Frequently Asked Questions

WHO IS ELMWOOD COMPANY?
Owned and operated by partners Jim Fisgus, M.D. and Kim Earl.

Dr. Fisgus is a board certified physician, practicing emergency medicine full time. He was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, the home of Kittinger furniture and has had a life long interest in fine furniture. He began collecting and restoring Kittinger furniture in the 1980s. For many years he has enjoyed helping others find these rare and beautiful examples of the artistry of Kittinger reproduction furniture.

Dr. Fisgus is involved in this business because he enjoys helping others and has great affection for the fine Kittinger furniture made in his home town. He also very much enjoys working with the retired Kittinger craftsmen in Buffalo.

Kim Earl is a businesswoman living in southern California. She has had a life long interest in the arts and antiques. Kim is involved in many philanthropic projects. She too has a great affection for the fine Kittinger furniture made on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.

WHAT DOES ELMWOOD COMPANY DO?

We offer fine pre-owned Kittinger furniture for sale at reasonable prices. We also provide expert Kittinger furniture restoration and reupholstery, when needed, by retired Kittinger craftsmen living in Buffalo, New York.

HOW DO I FIND PRICES FOR YOUR FURNITURE?

We do not list sale prices on our website. We are a very personalized business and we look forward to speaking with our customers and answering their questions. Please utilize our "Contact Page" and fill out the form with your NAME, TELEPHONE NUMBER, CITY/STATE and your EMAIL ADDRESS. Be careful to verify that your EMAIL ADDRESS is EXACTLY CORRECT. Or, you can send us an email, directly, providing the same information or call us on our toll free number. It would be helpful if you would provide your telephone number and a suggested time to contact you by telephone. Be assured that we DO NOT give anyone, any of your information you have provided.

HOW CAN I CONTACT ELMWOOD COMPANY?

You may call our toll free telephone number 24 hours daily (800-317-5702) or email us. If you call and we are not available, please leave a telephone number and a message. We will contact you just as soon as we can, usually within one day, even on the weekends.

WHO WILL I SPEAK WITH WHEN I CONTACT ELMWOOD COMPANY?

Dr. Fisgus or Kim Earl will speak with you, return your telephone call or answer your email.

HOW MUCH DOES THE FURNITURE COST?

Kittinger was an expensive furniture when it was new. We buy our furniture for the best prices we can and sell on a small profit margin. The furniture is thus sold for a significant discount to the price it was when it was last produced and sold by the Old Kittinger Company, making your purchase an outstanding investment.

HOW OLD IS YOUR FURNITURE?

The age of the pieces can range from the 1930s to the early 1990s.

DO ALL PIECES OF YOUR FURNITURE NEED TO BE RESTORED?

Not necessarily. It depends upon your tolerance and choice for fading and general finish blemishes. We are always interested in the best finish appearance of the furniture and your complete satisfaction. Sometimes just a good polishing is necessary.

WHY SHOULD I RESTORE THE FINISH OF MY KITTINGER FURNITURE?

Most used Kittinger furniture is 20-60 years old and comes to us with some amount of finish fading or surface defects such as scratches or blemishes from normal use over the years. The Kittinger finish is very complex and has a wonderful appearance when it is refreshed by a craftsman skilled in the detailed Kittinger finish. We believe that much of the furniture's value is contained in the appearance of the finish.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE KITTINGER FINISH?

The Kittinger Premium finish is the result of a detailed 30 step process which takes place over a number of weeks. The exact finish process and materials are known only to Kittinger trained master craftsmen. The finish was engineered by Kittinger for use on their furniture, especially for the reproductions made for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The value of your Kittinger furniture is greatly enhanced when this finish is in excellent condition. Likewise, when the finish has been altered by a finisher unfamiliar with the Kittinger finish the value of your furniture can be affected. Local finishers are satisfactory for minor repairs. We DO NOT recommend local finishers for restoration of the Kittinger finish. Be advised that used furniture sellers often use local finishers, untrained in the Kittinger finish, to "restore" Kittinger furniture prior to sale. Some of these businesses will claim that their used furniture is in excellent condition and do not wish to reveal that the furniture finish actually has been restored.

Elmwood Company is associated with Kittinger-trained Master Craftsmen in Buffalo, NY. Our chief finisher was with the Old Kittinger Company for more than 40 years as a master finisher. Each piece of our furniture is evaluated in detail by our master craftsmen and the finishes are then restored, as needed, to their original beautiful condition. You can be confident that Elmwood Company's furniture is in excellent condition when shipped to you.

HOW MUCH DOES FURNITURE FINISH RESTORATION COST?

The cost is very reasonable considering the skill and experience of our finisher. We can discuss any necessary finish costs with you at time of purchase.

DO YOU RESTORE FURNITURE NOT PURCHASED THROUGH ELMWOOD COMPANY?

No. In general we only restore furniture sold through us. Our finisher is very busy with work for our customers and cannot handle all of the outside requests we receive. We do occasionally help restore furniture for our customers on special request if our finisher has time in the schedule.

DO YOU PROVIDE UPHOLSTERY SERVICES?

Yes. We have a retired Kittinger craftsman with over 30 years experience in upholstery work. You would provide your selected materials as necessary. If you need fabric or leather, we can provide a wonderful referral source for you to work with.

HOW IS THE FURNITURE SHIPPED?

We will arrange for shipping from our warehouse in Buffalo, New York to you. We will obtain the BEST shipping quote for you, using an experienced shipping company specializing in blanket wrap deliveries and all shipments are fully insured. Since we deal in volume, we are able to obtain reasonable shipping rates. The shipping company will bring the furniture into your home/office and place it where you want it. If possible, depending on size, we can ship your items via UPS.