Trees, planes and good friends

Recently, friends of mine purchased an unused plot of land adjoining their house and being keen gardeners they naturally wished to fully exploit the opportunities the new addition had to offer. While they were setting-out for a more ordered plantation, it became apparent that some unfortunate and ill placed false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia, also known as Black locust)) trees would have to go. It was now that I received a phone call asking if these trees would be of any interest to me. Naturally, I was quick to reply; yes they would, but only if the trunks had enough girth. A preliminary trip was organised to select those trees which would yield workable timber and these were then marked with a B, so they could be identified and left by the woodman. Now it has to be said, Robinia in truth is not the best loved local tree, principally because it is not native to these parts and since being introduced has been over eager to colonise hedgerows and any vacant piece of land. Hence my opportunity, that’s not to say that the tree doesn't have qualities, it does have a number and these make it's timber prized in certain quarters. For example, it provides the fence post of choice, due to its high resistance to rot and this is probably now the premier commercial value derived from the tree. Personally, I have pulled a hundred or more year old post from the ground that was as sound as the day it was struck. It also makes a superb turnery wood, which when worked makes a dramatic display of colour and figure from its pronounced growth rings. Choice pieces can also be used in cabinet making, although it will rarely be found in a wood yard and usually falls into the furniture makers hands, like now, by accident.

The story doesn’t quite finish there, because while picking-up the Robinia trunks, my friends asked if I would be interested in some old planes they had discovered in an outhouse, they having no use for them. Well it would be a funny type of furniture maker that wasn’t interested in old planes so I went to have a look. Although on first appearances they appeared to be in poor condition, they were a bit more interesting than the usual smoother and jack plane that I was expecting, although these were also in evidence. Among the haul there was a very fine double iron tongue and grove plane made from Cormier and a rather nice small toothing plane also in Cormier. In addition there were some round soled planes and a few moulding planes, plus a metal jack plane that had been broken and re-welded, this has made the sole so out of truth that it is probably beyond help. Being made from Cormier, these planes would have been among the best and most expensive available in their day.

Cormier is the French name given to the Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis/domestica) this name was once thought to have derived from cervisia the Roman name for beer, of which they made a type from its berries. However, it’s now thought that the name originates from the old English syfre, a drink which was more of a liqueur, although the British did also make beer from the berries. Evelyn said that “ale and beer brewed from the berries when ripe, of the true Service Tree is an incomparable drink” The berries were also used effectively against all kinds of stomach problems including diarrhoea, dysentery and infections of the digestive tract.

My friends were taking down their unwanted Robinia trees that they may plant amongst others, some Service Trees. There is I feel something poetic about this coincidence, especially as there is a chance I may one day work the Robinia with those same planes that they gave me made from Cormier.

The biannual artisanal exhibition in Saint Amand-Montrond really proved to be a pleasant surprise. We were at first a little disappointed that the venue had been moved from the old Cistercian abbey, d’noirlac, because it has such a wonderful ambiance and practically unlimited space to display. However, the light and airy atmosphere of the custom built salle aurore at the cite de l’or complex proved a pleasant alternative and of course the facilities are so much more up to date. Besides this the organisation, accessibility was far better than at some of the much larger events, we have exhibited at and in addition it is virtually on our doorstep. So there was no long journey with a vanload of furniture, with the accompanying, often uncomfortable, hotel stay and meals out.

The real benefit of a local show like this is that many of the visitors are old clients and or friends and we get to meet many more prospective clients who live locally. Except for a very light shower just as we were packing-up to leave, the whole three days had perfect weather with not a cloud in the sky.

Limited Editions

Recently a very dear client friend asked if I might make one of my needle workers boxes in walnut. Well actually she asked me about a year ago and I just recently got around to doing something about it. This was eventuated by three different things, the simultaneous arrival of a trunk of walnut, nicely cut into planks and a sheath of walnut burr veneers. Then a book about the Victory Project; A scheme where items have been made from timber taken from HMS Victory during its various repairs and refits. As one of the makers involved there is a short piece about me and the limited edition boxes I made; a few are still available. This sparked an idea and I decided to not only make the one needle workers box, but a series of five, in a limited edition complete with a certificate of provenance; just like the Victory boxes. The Walnut needle workers boxes will feature Cherry swing handles and dividers to the inner tray and burr walnut lids and tray bottoms. As I write, three of these are sold; this is even before I have made the first one. Hence no picture. Little did I realise that they would prove so popular, that’s the reason I settled for such a small edition. Naturally it would be dishonest to make a repeat edition, however I may make another using Walnut and pear or maybe Birdseye Maple.

