Sometimes nature is the best designer for furniture pieces
Antiques & Collecting
Like many art and design companies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Rookwood Pottery drew inspiration from Japan. This standard glaze Rookwood vase was decorated by Kitaro Shirayamadani, an artist who immigrated from Japan. Photo Credit: Toomey & Co. Auctioneers (c) 2026 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.
Sometimes, nature is the best designer. This bench from the mid-20th century takes advantage of the live edges and natural shapes in the wood that composes it for an entirely unique look. Photo Credit: Copake Auction Inc.(c) 2026 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.
Think of wooden furniture, and most of us picture defined shapes, even lines, and symmetry. Of course, that isn’t always the case. Historically, wood was left with uneven live edges when furniture was made quickly out of necessity, not as a design choice.
While raw edges, twig construction, and irregular shapes gained favor among fans of rustic looks in the 19th century onward, liveedge furniture t…
