Hi Jordan –
I’m a long-time reader but have never posted before. Cool chair! The language on the tag refers to statutes that were passed regarding “do not remove” tags (you still see them on pillows, mattresses, etc . . .). Because one of the statutes referenced was passed in 1948, the chair/ottoman had to have been made after that. Maybe in the early 1950s? Here’s a link describing the “do not remove” legislation:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-03-27/news/0030050011_1_tag-sterilization-mattress
Abby

you’re totally right. maybe 1970s, then, like melissa suggested?

Hah! A challenge! I take it. (Also: Nice chair!)

Ok. 15 minutes of googling later:
You’ve probably discovered much of this yourself after your own trip down Google lane, but here’s what I can tell you (don’t fully trust me here, I’m just trying to piece together what I think is the facts):

It seems that Howard Furniture Manufacturing Co. was co-founded by a man named Shannon Carter in Starkville, I couldn’t find out anything about the other co-founder(s). He was still alive in 2008, but suffering from beginning dementia and living in an assisted living facility in Birmingham, and with his daughter Brenda living nearby. He was widowed after his wife Ladine Conlee Carter, his high school sweetheart and his wife of fifty years, died in 1994. (The Carter family seems really nice and close-knit, haha!) So there’s some nice history for you to connect with this chair.

Aaanyway. Shannon lived in Starkville and worked with wood products and furniture most of his life (although he was originally from Thaxton). He originally founded Carter Wood Products, a company that made grandfather clocks, but his greatest commercial success was as co-founder and VP Production of Howard Furniture Manufacturing
Company, which became famous for its oak, family room furniture (people are RAVING about the amazing and lasting quality of their 80′s oak furniture sets, hopefully your older model is as awesome). He
was a partner in this corporation, that also later merged with some other local companies to include Herschede Hall Clock
Company, MotorGuide fishing motors, Rookwood Pottery, and Briarwood Lamp
Co., under the company name Arnold Industries (oh, look, he returned to his clock making past!). The Herschede Hall Clock Company and Briarwood Lamp merged, as far as I can understand, with Howard Furniture in 1973, so the companies must have existed before that (Herschede had existed since 1902, with a history dating back to 1877, not that that’s relevant).

Shannon Carter’s love was collecting antique tools, antique cars and turn of the century Americana, of which most
was donated to the Pontotoc Historical Museum. He also donated much of his
antique tool collection to Mississippi State University, and they are now
displayed in the Forestry building.

(Much of the last two paragraphs were direct cut-and-paste from the blog of a Carter relative, just FYI.)

More specifically about the chair:
The only thing I’ve been able to figure out is that it appears to be part of a larger set (it seems the company mainly made upholstered/cushioned furniture sets), and this particular set (if my guess is correct) included at least a sofa and a loveseat.

It appears that the company was in existence at least as early as the early sixties, by the way. But it later went out of business, I believe it might have been in the mid-eighties.

And as for what it’s worth, I have NO idea. But it seems to be worth a lot to you, which is the important thing.

(Phew!)

Omigosh. I heart that!! I live like an hour away from Starkville. So cray that’s where it was made!!

thank you, melissa

Hey to everyone who has committed on the Howard Furniture piece. My name is Paul Howard and my father started Howard Mfg. Co. back in 1959. Shannon Carter partnered with him due to his wood working ability. Among the two was a great salesman named Stewart Vance who my father met when he was going door to door selling bibles. The men were funded in their new business adventure by John Robert Arnold. It became Arnold industries with Howard Furniture Co. as one of its Divisions. Herschede Hall Clock Co. was also a Division. My father was a very loving man and a master at relationships. The business finally sold in the late 1980′s to Flex Steel. Before that though all the men started a small Company called Motor Guide! Now trading under Brunswick Corp and is one of the best trolling motors on the market. Loved my Dad and Mom. Thanks for loving his work!
Paul

Hey Jordan,
Thanks for the interest! I myself would love to purchase more of it. I am researching it now and will let you know what I find. Mostly, I am in hunt for one of the last items they made which is a beautiful roll top desk. By the way, my dad’s name was Carl and he passed away in 1995. I’d love to find more of his work and share it with others! PS