Thos. Moser Blog

In the four decades since Tom Moser founded our company, we’ve trained master craftspeople in our workshop, built chairs for universities, popes, and presidents, advised customers on everything from fabric choices to how many to seat at dinner and made countless friends along the way. Please enjoy some of our stories, advice, and musings below.

Interior Design Furniture Design Woodworking & Craft Advice & Education Customer Stories History Contract Projects

Interior Design

Kitchen Island with aria stools in walnut

A Designer’s Dream Kitchen

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If you could design your dream kitchen, what would it look like? For Betsy Barmat Stires, owner of DC-based design firm Frog Hill Designs, the opportunity to create a showhouse where she was the client allowed her to transform a blank canvas into an elevated space with refined details.

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Bedroom with walnut pencil post bed, vintage burl dresser and windsor chair. Exposed timber beams with white rug.

Design Spotlight: Marianne Jones

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Chosen for her ability to understand every step of the building and decorating process, Marianne Jones' clients praise her ability to listen to their ideas and transform them into the most beautiful interiors that fit their personality and style.

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A Cozy and Curated Coastal Farmhouse

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The Ferguson's found their four acres of heaven in Yarmouth, Maine. Resplendent with towering pines and verdant landscapes, they worked with local interior design firm Nicola's Home to create a three-bedroom contemporary coastal farmhouse that offered first-floor living with plenty of room to entertain and spaces that captured both their personalities.   

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Design Spotlight: Elizabeth Vallino

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Elizabeth Vallino traces her aesthetic formation to ballet class. This introduction to form, language and culture was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with classical and old-world elegance. We sat down with her for a quick Q & A about her approach to incorporating the Continuous Arm Chair's classic look into her clients' modern interior.

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Design Spotlight with Jennifer Magdol

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Located within San Francisco’s Golden Gate Heights neighborhood, this 1949 single-family home derives its inspiration from coastal forests and the Pacific Ocean.

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living room with cherry wood lounge chairs, cherry side tables, glass fireplace, recessed shelving

Designing an Open-Concept Space

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When a couple wanted to downsize they sold everything except their Moser furniture. We sat down with their designer, Marcye Philbrook, and asked her how she artfully designed and integrated elements of their existing Moser pieces to create a contemporary home.

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Resimercial Design

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Resimercial design blurs the lines of work and home by incorporating flexible spaces that double as a meeting space, a comfortable place for a quiet brainstorm or coffee break with colleagues that evoke a sense of comfort and shape how we view the modern workplace.

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Furniture Design

Tom and Mary Moser walking in Harpswell

The Harpswell Chair: From Humble Beginnings to Dignified Design

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From Popes to Presidents, dining rooms to boardrooms, the Harpswell Chair brings quiet distinction to any space. Read how an ill-pitched tent would lead to a life in Maine and the name of the Harpswell Chair.

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The Birth of an Icon

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In collaboration with The New York Public Library (NYPL), Thos. Moser designed a chair that is more than just a piece of furniture – it’s a symbol of the Library, its mission, and its vision for the future.

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The Anticlastic Curve

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In 2014, aboard a ferry from Portland, Maine, Tom and Mary Moser headed 185 nautical miles northeast to Nova Scotia. But it wasn't the scenery that caught Tom Moser's eye; it was the simple cafeteria chair he was sitting in.

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The Mower that Moved Us

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In a field along Cobb’s Hill Road, across from the old vestry that served as Thos. Moser's first showroom rests a rusted 1800's sickle bar mower.

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The Ultimate ‘Chairness’

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In 1977, Thos. Moser sold its first Windsor style chair: the Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair. Today, this chair serves as an icon synonymous with the Moser name.

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A Thos. Moser Coloring Book

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This coloring book is meant to bring the family together around the table or snuggled in by the fire with a cup of cocoa to share stories and that child-like wonder that makes it the most wonderful time of year.

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Omni Clock in Walnut

The Omni Clock

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Our latest accessory, the Omni Clock, is a nod to those traditional forms we first set out to create- rooted in functional utility and a celebration of the material. Inspired by Shaker designs, the clock features clean lines sculpted from solid North American cherry or walnut.  

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Island Stool in Walnut

The Island Stool

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The Island Stool is a contemporary nod to the past, drawing inspiration from an old Shaker utility stool found in Tom and Mary Moser’s first home in Maine, a 200-year-old farmhouse in New Gloucester.

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The Unity Table

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The Unity Table design echoes themes seen in mid-century modern design, where it derives its form through its elegant dedication to purpose. We have embraced these tenets and created a table that demonstrates our admiration for the strength and beauty inherent in furniture hand-crafted from solid wood.

