Journal
The Birth of an Icon
Thos. Moser’s chair, crafted with the NYPL, embodies the Library’s mission and vision, transcending furniture to become a lasting symbol.
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Inside the Thos. Moser Workshop
Step inside the 80,000 sq ft Thos. Moser workshop in Auburn, Maine, where every piece of our furniture begins its journey.
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"Hang On!"
On a hazy morning, in the early 1950s, with an ocherous sun rising above fields of dew-drenched corn, Tom and his cousin tore down a dirt road on a 1945 Harley Davidson Knucklehead motorcycle. As a kid from the city, Tom relished the weeks he spent out on his Aunt and Uncle’s farm in Wisconsin during the summer. Tom’s younger cousin, Walter, as he recalls, was a “wild kid.” The two of them would spend their mornings blazing past neighboring farms on their way into town to run errands for his Aunt. Reminiscing on the days of riding the motorcycle with his cousin, Tom says, “Walter would let'er rip. It seemed like we were going 100 miles per hour down these dirt roads, and it would scare the living daylights out of me. I’d wrap one arm around his torso and my other hand, white-knuckled, grasping the chrome panic bar. I finally convinced Walter to let me drive the bike one day, and I was even worse. We had a hell of a time on that thing.” Thomas Moser as a young man and the motorcycle and seat that inspired his Bowback Stool Design Like the Harley and Davidson families, Tom and his cousin Walter were enchanted by new forms of transportation. Tom, no stranger to crafting, even from a young age, says,” I always felt the compulsion to build and create something real and physical with my hands, and I was always drawing and sketching on any paper I could find. I built a glider out of two-by-fours and fell through a greenhouse while attempting to glide from the garage roof to the backyard. Every kid had a scooter made of an old, separated roller skate nailed to an orange crate, but mine had to be painted with a tin-can headlight and a mechanical brake. This activity was constant.” A constant dictation of Tom’s designs is by drawing upon historical antecedents and pushing them a step further. The look of the Bowback Stool is no stranger to this formula. The signature backrest of the stool is a wooden permutation of cousin Walter’s motorcycle panic bar. Recalling the hours spent gripping this bar while racing down dirt roads, Tom employed a laminated rail — constructed with layers of flitch cut veneer to mimic the convex curve of the motorcycle’s chrome rail. The design includes four slender spindles attached to the rail with our signature wedged tenons, providing superior strength and beauty to support the rail. The seat draws inspiration from the prized and indispensable milking stools of the early 19th and 20th centuries. The seats of many early milking stools were carved from elm and featured three legs made from ash. The ingenuity of the three-legged stool provided stability on uneven ground and seated comfort from the back-breaking work of milking the herd in the field twice a day. As time passed, the milking stool’s look transformed from solid seats to seats with a pommel, and even to a half-moon-shaped wooden seat with three tapered pegged legs, complete with mortise-and-tenon joinery. Like the legs of the Bowback Stool, the legs of the milking stool pierced through the top and sanded smoothly to match the seat’s surface. The Bowback Stool is indeed the product of an all-American design inspired by an active and robust childhood. Wisconsin’s country roads indeed take our Bowback Stool back to the place where it all began, at least in Tom Moser’s creative mind and capable hands. .
