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In 1902, William H. Gunlocke and
four other wood furniture experts
acquire a vacant factory in Wayland,
New York. They establish the W. H.
Gunlocke Chair Company, which initially
specialized in seating for homes,
libraries and lounges. Despite the
Great Depression, Gunlocke continues to
grow. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
enhances the company’s prestige by
choosing Gunlocke furniture for the
White House. The company produced
furniture products for nine U.S.
Presidents, including the White House
dinning room chairs for the First Lady
Jackie Kennedy. In 1962, President John
F. Kennedy made crucial Cuban Missile
Crisis decisions from his Gunlocke
chair in the Oval Office.
Baseball bats were made by the W.H. Gunlocke
Chair Company, when furniture sales were slow.
There are three known bat models that
have surfaced in the hobby. A 29" youth
model No. 25, and two full size models,
No. 30, and No. 35. The baseball bat
label forms a diamond with the company
branding which reads "A" to form the
top point of the diamond, followed by
"WA-LAND" below center, with the "W"
providing the left point of the diamond
and the "D" forming the right point.
Below reads; "W.H. GUNLOCKE, CHAIR CO,
WAYLAND, NY" With NY forming the bottom
point in the diamond.
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