Newport Kneehole Desk

[Alan Turner]

Thanks for the nice comments, guys. I probably will submit it to FWW, but so far they have not bitten on anything I have previously sent them. Maybe this time.

Mark,
This finish starts with a distilled water grain raising session, followed by 320, by hand. Then a coat of water diluted lemon yellow Transtint dye. Then a coat of powdered garden lime (1 tablespoon per pint), which I scrubbed in with a gray 3M abrasive pad. Then a water cleaning, drying time, and shellac. Did a bit of toning to even out the color where the wood was not well color matched. I top coated with lacquer, and hope I don’t regret that decision.

Carl,
You are correct that the writing gallery is unusual. The original of this piece was by John Townsend, and the teacher stated that this was one of only 3 of the documented Townsend pieces that had that feature. There are 13 drawers, each dovetailed, of course. Someday I will have to count the DT’s on this guy, but there are quite a few. Maybe excessive DT’ing was the reason there were so few. Carpal Dovetail Syndrome?

Zahid,
The piece is signed on the underfloor of the kneehole compartment. There is a false bottom in the kneehole, which is activated by pushing down on the very rear of the bottom shelf. A secret compartment, so to speak.

[Dave Brandt]

YOWZA! That is absolutely incredible. That's it. I'm selling everything and finding a new hobby.

[Chris Daigh]

Is that a picture of the museum piece, that is a very nice piece of furniture. If I was able to build that and if it was in my home I would rope it off. How many hours to you think you spent on it.

[Alan Turner]

Actually it is in a glass enclosed, humidity controlled structure. I think it was about 600 hours, which shows you what slow really is. I make a turtle look quick. I think Rob Millard would have done it in a 3 day weekend.

[Roger Myers]

Alan,
Exquisite!!
My love of furniture and craftsmenship peaks with Goddard Townsend and with the furniture of the Seymours... Your work is an incredible testament to the strength and lasting ability of the original design, and crafted with incredible skill and attention to detail.

I just was reading an article in the Boston Globe where a second of the Goddard Townsend "Brown family" secretarys is going to be put up for auction. The first one went for over 12 million when it went up for auction and Al Breed built the reproduction of that piece (featured in FWW)... Big debate over allowing this piece to go up for auction as I believe it is owned by the RI historical association, where the last time, the piece was owned by one of the Brown family members... Just shows what the value is in such a classic design!
Did you send this off to the SAPFM forums... you should come to the summer conference in June and bring the piece with you!! I'd love to see it in person!!

Great, great job!!!

Roger

[Dan Forman]

By definition a masterpiece, truly spectacular!!! The bar has been raised.

What is the function of the lime in the finishing process?

Dan

[Robby Phelps]

Alan,

Absalutely stunning. Excellent execution. I hope someday to be in the same calibur as you and Rob Millard.

Again beautifull work

[Matthew Dworman]

Great Job Allan!

[Marc Hills]

Alan:

In an instant, everything is changed. I am for once, speechless. You have my limitless admiration.

[John Shuk]

Alan,
It is extraordinary! I can't say much more than that. Abosolutly fabulaous!
John

[Philip Duffy]

Magnificent! Pleasure to see such high quality work being done by today's masters. Phil

[Dave Anderson NH]

Not much for me to say Alan. Everyone else has covered it pretty well. I will however echo Roger Myers' comments and ask you to come to the SAPFM summer meeting and by all means bring the desk. Truly magnificent my friend. The unfortunate thing is that you have raised the bar for yourself to truly dizzying heights and it's going to be a hard act to folllow.

[Alan Turner]

Thanks again guys. Dave, I will consider the Lancaster meeting. I'm pretty busy, but it would be a well spent weekend.

I will share a few details of this piece (and would gladly share more if anyone is interested).

The installation of the hinges on the door was done in the conventional way on the original. One leaf was cut into the door, one into the cockbead. But, Ernest Joyce writes of a way to have a proper hinge installation, while putting the barrel of the hinge totally on one side or the other. You simply cut angled mortises, parallel, so that the barrel is fully right or left. This I did on this piece since the cockbeading is only 3/16" and frames the door so nicely. But, to cut into it destroys that nice framing line. This was a new trick for me, and is not difficult, once you figure out you should do it.

The back of the original was two pine boards, nailed on. I thought this piece might someday live in a large room, and not be against a wall, so it got a frame and flat panel back, with two central stiles to mirror the thirds that divide the front.

Townsend used corner blocks/legs, with the grain up and down, which is cross grain to the feet. Some bracket feet crack under this situation, but his hadn't. Instead, I used what I believe is the Scott method, and layered the corner blocks, cross grain on each layer, so that there is long grain on both the front and side feet. This desk rests on the corner blocks; the feet are merey decorative, and hold the corner blocks.

I mitered the feet, and splined them, with parallel grain splines. I was tempted to do do 12/4 feet, full blind dovetailed, but didn't. I have never cut them, and I knew it would take a lot of time, so I got lazy.

On the original, the top is attached to the sides via a long sliding DT. That is not a joint I like as I think it is weak (being so near to the edge), so I used a more traditional joint -- a sub top, with the actual top screwed to it.

The drawer rails were just nailed into dados on the original, and had no back connecting piece. I used a M&T, both front and back, glued the drawer blades to the runners, glued the back piece to the carcase, and left the back M&T's loose, with a short shoulder, to accomodate wood movement.

Townsend used full width pine drawer bottoms, with the grain running 90 degrees to standard drawer bottoms. In the summer these drawers do not open. Mine are built conventionally, and do work, at least so far.

The drawer sides for the small gallery drawers are of quartered sycamore, at the suggestion of Steve Wargo. A little detail sort of touch which I like. Sort of a non-period surprise.

The original has 8 keyed locks. Mine has one; on the door. I would rahter be a theft victim than have a broken desk; hence the decision. We will see if the thief finds the secret compartment (also a non-Townsend feature).

All of this means that it is not a true period piece, and that is fine with me. I am not wed to the period details if there is a better way of doing things, and I think my improvements are structurally more sound. Hard maple should outlast the pine drawers of 1765, even though mine will never be in a museum. What I really like about this desk is the soundness of the appearance, and its total integration with itself. It is a design that is worth copying.

I should add that this is the first piece that I have ever built from another's print, and my first quasi-reproduction piece, in addition to being my first piece of carving. Lots of firsts here. I doubt I will ever do a piece a fine as this again, as noted by Dave the Moderator.

In thanks to Dave, I should disclose that this piece would not have been possible without having made and used one of his marking knives, from his early posts here, before he went "commercial."

[Martin Shupe]

Alan,

This piece deserves to be in the FWW gallery...but I think someone already said that. Well done!

It also deserves to be in a museum...but then your family wouldn't be able to enjoy it, would they?

Just think how much your piece will be worth in a hundred years!

[Chris Thompson]

Holy &%$)@*~!

I'm used to people posting project pics here and thinking "Wow, that's nice."

But this is the first time I've ever actually said Holy &%$)@*~ out loud with mouth agape.

Amazing. Truly inspiring.