Historic capitol furniture

The Washington State Capitol was designed by the architectural firm Wilder and White of New York City.  The designs for the Legislative Building were completed in 1922. As construction was underway, the architects and members of the Capitol Committee turned their attention to a new design project: interior furnishings. Rather than ordering pre-manufactured furniture or stock fixtures, the committee worked with Wilder and White to design and create furnishings unique to the capitol. These furnishings would later adorn the offices of statewide elected officials, public spaces, the State Reception Room, and the House and Senate chambers. Other offices also had furniture designed for their specific use. This collection of furnishings makes up the "original and historic furnishings" that the Capitol Furniture Preservation Committee seeks to identify, restore, and preserve.

W. & J. Sloane of New York supplied class A-1 furnishings in walnut and mahogany for the State Reception Room and Governor's Office.

Their maker's mark is a shield-shaped logo stamped into the bottom of a piece that reads "The Company of Master Craftsmen."

Lowman & Hanford subcontracted with Doten-Dunton Desk Company. They supplied class A-1 furnishings in oak, walnut, and mahogany for the House, Senate, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, and Auditor. They supplied the greatest array of office furnishings characteristic of the collection. This included walnut glass-front bookcases and walnut armchairs in executive offices, executive chairs with the state seal on the back, "bun-foot" furnishings, oak roll-top desks, and "typists desks." They also supplied wicker furnishings for phone rooms and ladies restrooms. 

Their maker's mark is a shield shape with the name running diagonally up and across the shield. The words "commercial furniture" appear along the lower curved edge. It is also printed on lock sets of desks.

Irving & Casson - A.H. Davenport Company of Boston supplied class A-3 furnishings purchased for the House and Senate chambers. This included House and Senate rostrum desks, members' desks and chairs (walnut for the House, mahogany for the Senate), the couches and furnishings in the wings, and gallery pews.

There are no maker's marks for this company.

West Made Desk Company of Seattle supplied class B-1 furnishings, including all oak wood furnishings, roll-top and flat-top desks, tables, and various desk and office chairs. They also provided many coat racks, umbrella stands, and waste baskets throughout the building. Metal furnishings included vault equipment and House and Senate lockers.

Companies that supplied furnishings for West Made Desk Company:

• Johnson Chair Company of Chicago provided chairs.
• Washington Manufacturing Company provided couches.
• The Bookstore of Olympia and Globe-Wernicke provided metal furnishings.
• H.L. Marble Chair Company of Bedford, Ohio provided chairs. 
• Bookcases by Globe-Wernicke Company of Cincinnati. 

The maker's mark for the West Made Desk Company and Globe-Wernicke Company was typically on stickers. The maker's mark for the H.L. Marble Chair Company looks like a pressed wax seal with the shape of a chair seat set in a circle, surrounded by the company name and location.

The Standard Office Equipment Company supplied class B-2 furnishings through several companies. These were mostly oak pieces placed in the offices of the Division of Municipal Corporations, Department of Licensing, Press Room, Phone Room, and administrative and support offices. These include classic oak side chairs and swivel desk chairs, and simple oak desks and tables with square legs and brass-capped feet.

Companies that supplied furnishings for Standard Office Equipment Company:

• Cutler Desk Company of Buffalo, New York provided desks.
• Commercial Desk Company of Chicago provided desks.
• Sikes Chair Company of Philadelphia provided chairs.
• F.S. Harmon Company of Tacoma provided davenports.
• Puget Sound Manfacturing Company of Tacoma provided bookcases.
• Globe-Wernicke Company of Cincinnati provided bookcases.

Maker's marks may be found etched or stamped onto the following furniture:

• Bottoms of drawers
• Bottom of chair seats
• Bottom of trash cans
• Cast brass locksets

Furniture may also have lettering or initials in white chalk.