Philadelphia Dressing Table

[Bill White]

OK. I quit. Come get my stuff. I'll never compete in your class.
Great job is not worthy praise.
Bill

[John Timberlake]

Terrific job! Great job on all the carving. Love the shell and floral on the drawer, ball and claw feet, and knees. The quarter columns look great. Over outstanding project. Nice even finish. Don't worry about the time it took. It will bring a lot of pleasure for a couple hundred years.

Did you use plans or just inspiration from the past?

[Alain Tellier]

Cal, this is worthy of a page/shot in FWW mag. Really nice piece of work.

I agree with Dave, this is definitely FWW material. I would definitely submit it.

Nice colors and carvings!

[David Duke]

I'll just add my WOW!!!! along with the rest of them.

[glenn bradley]

I can only echo the sentiments of others here, Beautiful work!

[Mark Singer]

Terrific work on a nice period piece!

[Jerry Olexa]

Cal, outstanding work!!! Great attention to detail. Love those legs....

[Alan Turner]

Nice work!!

[Ben Hobbs]

You certainly did a great job. All those years of work and study is really paying off. Thanks for sharing your work with us all. Dad

[Sean Schwendinger]

Calvin,

As usual I am in AWE of your work. It was great that I actually got to see this in the various stages IN PERSON. As far as carving, I hope to one day carve as well as you do!!!

Cannot wait to see the next one!!! I have to come over and see this in it's home!!

Sean

[Ben Hobbs]

Calvin,

You really did a great job. Everything looks great especially the carvings. Don

[lou sansone]

great pie crust table. got a question about the acanthus leaves on the legs. do you first shape the leg as if it did not have leaves and then carve into the leg the leaves? do the leaves actually sit proud above the leg surface or how do you do it.

hope this makes sense
love all of the hobbs work
lou

[Todd Solomon]

Calvin,

Absolutely gorgeous! I've just finished an 18th century settee with trifid feet, and will take on a lowboy next year. I've carved a prototype ball and claw that I'm fairly happy with, but struggle with carving a 3D foot from 2D photos. I too have a number of books with excellent examples. I'd like to obtain a sample leg that I could use as a model. I am considering buying one from one of the furniture supply companies, but don't know how good a CNC-routed leg would be as a model. Any advice on whether I should use a model, and where to find a good one?

Thanks

Todd

[Calvin Hobbs]

Lou Sansone said:

got a question about the acanthus leaves on the legs. do you first shape the leg as if it did not have leaves and then carve into the leg the leaves? do the leaves actually sit proud above the leg surface or how do you do it.

Lou,

The legs are shaped as if there were no carving (I have seen some articles say you should leave extra thickness there but I didn't). Then you "set in" the outline of the carved area with appropriate gouges and lower the ground around. Smoothing all this out will have the carved areas sit proud of the leg. Ron Clarkson's book is great at showing this process. (Classic Carved Furniture: Making a Pie Crust Tea Table). This is the same process I used for the knees of the dressing table. Cal

[Calvin Hobbs]

Todd,

Seeing a 3D example is of great value. And I agree 2d is usually not enough, although good pictures are very helpful.

Definitely DO NOT buy a ball and claw leg from one of the CNC routed folks like Adams, etc. They do a good job, but hand carving is far superior. If you are near a museum, go there and look, it is surprising how delicate the carving is on a good period piece. Where are you, I can see if I know anything close to where you are?

Lastly, I would contact Allan Breed, Robert Whitley, or Olde Mill, etc. for a casting of a well done ball and claw. Allan Breed offers a Newport foot on his website, and Robert Whitley has one for a Boston Bombe Chest. His website shows a Philadelphia Dressing Table to be coming soon, it may have a casting ready to go.

The FWW articles by Randall O'Donnel and Gene Landon are really good, also.

Then again, most are not as nerdy (or nuts) as I am about the period details, but those would be the best options, or at least they could help you in the right direction. To copy a modern routed CNC piece would be selling short, in my opinion.

Thanks for commenting and post pictures of your settee, if you get a chance. Cal