Selden’s Home Furnishings
1082 62nd Ave E, Tacoma
800.870.7880
www.seldens.com
Some of history’s most notable families have proved that a properly arranged union with another respected lineage can create a home rich with tradition and history which future generations will flourish in.
The match a well-established Pierce County family has made with a recognized name from New York will undoubtedly contribute to quite a few beautiful homes.
Selden’s Home Furnishings has added L. & J.G. Stickley—yes, of the Stickley family—to the list of furniture collections available from its Fife-based design center and showroom.
The uniquely American success stories of these family empires bridge the age difference in this long-distance relationship.
Ranked by some to be second only to the creations of the older brother they worked with before founding their company, the furniture crafted by Leopold and John George Stickley in the 20th century is respected by collectors of fine Arts & Crafts and Mission furniture styles.
Gustav Stickley, oldest of five brothers who collaborated in various enterprises, is credited with creating the Mission style of furniture that was wildly successful around the early 1900’s. A noted architect, designer and founder of Craftsman Workshops, Gustav apparently was more of an artisan than a businessman and filed for bankruptcy in 1915. His brothers, however, continued making furniture.
Leopold Stickley’s American Colonial-inspired Cherry Valley Collection helped the L. & J.G. Stickley company through shifts in American tastes in the early 1900’s. As the New York company’s Cherry Valley line thrived in the 1920’s, young Syd Selden was working his way up from stock boy to assistant manager of the carpet department at a Tacoma furniture store. After managing another Tacoma store in the 1930’s, Selden opened his own in 1940, selling linoleum, window shades and carpet.
Just as timely creativity helped the Stickleys through changing times, Selden’s company survived World War II by adapting. From making blackoutblinds for American homes and providing floor tiles for government buildings to installing linoleum in battleships, the company endured through entrepreneurial agility. After the war, the business evolved into a furnishings company with stores in various locations.
In 1974, Selden’s consolidated to a central location to focus on growth as a full-service design center. That same year, Leopold Stickley’s widow sold the manufacturing company to long-time friends, the Audis, whose Manhattan furniture store had been the company’s largest distributor.
The businesses have since thrived—with the Audis reissuing the original Mission Collection and maintaining Stickley tradition of fine craftsmanship and the Seldens gaining status as a recognized provider of interior design coordination and quality furnishings.
As an authorized Stickley dealer, the Seldens now share in the history of the words Gustav Stickley marked on his creations: “Als Ik Kan,” a Flemish craftsman’s phrase that means “to the best of my ability.”
Krista Olson