Monthly Archives: February 2013
Appeal for Information on Kent Clock Maker
I am appealing for any information about clockmaker Andrew Latter of Speldhurst in Kent. Of the two longcase clocks by Latter that I am aware of, both have brass dials with eight-day movements. One case is oak and the other black … Continue reading
A Set of Six Claremont Fan-back Windsor Chairs – Part Three
I took advantage of a few cool hours in the early mornings recently to rough out the seats. The saddling will be further refined once I’ve turned the stretchers and legs and glued them in place. I also made the … Continue reading
Making Rabbit Skin Glue – Easy as Piss!
I have recently been enthralled by the television programme Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home from Britain’s Channel 4. In episode two, Kevin and his jolly band of helpers discover the ancient process of making glue from animal skins (beginning at … Continue reading
American Antiques Age Faster
From Horton Brasses’ blog… Antique looking furniture has become rather popular, unfortunately there are not enough antique items to accommodate the demand. What has resulted because of this? Cheap, unauthentic, antique knock-offs that look authentic but are really twenty-first century … Continue reading
Drawer Front Dovetail Evolution
Until the mid-seventeenth-century, drawer sides were normally nailed into rebates cut in the ends of the drawer fronts (figure 1). All that prevented such a drawer front from being torn from the drawer when the handles were pulled were two … Continue reading
Of Valentine-Day
It is a Ceremony, never omitted among the Vulgar, to draw Lots, which they Term Valentines, on the Eve before Valentine-day. The Names of a ſelect Number of one Sex, are by an equal Number of the other put into … Continue reading
A Set of Six Claremont Fan-back Windsor Chairs – Part Two
Busy chairmaker and all-round good bloke, Glen Rundell, dropped off the elm slabs for the chair seats last Thursday morning. Glen was also kind enough to collect a new spokeshave for me en route, so I thought I might be … Continue reading
Antique Treasure Trove
The Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association in conjunction with The Arts Centre Melbourne is presenting Antique Treasure Trove at The Famous Spiegeltent in Melbourne on Saturday the 16th of February and Saturday the 16th of March, 2013. “Bring along … Continue reading
Provident Provenance
Several decades ago the Earl and Countess of Rottingdown were in the midst of refurbishing the dining room of Rottingdown Abbey in Oxfordshire. The Countess determined the twenty-two George II walnut dining chairs were uncomplimentary to the revised décor and … Continue reading
A Set of Six Claremont Fan-back Windsor Chairs – Part One
Claremont fan-back Windsors take their name from a set of chairs (fig. 1) made, circa 1773, for Lord Clive of India during his rebuilding of Claremont in Surrey[1]. Fig. 1. One of Lord Clive’s extant fan-back chairs, circa 1773. This … Continue reading
Pegs and 'Tails 