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From the Worthologists’ Files: A Feudal Oak Set by Jamestown Lounge Company

One of the advantages of being an appraiser is the sheer volume of incredible things one comes across on a weekly basis. Not all items are hugely valuable, antique, rare or even all that sought after. Many times their value is only sentimental,  but they often come with priceless provenances. Our Worthologist file cabinet is a treasure chest of such items– appraisal requests from our clients ranging from stuffed aardvarks to folk art zithers, all of which I’ll cover here in this column.

feudal oak set
Here is an example of a feudal oak set produced by Jamestown Lounge Co. The “feudal oak” trend incorporates old European designs.

The owners of this table and chairs set report it was used on a famous Montana cattle ranch for over 40 years and was custom made by Jamestown Furniture in New York. The set does have a metal tag that indicates that it was made by Jamestown and the set is very similar to pieces they made in their “Feudal Oak” line. 

The Jamestown Lounge Company was formed by Arthur Greenlund, Hurlburt Phillips, Theodore Hanchett and Lynn Cornell in 1888. It is best known today for its Feudal Oak lounges and sofas, but the company produced other lines of furniture as well. Most sets like this one date from the second quarter of the 20th Century. 

The Feudal Oak line was introduced in the 1930s and remained in production for a considerable period. Jamestown Lounge Co. was sold in 1978, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and finally closed in 1983. 

Furniture based on old European designs like this last peaked in the 1990’s, but since that time values have dropped considerably; however, good quality pieces have held their value better than the more mass produced examples. To give you an example from our Worthopedia, this Jamestown side table, sold for $424.00, and a comparable set of tables & chairs by Jamestown  in good condition often sells in the $1500.00 to $2000.00 range.


Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement. He can be reached through his website Antique-Appraise.com.

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