Berea College proudly preserves one of the nation’s most significant collections of Wallace Nutting furniture, reflecting a unique partnership between the famed colonial revivalist and the College. Between 1926 and 1945, Berea acquired over 200 pieces of Nutting-made furniture through gifts, purchases, and the Nutting estate. Wallace and Mariet Nutting were not only generous donors but also influential advisors, shaping Berea’s woodcraft program and encouraging the production of high-quality Early American reproductions.
Key highlights include the furnishing of campus spaces such as the Talcott residence hall and the College library with Nutting’s iconic Windsor chairs, as well as the bequest of the Nutting factory, trademark, and home to Berea in 1944. The collection, once displayed in the Wallace Nutting Museum, remains in active use and on display across campus, with notable clusters in the President’s Home and the Bell Hooks Institute. Today, Berea College continues to honor the Nuttings’ legacy, maintaining and cataloging over 200 pieces as a testament to their enduring impact on American craftsmanship and the College’s history.
Ford Brothers Auctioneers has been commissioned to sell these rare treasures online with bidding ending, Thursday, September 3rd at 6pm on www.fordbrothersinc.com. For more information visit the web site or call 800.435.5454.
( Shared from Rainmaker Advertising for Ford Bros.)