Broom
(late 19th century)
Medium
wood, straw, string
Measurements
202.7 × 24.5 × 5.7 cm
Credit Line
Marjorie Josephs-Wilks Bequest, 2025
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, commonly known as the Shakers, was an American Protestant sect with over six thousand members at the peak of its popularity during the mid-nineteenth century. The eighteen communities were spread across the United States from Maine to Kentucky, with the largest and most influential community established in 1787 at New Lebanon, New York. The guiding Shaker principles of honesty, utility and simplicity found expression in the manufacture of their home furnishings, including furniture, textiles and objects, which are recognised for their high quality and minimalist design.