“The Chair That Grew”

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Wisconsin is home to miles of dense pine forests, hundreds of sparkling lakes, thousands of bucolic dairy farms – and of course, the Green Bay Packers.  We are pleased to also call Wisconsin home, but did you know that La Lune Collection is not the only renowned rustic furniture maker from our beloved state?

“The Chair that Grew” was created from 1903-1914 by John Krubsack in Embarrass, WI – and yes, there really is such a place – by bending, tying, and grafting growing tree branches over a span of 11 years. Upon its completion, the chair had its own celebrity tour, displayed among other places at the World’s Fair in 1915, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held that year in San Francisco, California. The living chair project was also profiled by Robert Ripley, who ran it in his “Believe It or Not” column and later filmed John standing beside the chair, explaining the process. The film ran in the weekly newsreels of the time in theaters across the US. Most recently, in 1988, Mickey Mouse celebrated his 60th birthday seated on the chair at Disney World – which seems quite fitting, as Disney Resorts boast a very large collection of La Lune furniture!

Where is “The Chair that Grew” today? Until a short time ago the chair sat inside its own special Plexiglas case at the entrance of Noritage Furniture, a furniture manufacturing business owned by John Krubsack’s descendants before recently closing.

Although La Lune Collection may not create any “growing chairs”, we offer a beautiful selection of handcrafted rustic chairs and are proud to sustain the ancient tradition of hand-made rustic furniture using the same methods and materials  in our small, pristine factory as those used by the early artisans. Our line is entirely made by hand in the United States, and our craftsmen travel the rivers and forests of Wisconsin, carefully selecting and harvesting the willow, poplar, birch, oak, and pine required to create each piece. Constructed with fast growing, environmentally secure woods, the hallmarks of La Lune Collection are meticulous construction, kiln drying, special joints and finishes, and attention to every possible design and production detail. These features ensure that the beauty and comfort of La Lune Collection furniture will last a lifetime.