orn in 1760, Soloman Howland from Thame, Oxfordshire, started his upholstery apprenticeship in what is now known as High Wycombe – a town renowned for furniture production. In 1780 he set up his own workshop with each piece meticulously crafted over a 2-week period and subsequently delivered by wheelbarrow to the neighboring stores. His son, John, followed in his father’s footsteps continuing the craft. Over the generations that followed, the Howlands built a reputation for the production of luxury soft furnishings, specializing in the deep-buttoning technique synonymous with the famous ‘Chesterfield’ design. Very little is known about how this name developed. What is known, however, is that this long line of family upholsterers endeavored to uphold the traditions and techniques required to make a truly fine piece of furniture.
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Today, Fleming & Howland have adapted to the modern age, reaching out to a wide variety of people. The Classic range for affordability in traditional design, the Heirloom range for preservation of original techniques, and the Tailored range for new materials and trends. Their latest range brings back to life some of the quirky Victorian eccentricities in the form of a Baby Collection…an everlasting keepsake for children – such a rarity in today’s throw-away society.
Says Paul Fleming, Fleming & Howland's company director, "Our strategy is not so marketing-orientated. We pride ourselves in simply making very high-quality furniture. This in itself opens up new markets, as we feel the new generation is gradually realising the importance of quality, something perhaps their parents told them about before the cheaper imports flooded the UK market. I think in this world of mass production, there are still many people who appreciate the slow, traditional, hands-on methods used to produce a piece of furniture.
"All materials have and always will be purchased from renewable sources. This is especially important in today’s climate, of course, not just on an eco-friendly level but also purely because the materials we source are mostly natural; and, therefore, it is important to preserve its continuous supply and subsequent price level. Cost is not such an issue as our customers understand this importance.
"New marketing media such as the Internet naturally opened up our market. We found that most retailers were only interested in the bottom line. Instead of entering the price wars, we stuck to our guns and kept prices at a level that reflects high quality. Our Heirloom range is also such a unique product (utilising our own hand-coloured leathers). We also wanted to preserve the exclusivity of the true Chesterfield which means controlling the supply directly.
Heirloom Oliver Goldsmith Chair
Tailored James Boswell Tartan