Moser Contract Lookbook 2016

CONTR ACT

Freepor t, Maine Boston New York Philadelphia Washington, DC San Francisco

CUMBERLAND DINING CHAIR

2015 winner of the Good Design Award, as awarded by The Chicago AthenaeumMuseum of Architecture and Design

2 HANDMADE AMERICAN FURNITURE MOSERCONTRACT.COM

The Astral Bench on display at the Thos. Moser DC Showroom


Aaron Moser, in Philadelphia, securing Lincoln Lectern for Pope Francis’ historic 2015 visit.

My father and mother, Tom and Mary, started

Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers 44 years ago in

New Gloucester, Maine. Their dream and

their calling was to make a life designing and

making beautiful things in wood. As a family,

four boys in all, we worked hard, and we

learned what hands can do, and how the use

of the natural materials found in America

must guide our work and demand our

respect. Today, I run the Contract division of

our company within our community of

roughly 70 craftsmen and women now in

Auburn, Maine. Our furniture sits in homes,

libraries and corporate offices from New

York to San Francisco. Whether one chair or

by the hundreds, whether one desk or in

carrels, our furniture honors the wood we

use and the techniques of craftsmanship we

have always employed to maximize its life

and elevate its value.

A WORD FROM AARON MOSERA WORD FROM AARON MOSER

GRACE FARMS

At Thos Moser, we are designers and makers of functionally-driven, handmade

furniture of the highest quality in both materials and woodworking expertise.

As designers, we address a given set of challenges, and as makers, we craft the

solution. Whether from architects, designers or residential clients needing

custom solutions, those wide ranging challenges invite partnership and, most

importantly, collaboration. With some 70 experienced craftsmen, as well as

skilled specialists, including designers, engineers and project managers, it is in

partnership that we shine.

As makers, whether the solution is a single table or a collection of seven hundred

chairs, as in the magnificent Grace Farms sanctuary space in New Canaan, CT,

we rely on our vast capabilities in craft to inform the best possible solution.

Grace Farms, the River building, Sanctuary with SANAA Architects and Handel Architects; © Iwan Baan

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Grace Farms chairs, co-designed with SANAA. 750 in all, made one by one.


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PACIFIC CHAIR + STOOL

Constructed from sustainably harvested North American

hardwood, in a Side, Arm or Stool version, the Pacific Chair

embodies our commitment to accomplish function with the

most efficient and cost effective solution. Our work remains

consistent with Thos. Moser's brand tenets of elimination

of ornamentation, strength and precision of form for lasting

value, and respect for the natural properties and beauty

inherent in wood. The Pacific Chair is a proven example.

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SYRACUSE UNIVERSITYDINEEN HALLGluckman Tang Architects



UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIAKING LAW LIBRARY

SmithGroup

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Faculty Office. One of more than 80 custom solutions.

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MITMATHEMATICS BUILDING 2Ann Beha Architects



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DUKE UNIVERSITY RUBENSTEIN LIBRARY

Shepley Bulfinch


Building on 30 years of partnership with UPENN, from the Perelman Center to the Jordan Center, from reception areas to executive suites.


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PENN MEDICINEJORDAN CENTER

Rafael Viñoly Architects



GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER

Gensler

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DESIGN BUREAU

"Over some 40 years, Thos. Moser has proven itself a leader

when it comes to fine American craftsmanship; a leadership

dedicated to simplicity, integrity in construction, and a love and

respect for natural materials. This vision has remained constant

throughout these many years. Today, with so many designers

striving to protect original design, we’ve seen a resurgence of

companies attempting to emulate the company and lifestyle

Tom Moser created 43 years ago. The story of Thos. Moser in

the greater context of handmade American furniture is without

parallel, and its contribution to that history establishes it, in my

view, as America’s first family of handmade furniture makers.”

- Chris Force, Founder and Publisher, Design Bureau


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CUMBERLAND DINING CHAIR

2015 winner of the Good Design Award, as awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum

Museum of Architecture and Design

NORTH STAR CAFELIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OHIO

Gieseke Rosenthal Architecture + Design


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HYATT REGENCYSWAY RESTAURANT

FRCH Design Worldwide

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White Oak

Hard Maple

White Ash

PREMIUM MATERIALS

Selection happens as a function of purpose. Since success

at Thos. Moser begins in the forests from which we

carefully harvest our wood, we have worked long and hard

to cultivate the right relationships with the mills that supply

us. These valued partners understand who we are, the

values we stand for regarding that precious resource, and

the aspirations we hold for the beauty and the life of our

furniture. We are very selective about the material choices

we make and, together with our partners, are ever mindful

of the land, the soil and its future beyond our own.

