Curio sales, popularity are 'terrific'
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, February 3, 2002
HIGH POINT — The word recession doesn't fit in the collectors cabinet category, as sales have increased at some of the larger producers. In fact, sales of collectors cabinets are going strong, manufacturers say.
"The curio business is terrific. It really is," said Stan Reinisch, co-owner and chief executive officer of Phillip Reinisch Co. "We're all beside ourselves."
Reinisch said his company had strong sales in the last part of 2001 and is on the way to having first quarter 2002 being its best ever.
The market isn't confined to one area of the country, he said. "It's across the board all over the country."
Curio cabinets are somewhat seasonal, said Tom Klinkert, Orleans vice president of sales and marketing, with sales strongest in the fall. However this year, the category continued to be strong in January.
Sizes have grown larger and cabinets more ornate as labor for carvings and overlays is less expensive on imported goods, said Klinkert.
The style hasn't been as important as the quality, according to Reinisch. The better goods keep selling for his company, he said, whether the pieces are traditional, transitional or contemporary.
Where the sales are
Medium price points have become more popular at Pulaski Furniture, according to Page Wilson, vice president of sales. A year ago at the Tupelo Furniture Market, Pulaski introduced seven cabinets, all at $400 or less.
The current trend, however, has been toward Pulaski's better offerings in the $599 to $799 range. Drawing interest to the stepped-up looks are sliding front doors, hand carvings and touch lighting.
A new piece at the upper end of Pulaski's offerings features solid cherry construction with 20-inch deep shelves, bonnet top and four front doors. The cabinet retails between $1,499 and $1,599.
Phillip Reinisch's medium price point range is around $799, said Reinisch, but "the rise is mostly from $999 and up."
The largest growth over the last year or two has been with sliding door models. The corner cabinet remains the top-seller, he said, but sliding doors are the second-best line.
Kushwood Mfg. has earned strong sales with its domestic line. The most popular looks are a natural maple finish and a Mission-inspired design, according to co-owner Elena Kush.
After introducing 10 cabinets at the October High Point market, Orleans has six more models planned for the upcoming Tupelo show. Orleans's latest product, Magnolia Classics, matches an existing bedroom collection. In Harvest Pine finish, the cabinet retails for $399.
Popularity still growing
Phillip Reinisch switched over to collectors cabinets exclusively in 1980, said Reinisch. The company had fast growth for the first few years, leaving him "wondering when the other shoe would fall." After two decades of improving sales, he is still surprised at the growing popularity.
A change in ownership gave Progressive International a place in the San Francisco Winter Market. Sauder Woodworking bought Progressive last year and provided space in its market showroom first in October at High Point and then at San Francisco.
"We've never had a presence in the West," said Ted Carskadden, international vice president of the subsidiary Progressive. "We never tried to have a presence in the West."
At the San Francisco market, Progressive showed seven cherry or oak cabinets, with four models available in another finish. For aggressive pricing, the retail range goes from $199 to $999 for direct shipment and $249 to $1,499 from the warehouse.
Pulaski has a novelty cabinet with U.S. flags etched into the front glass. The "Old Glory" piece is being shipped quickly to be available for President's Day on Feb. 18 and will retail for $399.
| SOUTHERN STYLINGS: Orleans's latest product, Magnolia Classics, is styled after an existing bedroom collection. In Harvest Pine finish, the cabinet retails for $399. |
| FINE LINES: BSK/Les Meubles offered a new collectors cabinet for its Diamond collection. The Canadian piece has two doors, adjustable shelves and four drawers with a Fruitwood finish. |
| ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Broyhill introduced new collectors cabinets at the San Francisco market as well as this library cabinet. Available in white paint, black paint and a medium stain, the cabinet has heavy distressing, three fixed shelves and a tapered spool foot. |
| CURVACEOUS ELEGANCE: The Platt Collection introduced this curved glass collectors cabinet at the October High Point market. The piece stands alone or can be bunched with others. |
| 1. THIN AND TRIM: This slender design from Stein World has three glass shelves, overhead lighting and the company's popular Antique Ivory hand-painted finish. |
| 2. IT'S A SMALL WORLD: For those with small collections (or small spaces), Ultimate Accents offers this curio pedestal, standing only 52 inches tall. |
| 3. CROWNING GLORY: The Embassy III from Howard Miller features reeded columns and a pediment crowned with a vine and leaf pattern. The cabinet, made of hardwoods and veneers, has an Oak Yorkshire finish. |
| 4. STEP-UP STYLING: Pulaski steps up its collectors cabinet offerings with this solid-cherry unit with 20-inch deep shelves, bonnet top and four front doors. The cabinet retails between $1,499 and $1,599. |
| 5. ROUND AND AROUND: This cabinet from AICO has two separate display areas. The top half has a rosette design on the top and two glass shelves. The bottom has a rope design and another glass shelf. Both have mirrored backs. |
| 6. SWEET AMBROSIA: Mazin Furniture Inds. introduced new collectors cabinets at the Toronto show in January. The Ambrosia cabinet has a wrought-iron design on top and bottom, glass shelves, mirrored back, faux stone finish, leaf design at the corners and an arched top. The cabinets can be bunched together or be shown apart. Each retails for about $1,699. |
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