neo-classics

Hepplewhite #70

2012-02-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Building the #62 Dressing Glass has helped me to move into my next project which is the serpentine dressing glass from Hepplewhites "Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Guide". This turns out to be a relatively popular piece to interpret, as I have found several examples obviously based on Hepplewhites design. The border of the case has been cross-banded with satinwood and the seam split with a black and white line. Thanks to Ball and Ball for the miniature pulls and tiny half mortise locks. The lithograph shows an oval of marquetry in the fronts, but an oval pull will work nicely.

#62 Dressing Glass

2012-02-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

I've made another reproduction of a reproduction. This dressing glass is based on the Biggs #1562 Shaving Case. I had to refer to an old catalogue from 1907 as this piece had not been made for some time. It is extremely delicate and of nice proportion. The finials are the smallest things I've ever turned, but they are the crowning touch on this classic item.

Early American Life

2011-11-25T13:29:00.001-08:00

I am extremely proud to have been selected for the 2011 Directory of Traditional American Crafts by Early American Life Magazine. It is an honor to be recognized by a jury of curators from organizations such as The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, George Washington's Mount Vernon, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Council on History Education, and Wintethur Museum. Having my furniture judged as being of museum quality makes doing the work that I do that much more rewarding.

http://www.ealonline.com/directory/class.php?id=FF&date=2011

http://www.neo-classics.com/

seventh heaven

2011-11-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

Ive enjoyed getting back to working in my shop on the weekends. The two dressing glasses are similar in size and construction. The Biggs #1562 will be a good warmup to the Hepplewhite #70 which is more complex. I like to mortise the standards down into the box, this time at three degrees. By increasing the thickness of the back you create a space for a nice 1/2" tenon. This makes the entire mirror assembly removable.

I would have loved to work at John Doggett's shop in Roxbury, Mass. He is said to have been one of the foremost looking glass and dressing glass manufacturers of his day.

some links of note:

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/10005005

http://educators.mfa.org/objects/detail/15728?related_people_text=John+Doggett

http://educators.mfa.org/objects/detail/205115?related_people_text=John+Doggett

nuts and bolts

2011-11-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

When starting any project the craftsman should always keep in mind the cardinal rule of cabinetmaking, which is "Form follows function and function follows structure". One should not design solely for the aesthetic but with careful consideration for the practicality of purpose and above all the structural integrity of the piece.

I am building my current project(s) as I would any casework. The bottom gets dovetailed up into the sides and the divides are dovetailed in from the back. The grain runs side to side and vertically so hopefully everything will expand and contract the same.

Originally I set out to build the Biggs #1562 shaving case for a client but I decided that I would love to make an additional dressing glass interpreting George Hepplewhite's design from plate #70

Where's the V ?

2011-08-21T06:06:00.001-07:00

Thomas Jefferson's Rent table has two letters of the alphabet omitted , J and V. I'm probably not the first to wonder "why those two?". Of course the logical, partial explanation is that 26 isn't divisible by eight, so you have to drop two. But why these two? Why not delete a couple of letters that you hardly ever use, like X or Q?

After minimal research I have come to the somewhat inconclusive answer that it may have something to do with the Elizabethan alphabet. The Elizabethan alphabet contained 24 letters, as opposed to the present day alphabet of 26 letters. In the Elizabethan alphabet the letters "u" and "v" were the same letter as were "i" and "j". However, the "j" was usually used as the capital form of the "i" in the alphabet and the "u" was used only in the middle of a word, and the "v" was used at the beginning.

Jefferson's rent table was made by a mid Atlantic craftsman sometime in the eighteenth century. It could have been fashioned after an English Rent table of similar design. It is definitely of Neoclassical or Federal period influence, not Elizabethan. Or just maybe, the cabinetmaker could have had a fondness for playwright William Shakespeare.

