Meet John Martin
Each Windsor chair piece has a little of John in it. John
Martin, that is. You could call him many things— president, entrepreneur, master craftsman, artist. He likes Windsor chairmaker the best (next to Dad and Grandpa). It isn’t unusual for John to personally inspect each Windsor chair that bears his name, adhering to his own measure of quality, which he terms, “fussy.”
John E. Martin, Jr., was a boy of 11 when his Windsor chair-making dream began. Working at odd jobs for a Lancaster Country chair-maker, he learned to use the lathe and turn the legs of Windsor chairs according to time-honored traditions. By the time he was 19, his dream was well under way when Martin officially bought the Windsor chair-making business from it's owner, Christian Good... for just $1. Since then Martin's Chair Inc. has become synonymous with some of the finest quality-crafted Windsor Chairs and 18th Century Reproduction Furniture made in America
What measures up to John's fussy standard? Time-honored techniques, handed down from generations of Lancaster County craftsmen.
Solid wood, including, cherry, maple, poplar, and Tiger maple.
The hand of the artist: mortice and tenon joints, hand-drawn tooling marks, dovetailing, oak steam bendings, hand sanding, and hand-rubbed finishes.
Windsor chairs and furniture built in Pennsylvania has always been valued for its quality and refinement. With rich resources of fine lumber and skilled craftsmen, the elegant furniture of Pennsylvania has found its way to homes throughout the world. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington rested in Windsor chairs built in Pennsylvania as they met to sign the Declaration of Independence. They all knew the value and character of Pennsylvania Windsor chair craftsmanship.
So, the next time you visit our showroom and happen to see someone with a big smile and a tape measure dangling from his belt, say hello. It’s probably John—the man who had a hand in building your heirloom.