Antique Victorian Stomps Burkhardt Quartersawn Oak Caned Rocker Rocking Chair

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"Antique Victorian Stomps Burkhardt rocking chair. Made of quartersawn oak featuring serpentine form with caned seat.

In 1860, Gustav Stomps … Read more "Antique Victorian Stomps Burkhardt rocking chair. Made of quartersawn oak featuring serpentine form with caned seat.

In 1860, Gustav Stomps established the firm G. Stomps Brothers in partnership with a brother, Joseph, and Martin Barbec. Richard P. Burkhardt purchased Barbec's interest on November 2, 1869, and Gustav Stomps bought out his brother. The company manufactured chairs by machinery.

In 1890, the firm became Stomps-Burkhardt Company. Located in Dayton, Ohio

“The chair factory was located downtown, at the corner of First and Canal streets. It’s Patterson Boulevard and First Street now. They had buildings on both the east and west sides of the canal. A third man started with them, but dropped out, and one of Gustave’s son-in-laws, Richard Burkhardt, bought out his share.”

Through the years, various members of the Stomps and Burkhardt families worked at the company, best known for its chairs, which could be transported along the canal throughout Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana and New York, and later on to Canada and Mexico.

“Each year, they’d put out what they called a ‘Roman’ chair with arms, always very regal looking with carvings,” said Grismer. “They made one for Holy Rosary Church with a cross, but others had what look like monsters’ faces or just interesting one-of-a-kind carvings.”

When Gustave Stomps died in 1890, his brother had already opened his own furniture factory, and the sons of Burkhardt took over the chair factory until it closed in 1928. By 1900, the forests surrounding downtown that supplied the sawmills had dwindled, and they had to travel to Kentucky for wood. In addition, the end of the canal days and 1913 flood had negative impacts on the business, adding to its downfall.

The business’ heyday spanned 1890-1900, when it employed 235 and had $250,000-$300,000 in annual sales. Special chairs were designed for the World Fair in 1893 and the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. See less