Monthly Archives: September 2013
Picture This XVIII
I’m no Gunter or Oughtred; in fact, I’d be more likely to put two and two together and come up with a ballet skirt. Hence my interest was piqued when I came across this seventeenth-century arithmetical machine in Christie’s upcoming … Continue reading
Georgians Revealed – an exhibition
British Library press release Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain British Library, London, 8th November 2013 to 11th March 2014. Exploring the changing lives of the middle classes, from homes and gardens to entertainment and celebrity, … Continue reading
A George II Ash Bureau – Part Six
In relation to A George II Ash Bureau – Part Five, a reader asked, “I don’t understand the mitre/cleat situation. I don’t see a mitre anywhere in the pictures. Is this an english-to-english translation error?” Some falls had two cleats which … Continue reading
A George II Ash Bureau – Part Five
I rubbed a couple of lengths of ash together to make the fall and then added a single-mitred cleat to each end. Next I scratched an ovolo moulding around the periphery of the exterior of the fall (fig. 1) and … Continue reading
The 2013 LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair, London
The LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London is this Autumn’s must-visit event for sourcing and buying fine art and antiques. Among the exceptional works on offer are furniture, jewellery, carpets, tapestries, antiquities, clocks, ceramics, silver and … Continue reading
A George II Ash Bureau – Part Four
I planed a simple ovolo moulding along the edge of a 3/4″ thick ash board and sawed it off at 1-1/4″ wide. The bureau’s base board is 3/4″ thick which necessitated 1/2″ thick packers (fig. 1) to be added to … Continue reading
Seeking Long-Term Relationship…
… with a fall lock. I’m currently making a bureau and it requires a brass lock for its fall. I have had a good rummage around in my boxes of spares and I don’t have a fall lock. A fall … Continue reading
A George II Ash Bureau – Part Three
I slathered the dovetails with glue and knocked the carcase together. The dustboards were slipped into their housings with just the drawer dividers glued at the front of the carcase. A pocket – formed by a vertical divider – is … Continue reading
Pegs and 'Tails 