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Our History
Very few of us can remember a turning point in our careers as vividly as Thomas Moser did. It was a cool September morning in 1971 as the brilliant late summer sun beat down on a table he had just built and brought up from his dingy cellar workshop. Freshly finished with boiled linseed oil and hand-rubbed wax, the table practically glowed. A friend's wife stopped by, saw the table, and offered to buy it on the spot. It was just one moment, but it was also an epiphany in the truest sense of the world. In an instant, at age thirty-six, Tom knew he had enough artistry to produce something people would appreciate and buy. It wasn't long after that that he said to his wife, Mary," I am going to quit teaching. I am going to make things out of wood." She fully agreed. Thomas Moser standing outside the Grange Hall in New Gloucester, Maine. A Leap of Faith In 1972, Tom left his tenured teaching position at Bates College and, with his wife Mary by his side, opened a small woodworking shop in an old Grange Hall in New Gloucester, Maine. They called it Thos. Moser Cabinetmaker. There was no formal business plan, only an abiding love of wood and a belief in honest craftsmanship. From the beginning, each piece carried a promise—a satisfaction guarantee reflected Tom’s conviction that furniture, when made by hand with care and integrity, should last a lifetime. By 1973, with Mary Moser at the helm of marketing, among a laundry list of other duties, Thos. Moser placed its first advertisement in Down East magazine and The New Yorker, introducing a wider audience to furniture built with purpose, restraint, and heart. A Vision for the Future Throughout the 1970s and through the 1980s, the workshop quietly established its foundation. Innovation was never pursued for its own sake—it existed only to serve integrity and craft. In 1977, Thos. Moser began hand-signing every piece, a tradition that endures today as a mark of accountability and pride. That same year, Tom designed the Continuous Arm Chair, a form both sculptural and inviting, which became one of the company’s most enduring designs. As demand grew for Tom's designs, so did the workshop. The first showroom outside of Maine opened in the early 1980s, and in 1987, the company moved into a larger workshop in Auburn, Maine, which remains our home base to this day. A Name Known Beyond Maine By the 1990s and 2000s, Thos. Moser furniture reached far beyond New England. Tom’s son, David, joined the design process, introducing collections such as Vita, Pasadena, Wing, and Chaise, while classic pieces like the Harpswell and Auburn chairs became quietly iconic for their balance, restraint, and comfort. In 2007, the company launched the Customer In Residence program, inviting customers into the workshop to build their own furniture alongside master craftspeople—a testament to the belief that making deepens connection and appreciation. Thos. Moser furniture has been requested for official ceremonies by Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, chosen for presidential libraries by both Reagan and Bush, and now graces Ivy League campuses, public libraries, private schools, and homes worldwide. In 2018, the New York Public Library commissioned a chair that has become an enduring symbol of the institution. Passing the Torch In 2016, leadership passed to the next generation when Aaron Moser was named CEO, guiding the company forward while remaining rooted in its founding principles. In 2022, Thos. Moser marked its 50th anniversary—five decades of building furniture defined by thoughtful design, traditional joinery, and individual workmanship. In January 2025, after more than half a century of family stewardship, Thos. Moser entered a new chapter under a Maine-based company that aligned with its values of craftsmanship, sustainability, and long-term vision, ensuring the work remains grounded in place and purpose. Crafted for Generations From a single Grange Hall in New Gloucester to workshops, showrooms, and homes around the world, Thos. Moser's story is more than one of growth. It is a philosophy made tangible: that beauty lies within restraint; that integrity reveals itself over time, and that objects we live with should be built to last a lifetime.
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Wood Moves
Designing furniture with solid wood demands patience and respect for its unique traits, ensuring each piece endures a lifetime with character and strength.
