For over 150 years Kittinger has been a common household name but what is Kittinger? Who is Kittinger?
In 1866, a year after the Civil War had consummated, George and Oliver Colie opened a paper company in Buffalo, NY. After a few years of success they began handcrafting upholstered furniture at their paper plant. In 1885 “Colie & Son” were prosperous enough with their “snappy, original styles in Parlous Suites, Odd Chairs, Divians, and Easy Chairs” to open a furniture-manufacturing factory. Here, they gained popularity for Colonial Revival style. When George Colie’s son-in-law, Irvine J. Kittinger, and his brother, Ralph, purchased the plant in 1913, the name we’ve all come to know was born: Kittinger Furniture Company. The Kittinger’s primary focus was quality and by the 1920’s the company was known for its reproductions of classic 18th Century style pieces. In 1966 the Kittinger family sold the company where it passed through many hands before a Kittinger employee purchased the company in 1996 and brought the company back to its foundational roots.
Every piece of Kittinger furniture is built to order for their customers needs and can be shipped anywhere in the world. To this day, Kittinger pieces are still being used in high profile locations such as the White House, especially in the west wing offices. Have you seen any Kittinger recreations out in the world lately?