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Living room with pink walls, walnut sofa with cushions and blankets, coffee table in walnut wiht cherry tray fruit and cheese, console table in back left with water vase and ceramic cups, and wooden lounge chair in front left with wooden arms and upholstery

The Studio Collection

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Our new Studio Collection is nothing short of a study in our design philosophies of clean, simple lines, discreet integration, and utilization of traditional joinery.

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The Mark of a Modern-Day Heirloom

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Form, shape, and patterns are the intrinsic characteristics of solid wood furniture. With no two pieces of wood exactly alike, every piece of furniture has its own unique identity. These nuances, crafted by nature and finished by hand, create furniture destined to be a one-of-a-kind, modern-day heirloom.

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Wishbone Table Detail

New Products for Spring 2019

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When considering new pieces to add to our collection, we are often inspired by a combination of historical references, customer ideas, and gaps in our lineup. Our latest designs are no exception.

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Woodworking & Craft

Building a Family Tradition

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There is a piece of furniture within the Moser catalog that immediately stands out for each of us. It invokes a familiar feeling of comfort, childhood memories and feels like it was specifically designed just for us. This is precisely how a member of our customer care team felt when they walked through the lobby doors at Thos. Moser and saw the child's size Continuous Arm Rocker.

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Wood Moves: Crafting Receptive Designs

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Building with solid wood takes patience and a deep appreciation of its mercurial nature to create a result that will last a lifetime. Each wood species has its own unique personality, growth pattern, and tendencies to react to the elements in different ways.

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Great-Grandpa Joe’s Bookshelf

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There is a reason we call these pieces heirlooms- they’re the keepers of our family’s history. While the design of Joseph Moser’s bookshelf may be simple, it’s a physical symbol that represents the continuity and love of four generations of the Moser family.

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An enduring symbol of family and craft

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For Tom Moser, the American flag evokes a uniquely personal feeling and sense of connection, and at the end of the day, it holds a more profound, unified meaning of family and craft.

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Tom Moser’s American Flag

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As humans, creation and the capacity to create are in our DNA. These creations spark joy within oneself and have the ability to unify the human spirit. For Tom Moser, the spark that led him to craft his artistic rendition of the American Flag came from a photograph of a wooden flag and a gentle nudge from a friend.

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Inside the Thos. Moser Workshop

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The Thos. Moser workshop is a playground to the makers who call it home. Every piece of our furniture starts its journey in this 80,000 square foot facility in Auburn, Maine. Join us for a peek inside.

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Ash: the right wood in all the right places

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With its straight grain and exceptional strength, ash has long been a staple in the legs of chairs, rockers, and benches throughout our collections. Balancing its strength, ash is also remarkably resilient-- providing just the right "give" to make a spindle Thos. Moser chairback every bit as comfortable as it is beautiful.

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Live Edge Eastward Bench

A Celebration of the American Forest

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Since the beginning, Thos. Moser has considered the materials we work as the essential element to success in furniture making. As woodworkers, our materials are inseparable from the environment. In this respect, we have released a special live-edge edition of the Eastward Bench to further express the gratitude we feel towards our materials

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Joinery: Beauty and Durability in Equal Parts

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Exceptional joinery is a celebration of craftsmanship that we expose whenever possible. Properly formed, it works on every level and leaves nothing to hide.

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Walnut Bow Back Stool

The Beauty in Board Matching

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Board matching is the subtle art of selecting rough-hewn slabs of wood to match wood grain and color, making the difference between a nice piece of furniture and an exquisite piece of furniture.

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Fostering the Next Generation of New England Craftsmen

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Our partnership with North Bennet Street School began in 2018 based on long-standing mutual admiration. Seeking new ways to support the school’s activities, we reached out to NBSS to discuss forming a partnership and found common ground in Toys for Tots.

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Cherry: Beauty Over Time

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When exposed to sunlight and air, cherry furniture changes color over time, shifting from a light salmon to a deep, rich reddish-brown. This transformation begins in as little as six months. Through oxidation and UV exposure, cherry’s molecular makeup changes the way in which light is reflected, giving cherry its recognizably rich hue. Perhaps, more than any other wood, cherry, when finished with rubbed oil and wax, invites people to touch it.

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Mortise and Tenons: A conversation with Andy Pinkham

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The mortise and tenon is one of the classics of woodworking joinery and one of the oldest forms of joinery in the world.

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Dovetails: A Conversation with Tim Sirois

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Craftsman Tim Sirois discusses why the dovetail joint is integral to Thos. Moser design, and what it takes to master this woodworking technique.

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Advice & Education

Wood samples

Natural Variations Found in North American Hardwood

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As woodworkers, our materials are inseparable from the environment. From changes in color as the wood ages, grain pattern, and mineral deposits, here are a few natural variations found in the North American hardwood used in Thos. Moser furniture.