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Five Things to Consider When Buying a Dining Chair
There’s a science to comfortable sitting. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all for dining seating. For some, it comes in the form of an upholstered seat that perfectly matches a favorite rug or a hand-sculpted wooden seat that tucks neatly under the edge of the table, allowing for maximum use of the room before and after meals. And for others, it’s a bench that can be pulled from the entryway or living room to accommodate a few extra guests for a neighborhood supper. The Eastward Side Chair and Eastward Bench Height One of the best places to look when you begin to select your dining room seating is your table itself. What is the height of your table? With this measurement, selecting or customizing seating that will perfectly place you at the table will easily fall into place. Most dining tables range in height from 28 to 31 inches. Many of our tables fit comfortably within this range at 30 inches high. Our dining chairs will average in height, from the top of the seat to the floor, from 17 to 21 inches high, leaving you with a distance from the seat to the tabletop ranging from 8 to 14 inches. The average person will find a seat-to-tabletop distance of around 10-12 inches most comfortable. Most dining tables are 28" - 31" high. The average seat height from the floor is 17 " - 20". The average height from chair seat to table top is 10" - 12". There are a few things to consider with these measurements. First, what is the thickness of the tabletop itself, and if there is an apron around the table, how far does that extend toward the floor? Be sure to account for these measurements, especially if you select chairs with armrests. The Wishbone Table, Cumberland Chairs, and Cumberland Sideboard Depth The depth of a dining chair influences two important aspects of comfort and function: how far the chair will tuck beneath the table when not in use, and where you will naturally sit in relation to the tabletop when seated. A chair with excessive depth may prevent the chair from sliding fully under the table, while also positioning the sitter farther back than intended. In some cases, this can cause the sitter's legs to come into contact with the table’s pedestal or trestle base. Thoughtful chair proportions help ensure both comfortable seating and ease of movement around the table. How to Select the Right Number of Chairs Determining how many chairs can comfortably fit around a dining table begins with understanding proper spacing. As a general guideline, allow approximately 28 inches between the centers of adjacent seats to give each guest adequate personal space and freedom of movement. It is also important to maintain at least 2 inches between chairs so seating does not feel crowded. For chairs placed at the ends of the table, allow roughly 14 inches from the seat center to the tabletop edge to create a balanced and comfortable arrangement. Using these measurements helps ensure the table feels welcoming, functional, and proportioned for gathering. The Boat Top Table and Harpswell Side Chairs with back. A Chair's Footprint The chair’s footprint is the width and depth of the chair. For some chairs, especially if they have a splayed or bowed leg, this measurement will include the furthest two reaching points of the legs. When deciding how many chairs to place along the length of the table, it’s helpful to know the width of the chairs so you can be sure there's enough clearance underneath without bumping into each other or the table's base. If the chairs touch when tucked underneath, your guests can feel cramped. Generally, allow 28 inches from the center of the seat to the next to comfortably accommodate most people or at least 2 inches between chairs. For chairs at the end of the table, allow 14 inches from the seat center to the end of the table. Upholstery: The Softer Side of Dining Chairs Upholstered chairs offer a variety of ways to express one's style. They can be a wonderful way to tie colorful elements of the room together or offer a neutral palette for the eyes to rest. A few of our chairs, Aria and Harpswell, offer upholstered cushions for added comfort. Our fabric selections range from fine leather, like our full-grain Riverside, ideal for heavy to medium use, to some of our most durable upholstery materials. The Pasadena Side Chair and Aria Arm Chair Arm Chairs and Side Chairs Many of our chairs come as both side and arm chairs. If you prefer your chairs to sit fully under the table top, we recommend choosing a table design without an apron. Two of our favorite armchairs that do slide underneath our tables without an apron are the Harpswell chair and the Eastward Chair. For a sleeker companion to an armchair, our side chair offers the same exquisite design and style. Another consideration when choosing chairs is the difference between the table height and the overall chair height. The overall height of your chair is measured from the top of the crest to the floor. How high is the crest of the chair in comparison to the top of the table? Unless you are selecting stools as your seating, you’ll want the crest of the chair to be roughly 1 inch to 2 inches higher than your tabletop, giving visual intrigue to your dining set. The Intervale Table, Continuous Arm Chair, and Freeport Bench Alternative Seating Beyond the classic dining chair, you have options. Benches and stools offer an alternative to traditional seating and can be moved into another room when additional seating is required. Many of our benches and stools seamlessly pair with our dining tables and are customized to fit your dining situation. Our smaller, studio-sized chairs and 18" stools can easily slide underneath the table when they are not in use, and benches, like our Edo, Eastward, Freeport, and Vita, can be moved into a living room or hallway, allowing for flexible use of your furniture when it is not needed at the dining room table. The Eastward Bench and Trestle Table When you begin to think about adding the perfect chair to your space, remember these basic guidelines: height, overall footprint, and upholstery. Know your style and know your space. With these guidelines in your back pocket and our team of knowledgeable furniture specialists willing to help you, the hardest part will be deciding which one to choose.
