Dutton now says the book will be published in early Spring 1990. The original winter 1990 date has been pushed back since the book is now to be published in two editions, one covering crafts east of the Mississippi River, one covering those west of the Mississippi.

When the book is published I will immediately send you a flyer and tell you how you can obtain copies. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Suzanne Carmichael,  A Traveler's Guide to American Crafts, 21 Orchard Road North, Tacoma, WA  98406, 206-752-7896.

"We were featured in two of 'National Geographic' hard cover special editions; and these can probably be found at a library.

The Craftsman in America - 1995

Blue Ridge Range - The Gentle Mountains - 1992

Also: Modern Maturity Magazine - April-May 1983 (This might be available)

There have been articles in at least 50 other publications, but I have no idea as to whether any of them could be found in print.

The clippings I have enclosed do not necessarily need to be returned. I think we have duplicates of them. I would appreciate the return of the pictures.

Thank you. [not signed]"

Transcription
February 1, 1984

Constance Stapleton
2439a Old. Mountain Pike 
Middleton, Maryland                                          . .

Dear Ms. Stapleton:

Bob Gray of the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild has asked us to write to you and send information concerning our shop. I do not know the type material that would be of most interest to you, so am sending our catalogue and copies of some of the articles that have been published about us.

We are the fifth generation of Woody's directly engaged in the manufacture of furniture principally chairs.

Our business was started just after World War II. My brother and I were  both in service, and upon Being discharged at the end of the War [we] decided to try our luck and talents at chair building, We built our shop - it was much smaller then than now - and began to make a few chairs. At first the building was used largely as a grocery store and service station, with the chairs being displayed in a corner of the building. The chair business was definitely part-time work and sales were few. But we had many visitors in this area, and some bought our chairs and told their friends about them. And some  remembered our grandfather, whose shop had been a short distance from where ours was now located. Gradually, word of mouth advertising brought more business and we began to devote. more time to making chairs. At first, most of the chairs were sold unfinished. But we began to get more requests for a completely finished product and worked out our oil and wax finish. Today only the hobbyist who wants to do his own finishing, or someone wanting to match another piece of furniture, buys an unfinished chair.

Most of our machinery has been designed and built by us to serve a particular facet of our operations. Other pieces have been adapted for our needs.

We have shipped chairs to all fifty states. Also to Canada, Mexico, the Canal Zone, England and Finland.

A rocking chair went to Finland, purchased by Maria Halva, director of Finland's Handicraft industry when she attended Finland School of Grafts to study American handicrafts. This chair was specifically cited by Secretary of State Dean Rusk as an example of American crafts when he opened a craft exhibit in Helsinki several years ago. (We knew nothing of this episode at the time. The following summer, the wife of a State Department official was visiting relatives in this area. She attended the Craftsman's Fair in Asheville, at which we were exhibiting, recognized our work, and told us of the incident at the Helsinki exhibit. She later sent us newspaper articles concerning the exhibit.)

Most of our chairs are made for individuals. But we have filled a few large orders for offices or clubs. An interior designer ordered several of our chairs for a country club in Natchez, Miss. This is now a dining room operated by the Pilgrimage Garden Club as part of the Natchez house and garden historical association. Over the years we have supplied about two hundred chairs for them. The Biscayne Bay Yacht Club has also used our chairs fox' their dining room - they needed something that would hold up under the very moist conditions that prevail at seaside and found that our unglued chairs fitted their needs.

A chair and set of candlesticks were selected as a part of the United States exhibit for the- World Agricultural Pair in Cairo, Egypt several years ago.

We were included among the craftsmen in the book, "Artisans of the Appalachians", and National Geographic’s "Craftsmen in America",

My brother retired at the end of 1979 my wife, who had worked with us for a, number of year's, bought his share of the business. We run that business today with the help of four full time employees and three part time who do the chair seating in their homes.

Should you wish further information please let me know, we would be happy to

have you visit the shop at any time.

Yours very truly,
WOODY’S CHAIR SHOP

Arval  J. Woody

Dear Nora and Arval,

"Enclosed is a copy of my MODERN MATURITY article on western North Carolina craftsmen including you. I hope you like it and that it brings you increased business. It's been very popular with the magazine's readers. We got 30 letters in the first week. I asked them to foreword any mail to you directly.

While I like the text on you which remained quite unedited, I'm disappointed by the pictures they used and the way they were cropped. I had some great pictures of you jumping on a chair in mid-air and lots of better pictures of you at work. Why they cut important parts off the pictures, I don't know. I'd like to be able to get some pictures of you cooking backs to add to the series and do a story entirely on you sometime for another magazine. Your chairs are so beautiful.

We'll be coming back to North Carolina in late May this year. I'm sure I'll see you many times this summer. We usually bring all our guests into your shop. Thank you for all your help. I hope the article brings you lots of good orders.

Sincerey, Diane K. Gentry. [Original and copy]

Dear Mr. Woody,

We certainly appreciate your contribution in helping Mitchell County celebrate Our day at the World's Fair. I think that the enthusiasm and the size of the crowds that watched all of you perform was a tribute to you and to Mitchell County.

I was very proud to be there and be a Mitchell Countain!

Thanks again, Gratefully, Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, George Beauvais, Sr., President.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Woody,

Thank you again for your fine efforts in hosting my class in local history. It adds a lot to the content of the class to have the students see the fine work that results from human ingenuity, skill, and pride in craftsmanship.

I hope that we can call upon you again for this important aspect of the class.

May 1984 be your best year yet!

Yours truly, Neal B. Westveer

Dear Nora and Arval:

Thank you so much for my beautiful chairs. Carolyn and I love them, and we want so much to visity your shop sometime.

Please come and see me in my rocking chair in the Capitol.

My warmest personal regards.

Sincerely,  ... [Handwritten at bottom: "We love the chairs. Thank you so much."  [Original and copy]

Dear Mr. Woody:

You were so generous to send us one of your beautiful hand-crafted Colonial American chairs. North Carolina can surely be proud of the Woody family tradition. Craftsmanship such as yours represents our heritage, and we are so fortunate to be able to claim you as native son.

Thank you for thinking of us in such a lovely way. My husband joins me in sending you and Mr. Woody our best wishes, and warm personal regards.

Sincerely, Mrs. James B. Hunt, Jr.
[Original and copy]

Dear Mr. Woody,

Thank you again for your great hospitality to our class studying the local culture and history. Your craftsmanship is a source of pride for all of us in the community. Your presentation is most interesting and a delight for the visitors.

We'd like to impose upon you again on Tuesday, October 26 at 1:00 We are having 50 adults live-in at Wildacres to study the Toe Valley. We'd like to bring 25 at 1:00 and 25 about 2:15.

The last tour was perfect. The group left with a real feeling about what craftmenship [sic] is all about and some good basic knowledge about what to look for in chair construction.

We hope you have had a very successful summer.

Yours truly, Brian Westveer