In 1885 a patent was issue to Moses Ransom of Cleveland Ohio for building Lattice-Type screens from machine milled spiral wooden components.  He previously had patented a lathe mechanism to create these spiral rods.  Ransom called his invention “ Moorish Fretwork”, clearly influenced by middle eastern woodwork and screens of that era.  The middle eastern influence on America Architecture and Art peaked in the late 1880’s and 1890’s and is referred to at the Orientalism period of the Aesthetic Movement in design and architecture.

Ransom used 2 types of wooded “rods” in his screens.  One resembles a spiral three dimensional dowel and the other an auger-type drill bit. The 2 patterns were lathed in both clockwise and counter clockwise forms and then interwoven to create various panels using both woven and non woven techniques.  (Ransom research courtesy of Paul Tucker)

There are some documentation that one of the designers that worked for Ransom eventually became one of the Tiffany Studios “girls"

Merklen Bros. Manufacturing Co. of NY used ransoms moorish fretwork extensively in there chairs and other furniture

George Hunzinger use other similar elements in some of his furniture.

Ferguson Brothers of New York produced an array of incredibly well designed stick and ball furniture which also incorporated pieces of steam bent wood and assembled with brass joiners which are patented 1885. There is little written documentation of this innovative furniture which in some ways has design elements similar to European bentwood furniture of Thonet.