From the time Tom Moser left teaching in 1972 to focus on making one-of-a-kind furniture in New Gloucester, Maine, the family owned fine American furniture company has had one guiding mission: to build furniture that celebrates the natural beauty of wood; is of simple, unadorned, graceful lines; and is crafted for a long, useful life.
Today, Thos. Moser has grown from a one-man operation to more than 70 cabinetmakers, to an expanded workshop facility in Auburn, Maine, and to six showrooms located in Auburn and Freeport, Maine, as well as in Boston, New York, Greenwich, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Tom Moser, now almost 80, continues to conceive new designs and remains involved in the company, as do his sons, David, an award-winning furniture designer in his own right; Andy, an accomplished craftsman who works in the shop; and Aaron, who directs Moser Contract, which services the design and architectural community.
Joining the company earlier this year is Adam Rogers, the firm’s first Director of Design and Development, and the first person outside the Moser family to serve in such a leading role. Rogers has, nevertheless, stayed true to the company’s mission.
“Although the forms may evolve as we broaden our aesthetic and welcome new design perspectives, our constitution will not,” Rogers says. “The commitment remains to quality furniture, all handmade in America.
“It is both a responsibility and a pleasure to ensure that we continue to celebrate the natural material, honor the craft of woodworking, and emphasize the value of permanence,” Rogers continues.
The company’s dedication to creating “functional art” can be seen in David Moser’s popular Edo Collection, inspired by such longstanding design traditions as wabi-sabi, Scandinavian, Shaker, and George Nakashima, with their open lines and simple shapes.
But with an eye to the future as well, the company has also initiated a Designer in Residence Program, and recently debuted its first collaboration, the FLC | Fahmida Chair, which incorporates the joinery, craftsmanship and experience of Thos. Moser and New York City designer Fahmida Lam’s clean aesthetic that combines hand-finished hardwoods and contrasting upholstered seat and back.
“This exciting collaboration with Fahmida Lam is a significant step for Thos. Moser as we begin to embrace outside perspectives through working with independent designers,” says Rogers. To learn more, visit www.thosmoser.com.