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-dictionary.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabethan_era

Rent Table Details

2011-08-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Hepplewhite #47

2011-08-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

In George Hepplewhite's book "The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Guide" there are four designs for library cases. Most of them are huge. But they all have one thing in common. These designs have been extremely influential in determining the overall look of almost every other library case I've ever seen. The patterns of the mullions and muntin bars of the glass doors seem familiar and the incurvate moldings on some of the base cabinet doors seem to show up on furniture that I see at antique shows and even on television shows constantly. The watered down, scaled down versions of breakfront bookcases and china cabinets on the market today pay homage to these original designs. Mr. Hepplewhite would be proud . But it was his wife Alice who is responsible for this phenomenon. After his death she found herself in such dire straits that she had her late husband's lithographs published posthumously.

Hepplewhite writes:
"PLATES 45,46,47,48 shew four different designs for for Library- cases, which are usually made of the finest mahogany; the doors of fine waved or curled wood. May be inlaid on the panels, &c. with various coloured woods. The ornamental sash bars are intended to be of metal, which painted of a light colour , or gilt, will produce a light peasing effect.
To each of these designs, the drawer in the middle is intended for a secretary drawer, with wardrobe shelves under."

I started my interpretation of plate #47 about six years ago and have worked on many other projects concurrently. Coincidentally I am at the point in this endeavor that he mentions in the last sentence of the description. I have studied many of these "secretary drawers" at antique shows and have the hardware to execute the project. I hope to finish the base section this year.

Bibliography: "The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Guide" Hepplewhite, George Hepplewhite, Alice published by I. and J. Taylor, London 1788

Samuel Mcintyre

2011-08-01T14:26:00.001-07:00

Above is the original dressing glass that inspired my reproduction from the collection of George M. and Linda H. Kauffman. This dressing glass is closely related to a more ornate version made for Elizabeth Derby West, daughter of Elias Hasket Derby. The looking glass, standards, and veneers differ, but the correspondence in the form and construction of the box is so close that there is little doubt they were made in the same shop. Both pieces have been attributed to Samuel Mcintyre on the belief that he made much of the Derby family furniture. More recent evidence shows that Elizabeth Derby West had extensive dealings with Boston area craftsmen including John Doggett, the leading looking glass manufacturer of Roxbury. Given the complexity of the cabinet trade at that time, each element of this small piece could represent the work of a different independent craftsman.

The Derby family example is undeniably more ornate, but a comparison of the two highlights the basic elegance of the form. The elliptically shaped box, with its fully curved skirt, is on its own a flawless example of Federal cabinetry. The looking glass and carved standards are beautifully matched, with the tightly handled and strongly vertical curves of the frame echoed and supported by those of the standards. Each element expresses a different aspect of the Federal aesthetic. The box uses a simple geometric form emphasized by highly figured veneers and inlay. The lion's head brasses, carved drapery standards, and shield- shaped frame were all classically inspired motifs. The extent of decoration seen here shows this piece to be no poor relation of the Derby dressing glass.

Bibliography: American furniture from the Kauffman Collection by Michael Flannigan published by the National Gallery of Art 1986

Below are some dressing glasses of note:

http://www.reindeerantiques.co.uk/gallery/mirrors/2029_A_Sheraton_mahogany_dressing_mirror

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4639341

http://www.galerie-atena.com/en/giltbronze-dressing-glass-xml-258_286-4675.html

http://www.trocadero.com/mckinleyhill/items/773725/item773725store.html

http://www.butchoff.com/Splendid-Vizagapatam-Toilet-Glass-DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=6&tabindex=5&objectid=41113&categoryid=3201&mediaid=138147

Bonheur du jour

2011-07-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

One of the most elegant furniture designs has to be the ladies writing table or the "bonheur du jour". Its light and graceful design originated in France and the first appearance of the term bonheur du jour was in 1770, in an inventory of the duc de Villars' property at Marseille. The term translates as "happiness of the day" or "daytime delight" probably caused by its instantaneous popularity. In the Eighteenth Century women corresponded with other women frequently through written letters and this was the vehicle that helped to perpetuate the trend.