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Designed for a Life at Sea
With clean lines and timeless designs, our furniture feels at home in a traditional farmhouse, a highly curated art collector’s house, or, in this case, a 55-foot yacht. It perfectly accentuates the style and aesthetic of the space it occupies, from residential to commercial to custom. Aboard their Hinckley yacht, Captain Ann and Skipper Pete take to the Atlantic’s azure waters each year and travel north along the eastern seaboard from Florida to Bar Harbor, Maine. One of their many stops this year would include anchoring in South Freeport, Maine, and we would make a special delivery. When Captain Ann and Skipper Pete were looking to replace a few interior elements within the cabin, they called upon the craftspeople and designs they knew and loved. Given the cabin’s configuration, they were looking for pieces that would maintain the open and airy environment of the upper, glass-enclosed level—the one requirement: the chairs needed to be incredibly comfortable, as they would serve as their evening lounge chairs. While combing through our catalog, the Harpswell Arm Chair caught their eye. While not typically thought of being a lounge chair, the contemporary lines and thick upholstered back and seat cushions of the Harpswell Arm Chairs were a perfect fit for Ann and Pete. To give these Harpswell Chairs a signature look, they chose the same custom Spinneybeck leather that matched the boat’s new banquette. To elevate their feet after a long day on the water, they decided to pair the arm chairs with the Wing Ottoman- creating the perfect ocean lounge chair. The stability and durability, coupled with the height, weight, and comparatively small footprint compared to lounge chairs or sofas, made the Harpswell chairs and Wing Ottoman ideal for their ocean home. The cherry’s warmth illuminates the space, and in time, it will patina, matching the rich woodwork found throughout the cabin. Once we brought the pieces aboard, it was, in true boating style, cause for celebration. Skipper Pete, donning a vibrant Hawaiian shirt with an antipasti platter in hand and a whirring blender in the galley containing tart, citrusy refreshments to christen the new arrivals, invited us aboard to take in the brilliant pastel sunset. Here, Skipper Pete regaled us with his travels aboard this boat, the welcoming and memorable people and ports he has met along the way. We shared the same sentiment while watching the sun dip just below the pines- how lucky we are to share in the warm company and stories of our extended Moser family. If you have a great story or pictures to share of how you live with your Thos. Moser, we invite you to connect with us. We would love to hear from you.
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Our Materials
Selecting the right materials for our pieces is essential. We source only the finest-quality lumber, fabrics, leathers, and finishes, and put considerable effort into building relationships with partners whose values and quality align with our own. The wood, fabric, and leather we choose define not just the look of a piece, but how it ages, feels, and lives with you over time. Thos. Moser sources only the finest lumber, textiles, and hides, partnering with suppliers whose standards align with our dedication to durability and beauty. Wood Species As woodworkers, we consider our materials inseparable from the environment. There is no substitute for the character of the wood that comes from a mature tree. Each is a product of its unique habitat, and the grain, color, markings, and variation are a roadmap to a tree’s story. No two trees, boards, or pieces of solid wood furniture are identical. Here are some characteristics of the wood we use at Thos. Moser. We work with premium-grade North American hardwoods — predominantly cherry and walnut. On occasion or upon request, we also work with a range of other sustainably sourced American hardwoods. Crafting furniture from different species can impart distinct characteristics. For example, the dark tone of walnut can emphasize form. At the same time, the pronounced grain of ash conjures a more tactile experience, and the darkening of cherry over time may lend a more classic, traditional look and feel. Cherry Cherry wood is beloved for its rich tones, timeless appeal, and ability to develop a deep patina over time. In 1976, cherry became synonymous with the Moser style. Today, it remains the most popular North American hardwood we use when building our furniture. The black cherry tree thrives in cooler, northeast-facing environments with well-drained, fertile soil. With its gentle sloping hillsides, the Allegheny plateau provides the rich, well-drained soil and consistent