Heywood-Wakefield’s story spans nearly two centuries of Real American Hardwood® furniture-making. The company was established in 1897 in Gardner, Massachusetts, after the merger of Heywood Brothers (founded in 1826) and Wakefield Company (1855). By the 1930s, its solid birch furniture—defined by rounded edges, smooth planes, and gently curved lines—had become emblematic of the best American mid-century modern design. Produced in huge numbers, these pieces remain staples of the vintage market, prized for their durability and distinctive “blond” look. After bankruptcy in 1979, the brand was revived in the 1990s, with production resuming in Massachusetts under third-generation woodworker Tom Belletete. Today, all furniture is built from Northern Yellow Birch harvested in Maine and the Northeast, using updated joinery and finishes but staying faithful to the original forms that made the company a household name. Here are three of my favorite pieces.
The Cat’s Eye Chair, introduced in the 1940s, is identified by its oval back cutout. Both the armless and armchair versions are built from solid Northern Yellow Birch, with crowns and back legs shaped by steam bending. This process, done by Vermont specialists, preserves the wood’s strength while achieving the distinctive curve. Seats are upholstered in Massachusetts, and each chair is finished in Amber lacquer, a transparent protective coating that highlights the light sapwood grain more than the more opaque vintage Wheat and Champagne finishes of yesteryear.
The Cat’s Eye Chair, with and without arms
The M 789 G dining table reflects the engineering that helped vintage Heywood-Wakefield furniture last. Its solid birch surfaces are built with aligned grain to minimize seasonal warping, while a concealed mechanism allows the top to extend with added leaves. Recent refinements include steel-plate joinery that secures legs with threaded inserts rather than wood screws, ensuring stability through repeated assemblies. The flowing edges and seamless surfaces continue the company’s mid-century aesthetic while accommodating the practical needs of today’s homes and lifestyles.
The M 789 G Dining Table
The Isabel Buffet exemplifies Heywood-Wakefield’s approach to case furniture: flush tops, continuous curves, and no overhanging edges. Built entirely from solid birch, its drawers use French dovetail joints—sliding connections that prevent fronts from loosening and keep boxes square. Interiors are fitted with shelves and dividers cut from the same high-grade sapwood. The buffet is finished by hand with Amber lacquer, a modern catalyzed coating more resistant to light and moisture than the nitrocellulose lacquers used in the mid-20th century.
The Isabel Buffet
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