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three upholstery swatches

Three versatile fabrics for every interior

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Upholstery makes a piece of solid hardwood furniture cozy, elegant, playful, or sophisticated. Here are three upholstery options that pass the test of durability, feel, and color selection with our furniture specialists time and time again.

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Furniture that fits

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Shopping for furniture has never been easier. Whether you prefer to shop online or in one of our showrooms, we want to make sure you select a piece of furniture that's a perfect fit. To help, we've compiled a list of important considerations for choosing the right furniture for your space.

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How to Clean Your Hardwood Furniture

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Care and cleaning for your wooden furniture is not a one-size-fits-all solution. To clean up the confusion, we sat down with Marc LaBonte, head of our furniture maintenance and installation department, and asked him the best way to care for and maintain our hardwood furniture.

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5 Benefits of an Adjustable Height Desk

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Sitting at a desk is an unavoidable part of our day for many of us. However, sitting for long periods, day after day, can harm our well-being and productivity. Here are five reasons why we love adjustable height desks.

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Creating an Elevated Table Setting this Holiday Season

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Edo Trestle Table

A Styled Approach to Mixing Wood Species

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What's the best way to incorporate multiple wood species into the same room? We've put together a comprehensive list of the best ways to blend various wood species into your space.

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4 Expert Tips for Picking the Right Upholstery

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Upholstered furniture offers a personalized and unique spin on our hand-crafted wood furniture. With so many options available, we've come up with four expert tips to help you choose the right one.

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Pasadena Chair in walnut on left and Aria Arm Chair in Cherry with cream upholstered seat cushion on right

5 Things to Consider When Buying a Dining Chair

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There's a science to comfortable sitting, and the truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all for dining seating. We've put together a list of five things to consider when looking for seating at your dining room table.

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Selecting the Right Table for Any Space

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At Thos. Moser, we believe a table should be the center of the home, office, or conference room. We've put together a list of important considerations and a seating equation to help find the perfect table to match your style and space.

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Walnut headboard of Sleigh Bed and top of walnut side table, Bed with white linens and eggplant colored throw blanket

Choosing a Bed at Thos. Moser

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Who are we without a good night's rest? Our guide for selecting the Thos. Moser bed of your dreams will have you resting easy in no time.

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Guidelines for Selecting a Stool

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Are you remodeling the space to include an island, bar, or high-top dining area? In that case, you might need a few pointers for selecting a suitable stool to seamlessly match your style and design aesthetic while maintaining overall function and practicality.

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Customer Stories

Edo Trestle Table in walnut and Auburn Chairs in walnut in dining scene with window

A Minimalist Space that Celebrates Everyday Living

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The kitchen of the Calistri's Massachusets home was dark and dated, and they wanted to create an inviting space where they could comfortably entertain friends and family. Their vision for the new kitchen and breakfast nook was a bright, contemporary, intentionally inspired space molded around their minimalist aesthetic.

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Blanket box in cherry sits at the foot of a bed wtih wool blanket draped over the edge

A Christmas Story

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Mr. Ferguson had second thoughts about hiding the Blanket Box in the basement. Of course, that wasn't until he was lugging the solid cherry box up the stairs at three in the morning on Christmas Eve.

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A Cozy and Curated Coastal Farmhouse

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The Ferguson's found their four acres of heaven in Yarmouth, Maine. Resplendent with towering pines and verdant landscapes, they worked with local interior design firm Nicola's Home to create a three-bedroom contemporary coastal farmhouse that offered first-floor living with plenty of room to entertain and spaces that captured both their personalities.   

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Crafted for a Life at Sea

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For us, every delivery is special, but some are truly memorable— such was the case when we delivered a custom pair of Harpswell Chairs and Wing Ottoman and were invited aboard the charismatic skipper's yacht. 

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More Than a Signature

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It was upon closer inspection customer David M. discovered that his chair had a unique marking.

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A Lifetime Collection

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“My first purchase from Thos. Moser was a 1986 catalog. I remember sending my $4.00 and spending a lot of time looking through the pages. The catalog was beautiful, and it reflected the company’s attention to craftsmanship,” Linda said. “I still have every catalog I’ve ever received.”

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A Squeak of Reassurance

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When customers Karen and Steve were expecting their first child, they treated themselves to a Moser rocker. But when a subtle squeak sounded with each rock, Karen called Moser customer service. She never expected who would come to her door and inspect her squeaky rocker.

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The Heart of the Household

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The table joined the family in 2008. “It was a time when my husband wasn’t traveling a lot for work. We had dinner there every night as a family, and it was special. We lingered longer, laughed harder, and the experience amplified the table’s meaning. It really was part of the family,” says Vivienne.

