Peter Follansbee’s “17th-Century Essex County Cupboard" is about as close a description as we’ll ever get to how complex pieces of 17th-century furniture began in the forest and progressed through the workshop. This particular cupboard contains a multitude of operations: riving stock, insane amounts of tricky (and simple) joinery, drawboring, nailing, faceplate and spindle turning (some of it on a massive scale), plus sometimes-wild mitering jobs to add all the decoration to this enormous and beautiful piece. Plus, it includes measured drawings by Jeff Lefkowitz, with details of the turnings and mouldings.
Building a cupboard like this isn’t just figuring out the joinery. It’s also figuring out how the original makers may have held some of the odd-shaped bits to work on them. It’s puzzling over the order of operations to assemble the components. It’s figuring out when to carve and paint, when to rive and when to cut joints to keep the whole operation moving forward.
It isn’t often that Lost Art Press gets to publish a book like this. Written by a joiner at the top of his game after a lifetime of research, training and daily work. Plus a project that is worthy of all the long years of toil it took Follansbee to be able to build it.
Follansbee has spent his adult life researching and building 17th-century furniture to understand the tools and processes used to build the cupboard featured in this book. “17th-Century Essex County Cupboard” represents the culmination of decades of serious research and shop experimentation. But it’s no dry treatise. Follansbee’s wit – honed by 20 years of demonstrating at Plimoth Plantation – is reflected on every page.
Even if you never plan to build this cupboard, you’ll find Follansbee’s book a gripping account of what has been for him (so far) a twice-in-a-lifetime project.
And, the first 100 books ordered include a special treat: a signed bookplate from the author!
“17th-Century Essex County Cupboard”
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