Vintage Porch Swings: American Collectibles

 This post is about simple things that have an interesting history 

and can only be found in America....

in honor of the 4th of July 

and the spirit of our history!

 I came across these very old and beautifully painted porch swings 

via a dealer in Maine

Most of the things I have bought in the past were small and pretty insignificant....but when I saw these,

 I knew right away they were special

They are painted this amazing shade of aqua and have a bright pumpkin paint on the arched tops of the seats 

and the cross bar that supports the arms.

The paint appears to be original and other than a good scrubbing and a light coat of wax, I left them as is!

 As I was cleaning them up I noticed a brass lable on the rear of one of the seats:

It says:

MADE BY

PARIS MANUFACTURING

PARIS, ME  USA

So here is the story behind Paris Manufacturing:

 Joan Palicia’s Flexible Flyer and other Great Sleds for Collectors, contains the following information about the Paris Manufacturing Company which operated between 1862 and 1989: “The Paris Manufacturing Company had modest beginnings.  In 1861 a man named Henry Franklin Morton, starting with a hobby, began what would become the largest and longest operating sled company in American history…Early on he was plagued with a serious eye condition…Living in West Sumner, Maine with his wife Lucilla in 1861, he started making rakes and non-steerable sleds as a hobby to make extra money.  He assembled fifty sleds that his wife Lucilla hand painted in the family kitchen and they were successful in selling them.  The following year, Mr. Morton formed a stock company and hired four employees….he was invited to move his company to Paris Hill where he set up production under the name of Paris Hill Manufacturing Company.  As business grew, so did the line of products.  Go-carts, wagons, wheelbarrows, step ladders, ironing boards, children’s desks, furniture and more were added to keep the factory running all year long.”  Eventually the company moved to South Paris, Maine, to be closer to the local railroad freight depot and was renamed the Paris Manufacturing Company.

So...these swings probably date from the 1920's or 30's 

but maybe even earlier.

I read a few more articles related to Paris Manufacturing and the sleds are highly sought after by serious Folk Art collectors....keep your eyes open if you ever see one!

It took us about 4 trips to the hardware store to finally get these to hang right and swing correctly...but they are so fun to sit on!

By the way the dealer told me that in 30 years of buying and selling stuff from all over Maine...he has never come across a pair of swings quite this pretty and in such good shape,

which was another reason I had to buy them...

 The porch is all decked out in 

Red White and Blue...

 I feel very lucky to have a set of 

Henry Mortons swings 

to sit on this year!

Have a wonderful, 

fun and happy 4th of July!

Kelley