The production of high quality, hand crafted furniture is a longstanding tradition in New Hampshire. The Burlingame Gallery in Exeter has presented the most recent manifestation of that tradition with “Major Furniture, Art Unfolding,” a collection of work from the N.H. Furniture Masters Association. The pieces will be on display through Friday, Oct. 19, before heading to the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel and Spa, where they will be put up for auction on Sunday, Oct. 21.

“These guys are an amazing group of craftsmen, and we think it’s a really fine partnership,” said Burlingame Gallery owner Brian Crowley. There are approximately 22 members in the NHFMA, about 15 of whom are participating in this year’s auction. Each of the featured artists and craftsmen is presenting new work. The NHFMA was formed in 1995 as a way for independent craftsmen to share knowledge, support and resources. It also gave them a better way to market their work.  

The furniture will be complimented by Burlingame’s current exhibition of photographs by Massachusetts artist Harold Feinstein. Feinstein’s work has been published in several books and has been featured in a number of national and international magazines. According to Crowley, the photographer’s work fits well with the furniture exhibition.

“This is a man who has been working on his craft for many years and has attained a certain amount of prestige within the photography and fine arts world. It’s a wonderful match,” Crowley said. 

The furniture is “collected by very prestigious individuals throughout the country and in New England, which is the same kind of market we’re trying to go after, as well,” Crowley said. “Some of this work sells for upwards of $60,000 to $70,000 a piece. They’re truly stunning, and most of the time the public doesn’t have an opportunity to view it. 

“I think it’s a really great opportunity to meet these guys one on one, talk to them and have them talk to the community,” he continued. “That human connection is what I’m looking forward to most. Most everything we buy is automated these days. It’s nice to be able to view something that’s created by the hands, and I hope people take a moment to come check this stuff out and see what the difference is.” 

Jeffrey Cooper is a master furniture maker who lives and works in Portsmouth. He is an expert wood carver who believes New Hampshire is a Mecca for woodcrafts and furniture. “New Hampshire has top level representation, which, to an extent, is really becoming a movement. By grouping together for a group show each year, it improves the level of everything we’re making,” he said. “The Burlingame show is filling a need. We really wanted an opportunity for Seacoast residents to see this work.” 
This year marks the NHFMA’s 12th annual auction, held at Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle. The furniture is rarely displayed in public once it’s been auctioned. According to Cooper, the benefit of going to the Burlingame show and attending the auction is being able to see high-quality work and meet the people who made it.

“There is a core group of people that are just fans of NHFMA that come every year. Some bid and some don’t. The ones who do the bidding are collectors. Some are impulse buyers. To a large extent, these people are collectors and people who value furniture as an art form,” Cooper said.

The auction begins at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21. Tickets are $75. For more information on the auction, go to www.furnituremasters.org. For more information on the gallery show, go to www.burlingamegallery.net.