Wecome! This site will hopefully help folks learn about the furniture they may have that was manufactured by the Orinoco Furniture Company and the Lincoln Chair Company in Columbus, Indiana, in the early 1900's. Both companies were headed by my great-grandfather and then later by my grandfather.
The Orinoco Furniture Company began in 1890 when two Rohminger brothers from Hartsville, Indiana, opened a factory to make tables in what became the Orinoco district of Columbus, Indiana. The business soon changed hands. One of the new owners was my great-grandfather, William Harvey Lincoln. He helped lead the company to be one of the largest businesses in Columbus in the early 1900's. At its height, the two companies employed 300 people.
The products made by the Orinoco Furniture Company were essentially reproductions of classical European style furniture. The furniture produced involved the best woods and the finest craftsmanship such as hand carving, marqueterie, and some hand painting. My great-grandfather would settle for nothing but the finest.
In 1913, a second company was started. This was the Lincoln Chair Company. At this facility, chairs, accent tables, and upholstered furniture were made to compliment the dining room suites and bedroom suites made by the Orinoco Company.
Following the Great Depression, the companies suffered financial difficulties. After the death of my great-grandfather in 1935, my grandfather, William Lucas Lincoln, worked to secure funds to keep the businesses going. At some point, the two companies were combined to be the Lincoln-Orinoco Company. In August of 1940, an auction was held to sell off all the remaining goods and property. The era of wonderful furniture was over in Columbus, Indiana.
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My husband and I are lucky enough to personally have MANY pieces of the furniture. We are also fortunate to now be living in Columbus, Indiana, where I can really "dig" into my family history right here at the source. It gives me great joy to be able to help people learn about the furniture. If you have a piece of furniture manufactured by Orinoco Furniture or Lincoln Chair Company of Columbus, Indiana, and you would like to learn more about your piece, please contact me at:
orinocolady@gmail.com
The above photo shows Orinoco furniture in a 1927 "Good Furniture" magazine display advertisement.