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 offer 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.  Ours is a very personal 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.  It would be helpful if you would provide 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 or return your telephone call.

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.

SHOULD I CONSIDER HAVING A FURNITURE FINISHER IN MY LOCAL AREA RESTORE THE FINISH OF MY KITTINGER FURNITURE?
The detailed Kittinger finish involved a process of more than 30 steps over a number of weeks to complete.  Our master finisher was at the Old Kittinger Company more than 40 years.  He is extremely knowledgeable on how the furniture is to be finished.  You would make the decision if you would like it finished by us or shipped direct to you, for you to arrange any finish work.

HOW MUCH DOES FURNITURE FINISH RESTORATION COST?
The cost is very reasonable considering the skill and experience of our finisher.  For example, a typical dining room chair generally costs $150 to restore.

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.

HOW IS THE FURNITURE SHIPPED?
After your furniture is purchased (and restoration, if applicable, is paid for) we arrange for shipment 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, we can ship your items (crated) via UPS or Fed Ex depending on the size of the shipment.