Both parents have passed and we have some furniture from American Furniture of Martinsville. The drawers have an emblem that states it's Wonderwood. I can remember it being delivered to our home as a child. I believe it was mid to late 1960s. I can't find any information about this kind of furniture online and would like some information if anyone knows of this furniture line. I have been told by some people that used to work in the furniture business before it all left our area it's probably valuable. It all looks new.
By Tricia
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
You would have to ask someone in the furniture business about value.
American furniture of Martinsville was founded in the spring of 1906 by local tobacco manufacturers who chose to turn to new interests and decided
to branch out into the furniture manufacturing business. With capitalization of only $30,000, the modest product line consisted exclusively of bedroom furniture. In the early 1920's the company added dining room furniture and began to expand its offerings through a number of diverse styles. AOM enjoyed steady, healthy growth through the years, both in sales and profits.
From the 1956 sales of approximately $16 million, the company grew substantially and first surpassed $100 million in sales in 1989. As the company grew, so did American's reputation for styling and design leadership. With product representation including almost every broad
design area (except Colonial and Early American) the company continued to expand its offerings to cover bedroom, dining room, and living room, both wood and upholstered.
In 1959, the company's Contract Division was established. Dedicated to providing furniture for the country's growing roadside motel market, the division grew modestly for the next decade. As the motels gave way to otels, the market continued to grow. With an expanding product line, AOM also grew. By 1979, the company was the largest supplier of hotel/motel ase goods in the world. In 1962, AOM built a major upholstery manufacturing facility of over 350,000 square feet.
In 1986, AOM was acquired by LADD Furniture, Inc.- as the time the third largest furniture manufacturer in the United States. In 1988, AOM entered the Health Care market concentrating on senior living facilities. Today this effort represents our second largest business unit and is also served by a dedicated sales and marketing team. In 1991, AOM exited the residential market to concentrate solely on the hospitality contract and institutional businesses.
In 2000, AOM & LADD Furniture were acquired by La-Z-Boy Incorporated and became part of one of the world's leading furniture producers with annual sales in excess of $2 billion. As the burgeoning Hospitality and Senior Living Healthcare markets grew through the 21st century so did AOM and became a very attractive company to purchase. In 2006, Hancock Park Associates a large private equity investment firm based in Los Angeles which invests in entrepreneurial, niche-oriented companies became the new owner. American of Martinsville continues to grow and provide products that offer superior design, craftsmanship and years of extraordinary performance as AOM excels to be one of the world's largest leading manufacturers and suppliers contract furnishings to the hospitality, healthcare/senior living and government markets.
To me, this is just another example of a once solid, independent brand ending up as just another soulless division of a soulless conglomerate.
My grandfather worked for many years as a furniture maker in American of Martinsville. He passed away in his late 80s during the 1980s. We are always in search of any of the pieces he worked on.
I have a piece of American Martinsville furniture, its an armoire. It was left to me, and for the last 10 years been sitting in my spare bedroom unused. At this time, I need the room, so as I was doing some research online about the armoire, I came across your comments. Its in good condition, but obviously very old. Today, I will look it over very good for your Grandfather's name, and let you know either way. I would love nothing more for it to go back to the family of the man who made it.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