What happened to August?

August is generally the quietest month in France, that is if you are doing anything else that is not to do with ‘’Les Grands Vacances’’ Its just impossible to buy materials or supplies, so we just hope we have thought of everything we will need. This seemed like a good time to update our old PC (9 years) for a new one. So it was extremely unfortunate that our long awaited broadband installation occurred in late July. I’m sure some of you are ahead of me here. Yes, you can imagine, data transfer from one PC to the other, new service provider, no engineers, one service account closed 5 days before the other activated, and 15 days before the new service was finally connected.

On the bright side we are now fully paid-up members of the 21st centaury, well it at least feels like it for us; after years of working at night when no one else was using the shared dial-up connection. One dear American client and friend, described our location, as out in “the boonies”, This is true and the way we like it. Now we have the best of both worlds. The only drawback is, that I now no longer have an excuse for not keeping-up to date on this blog.

What a beautiful finish

Returning from a recent exhibition, I thought about many of the questions I’d been asked and how I might utilise this feedback. Then it struck me that the question that cropped-up most frequently was about the finish and how it was achieved. This is a relatively new phenomenon to me and initially I would give a probably not too helpful answer; like, ‘Oh, in the usual way with shellac and oil’. What I had failed to notice is how far removed a hand worked piece with a hand applied finish had become from commercially made furniture. Once all furniture was finished in the same way or variants of; even after spray finishes became more common there was still plenty of hand polished furniture in most homes. Once Mum’s and Dad’s ‘old junk’ was brought up by antique dealers and replaced with 'nearly wood' flat packs, all point of reference had disappeared. New generations rarely get the opportunity to experience what hand tools can do.

A year or so ago I was teaching a nice chap to make a Windsor chair, I think it was his first serious attempt at making furniture. The only power tool he used in the class was a drill, every other process was done by hand. He stood back looked at his impeccable chair and said, ‘I simply can’t believe I did that with hand tools’ I can still see the look on his face. I know he will never look at furniture in the same way again.

There is I feel a renaissance on the horizon, a getting back to quality, but first the public have to re-learn what that quality looks and feels like and happily they are setting out to do that in increasing numbers.

Moving Furniture. Some do's and Don'ts

There are two period armchairs in the workshop at the moment waiting restoration, besides the normal wear and tear, this pair has suffered from careless moving around. A push here and a pull there probably didn’t seem to be causing any damage, until one day they just toppled over. I thought this a good topic to discuss, because although its important, it’s also so mundane it tends to get overlooked.

Whether you are moving house or just re-arranging a room, moving furniture is not necessarily as straight forward as it may appear. Furniture, even well made furniture can sustain damage if it is subjected to forces for which it was not designed. This easily happens when we are in a rush, or we try to do the impossible on our own.

Furniture is designed to carry weight, either just its own, if purely decorative, or a combination of its own weight and that of something placed on it or in it. Weight is a downward force and a quick look at any piece of furniture will show how it is assembled to counteract force in a downward direction; for instance the position of different components and the direction of the grain running through them. Closer inspection will expose different weaknesses to forces acting from other directions. This is not a fault; after all we want our furniture to be elegant as well as functional, not something resembling a Sherman tank. Therefore furniture is designed to perform it’s designated function and if it is intended to move it will be on wheels.

It’s safe to say that if the piece to be moved is larger than a side chair it will need two people to move it, or some sort of equipment, such as rollers or a trolley as well as a means of lifting. Furniture standing on the floor should never be pushed, especially if on carpet as this will always result in some kind of damage if not breakage, this damage may not be apparent immediately. When lifting always grip a main structural element, never a top or an arm. Remember to empty cupboards and remove drawers, make the unit as light as possible before moving. This is good for your health as well as the health of your furniture. Lift chairs by the lower rail of the back if there is one or by the seat rails, never by the arms or the crest rail. The accompanying photo shows a Louis XV armchair, this would have been a heavy chair when fully upholstered; it has been pushed on carpet and lifted by the arms. I think the picture speaks for itself.