Mr. Armstrong of Harrowgate usually exhibits an exceptional bonheur du jour at the winter antiques fair at Olympia in London almost every year. Below are some notable examples.

http://www.bada.org/antiques/d/a-george-iii-satinwood-bonheur-du-jour/79082

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/58.75.48

http://www.butchoff.com/Magnificent-Bonheur-Jour-Exhibition-Quality-the-Louis-XVth-Manner-and-attributed-Holland-Sons-DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=6&tabindex=5&objectid=243800&categoryid=3199

http://www.ronaldphillipsantiques.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=6&tabindex=5&objectid=184504

new commission

2011-07-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Occasionally someone will inquire about a specific Biggs piece, usually because they've picked one up at auction and want to know about its history or how much I think its worth. But every once in a while I meet these folks who still have old Biggs catalogs and want to commission a specific item to be made. I love doing this.

The Biggs Company started making formal mahogany reproductions in Richmond, Va in 1890 and I was fortunate enough to have worked there from 1978 to 1981. Whats important to know about Biggs is that they made a line of furniture like nobody else. Sure, they made the typical Queen Anne style pieces that resemble so many other manufactured reproductions of the time, but they also made pieces that were unique and in styles and of designs that set them apart from the fray. This is what , in my opinion made the Biggs Co. an institution in and around Richmond, Atlanta, Baltimore and Washington, DC from 1890 to the time of their demise in 1986. The company was absorbed by Kittinger of Buffalo and the "Old Dominion" line of reproductions lived on for some time but there is no comparison to the sophistication of many of the pieces made by Biggs.

I'm very excited to be starting on the #1562 Shaving Case this fall. To see Biggs pieces on ebay use the link below, there are some fantastic deals to be found.

http://antiques.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=biggs+furniture&_sacat=20081

Diagonal Details

2011-02-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

Diagonal Dovetails

2011-02-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

I feel as if I've been making the same piece of furniture all of my life but it wasn't until recently that I began to make it correctly including the diagonal dovetails. When I apprenticed at the Biggs furniture company of Richmond, Virginia back in the late seventies I worked on many of the Thomas Jefferson "File Tables". It was an English Rent Table of octagonal design with the letters of the alphabet inlaid in the eight fronts. Situated atop a base of three serpentine legs with a fluted column the case consisted of two stop signs partitioned to create space for two longer drawers and two shorter drawers with the shaft of the column coming up through the centre allowing the top section to rotate. The four spaces on the diagonal allow for these kind of triangular drawers that were hinged on the side like a door and attached to the partitions.

The version I remember working on in the early years of my woodworking career was made with joinery techniques that would speed up production. Spindle carved legs, machine cut dovetails, laminated tops and doweled on legs allowed for the production of parts for many of these tables at once. I can remember assembling five of them at a time at least twice a year and there are probably several hundred of the Biggs "Jefferson File Tables" out there. The joinery for the triangular drawers was fairly simple. At the back of the triangle the sides were joined with a machine cut dovetail and the sides were joined to the front by simply fitting them into a diagonal rabbet, or v groove and secured with three finishing nails. This was by no means authentic but it was fast and easy.

Many years later I started making reproductions in an old barn and this octagonal rent table was one of the pieces I chose to produce. The "rent" table, as the name suggests, would be used at a large country estate for the management of the rent collection from the estate tenants. The numbered drawers around the rotating frieze were also sometimes marked with letters of the alphabet and would be used to order the paperwork and ledgers. Most are round and some have a till in the centre to put the money. I made several prototypes and began to incorporate the traditional joinery techniques that I had learned over the years. Hand carving the legs was tedious but rewarding. Dovetailing the legs to the column and coping the shoulders around the column was the "proper" way to do things. And of course no self respecting woodworker would ever under any circumstances use a dovetail jig to join drawers with a machine cut dovetail.

There is an art to hand cut dovetails and the more you cut the better you get at it. You lay out your dovetails so that they are symetrical and the groove for the bottom falls just above the bottom of the lowest one. Ten degrees for hardwoods and fifteen degrees for softwoods is the rule, I think. I like to cut these on a band saw using a wedge. After cleaning up between these dovetails with a small chisel you simply lay the side on the adjoining piece and mark with a knife. The key to a nice tight fitting dovetail is to move the shoulder slightly past the point where it will end up prior to marking it. Cut away everything between the marks and you've created a nice male/ female joint that is extremely strong and is not dependent on the glue to hold itself together.

