"These birdhouses are going to be around for awhile," he says with a laugh. To make sure the birds are cozy all year-long, Berman uses on brass screws and copper marine nails from Vermont's Shelburne Museum for extra durability. It's interesting when I go in there-they know I'm a woodworker, but I buy more copper than their plumbers." His copper of choice is type L (typical for plumbing), which he purchases from Weinstein Supply in Philadelphia. "What I like about it is that every product we make is original-no two are alike," says Berman. The business grew, and Berman enlisted the help of nearby tinsmith and metal fabricator to keep up with the demand, without having to rely on mass production.
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Then, at the Philadelphia Craft Show, his work caught the eye of a scout from Colonial Williamsburg, and he was asked to create a series of birdhouses to be sold to visitors.īerman with his NBBA endorsement sign Photograph by Paul David To complete the look and help withstand the elements through the seasons, Berman began mounting his birdhouses on copper poles. "When we put a verdigris on the copper-we're pretty good at that-people wanted it." "With copper, you're differentiating yourself," says Berman. After experimenting with several different materials, Berman started adding his signature copper roofs to his work, which immediately attracted the attention of buyers He became a member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen in 1991, and started selling his birdhouses at their weekly shows. "My mother was creative, and I thought it had a nice ring to it," he says. He named the company Erickson Birdhouses after his mother, who's maiden name was Erickson. He went to work, and developed a handcrafted line of rustic birdhouses with metal roofs. "Something just got under me, and I thought, 'I'm just going to start making birdhouses,'" he recalls. With Fortune 500 roots, Berman began his own home construction business in 1986, and shifted gears to start Erickson Birdhouses in 1991.
Along with his wife Peg, and his trusty dog Roscoe (who Berman jokingly refers to as his shipping manager) Erickson Birdhouses can now be found as faraway as Japan, for some very lucky birds to enjoy.īut Berman didn't always have his sights on woodworking. The birds of the world are movin' on up to shiny copper-topped homes thanks to artist Eric Berman, founder of Erickson Birdhouses in Lancaster, PA. Erickson Birdhouse, complete with Berman's signature verdigris copper roof Photograph by Paul David
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