Five Brothers, One Passion

Five brothers from Osceola, Wisconsin—Gustav, Albert, Charles, Leopold, and John George—began making furniture at their uncle's factory in Brandt, Pennsylvania, around 1877. Through sixty years of collaboration and competition, these men profoundly affected American furniture. From 1883 to 1918, every Stickley worked with each brother in at least one venture, though at no time did all five work together. 

Shop Mark History

Through the years, our shop mark has taken on different appearances, but its meaning of timeless quality has never changed. The burned-in brands, metal tags, decals, and paper labels used to mark Stickley's furniture are certificates of our solemn promise that the furniture has been crafted to the best of our ability.

Collectors use the shop mark as a hint to pinpoint the date of production and which company is responsible for making the furniture. They are not completely accurate, but they can help to identify a piece.

  • A red Stickley decal on dark wood showing a joiner’s compass with the Flemish motto “Als ik kan” inside, symbolizing craftsmanship. Below the compass is Gustav Stickley’s signature in cursive.
    United Crafts Mark 1902 – 1903

    Gustav Stickley takes the rare step of labeling his Craftsman furniture with a shop mark. He chooses a joiner's compass as his logo with the phrase "Als ikkan" (To the best of my ability) inscribed within and his signature underneath.

  • A vintage black-and-white oval decal that reads “The Onondaga Shops” with a large stylized letter “S” running down the center, representing L. & J.G. Stickley's early 20th-century furniture brand.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Marks  1902 – 1906

    L. & J.G. Stickley begin to market themselves as "The Onondaga Shops," honoring the New York County in which the furniture is made. They adopt this shop mark for their furniture.

  • United Crafts Mark 1902 – 1904

    Some of the furniture made by United Crafts before 1904 bears this decal.
  • A black-and-white Gustav Stickley decal featuring a compass with the Dutch motto “Als Ik Kan” at the top. Below the compass is Stickley's full signature written in cursive. Used from 1904 to 1906.
    Craftsman Workshops Mark 1904-1907

    This shop mark with its looping "G" is found on many of the highly sought-after Harvey Ellis-designed pieces.

  • A red decal stamped on wood, showing a compass with the words “Als Ik Kan” above Gustav Stickley’s signature. Used between 1905 and 1912 to mark furniture crafted in Stickley's workshop.
    Craftsman Workshops Mark 1905 – 1912

    This decal bears a signature that most closely resembles Gustav Stickley's actual signature.

  • A black-and-white paper label marked “Designed and Made by Gustav Stickley” with a round Craftsman Workshops logo, a compass with “Als Ik Kan,” and fields labeled No., Fin., and Uph. The label reads “Eastwood, N.Y.” at the bottom.
    Craftsman Workshops Paper Label 1905 – 1907

    As Gustav Stickley begins to standardize his furniture line, he starts to use paper labels to mark some pieces.
  • A red decal on wood showing two horizontal clamps. The top clamp reads “L. & J.G. Stickley,” and the bottom clamp reads “Handcraft.” The style evokes early 20th-century Arts and Crafts branding.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Handcraft 1906 – 1912

    In 1906, L. & J.G. Stickley launches its ambitious “Handcraft” line of Mission furniture. To signify this new phase, they replace the oval Onondaga Shops label with the handscrew clamp, a classic furniture marker’s tool.

  • A vintage brown paper label titled “Craftsman,” showing Gustav Stickley’s joiner’s compass logo with the motto “Als Ik Kan.” The label includes handwritten furniture details and lists workshop and showroom addresses.
    Craftsman Workshops Paper Label 1907 – 1912

    Gustav begins to write his “guarantee” on a paper label to ensure the customer that he personally stands behind the product. 

  • A small dark metal tag with the inscription “THE WORK OF L. & J.G. STICKLEY” in all caps, framed by a rectangular border with holes on either side for mounting.
    The Work of L. & J. G. Stickley 1912 – 1920

    As it begins to expand beyond Mission furniture, L. & J.G. Stickley changes to a simple, rectangular logo. Furniture from this era may be heat-branded, tagged with a metal plate, or have a decal.
  • A stylized brand of a joiner's compass above a handwritten “Stickley” signature, used as a burned-in mark on furniture made by Craftsman Workshops between 1912 and 1916.
    Craftsman Workshops Burned-In Brand 1912 – 1916

    Gustav Stickley shifts to a heat brand to mark his furniture during the last years of The Craftsman Workshops. 

  • A vintage black-and-white Craftsman paper label featuring Gustav Stickley’s joiner’s compass mark, signature, and a printed guarantee declaring the maker’s dedication to honest, high-quality work.
    Craftsman Workshops Paper Label 1912 – 1916

    A late Craftsman Workshops paper label.

  • A circular logo reading “Stickley Syracuse & Fayetteville, N.Y.” surrounding a compass symbol and the words “Handcraft Craftsman,” used by Stickley Associated Cabinetmakers circa 1918–1920.
    Stickley Associated Cabinetmakers 1916 – 1919

    Gustav Stickley joins L. & J.G. Stickley Associated Cabinetmakers. They symbolize the merger by co-joining the Craftsman joiner’s compass with the L. & J.G. handscrew clamp.
  • Wood-burned brand reading “Stickley Fayetteville Syracuse” used by L. & J.G. Stickley from 1925 to 1985, set on a rectangular wood grain background.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Brand 1925-1969

    This brand is the most common Stickley shop mark. It is used on almost every piece of furniture made by Stickley for 60 years, including all the Cherry Valley furniture from the mid-20th century. 

  • Copper-colored medallion marking Leopold Stickley's 50th anniversary in furniture making, featuring his silhouette, laurel branches, and the years "1900–1950."
    L. & J.G. Stickley 50-Year Anniversary Medallion, 1950

    The L. & J.G. Stickley Anniversary pieces from 1950 bear a particular medallion that honors the man who would become “The Revered Dean of Cabinetmakers,” Leopold Stickley.

  • Vintage label with a silhouette of Leopold Stickley and the text “A Leopold Stickley Original, Authentic Cherry Valley Stickley, Fayetteville, N.Y.” on a red-orange background.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Paper Label 1940 – 1950's

    Cherry Valley Collection becomes so well known in the mid-20th century that a cherry tree is incorporated into the paper label.
  • Black and white Stickley logo with the word “Stickley” in script font centered inside a scalloped oval border, known as the "Piecrust" label used from 1985 to 2007.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Oval shop mark 1985 – 2009

    In 1985, L. & J.G. Stickley expands into a state-of-the-art facility, ensuring continued growth in upstate New York. Poised for greatness, the company updates its shop mark. 

  • A circular tan label featuring a red joiner’s compass in the center with the words “STICKLEY” at the top and “HANDCRAFT CRAFTSMAN MANLIUS, N.Y. USA” around the border in black.
    L. & J.G. Stickley Medallion 1989 – present

    To celebrate the reissue of the Stickley Mission Collection, the company revisits the combined handscrew and joiners compass of our founding brothers. The shop mark is a medallion that is tacked directly to the piece.

  • The word "STICKLEY." in all capital letters, rendered in a bold serif font in black, with a period at the end.
     L. & J.G. Stickley shop mark 2009 – present

    Beginning in 2008, Stickley returns to the simple block lettering of the past with a new heat brand seared into each piece of Stickley furniture.