Before it became a legendary American manufacturer of traditional furniture, Kittinger Furniture was a paper company called Thompson, Colie & Company (later to become Colie & Son), after its founders, Oliver and George Colie. The father-son entrepreneurs started a small business in 1866 manufacturing paper products and, subsequently, upholstered furniture in Buffalo, New York. Business for the latter was so successful that in order to keep up with demand, the Colies opened a second factory in 1885 that focused on handcrafted furniture designed in 18th-century styles.
Later, George Colie decided to sell his beloved company to his son-in-law, Irvine J. Kittinger Sr., and his brother, Ralph. They changed the name to the Kittinger Furniture Company in 1913. In 1929, the company’s sales exceeded $1 million, which allowed the brothers to expand far beyond Buffalo, opening showrooms in Chicago, Dallas and other cities across the United States, where they could present their expert reproductions of popular historic furniture styles for the home and office.
In 1937, Kittinger was granted an exclusive license to reproduce antique custom furniture for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The company manufactured Hepplewhite-style chests of drawers, mahogany Chippendale dressers, Asian-influenced mid-century modern marble-top coffee tables of ebonized wood and a variety of other pieces. The brand’s revered Mandarin line, a Hollywood Regency–style collection that debuted in the 1940s, included bedroom furnishings such as lacquered wood vanities, nightstands and more, each featuring prominent Greek key drawer pulls and decorative black trim.
Between the mid-1970s and 1990s, Kittinger Furniture changed hands frequently and even went out of business. In 1996, Raymond Bialkowski, a former master cabinetmaker for the company, and his wife, Karen, purchased the company and, along with some other former Kittinger craftsmen, began creating furniture under its name once again in north Buffalo. Over the years, Kittinger has produced furniture for the White House, including a handcrafted conference table and chairs for the Cabinet Room during President Nixon’s administration and chairs for the Roosevelt Room in 2016.
Today, the award-winning Kittinger Furniture continues to make historical and new custom handcrafted pieces of high quality.
Find a range of Kittinger Furniture on 1stDibs.
Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Stools, 2
By Kittinger
Located in Astoria, NY
Pair of Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Floral Upholstered Mahogany Stools, marked to interior leg. 18" H x 21" W x 16" D. Provenance: The Estate of Alton G. Marshall, former aide ...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Spanish Colonial Stool / Side Table in Carved Wood, 1940s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carved Wood Stool or Small Side Table, Spain, 1940s This eye-catching Spanish Revival wood stool has squared top and four legs with hand-carved scalloped details. This stool has a ru...
Wood, Pine
$2,157
H 15.75 in W 13.39 in D 13 in
Spanish Colonial Hexagonal Tripod Stool / Side Table in Carved Wood
Located in Barcelona, ES
Hexagonal Wooden Tripod Stool, Spain, 1940s The top has scalloped details at the edge and the top has decorative carvings and a clover hole at the central part. This stool is richly...
Wood, Pine
$1,009Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 34.26 in W 19.3 in D 13.78 in
Vintage Set of 3 Brutalist Marbella Stools-Spanish Colonial Bar Stools - 60s
Located in Bussiere Dunoise, Nouvel Aquitaine
A sculptural Set of 3 Marbella Stools, reflecting the bold materiality and organic modernism associated work. These Stools embody the expressive character of spanish brutalism, combi...
Metal, Iron
Ann Morris Bar Stool - Mahogany
Located in New York, NY
Available in any wood finish or paint color Custom made to any seat height The A-M Bar Stool is completely custom made. The seat height is custom and can be any height not exceedin...
Wood
Spanish Colonial Tripod Stool / Side Table in Carved Wood, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carved Wood Tripod Stool / End or Side Table, Spain, 1940s-1950s The top has scalloped carving accents and a 3 leaf clover carved detail. It stands up on thick wooden legs. This stoo...
Wood, Pine
$2,400 / set
H 16 in W 22.5 in D 14.25 in
1940s Spanish Colonial Curule Stools Mahogany & Leather Mexico
By Clara Porset, Luis Barragan, William Spratling
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1940s Spanish colonial curule stools made in Mexico. Set of two. Latin American rustic leather seat and strap. Fabulous medallions. In the style of Clara Porset & Luis Barragan. Sim...
Iron
Carved Mahogany Stool
Located in Cheshire, GB
Carved mahogany stool, the deep buttoned upholstered seat. Raised up on four finely carved cabriole legs terminating in scroll toes. Dimensions Height...
Wood
Regency Mahogany Stool
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Regency style mahogany and brass mounted stool in the manner of Thomas Hope, with slung seat, lion head arm terminals, on a turned "X" base. Dimensio...
Leather, Wood
$1,862
H 14.57 in W 12.6 in D 11.82 in
Spanish Colonial Tripod Stool / Side Table in Carved Wood, 1940s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carved Wood Tripod Stool or Small Side Table, Spain, 1940s This eye-catching wooden stool has scalloped carving accents on the top and a 3 leaf clover carved detail. It stands up on thick legs with carving details thorough. This stools has a rustic finish and spanish colonial accents. It will be a nice a addition to a countryside or cottage house adding a spanish taste to or any classical, contemporary or rustic decoration. The other stool shown at the images is avaliable at our 1stdibs marketplacec. Use it as stool or small side or end table. Minor wear commensurate with age. Overall Measures: 37 cm H x 32 cm W x 30 cm D // 14,56 in H x 12,59 in W x 11,81 in D Spanish Rustic Wood Stool...
Wood, Pine
Chippendale style mahogany framed stool
Located in Cheshire, GB
Chippendale style mahogany framed stool, the upholstered seat which is in serviceable condition, to the carved moulded freeze raised up on four crisply carved cabriole supports termi...
Wood
Regency Mahogany Stool
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in Sherborne, GB
English Regency mahogany stool in the manner of Gillows of Lancaster circa 1820, fully upholstered with a moulded frieze resting on finely tuned reeded legs.
Mahogany
Three Mahogany Modern Bar Stools
Located in New York, NY
Three mahogany modern bar stools. Frames have a high gloss finish, brass stretcher, brass sabots, and the seats are leatherette. Art Deco style.
Faux Leather, Mahogany