moisture needed for a cherry tree to send out a pioneering taproot and grow to be nearly 80 ft tall. Aging When freshly cut or sanded, cherry is pale tannish pink, as shown in the first square above. But the wood is rich in resins, particularly prussic acid, which reacts rapidly with sunlight and oxygen. Through oxidation and UV exposure, the color of cherry shifts from a light salmon to a deep, rich auburn — a transformation that can occur in as little as six months and continues to develop over time. Cherry will darken over time, whether or not it receives a coat of oil. However, when oil is applied to fresh cherry, it amplifwood'se wood's depth and color by highlighting tstructure'sucture's reflectivity, giving it a three-dimensional shimmer. Above: Wing Three Place Sofa and Vault Table in cherry. Walnut As the only native dark wood in North America, black walnut covers an impressive swath of land extending from southern Ontario to South Dakota, northern Florida, and eastern Texas. Our walnut trees come from the banks of the Missouri River. Here, acidic and loamy soils produce trees that can grow upwards of 2ft a year and reach over 120ft, with an equally impressive canopy when fully mature. Aging Walnut is prized for its rich, bittersweet color range, from chocolate to deep burgundy. When finished with a coat of oil, the rich ripples of espresso and almond become immediately apparent. Unlike cherry, maple, or ash, the walnut ages and lightens in color. This process does not happen as quickly as it does with cherry, but over several years, those deep chocolate hues will mellow into an ambered brown. Above: Intervale Extension Table and Cumberland Chairs in walnut. Alternate Wood Species On occasion and upon request, we work with sustainably harvested ash, maple, and white oak sourced from mills in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. The northeast produces the finest northern hardwoods in the United States, and we are pleased with the consistently superior quality of the material our trusted partners provide. Above: Fahmida Lounge Chair in white oak. Upholstery At Thos. Moser, we select upholstery materials with the same care as the woods used to craft your furniture, which is why our leathers and fabrics are warrantied against material defects for five years (please note that we cannot warranty the performance of customer-provided materials). We feature our most popular upholstery and leather options on our website, and if you’re interested in additional colors, prints, or textures, or would like to supply your own fabric, we invite you to arrange a consultation with a sales associate, as the right upholstery choice ultimately reflects both your lifestyle and the aesthetic you want to create. Rub ratings, or double rubs, also known as the Wyzenbeek test, measure how well a fabric stands up to everyday wear through industry-standard abrasion testing, with lower ratings suited to decorative or light-use pieces and higher ratings indicating durability for daily living and high-traffic spaces, helping ensure the right balance of comfort, beauty, and longevity over time. Fabric We carry a vast selection of premium quality fabrics from the world’s leading textile manufacturers. Our design-driven options ensure that you find just the right fit for your style and décor. To assess our many fabric options or to request a swatch, visit your nearest showroom or contact us to arrange a consultation with a sales associate to determine the best choice for you. Working with Leather We hand-select and carefully inspect our leather to ensure unrivaled quality, softness, durability, and overall character. Our Riverside line of micro-finished top-grain leather offers a sumptuous feel from day one. It is available in a contemporary color palette, making it an ideal candidate for any application. We feature our most popular leather colors in the pieces shown in our print catalogs and online. If you do not see a color you would like, or are interested in other protected or aniline leathers, please get in touch with us to arrange a consultation with a sales associate. Above: Wing Three Place Sofa, Drift Lounge Chair & Ottoman, Vault Table, and Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair Our materials shape every decision, from proportions and joinery to surfaces and finishes. Wood, fabric, and leather each carry inherent properties that guide how a piece is made and how it lives over time. When those materials are selected with care and used with intention, the result is furniture defined by clarity, restraint, and longevity—made by hand through practice and patience, and built to remain useful, relevant, and considered for generations.
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