Shaker: Function, Purity, Perfection | Assouline

Shaker: Function, Purity, Perfection is an homage to the traditional Shaker values of grace and simplicity. Featured are twenty-eight essential pieces that highlight the defining elements of Shaker design and demonstrate the Shaker dedication to perfection. Each table, chair, and chest of drawers is captured through bold, original images that reflect careful craftsmanship dating back to the eighteenth century. English designer and furniture guru Sir Terence Conran speaks about the profound influence of Shaker techniques on twentieth-century furniture. Shaker includes writings on Shaker history, tradition, and furniture-making techniques by museum experts David Stocks and Jerry Grant, as well as archival images from Mount Lebanon’s Shaker Museum. This inclusive volume sheds light on the Shaker dedication to quality and precision and the continued relevance of these values in design today. David Stocks has led the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon as its president since 2007. Prior to that he was involved in preservation organizations and led an effort to create an urban rail-to-trail park in Dallas, Texas. Jerry Grant is the director of collections and research at the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon. He has spent thirty-five years in the field of Shaker history as an interpreter, craftsman, historian, librarian, and museum director. Sir Terence Conran is one of the world’s best-known designers, restaurateurs, and retailers. He founded the Conran Design Studio in 1956 and the Habitat chain of home furnishings stores in the 1960s and ’70s, and established the leading home furnishings store The Conran Shop and the Design Museum in London. He has written over fifty books on food and design.