Author Archives: Jack Plane

About Jack Plane

Formerly from the UK, Jack is a retired antiques dealer and self-taught woodworker, now living in Australia.

Gothic Revival

Posted on 5th June 2020

There has been some revived interest in Gothic Windsor chairs in these parts lately. I had an enquiry from a reader about the possibility of my making a Gothic Windsor for him. That’s on-going. I have also received mail from … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Random Wax of Kindness

Posted on 17th May 2020

Extensive waxing (whilst remaining customarily hirsute) gives me great pleasure for a couple of reasons viz. it means the furniture acquires a glorious glow and the weather must at last be cool. We have indeed had several recent frosty starts … Continue reading →

Posted in colouring and polishing, Materials | Tagged | 13 Comments

Picture This CXLIV

Posted on 15th May 2020

All right sleuths; let’s be having your opinions please. As per usual, I may withhold some comments for a short period.   Jack Plane

Posted in Antiques, Picture This | Tagged | 16 Comments

Sticking with Original Recipes

Posted on 3rd May 2020

Further to my instruction in L for Leather on the preparation of flour paste for laying leather and baize etc., I was recently looking for something unrelated in The Carriage Trimmers’ Manual (published in 1881) and came across a couple … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques | Tagged | Leave a comment

Picture This CXLIII

Posted on 26th April 2020

Reader, Laurin Davis, kindly directed me to an English Pembroke table, currently displayed in an on-line Antiques Dealers’ Association of America ‘show‘ (I believe it is to be auctioned) which closes at 10:00pm EST, April 27, 2020. The table, attributed … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques, Auction Alerts | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

An Early Victim

Posted on 14th April 2020

Early bun-footed floor-standing chests of drawers and the upper chests of chests-on-chests and chests-on-stands that have subsequently migrated onto bracket feet have been the topic of many a post on this blog. Some of them evolved as their fragile feet … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques, Books | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Picture This CXLII

Posted on 5th April 2020

In early 2017, I wrote about veneered work being patched at the time of manufacture. Whilst searching my archives this morning for unrelated matter, I came across these images of a lovely walnut chest-on-chest. Fig. 1. Magnificent walnut chest, circa … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Historical Social Distancing

Posted on 1st April 2020

I won’t dwell on the current COVID-19 pandemic – this is not the platform – but while reading some of the daily updates on-line, an aspect of a much earlier pandemic piqued my interest. Typhus, yellow fever and cholera epidemics … Continue reading →

Posted in Distractions | Tagged | 12 Comments

Picture This CXLI

Posted on 13th February 2020

Every so often, I go all weak at the knees and grasp a convenient chair back or table top for support. It’s not so much to do with my advancing years; rather, the sight of some superlative piece of furniture … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques | Tagged , , , , , | 30 Comments

Picture This CXL

Posted on 12th January 2020

Described by its vendor as ‘an early nineteenth-century solid oak Scottish desk with original finish’, this is one of the most horrendous carve-ups I have encountered to date. Fig. 1. George II later-carved oak bureau, circa 1740. Fig. 2. Noice! … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiques | Tagged , | 15 Comments