The original Nichols & Stone company has roots that go back to the 18th century. In 1752, a descendant of the Nichols family opened a Nichols Brother Chair Manufacturer; by 1857, the chair business has become so successful that the family decided to re-brand as the Nichols & Stone furniture company. This version of the company operated out of a new wooden factory and, by the 1930s, the factory had expanded to become one of the largest in Massachusetts state and one of the largest of New England.

The high-density forests and cold weather of New England gave the company an incredible resource for furniture making. Of course, hardwoods like maple and cherry became the basis of their success. Like other New England Furniture Companies, such as Ethan Allen and Willett Furniture Company, Nichols and Stone aimed to create incredible products using the large and plentiful forests of the land.

Unfortunately, the company fell on economic trouble during the 2000s and was forced to announce its closure in 2008. This was when L. & J.G. Stickley stepped in to purchase the company. In addition to purchasing the rights for the name and catalog, Stickley has worked to produce many of the popular Nichols & Stone pieces while allowing for new designs to carry on the Nichols & Stone legacy.

Nichols & Stone is best known for their heirloom quality chairs, which include dining room chairs as well as rockers and living room chairs. Some of their most popular pieces include their rockers, which were produced in a variety of styles throughout the company’s history. Today, these vintage and antique rockers can sell for several hundred dollars on the secondhand market.

In fact, dating a Nichols and Stone Chair can lead to a higher appraisal value than one might think. If the chair, particularly an antique Windsor Chair by Nichols and Stone dates to the 1800’s, you may wish to have it appraised. It is not unusual for an early Windsor Chair by Nichols and Stone to sell for more than $500.

Additionally, Nichols and Stone dining tables fetch quite a few dollars. Of course, you will find several features on Nichols and Stone dining tables that make them extremely desirable. For one, most use solid cherry or maple tops, typically 1 full inch to 1.5″ thick. Many feature self-storing leaves, and beautifully turned pedestal bases.

According to vintagefurnitureguide.com; homenewsnow.com. Source of photos: internet