Brief History and Description

Julius Berkey and James Eggleston made blinds, doors and sash windows in a small shop under contract in 1859. The shop was located on Erie street. Julius Berkey was also a skilled mechanic and he manufactured quartette stands which readily sold.

About the same time, William A. Berkey established a blind, door and sash factory on Mill Street and in the summer of 1860, Julius Berkey and Alphonso Ham used part of the second floor of the building for making furniture. In the following winter, Mr. Berkey sold his interest to his partner who soon closed it. In 1861, Mr. Berkey began again at the same building and continued working alone until late 1862, where he practically laid the foundation of Berkey and Gay Furniture Company, a colossal institution which is one of the leading furniture factories in the US.

In November, 1862, Julius Berkey with $5 in cash and Elias Matter with a tool chest that he inventoried for $6 formed the partnership of Berkey & Matter. Julius had machinery and materials worth a few hundred dollars. They turned their attention to producing for the wholesale trade of Milwaukee and Chicago. Geo W. Gay would later buy half the interests of the company and hence the name changed to Berkey Bros and Gay. In 1873, Wm. A. Berkey withdrew and hence the starting of Berkey & Gay Furniture which was incorporated in August 1873.

Guide to Collectors

Collectors who are interested in the products of Berkey and Gay Furniture can get a number of information sources online. One of the websites is artsandcraftscollector.com where collectors will get information about where they can get information about American furniture makers and how you can get their products.

One of the companies that is highlighted in this website is Berkey and Gay Furniture. Brian L. Witherell has written a book titled ‘Late 19th Century Furniture by Berkey & Gay (A Schiffer Book for Collectors)’ which can be very helpful to collectors who are looking for information regarding Berkey and Gay Furniture. This book is available at www.amazon.com and it goes for $29.95. The Berkey and Gay furniture products can also be found on online auctions including ebay.com where there is a number of furniture that is put on auction at the website.

Notable Auction Sales

There are a number of auction sales that have recorded decent prices realized which have taken place in various regions around the world. One of the notable auction sales was that of An Edwardian Giltmetal-Mounted Walnut Coat-Stand, By Berkey & Gay at King Street, London. It was estimated to cost between $162 and $243 and it eventually realized a price of $838.

Another notable auction sale was a Six-Piece Louis XVI Style Dining set that was put on sale by O’Gallerie in Portland, Or, USA. It was estimated to realize a price of $400 to $600 and realized $500. This auction sale was conducted on April 11th, 2011.

The most expensive auction sale was an American Walnut Side Table that was put on auction by Christie's Auction house in Amsterdam on September 22, 2010. It was estimated to realize a price between €2,000 and €3,000. Eventually, it realized a price of €2,500 making it one of the most expensive auction sales for a Berkey and Gay Furniture.

See also

Main article: List of American furniture manufacturers
Main article: Furniture
Main article: Antiques