Banking On Furniture

The recent crisis in the Banking world reminds me of a very similar crisis that started almost exactly twenty years ago, just before Christmas 1989. Personally for me, it was the best thing that ever happened, although I didn’t know it at the time. You see I was running a fairly successful interior refurbishment company. Specialising in the refurbishment of luxury properties in the west end of London; with shared offices just off Bond Street, we also managed to provide a living for thirty people.

As we approached Christmas we were aware of some rumblings in the stock market, but we were happy and confident. We had a full order book with five contracts worth several hundred thousand each, this in addition to some smaller jobs. Life felt good and that Christmas we bought all the staff large hampers. Returning to work directly after the holidays, the phone kept ringing as usual, not with more orders, this time it was cancellations. By mid January the order book was down to a few shelves in Hampstead. So began my law career, or this is what it felt like after five years of endless court cases. Some said we were foolish, spending more money to chase debts and not just declaring bankruptcy, it certainly would have been the easier option, but who then would have paid all the smaller subcontractors whose familys depended on these payments? Sleeping soundly for me is more important than easy.

It was clear, well to me at least that the this recession was deep rooted and would take at least 10 years of recovery I got, phoo-hood for this. Subsequently I was proven right and this was achieved by innovative business and not the Government as they would have you believe.

Anyway, it was 1990 and I was taking a good look at myself and what I wanted to do, I had been given a clean slate and a chance to start over. I realised that I didn’t really like what I had been doing. Contracting at this level was so confrontational and it required one to compromise on principals. I decided to go back where I’d started, to making furniture again and the way of life before I was seduced away from my bench. I thought I was going to miss the lifestyle, but as it turned out I didn’t miss it that much and I have gained so much more in the process. Now I invest my money in timber, as a matter of fact, yesterday I went to negotiate on a large Walnut tree. You know what, it feels a lot safer.

Handmade Furniture whats so special about it?

While talking the other day, the subject of handmade vs. machine made furniture came up and the point I put forward went something like this. People are always comparing the virtues of one against the other and I don’t think you can do this. Each has completely different aesthetics, although they do both share the same practical function, but this is all. One has the advantage of being comparatively less expensive, an important advantage when filling a house. We generally acquire it new and do not intend to keep it a life time, changing pieces here and there with fashion or as they deteriorate. Generally though, different styles seem to clash and some effort to theme is required. This mass produced furniture can make a house comfortable, but fails in providing a warm welcoming ambiance.

The other can be an antique or newly commissioned piece, the high price tag demands that it be well made and capable of surviving a number of generations. One thing that is immediately noticeable, styles can be mixed and still work. The atmosphere in a room changes, like when a room has people in it and when it doesn’t. These are both human attributes, we don’t need to theme our friends to make them look OK together do we? Here the gap between the two types of furniture widens and gets a little esoteric. Because we have to ask what causes this difference. Some may say, with an antique it’s the age that adds something and this is true, up to a point. The new pieces also exude the same presence of being, enough that people will unconsciously walk up and caress it; how do we explain this?

In Japan it is said that when a craftsman makes an artifact part of his soul inhabits it. While I do not believe this is entirely true, I do think it captures the essence of an exchange that definitely does take place. I believe the piece is becomes vitalised by the living touch of the craftsman, it is his child, his creation and therefore his thought forms are embedded into it. Although a tree has been cut down and is no longed living in the true sense, there is still movement and life on an atomic level. It is this life I believe that responds to the craftsman’s touch and like all life, it emits vibrations, People are like radios, they are receiving signals from their surroundings all day, mostly on an unconscious level; one of the reasons we form impressions. Those with sensitive nature's can respond quite strongly.
D.H.Lawrence put it like this

“Things men have made
with waken hands, and
put soft life into, are awake
through years with transferred touch,
and go on glowing for long years.
And for this reason, some old
things are lovely, warm still with the life
of forgotten men who made them.”

Rustic furniture?