Previously I had been making a kind of third generation reproduction of a reproduction. I based the piece's dimensions and overall appearance of the Biggs #2126 but I used the joinery techniques that I thought were appropriate for the period. Several years ago I had the opportunity to examine the original including the interior drawers and triangles. There were many differences between my "reproduction" and this table. Some of the materials including the drawer sides were thinner and the hinges were mortised into both the triangles and the cabinet partition. One of the major differences differences was the diagonal dovetails at the fronts of the triangular compartments. The shoulder and dovetails are cut at a forty five degree angle creating a diagonal or trapezoidal dovetail. With a through dovetail at the back and these diagonal dovetails at the front the triangle holds itself together and is actually quite simplistic and extremely strong.

To cut these dovetails I used a table saw tilted at fifteen degrees. Because the side is coming off at forty five degrees this dovetail appears closer to ten degrees on the face. I Cut the sides on a forty five degree angle and used a large block cut on the same angle front and back to sit the side on while pushing past the saw blade. Everything is the same as if you are cutting a square dovetail. You just have to think at a forty five degree angle. Carefully mark the shoulders using a knife. I rabbeted these sides into the fronts one eighth of an inch to allow for some fitting and this created a shoulder that I could butt the sides against for marking. Using a drill press and several router setups I was able to remove most of the waste and machine the shoulders precisely. Of course some of these operations could have been done completely by hand using hand routers but I just don't have the time. Again the technique for laying in the dovetails is the same as cutting a square dovetail except for a skewing technique when making your final cut. Gradually work up to the knife mark. Usually one side will cut with the grain and the other side against it. This is where the skewing technique helps. Always use a block of wood over the dovetail when tapping it into the space you've created for it and carefully hit this block against the opposite end of the side to knock it out. The dovetail will naturally move in and out of the space diagonally. Assemble the triangle with the side having the female joint at the back first and this will flex enough to let in the other side.
So far Ive cut in about seventy-five of these joints and of course the more you do the easier it gets. I cant think of too many circumstances that warrant a diagonal dovetail but its good to know that you know how to do it if the situation presents itself.

Gueridon Envy

2011-01-15T13:10:00.001-08:00

Although I'd like to think that the gueridon I recently completed is pretty nice, it pales in comparison to some I have found on the web. I find the form fascinating and the history behind the form equally intriguing.

Here are some links to gueridons of note:

http://kikamulitzart.blogspot.com/2007/10/empire-ormolu-mounted-mahogany-guridon.html
( top photo)

http://access.decorati.com/2009/06/18/word-of-the-day-gueridon/
( extremely educational)

http://decorati.com/product/26076/
(very similar to my own with squared columns and a marble top)

http://www.imambience.com/F466_Gueridon_Coffee_Table.pdf
( above)

http://www.butchoff.com/Fine-Gueridon-the-Empire-Manner-after-model-Jacob-Freres-based-designs-Percier-Fontaine-DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=6&tabindex=5&objectid=43599&mediaid=141528

http://www.artfinding.com/Artwork/Tables-&-Consoles/Empire-gueridon/6326.html

http://www.kleinerprinz-aschau.de/english/empire/gueridon-517.html

http://www.google.com/images (136,000 examples)

Operation Gueridon Complete

2011-01-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

The gueridon is a small table, often with a circular top, supported by one or more columns, or sculptural or mythological figures. This kind of form originated in France in the middle of the seventeenth century and by the beginning of the eighteenth century there were many examples of the gueridon as high style decorative pieces of court furniture. The columns supporting this table follow the Doric Order of Architecture as set forth in "The Classical Orders of Architecture" by Robert Chitham copyright 2004 Architectural Press, Oxford.

Genuine South American Mahogany and Ceylon Satinwood veneer. Dimensions: H 30" x W 48 1/2"

Geometric Joinery

2010-12-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed making my current piece, the Doric Gueridon, especially for the geometry lesson one has to learn to execute such a project. The design is somewhat unique, although many have been made with columns supporting a circular top. These columns follow the doric order.

The geometry lesson involves working with triangles, bisecting a circle and laying out using thirty degree angles. It all comes together in the centre with braces dovetailing from the back side of the columns to an equilateral triangle shaped block. Of course, the radiused aprons are mortise and tennoned to the sides of the columns but the interior bracing makes for a sound and stout structure.

