In January of this year virtually all students at The North Bennet Street School’s Cabinet and Furniture Making program began work on Windsor arm chairs.  Working principally on a comb back arm-chair design by noted chair maker Curtis Buchannan, the process followed traditional methods of Windsor chair making, including working all of the maple and oak parts from green wood.

The legs, stretchers, and arm posts of the chair are constructed from maple, still green when turned.  Selective drying of parts of the turnings results in parts that “lock together” when the chair is completed, as some parts shrink tightly around mating parts.

The spindles, arm, and crest rail are likewise crafted from oak that is still green.  Looking largely like a pile of firewood at the beginning of the process, these parts are riven from the oak logs, and then shaped using draw knife and spoke shave until the finished form is achieved.  By using riven stock, the resultant parts are much stronger as they follow the natural grain pattern in the wood.

The volutes on the crest rail and the knuckles on the arm were hand carved to a pleasing form.  This particular chair is a “braced back” style, the only one like it constructed during the project.  I like the traditional look of the braced back – it has a “tail” extending behind the seat, and two additional spindles, and it results in a little stiffer back, along with having a very traditional look.

The seat is carved from eastern white pine, and is extremely comfortable to sit in.  The entire chair was finished in numerous coats of milk paint, first a red undercoat, followed by black.  The black was then selectively rubbed out to reveal hints of the red in all of the appropriate wear points.  The entire chair was then top coated with an oil, followed by wax, and hand rubbed to a beautiful soft finish.

This one-drawer Shaker inspired table was handcrafted in walnut and poplar.  The walnut top and drawer front are complemented by poplar legs and aprons which have received a traditional milk paint finish.

Measuring 18″ square, the top features an absolutely stunning piece of walnut which has been finished with numerous coats of shellac, hand rubbed to a beautiful soft gloss.  The hand dovetailed drawer, which glides effortlessly in its opening, has a matching walnut face with a ebonized walnut drawer pull in a classic Shaker style.

All surfaces of this table have been hand planed and scraped and then finished with milk paint, Tung oil, and shellac, followed by a hand rubbed wax on all surfaces.  The design of the table, and the elegant walnut and black finish, make this table at home in any setting.

The table shown is currently available for $850 with delivery available.

It is very often true that the smallest details make the biggest difference in the design and construction of a piece of furniture. I love Period furniture…that is, traditional designs from the late 17th century through the mid 19th century, and I have a particular fondness for that made in the Federal period (roughly 1780 through 1820).

Furniture in the Federal period generally has clean lines and a simpler ornamentation than styles in the periods before it or following it. While I enjoy the graceful curves of Queen Anne furniture and the more elaborate carving in the Chippendale period that came after Queen Anne, the designs of the Federal period have a certain elegance to them.

Inlay plays an important role in furniture of the federal period gracing the legs and aprons of most pieces.  The use of a delicate line of holly inlaid into a table leg, accented by bell flowers… The perfect piece of birch crotch veneered into a table apron… An intricate banding bordering a table apron or creating the cuff of a leg… These are small and delicate details that work so well in furniture from this period.

Seeking to further inform myself of the history, use, and methods behind these details, I recently spent a couple of days in Connecticut with one of the modern day masters of Federal furniture, Steve Latta.  Steve is a professor at Thadeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, PA and a member of SAPFM.  Steve has also been instrumental in my learning about Line and Berry inlay, a style unique to Chester County PA and a form that has become a signature element in much of my work.  Steve was the speaker at an evening presentation at the Connecticut Historical Society that was held in conjunction with an exhibition of SAPFM members work.  The topic of the presentation was inlay on New England furniture, and Steve did an excellent job with the history and demonstrating the techniques.  I followed up on Saturday with a full day hands on workshop with Steve at the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking. This was a very full day of instruction, practice and coaching and was well worth the time and money invested.  I learned some new tips and techniques that will help me greatly as I reproduce pieces from the Federal period or as I apply these techniques to more contemporary pieces.

Much of the material and methods taught is basic and I have used these methods before…but, and this is a big but… There are things that you learn…subtle tips, that are the result of someone having developed these skills over many years, and these are the big take-aways. Sometimes the may only be a couple, but they are priceless.  This was the case in this workshop… A few priceless take-aways along with reinforcement of basic skills. All taught by a wonderfully skilled craftsman and gentleman, and held in an excellent facility!  A good weekend by all accounts!