Shaker furniture is the one truly original American style of furniture. Its clear crisp lines and singular lightness unite and transcend both traditional and modern settings, and for that reason it has remained a major creative force in our decorative art. External and internal societal changes in the mid- and late 19th century resulted in the thinning of the Shaker community as members left or died with few converts to the faith to replace them.

Understanding the Context

By 1920, there were only 12 Shaker communities remaining in the United States.