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The Artist’s Choice

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“We didn’t want to purchase something that wouldn’t last – and we didn’t want to compromise on a style we didn’t like.” After pondering their research, the two artists returned to the craftsmen whose work they already knew well and selected two High Stools.

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A Place to Retire: English Charm meets California Coastal

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There is an intertwining of cool blues and warm wooden tones throughout the house, a nod to the ocean and Maine woods. Large windows allow the landscape to filter inward to create a welcoming oasis that allows them to take a deep breath and watch the worries of the world drift away.

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Coastal Cottage Designed by Owners’ Daughter Offers Modern Retreat

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The moment you turn down the nearly 1/2 mi private driveway to the Jennings cottage, you know you are about to experience something magical.

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Lieutenant’s Chest

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CIR: Memories and Furniture made by the Kuenstner Family

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A Collector’s Approach to Downsizing

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Inside a beautiful 17th floor apartment located with breathtaking views of the Schuylkill River and the City of Philadelphia, is a home rich in character.

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Inspiring Young Minds: St. Timothy’s Students in the Workshop

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Randy Stevens, Head of St. Timothy's School, sends a group of students to our Auburn workshop for an immersive learning experience.

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Customers

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For our first few years in business, our primary method of advertising was word of mouth. Learn about how Thos. Moser's customers grew organically into a community that appreciates quality and fine craft.

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History

Victorian home set back in a field with sparse trees on a foggy day

The Pink House: A look inside our 2021 holiday home

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This scenic location of the owner's new property rekindled the joys of childhood summers spent in Maine. However, this idyllic location lacked one thing: a house. Located one hundred miles away, they purchased a 200-year-old Victorian home and began the process of moving it, piece by piece, to their dream location.

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Bedroom with Pencil Post Bed in cherry with white linens and woolen blankets, Shaker round stand in cherry with books and coffee cup to right of bed, Captains Chest in cherry with blankets folded on top sits at the foot of the bed. Picture of a map hangs on the wall

Camels and Outposts: Historical Antecedents of our Pencil Post Bed

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It's hard to imagine our Pencil Post bed folding down the size of a large suitcase. But the solid wood design was inspired by the early modular English Field Bed, built to support a canvas mattress and canopy of mesh netting to keep out mosquitos. However, if we dig even further into antiquity, we find the roots of our four-poster bed go even deeper.

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Unwrapping Innovation

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Dr. Heibert said, "I want a wheel made entirely of native oak, in the old-world style. No plywood, just oak to age in dignity. Of course, it needs to be perfectly balanced to drive a wooden set of gears and power a generator. Can you do it?"

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The Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair, An Icon of Evolutionary Design

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When our founder, Tom Moser, began his journey of becoming a full-time furniture maker, the Windsor style had fallen out of favor. Nevertheless, he set out to design his modern iteration of the Windsor chair, a design that would go on to become synonymous with the Thos. Moser name.

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Passing on the Skills of Woodworking

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The Moser’s First Maine Christmas

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Telling the Tale

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As Tom evolved from teacher to woodworker, he used his skills to continue to educate the next generation of craftsmen.

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Books & Wood

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In a library, one is inspired to levels of greater inquiry by those billions of words. Furniture for such a compelling environment should reflect that spirituality and sense of timelessness.

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Contract Projects

The Perfect Pairing

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To complement the bold and approachable space, the art-driven boutique hotel reached out to Thos. Moser to craft a custom dining chair to create a comfortable refuge for locals and travelers alike that exuded a warm and welcoming space.

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Building Big Tables: A Union of Traditional Woodworking and Modern Technology

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The most significant projects are born through collaboration and a willingness to push the limits. This is how we have crafted tables that span more than thirty-six feet long. Read how we have blended the art of handcrafted furniture with modern technology to create these one-of-a-kind tables.

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Honoring Legacy at St. Timothy’s School

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University of Georgia, Terry College of Business

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Lawrenceville School featuring the Daniela Table by Thos. Moser

The Lawrenceville School: Abbott Dining Hall

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A Custom Credenza With Reclaimed Stained Glass

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Inspiring Young Minds: St. Timothy’s Students in the Workshop

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Randy Stevens, Head of St. Timothy's School, sends a group of students to our Auburn workshop for an immersive learning experience.

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St. Timothy’s School: Five Arts and Student Center

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St. Timothy’s, an all-girls high school established in 1882 and located in Stevenson, Maryland, is embarking on its most significant modernization and building transformation project in the school’s history

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Thos. Moser and St. Timothy’s School

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There is nothing we love more than when residential customers share their love of Moser furniture with their institutions and businesses. St. Timothy’s Head of School Randy Stevens is one those special customers.

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Harvard Business School

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Over the last 45-years, we have built chairs for presidents, chairs for popes, chairs for poets, and chairs for some of the nation’s leading universities.

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