At Thos. Moser, we take a long view of the life of our

furniture. We know what endures, and our joy is in the

selection of the wood, whether cherry, walnut, ash, or

maple, and its elevation through craftsmanship. The value

of that selection process is then realized by our customers

through the joinery of those pieces; pieces that are so well

conceived they can span years, age gracefully and

powerfully, and have a glowing patina of memory from one

generation to the next. Permanence, to us, is indeed the

worth and value of our material resource.

- Tim McIntyre

Bachelor of Science in Forestry

At Thos. Moser, Tim is responsible for choosing from the

best hardwoods available in America in service of craft

and the lifetime value our furniture is required to provide.


Black Cherry

Soft Maple

Northern Red Oak

Black Walnut

The Holy Grail of Wood, a two minute video story,

can be viewed at thosmoser.com

28 HANDMADE AMERICAN FURNITURE MOSERCONTRACT.COMSt. Timothy’s School Dixon Hall


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From the steps of the White House on the

occasion of the first papal visit to

Washington, DC to the George Bush Library

in Texas, to our valued and on-going

relationship with Penn Medicine, the

projects at Moser Contract have been many

and varied. Admittedly, one of the most

moving moments for us all here in Auburn

was a visit from the girls at St. Timothy’s

School near Baltimore, Maryland. Since

having been introduced for the first time

some years ago at the National Association

of Independent Schools, Moser Contract has

worked quite closely with St. Tim’s on a

variety of engaging projects. A highlight in

our long experience of collaborating

occurred on our own shop floor here in

Auburn, Maine with smart, impressionable,

and impressive students. We had the

privilege of hosting a group of the graduating

class not only to work with us on finishing

pieces for their school, but importantly, to

share with them our philosophy of

permanence and the importance of marrying

design and materials to build beautiful

things for lasting value. Their interest and

enthusiasm was unforgettable.

- Aaron Moser

A SINGULAR COLLABORATION IN CONTRACT



ST. TIMOTHY’S SCHOOLDIXON HALL, DINING HALL + CHAPEL

SLAM Architects

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2015 winner of the Good Design Award, as awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design


COOPER

Cooper (n): a person who makes or repairs wooden casks or barrels

To Cooper (v): to work as a cooper on; to work at or do coopering

First known use: 14th century

The centuries old art of barrel making, using the technique of manipulating

staves or individual pieces of steam-bent wood, is the inspiration for Thos.

Moser’s Cooper Chair. Designed by Brian Kane, the name Cooper is reminiscent

of Brian’s long-standing connection to Napa Valley, his second home.

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FACES OF CRAFT

In 1972, Tom Moser committed his life to craft. His mission

was to restore the lost art of woodworking while

establishing a community that would allow craftsmen to

make a living doing the work they loved. This remains our

mission today. The evidence of craftsmanship, or the mark

of each maker, tells the story of each piece with an emphasis

on the construction of the object itself, and how it works.

Each is made with skill and precision, and reveals not only

how it was created but also why it will last a lifetime.

As natural material, the beauty of wood is unparalleled.

Regardless of the species, the resource we are given and

the responsibility that comes with its application is taken

seriously. Wood not only serves our practical needs on the

shop floor but, more importantly, is a partner in the creation

of a beautiful object. Our commitment is to respect its

natural properties and to celebrate its inherent beauty.

Just as the Shakers accomplished function with the most

efficient solution, we aim to simplify each piece, stripping

it to its required elements alone. The opportunity for

elevating the modest furniture forms comes through the

attention to the relationship of one of these spared parts to

another. Committed to our characteristic elimination of

ornament, we believe the strength of simplicity is vital to

the success of the piece. Design is simply the function of

assigning form to these ideals, and establishing the

framework for the continuation and evolution of the

tradition of woodworking while creating a platform for

craft. Craft then can be defined as ‘doing something well

for its own sake’. Craft is a commitment. Craft is a state of

mind. Craft is a lifestyle.

The men and women who make our furniture, collectively

referred to as craftsmen, subscribe to a lifestyle dedicated

to excellence in all they do, for the benefit of what they do.

Each decision made while making a piece of furniture is

done so in the interest of the quality of the object. The

individual signature on each piece of Thos. Moser furniture

represents and upholds this commitment.

- Adam Rogers

Director of Design + Product Development

The Faces of Craft, a two minute

video story, can be viewed at

thosmoser.com/family


Ramsey Uter, since 2007

Roy Spitzform, since 2004

Teke Gronros, since 2003

Sisters Debbie LeHouillier, since 1988 + Carol Russell, since 1997

CONTR ACT

149 Main Street | Freeport, ME

19 Arlington Street | Boston, MA

1015 Madison Avenue | New York, NY

1605 Walnut Street | Philadelphia, PA

1028 33rd Street NW | Washington, DC

3395 Sacramento Street | San Francisco, CA

Contract Sales | 800.708.9710

mosercontract.com

University of Georgia Business School, Correll HallRobert A.M. Stern Architects

Documents

Moser Contract Lookbook 2016