1986 Catalog Cover
A Lifetime Collection
As a native of the East Coast, Linda first learned of Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers while scanning her dad’s New Yorker magazines for the cartoons. She noticed Thos. Moser’s small space ads and was eventually intrigued enough to take a closer look. “My first purchase from Thos. Moser was a 1986 catalog. I remember sending my $4.00 and spending a lot of time looking through the pages. The catalog was beautiful, and it reflected the company’s attention to craftsmanship,” Linda said. “I still have every catalog I’ve ever received.”
An advertisement for Thos. Moser in the New Yorker Magazine.
In 1994, after years of a growing admiration for the furniture she saw on her catalogs’ pages, Linda purchased two chairs. They lived up to her expectations and marked the beginning of a collection that’s since grown to include many pieces. Over the years, Linda added a Pencil Post canopy bed, a bookcase, a Seven Drawer Dresser, New Gloucester Rocker, chairs, a table, and several smaller pieces.
But Linda’s interest went beyond her affection for the furniture she acquired. She developed a keen appreciation for the people who transformed raw wood into incredibly beautiful pieces of furniture. “I took a woodworking class years ago, and it helped me to appreciate the work that goes into Thos. Moser furniture more fully. I take a lot of pleasure in thinking of the care, time, patience, and experience that goes into making each piece,” Linda said.
“I even had the chance to hear Tom Moser speak at a woodworking forum. I was the only person in the audience who wasn’t a woodworker, but I was captivated by what he said about the company, the furniture, and his philosophy on what they do. It confirmed for me that they’re not just a company in business to make money. They’re committed to sustaining a culture and creating furniture with lasting significance.”
“We’re not wealthy, but we believe in the furniture. The quality, craftsmanship, and the materials are exceptional,” Linda says. “We now have pieces that grace our bedroom, living room, TV room, and dining room. I love the simplicity – and I love the way the furniture feels. Even today, I run my hands over the pieces to feel the softness of the finish, the smooth perfection of the curves, the seamless joinery, and the hand-finished cherry.”
For Linda, our furniture goes far beyond its useful potential. It’s a relationship with a community sustained on respect – for natural resources, for tradition, and for the people who thrive on the value of doing what they love and doing it well.
The words written on the inside of Linda’s first catalog hold an unwavering promise and commitment behind our handmade furniture’s craftsmanship that we continue to stand behind and honor to this day.
The twenty-first century is no longer a distant abstraction. It is close enough to touch. For the first time in my life, I recently wrote “2004”on a personal document. Imagine, committing oneself to do something in 2004. Of all the objects that surround our daily lives, few will be with us as we journey into that new century. We trust that Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers furniture pictured in this catalog will be among them. Our work is well-designed, meticulously made and solid with a total commitment to lasting value- something worth taking into the twenty-first century.
Thos. Moser
Portland, Maine 1986
