Margaret Berwyn Schiffer's collection of furniture and decorative art was auctioned at Pook & Pook, Ltd. on January, 18, 2023. Of particular interest was this spice box made of red cedar with light-wood line inlay on the door, sides, top, and interior drawer fronts. Schiffer owned the spice box when she first illustrated it in … Continue reading A “Dear Little Chest”
Fore-Plane Marks
Unlike painting, furniture making is a reductive practice. The marks on every surface are only those of the last tool used. On show surfaces of pre-industrial furniture, you are typically looking at marks left by a try plane, smoothing plane, or scraper. There is no way we can peer into the past and know what … Continue reading Fore-Plane Marks
What’s In A Name?
I’m sure there must be some confusion among those who don’t study the history of woodworking tools, as to what, if any, is the difference between a fore-plane and a jack-plane. I remember being confused about it when I started in woodworking. The metal bench planes of Leonard Bailey’s design still that were still being … Continue reading What’s In A Name?
A Second Fore-Plane
It is a tradition for the board of directors of the Center for Art in Wood to ask the artists who participated in the summer residency if they would be amenable to donating one or more objects to be chosen by the board to the Center’s permanent collection. This creates a record of the artists … Continue reading A Second Fore-Plane
To a Fore-Plane
"It is called the Fore Plane because it is used before you come to work either with the Smooth Plane or with the Joynter." Joseph Moxon, The Mechanics Exercises Or The Doctrine Of Handy-Works. 1683-1685 A busy summer, (W.A.R.P. Fellowship all of June and July, publishing an article), turned into a busy fall, (Center for … Continue reading To a Fore-Plane
In Proportion to the Trouble 