Im cross banding and vertically edge banding the top with Ceylon satinwood from Certainly Wood. Browse their website and check out all the exotic wood species.

The Shop

2010-12-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

I feel extremely blessed to be able to do what I do where I do it. You see, my shop is my sanctuary away from it all, but it really is quite a unique space.

My mom and dad found this incredible old (c. 1826) log cabin on the South river in Stuarts Draft, Va. back in the eighties when looking for a place after they both had retired. After much renovation they moved into their dream home which could be described as a gentleman's farm in the country- just enough room for a good sized garden with a small barn for some chickens, a few goats and a sheep or two. The house itself is a two story chestnut cabin with heart pine floors, four rooms and a walk up attic space. Previously there were two cabins side by side but the right side was long since taken down except for the foundation. I know little of the cabins history except for what one can learn from deed books for Augusta County dating back to the early eighteen hundreds.

Sometime in 2002 I started renovation of the barn out back with the hopes of turning it into a woodworking shop. It was quite the undertaking. But after about a year of hard work, mostly on the weekends, I had my space in which to build furniture.

Looking back, I have made a considerable amount of what I hope will be heirloom reproductions in this old barn. So far I have made nine Thomas Jefferson tilt top candle stands, twelve Thomas Jefferson rent tables, three ladies writing desks, one Sheraton concave dressing chest, four Hepplewhite bow front nightstands, most of the base section for a Hepplewhite library case,and my current project- the Doric gueridon. I feel very fortunate to have been able to build only pieces of furniture that I truly wanted to make. I'm not a contractor and I believe that its not only important to build furniture soundly with traditional joinery but also to build furniture for a reason. My Neo-Classics are an attempt to pay tribute to history and to historical styles.

Again, I feel so blessed to have been able to pursue my passion not only in this funky old barn which I share with a family of black snakes, but to have been able to do it there with my parents close by. I lost my dad to Alzheimer's last year and my moms eighty four. I truly cherish the time I get to spend there.

Five Completed Rent Tables

2010-12-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Finally finished these five now available for purchase.
http://www.neo-classics.com/Catalogue.html
I'll submit these to the Directory of Traditional American Crafts at Early American Life Magazine along with the Doric Gueridon if I can finish it by January 15. Hope to post some photos of this soon as it is a very interesting piece.

More Rent tables I have found

2010-11-12T09:17:00.000-08:00

While searching the internet for rent tables Ive come across some interesting examples. Now, the Jefferson rent table that I make is not your traditional '"Rent Table" design. The one pictured above is a very grand example of the typical form. But most have come to classify any table with letters or numbers in the frieze with drawers or compartments for some kind of filing purpose to be a rent table. Most are round. Some sit on rectangular bases while others have bases with a single turned column with three or four legs.

Of the interesting examples I have found:

http://www.bada.org/art-and-antiques/detail/38019
http://www.mallettantiques.com/Public/Stock/View.aspx?ref=F2I0491

The Charles Dickens rent table located in the offices of Charles Dickens's publishers where the author often sat when paying a visit(top photo).
http://antiquesandthearts.com/Antiques/AntiquesShows/2010-01-26__10-27-27.html

The grand example pictured above from Smith and Watson
http://www.smith-watson.com/account/item_details.php?AID=smith-watson&itemID=58922

A nice little one at a shop in New Orleans (no letters)
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=392556

The doll house version from Michael Walton of Chicago!
http://www.michaelwalton.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_prod.html?p_prodid=MW040&sid=B71U5F@h

Examples other than my own

2010-11-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes at antique shows you come across a piece that is extremely similar to one of the designs in the books (see blog "the books"). Usually its just that the original design has inspired the piece, influenced the overall style of the piece, or the piece itself is a somewhat watered down interpretation of the of the original lithograph. I consider it the ultimate compliment to the masters to interpret their designs verbatim and I get pretty excited when I see someone elses effort to honor Chippendale, Hepplewhite or Sheraton. Occasionally the dealer will have the book open to the page showing the original lithograph. The Sheraton revival period in England in the second half of the nineteenth century produced many interpretations of these designs. These are antiques, just not "period" antiques.
The dressing chest in the photo is from a show at Olympia in London a few years ago.
www.olympia-antiques.co.uk
Its a good interpretation of the same design I chose to use for my #15 Sheraton Dressing Chest. This craftsman chose to utilize satinwood primarily with tulipwood line inlays. It is a period antique from the late 1700's with a retail price of about 42,ooo pounds (about $60,000). It makes me want to make another using satinwood too.

