Federal style entry table

[Stephen Ash]

Hi all,

Here's a Federal style entry table I completed recently. It's made from jatoba with curly maple for the secondary wood. The stringing is shop-made from holly and dyed anigre veneers, and the banding is from Rockler. The finish is tung oil and wiping varnish.

Thanks for looking, and thanks to this forum - it's a huge source of inspiration!

Regards,
Steve

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful work Stephen.
Your attention to detail is obvious in this piece.

[Harold Burrell]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[George Sanders]

Now I have something else to aspire to do. Excellent work.

[gary Zimmel]

Beautiful job on the table Stephen.

[David Keller NC]

Hi all,

Here's a Federal style entry table I completed recently. It's made from jatoba with curly maple for the secondary wood. The stringing is shop-made from holly and dyed anigre veneers, and the banding is from Rockler. The finish is tung oil and wiping varnish.

Thanks for looking, and thanks to this forum - it's a huge source of inspiration!

Regards,
Steve

Wow! That's neat - I particularly like the "boxed" corners on the top. They remind me of a "Federalized" version of a porringer-top table from the connecticut river valley. I've just been re-reading Jeffrey Greene's "American Furniture of the 18th Century", and he's got just about every Federal-style top surface for pier and card tables illustrated, but I think yours is unique. It's tough to come up with an original design that works in this genre (heck, in any genre).

Nice job!

[John Schreiber]

That is beautiful. I love how as you look at it more and more little details keep coming out.

[John Thompson]

Well done...

[Stephen Ash]

Thanks to all for the nice comments, and David, thank you for mentioning the book by Jeffrey Greene - that looks like a great reference. I didn't pattern this design after any specific piece, rather I just incorporated various elements that appealed to me, and then embellished the top to some degree. I do wish I had adhered a bit more strictly to proper period materials and finishing schedule, but I had to use up this jatoba, and there's always the next project...

Best regards,
Steve

[John Keeton]

Stephen, really some beautiful work here! The grain match on the top is superb - and, I am still not sure there is a glue joint!! Looks like maybe only two pieces.

Great details - little things that make a real difference. Just some excellent work.

[Baxter Smith]

Beautiful table!

[Stephen Ash]

Stephen, really some beautiful work here! The grain match on the top is superb - and, I am still not sure there is a glue joint!! Looks like maybe only two pieces.

Great details - little things that make a real difference. Just some excellent work.

John, thanks for the nice comment. There are actually three glue lines there. It's made from two boards, resawn from the same 8/4 stock, and while the original glue joint was very hard to see, unfortunately the boards continued to move and I ultimately had to reflatten the top by cutting it into thirds. It was upsetting to have to do that, but I think it survived the ordeal pretty well.

Btw, love your new avatar pic - I thought you looked familiar!

Thanks again,
Steve

[Tom Hammond]

Thankfully, I've never let my wife see this site. I can hear it now... "Why don't you ever make something like that?" ARGH!

Great work... though I must admit I am equally inspired and envious!!! The banding is phenomenal.

[David Keller NC]

Thanks to all for the nice comments, and David, thank you for mentioning the book by Jeffrey Greene - that looks like a great reference. I didn't pattern this design after any specific piece, rather I just incorporated various elements that appealed to me, and then embellished the top to some degree. I do wish I had adhered a bit more strictly to proper period materials and finishing schedule, but I had to use up this jatoba, and there's always the next project...

Best regards,
Steve

Steve - If you're interested in "period" style American furniture, Jeffrey Greene's book is the best money you'll ever spend on a subject-specific book. By its very nature, it's not possible to write a comprehensive tome on colonial/federal American furniture, but Jeffrey's book addresss all of the important subjects - from finishing to regional construction practices to major style changes. If you want a signed copy, you can get one from his business - the Ball & Claw (http://www.theballandclaw.com/books.htm)

Getting it from taunton (unsigned) is a bit cheaper, but this is one book that I don't regret spending the $ on.

[Stephen Ash]

Steve - If you're interested in "period" style American furniture, Jeffrey Greene's book is the best money you'll ever spend on a subject-specific book. By its very nature, it's not possible to write a comprehensive tome on colonial/federal American furniture, but Jeffrey's book addresss all of the important subjects - from finishing to regional construction practices to major style changes. If you want a signed copy, you can get one from his business - the Ball & Claw (http://www.theballandclaw.com/books.htm)

Getting it from taunton (unsigned) is a bit cheaper, but this is one book that I don't regret spending the $ on.

David, thanks for the link - I've already placed an order for the book by Jeffrey Greene, and it looks like there's a lot of other great reading there as well...

Regards,
Steve