The untold story of the birth, death and resurrection of a Kentucky Shaker community is revealed by Kerry Pierce in his new book, “Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture” (Popular Woodworking Books). This inspiration to woodworkers showcases seldom-seen furniture and details of period construction methods, and it’s a history aficionado’s study of how people lived during the 19th century.

This is the first in-depth look into the furniture and lives of one of the most prolific Western communities, and an area of study that Shaker enthusiasts should welcome with open arms.

Why Kerry Pierce? As a woodworker who has studied Shaker furniture for many years and the author of several woodworking books – not to mention a retired English teacher – who could be better?

While beginning my detailed inspection, I was sure this was a book on building Shaker furniture – one that I could take into the shop and use. Hey, it includes measured drawings after all.

Well, while this is not technically a “how-to” book, I’m sure any inspired woodworker could extrapolate the necessary information from the drawings and pages of descriptions, in order to build any one of the 17 projects.

But this book is more by far. It is also a study of the history of the times, of the fortitude of hardworking people to build what they considered a better life, and of a religious denomination that found its way into the modern woodworker’s world through simple furniture designs.

I found myself enthralled by the elegant writing, fantastic pictures and great detail. Kerry pays homage to the ever-popular story of Mother Ann Lee (a well-detailed journey in most Shaker books) then moves quickly to the mission undertaken by three selected representatives of the New Lebanon Shaker community – to set out for the West to establish additional branches of the Shaker religion. That mission was the beginning of the Pleasant Hill community. I felt as if I was there in the background, watching the happenings as the picture was painted.

I am particularly fond of the section on the 19th-century woodshop; it’s filled with historical information on the materials used in furniture construction and of the tools used in the shop, such as the lathe made by Francis Montfort, a long-time member who made many pieces in his woodworking career.

Kerry also explores the craftsmen of Pleasant Hill, including job descriptions and more in mini-biographies. This presents a comprehensive picture of the work of the day and the rugged times that were experienced by all.

This entire section is balanced with an account of the woodshop as it is today – how the interpreters are devoted to telling the storied past of the Shakers correctly while using tools from the period and dressed in period clothing.

The Furniture
In addition to the community history, Kerry shows and describes the design features of the Pleasant Hill furniture. He explains how the work differs from the furniture in Eastern Shaker communities, as well as how craftsmen who joined the community brought their design influences from the outside world.

As you read, you will become aware of the difficulty in establishing true attribution to furniture coming from Pleasant Hill. There’s an often-twisted path that led to pieces being in the community, pieces that might not have been produced at the Pleasant Hill woodshop. However, there is a great selection of bona fide Pleasant Hill pieces in the community from which to choose.

The crowning jewel in the book is the curly cherry secretary – a masterpiece of Shaker furniture. The four flat-panel doors set over the four-drawer base, including the secretary compartment, oozes simple Shaker style.

The construction description of this outstanding piece is narrative rather than “step by step,” as well it should be. The author presents a detailed look at each aspect of the secretary including the maker’s use of the figured wood to frame the cupboard doors.

But, Kerry also points out a few problems that are apparent with the piece, giving you his view of what determines quality in craftsmanship. This is a great learning tool for students of furniture building.

It is within this section that you are treated to a generous look at the illustrations, which adds greatly to the information presented in the book. The drawings are shop-ready for woodworkers and are in a detailed hand-drawn look instead of an overly technical computer-aided design look, and will allow a non-woodworker to decipher large amounts of period construction details.

After the secretary, the examples in the book lose some of the stylistic appeal we’ve come to expect with Shaker pieces. While the balance of the pieces are well-designed representations of Pleasant Hill Shaker furniture (and all are directly attributable to the community), there are other pieces attributable to the community that I feel are stronger examples of the Western Shaker influence – pieces that have been seen in other books, but that have not been examined with the in-depth view Kerry has adapted for this book.

Where is the medicine cabinet, which may have been designed by Pleasant Hill physician William Pennebacker? Or the nearly famous firewood box that Shaker scholars have studied and that would have been a great example of the nail construction that is examined in the book? Maybe Kerry has future plans for these pieces as well as for the Charles Hamlin piece that he sneaks into his work without giving a full description. I feel these projects would have propelled this book into the stratosphere.

That is not to say his selections are poor. The miniature blanket chest Kerry includes is a sweet example of fine Shaker style and construction. Two other blanket chest variations are shown as well. One has a definite Western Shaker appearance that closely resembles a sugar chest (a Southern gem of a dovetailed box attached to a turned-leg base that was a common theme throughout the Kentucky and Tennessee region).

Also included are a number of tables, from a stubby-legged farm table, to two side tables, to the octagonal-legged “Saturday Table.” Each has straightforward Shaker construction that is rather simple. A large cupboard and a few smaller pieces with interesting histories and construction details round out the book as far as casework is considered.

Then come the chairs – and Kerry Pierce knows Shaker chairs! His reflection on how people today, given our larger body sizes,  affect the design of chairs versus how they were designed during the latter half of the 19th century, is very interesting. You may never look at chairs the same again.

The rocker with arms (one of the finest in the community according to Kerry), and the sewing rocker, which was originally built with a mixture of materials, are the two worthwhile chair entries in this book. There’s a third chair that the author uses to display the “cobbled together” ingenuity that some Shaker craftsmen possessed. It’s interesting, but it could have been bypassed in favor of a third great chair example.

Overall, I think this is a very good book – one I will certainly add to my shelf on Shaker work. I am especially pleased that the study of the Western communities is coming into focus. There is a large body of furniture, both casework and chairs, that needs to be brought to light for all Shaker enthusiasts. PW

“Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture” is available from Popular Woodworking Books (go to our bookstore or call 800-448-0915). You should also find it at your local bookstore.

Glen D. Huey is a senior editor at Popular Woodworking magazine