born of necessity. The story most often quoted is that mission furniture was created by the congregation of a San Francisco church that needed furnishings but had no money. Deciding to build the furniture themselves, they constructed pieces that resembled furniture crafted by American Indians for Spanish mission stations in Mexico (other mission stations were also located in the western and southwestern areas of the United States). This is how the term "mission furniture" was assigned to this particular style of furniture, though some English and early 1900s American magazine ads refer to it as "quaint," while still others called it "gothic." Although the style was begun in the West, it was a New York-based designer who picked up on its clean lines and began manufacturing mission furniture for the masses. Perhaps the most recognizable maker of mission furniture is the Stickley Company, whose "Craftsman" collection was introduced at a furniture expo in 1900 as the antithesis to the more lavish styles of the Victorian period. Still being produced today, mission furniture blends beautifully with contemporary pieces and other styles as well. Knowing the history of mission furniture puts the wonderful example of the oak hall seat at Davidson Mill Village in proper perspective. To add even more value and importance to the piece, owners Lonnie and Jim Torsiello and their associate, John Solowinski, know much about the history, or provenance, of the piece in their shop. Believed to have been made by an individual arts and crafts furniture maker in the 1890s in the New York area, the hall seat resided for more than 30 years in one of the oldest Victorian homes on Main Street in South River. It had originally been purchased from a family who owned a handkerchief factory, which later became a uniform factory during World War I. In their heyday, hall seats were noted pieces of prominence found in homes of the well-to-do. They were primarily used in "mud rooms" (a room located off a home's front entrance) as all-purpose pieces where boots, outerwear, and riding gear could be stowed. Today's homeowners usually display them in more highly visible areas like entry foyers and hallways. This particular mission oak hall seat was most likely designed for a summer home in the Delaware Valley and has the distinguishing keyway notch (where leather straps and the like were draped) and wooden pegs of authentic pre-1900 hand-carved mission furniture. The hardware - a set of four copper wash-over-metal double hooks with lion head motifs - is original, as is the beveled mirror that shows no signs of silvering. The wide seat lifts to reveal a storage area that was used for boots and various odds and ends. The entire piece measures approximately 39 inches wide by 80 inches high by 16 inches deep and has that wonderful patina valued so highly by collectors. Because of its current popularity, mission furniture is becoming increasingly difficult to find. And because of its original utilitarian purposes, an authentic pre-1900s hall seat in such excellent condition as the one at Davidson Mill Village is becoming rarer with each passing year. Although reproductions are still being made today, the Torsiellos noted that reproductions cannot duplicate the natural luster of the patina that only comes with age and use; in addition, modern pieces will lose value with age while a true antique will only increase in value. Of course, the hand carving and quality of the hardware and mirror cannot be equaled today. To truly appreciate the beauty of this mission oak hall seat, you can visit it at Davidson Mill Village at 2430 Route 130 in North Brunswick. The "village" offers an antique shop with everything from estate jewelry, collectible sheet music and autographed celebrity photos to glassware, old books, and just about everything else a collector could wish for. A separate building houses larger furnishings and art, and yet another shop offers ice cream, light lunches, and other refreshments. During the warmer months on specific Friday nights, you'll find the outdoor Moonlight Market where tables can be rented for $5 and dealers or anyone else can sell their collectible wares. Davidson Mill Village is open on Wednesday (by chance, call first), Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (732) 940-8600 and visit the soon-to-be-completed Web site at www.davidsonmillvillage.com.