Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do you have a print catalog?
A. Yes. We mail them at no charge upon request.
Q. Can I try out a rocker in my area?
A. Yes, you can try out a rocker in your home. If you don't like it, put it back in its box, call us, and we'll have it picked up and refund your money, including shipping. But you can’t try one in a store or gallery. We sell directly to patrons from our shop without a retail mark-up. If there were a retailer in your area the price would be about double.
Click here to see the Guarantee in full.
Q. Do you discount your chairs for a quantity purchase?
A. No. We always build chairs in batches of 8–12. The prices are based on those costs.
Q. Do you sell to stores?
A. No. We would have to sell to stores for the prices you see on this site. They in turn would have to double the price to stay in business. Then to protect our retailers, we would be honor bound to not sell for less than they do. This compromises our strategy of being the lowest cost provider of the best handmade rocking chairs and dining furniture.
Q. Do you discount to designers?
A. No. Because there is no retail mark-up, there is nothing to discount. Everyone pays the same price. We do often work with designers who get paid a fee for their service, and whose service includes placing the best furniture they can find. Q. Do you sell plans for your rocking chair?
A. No. This is a difficult design to build. "Simple is hard," Count Basie. The chairs’ comfort and performance require a level of precision that I haven’t had the time to adequately convey.
Q. How do I order from you?
A. We don't have a shopping cart and online sales. A phone call, visit, or email is required.
We take VISA and MasterCard and checks, and ship on time.
The process, step by step, is described here.
Q. What if the furniture is damaged when I get it?
A. The furniture is not yours when we ship it. The furniture is yours when you are happy with it. Therefore, it is our responsibility to see that you get what you ordered in perfect condition, and we will do so — collecting for damage, filing a claim, and haggling with a carrier are our responsibilities, not yours. We do ask that you note any damage to package or item on the freight bill that you are asked to sign, but even if not noted, we will take care of the problem. We crate well and have had very, very little damage.
Q. Can I try out a dining chair in my area?
A. Yes. We will send one to you at our expense. After you test it, return it to its box, and we'll have it picked up — at our expense. See Dining Chair Test.
Q. I am short and my husband is tall, will both of us be comfortable in your rocking chairs and dining chairs?
A. If I say, "Yes" it sounds impossible or dishonest. But it is true, with very rare exceptions. I ask you to read the testimonials and the pages on comfort and design listed in the sidebars of the rocking chair and dining furniture sections of this site.
The guarantee of satisfaction applies to the whole family. Q. What are your lead-times?
A. They vary with the item in question and the time of inquiry. Sometimes we have rocking chairs or footstools for sale in the showroom. We build furniture in "jobs" or "runs" of 10 or so like items of the same species of wood. We know the completion schedule of the next several jobs. On Wednesdays, we update the Prices and Shipping Dates Page, which lists the next shipping date for each of our catalogued items.
Q. Do you do custom work?
A. Yes, occasionally for established patrons or for those ordering a set of dining furniture. This page on the site addresses the subject: Custom Work.
Q. Where do the names of your furniture pieces come from?
A. They are picked from our family tree. For example, Phillips was my GranGran's maiden name. I learned to make things watching her sew (and to respect machinery when I stuck my finger in the drive wheel of the Singer).
Q. What style is your furniture?
A. I don't know.
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