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 Sometime ago, I found a new display at the antiques mall where we have our furniture for sale. The new display was also made up of handmade furniture - beautiful side tables and chests with dovetails and other intricate details. For about thirty minutes, I had a terrible case of "woodworker envy." Our furniture, baskets and chairs are plain - using old time mountain pieces as models and in many cases using old time tools and techniques to allow that authentic look and feel to come through in every piece we make.
It did not take long for the "woodworker envy" to pass. That kind of woodworking is beautiful and I have no doubt that my colleague is very gifted but that is not the goods that I feel compelled to produce. My calling is to mountain things, mountain ways and mountain furnishings.
Over a quarter of a century ago, I began to make baskets in a mountain style. Largely self-taught, I was influenced and learned from an old time mountain man who made baskets in a very traditional style. Clovis Boyd of Floyd County, Virginia taught me as much about carrying on the old ways as he did how to make mountain-style "fanny" baskets. After a short but furious time, I laid aside the lessons learned and talent discovered, made a living and raised a family.
Many years later, I reentered the mountain crafts arena with baskets, restoration of mountain chairs and ultimately mountain style tables, chests, pie safes and other pieces of mountain style furniture.
Today, our restored chairs, handcrafted tables and other pieces including baskets grace homes from New York to Florida to California to South Dakota and back home. Our pieces are in the mountains of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. Sticking to the plain, mountain style of my ancestors has appeal to people of all ages in a variety of places and settings.
Consider allowing Spangler Mill at Cedar Hill to build tomorrow's heirloom furniture for you and your family to enjoy today. Spangler Mill pieces fit perfectly in cabins, mountain homes and timber frame construction. You can choose one of our favorite style tables and chests or you can commission a piece to be built just the way you want it. We would welcome the opportunity to build a piece of mountain heritage for you. Call or e-mail me. Let's dream together!
Mountain Graces to You!
Steve A. Spangler
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