down the home stretch

2010-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited because my five Thomas Jefferson rent tables are nearing completion. They were started in the winter of last year and my progress has been pretty slow because of many other things that have taken up much of my free time. You see , I only work on my furniture on the weekends and have a full time job as a cabinetmaker during the week. This is the fourth time Ive made the rent tables and these are the most refined and historically accurate versions made to date.
I have made several subtle changes with this run from the last. First the legs sweep up into the columns with a much smoother transition, a technique I developed when I made the last run of the Jefferson candle stands, rounding the top of the legs to match the radius at the top of the plinth of the column and shaping a concave sweep into the top of the leg . Secondly I made all of the drawer fronts from a single board for each individual table. The grain starts at the "XYZ" drawer, runs counterclockwise around the table and ends up at the "TUW" drawer. Most would display the rent table with the "ABC" drawer facing outward, so this makes for a more continuous grain pattern and the "DEF" drawer is hinged from the right (opposite) to make for a cleaner display face with no hinges. Drawer sides have been reduced in thickness ( 3/8") closer to the original. I'm also proud to have used a more historically accurate hinge with this batch. Previously I had used a small 1" x 1 1/16" butt hinge similar to the ones used bu the Biggs Co. These had to be fastened to the triangles with the screws put in at an angle as to not come through the face. I couldnt find a hinge broad enough to match the original, but I did find a hinge made by Armac Mfg. that was very close.
http://www.martin.co.uk/orderOnline_ProductListB.aspx?SubCategoryRef=74
Thanks to Bob Ball at Ball and Ball for cutting off the finials and antiquing.
Last weekend I hung triangles on two of the rent tables and I hope to finish the rest next weekend. It has been a long and tedious effort to get to this point but I am very proud of how things are working out. I'll move them to my home for finishing before Labor Day and hopefully finish up in October. I can't wait to see all five completely finished.

Whats historic?

2010-05-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

There are several different ways of determining if a piece of furniture should be considered "historic". Any antique in itself is historic just for being old. An ebony gaming table taken from the tomb of King Tutankhamen c. 1343 BC would be extremely old and therefore extremely historic. Another way of classifying furniture as historic is to have been owned by a historic person. Voted Greatest Briton of all time makes you pretty historic so the Winston Churchill Windsor armchair definitely qualifies . Made from timbers taken from Blenheim Palace where Churchill once lived.

http://www.stewartlinford.co.uk/churchill.htm

If a piece of furniture was made by a famous or significant cabinetmaker for a famous person it becomes doubly historic.In 1793 leading Annapolis cabinetmaker John Shaw interpreted Hepplewhites serpentine chest of drawers design pl. # 76 for then Governor of Maryland William Paca, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Of course any piece this historic is worth its weight in gold. The Shaw chest in the photo is a reproduction. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see many of the works of the master craftsmen of Early America. There is a market for museum quality antiques made by these famous cabinetmakers if one can afford them.

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/John-and-Thomas-Seymour-Sideboard

The rarest of historic pieces of furniture is one made by the one who created the original classic design. Of the three significant British furniture designers: Thos. Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thos. Sheraton only Chippendale actually made pieces of furniture.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/46844.html?mulR=30904

Jefferson's Rent Table and others

2010-05-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

I got to put my signature , my brand, my hallmark on five works of art I have been working on for well over a year today. The five Thomas Jefferson rent tables get a little closer to completion each weekend. This has been the largest number of this item that I have ever made at one time and each time they get a little closer to the original. Maybe I should give a little history of the "rent" table.