Looking through a number of magazines recently, my understanding of the term ''rustic'' when applied to furniture was seriously challenged. Just to be sure of myself I looked the term up in the dictionary. ''1. Rustic, pertaining to, or characteristic of country life. 2. Charmingly simple and unsophisticated, lacking refinement or polish. 3. Made of rough tree branches. 4. Having a rough surface with deep or chamfered joints.'' It didn't say anything about shoddily made, ugly or overpriced???? So what were these items I could see, so seductively photographed in charming settings. Opportunistic! That’s it, I thought. These are just the latest offerings of the jump on the bandwagon, get rich quick and move on brigade. These people have been involved in fitted carpets, double glazing, decking and it looks like they are now turning their attention to furniture. Especially the rustic kind, because, shoddy workmanship can easily be dressed up to look like the authentic touch of ‘country style’, it is not.

Rural craftsmen had to know how to make all kinds of farm equipment, from a plough to a hay cart and then the barn to keep them in. These very real skills were scaled down to make furniture when time permitted. Naturally they set out to make the best furniture they could, with what they had available and more importantly what the local people could afford. Working in a small community they had to give value for money or go out of business. It is exactly this combination of the rough materials and lack of sophisticated design, executed with a high level of skill that gives the lasting appeal to country furniture.

I love these old pieces, quite often made from a mixture of oak, elm and fruitwood and marvel at the painstaking ingenuity that has gone into the construction. These are light years away from the re-assembled pallets and packing cases I referred to above. Of course the genuine articles are becoming rare and difficult to find nowadays, however good makers are still producing excellent reproductions. These do lack the some of the quirky features found on the originals, but still represent good value for money. If you intend to buy rustic furniture do a little research and be discriminating.

Green woodworking skills are currently enjoying a revival and much credit must go to Mike Abbott for this. These are slightly different to the skills I was talking about above and owe more to the Bodgers than say the village carpenter. For some, this furniture made from green wood and often still retaining the bark, more than any other represents rustic furniture. Interestingly this pieces have a chameleon characteristic that makes them at home in any setting, especially a modern one.

Great Bargain, But Whats the Cost. Afterthought.

If we do boycott imported furniture, we ease our conscience by doing our bit to save the planet, three cheers for us; but what about those who make the furniture. I know there is a lot of money being made by importers and retailers out of this furniture and I probably am not going to loose much sleep worrying about this, they will find another avenue of trade. However, the people who actually do the making, what about them, perhaps this is their only source of income, all that they and their familys rely on. Our well meaning actions could cause severe hardship even starvation. Your thoughts on this please.

Great Bargain, But Whats the Cost.

The headlines this week bring into sharp focus the effect human activity is having on world climate. No matter what stance you take on this issue, it can not be denied that we, all of us, share a collective responsibility to our host, mother Earth. From a furniture oriented point of view (This blog is after all about furniture) what can we do to ensure we leave our generous planet earth in the same way or better than our generation found her? Firstly, we could ask ourselves it those furniture imports are such a bargain. Where do they come from? What timber are they made of and did it come from a sustainable source? It's all too tempting when we see a solid hardwood dining suite, imported say from Indonesia, to look at the price and think, could one table and a few chairs really make a difference. None of us are immune, as I write we have two hardwood garden chairs my wife bought in all innocence that can be seen to have a dubious heritage.
It's not that easy when principals hit you in the pocket. I know this only too well from personal experience. In 2000 I decided to stop using exotic timber in my workshop. This was a difficult choice as my main line of income was supplying the antique trade with replica Queen Anne and Georgian chairs. Authentically made from imported Mahogany, but I was carried away with Millennium fervour and recklessly told my customers they could go elsewhere. Just to make doubly sure they could not reach me again, I moved to France. Talk about burning your boats.

I was lured to this region by the magnificent oak forests, le tronçais, my local is the largest and oldest oak forest in Europe. Generally speaking, deciduous forests like this are regenerating while tropical hardwood forests are not; there is also the question of transport. Some of you detective types may have noticed that I still restore antiques, this is true. However I can honestly say that I have not purchased any exotic timber since making my decision. Since that time I have managed to find all the timber I needed from old irreparable pieces of furniture. However in future I may be forced to purchase the odd bit of veneer. From a certified source of course.

Not easy, as I said, but doable and while I don’t expect everyone to take the drastic steps I have, I probably have earned the right to ask what they themselves are doing. So what are you doing? Please write in with your own story or comments. Even if you don’t believe in climate change and this is a valid point of view, you still do have a duty to the planet and your environment. So again what are you doing about it?