The "rent" table, as the name suggests, would be used at a large country estate for the management of the rent collection from the estate tenants. The numbered drawers around the rotating frieze were also sometimes marked with letters of the alphabet and would be used to order the paperwork and ledgers while the secure locked compartment in the centre of the table top provided safe storage for the monies paid.

http://www.mallettantiques.com/Public/Stock/View.aspx?ref=F2I0491

The Rent table owned by Thomas Jefferson and currently on display in the book room at Monticello is an octagonal drum table with letters of the alphabet inlaid in the fronts. I had worked on a production version (TJ2126) for the Biggs Company of Richmond,VA years ago. It resembled the original in form only. Legs were doweled on, drawers were machine dovetailed, tops were laminated, etc. The Biggs version, the "Jefferson File Table" was one of their most prestigious items. Occasionally one can be found at estate auctions or through dealers who specialize in pre-owned Biggs furniture but they are few and far between.

http://www.elmwoodcompany.com/tj2126.htm

So far I have made a total of twelve rent tables- one prototype, two quantities of three and my current run of five. Each time I have had the opportunity to refine and improve the joinery, details and authenticity to more closely resemble the original. Several years ago I was able to develop an association with the folks at Monticello and began to offer the rent table through their catalog sales division.

http://www.monticellocatalog.org/111226.html

Awards have been given for authenticity of traditional craftsmanship.

http://www.ealonline.com/directory/class.php?id=FF&date=2008

I hope to someday finish these five tables so I can work on other projects.

McIntyre is God

2010-05-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm kinda stuck in the 1790's when it comes to my taste in furniture, at least the furniture that I actually want to build. After seeing the Hepplewhite and Sheraton books I wanted to make many of their designs come to life. But I'm not the first cabinetmaker to think and feel this way. My idol Samuel McIntyre interpreted many of the designs of Hepplewhite and Sheraton.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/62.16
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/45.10 5
Samuel McIntyre was awesome, literally. I am in awe of the amount of work he was able to accomplish in his relatively short lifetime. If you can go to Salem Mass. and tour the
McIntyre District and go to the Peabody Essex Museum.
Many other cabinetmakers of the late Eighteenth century were busy fashioning exquisite furnishings in the latest styles for the aristocracy of this newly formed country. When Thomas Jefferson ordered a set of dining room chairs to be built in the "Hepplewhite" style for his home at Monticello in Charlottesville, Va he received not only a set of chairs in that style but a set based directly on plate #5 from "The Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer's Guide" of 1794.

The Books

2010-05-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

I'm not very good at blowing my own horn but blogging seemed like a good way to talk about my passion which is Historic Furniture. On my website I make reference to the design books of Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. These really are amazing books. They're full of these wonderful lithographs of classic furniture designs . These drawings are beautiful works of art on their own, but to execute one of the designs is the ultimate form of respect to the artists themselves. I first bought Hepplewhite and Sheratons books after seeing them in the local library. The copy of the Chippendale book was incredible. It was in the large book section and it was huge and old- 1936 I think. The pages had yellowed and aged beautifully, a little darker towards the outside and musty like a very old book is. I have literally worn out paperback copies devouring the designs of mostly Sheraton and Hepplewhite. I seek out literal interpretations of their designs and occasionally see examples recreated verbatim and constantly see furniture and architectural designs that have their roots in these classic designs. If you visit my website
www.neo-classics.net you will see my attempts to honor these great designers with my work.

The three books: Chippendale's Director, Hepplewhites Guide and Sheraton's Drawing Book are available are available in paperback,cheap. http://www.mitchellspublications.com/rep/arch/hepplewhite/cmug/index.htm
http://www.mitchellspublications.com/rep/arch/sheraton/crfd/index.htm
http://www.mitchellspublications.com/rep/arch/chippendale/gcmd/

One of my favorite websites features a scanned version of a 1910 version of Sheratons Furniture designs 25 MB available as PDF

http://www.archive.org/details/furnituredesigns00sheruoft

The Hepplewhite book is an 1897 copy

http://www.archive.org/details/cabinetmakerupho00ahepuoft

And the Chippendale book of 1910

http://www.archive.org/details/furnituredesigns00chipuoft

For the purist looking for the rare first edition available for $14,500.

http://www.manhattanrarebooks.com/book_desc.php?id=509