Replies

1. 
   mbholden | Aug 19, 2008 07:35pm | #1

   Crowell,

   It would help to see the pictures of the pieces in question.

   Pics of the interior construction would help as well, the outside can look the same, but the interior can vary widely.

   Simply not enough information yet to begin to answer your question.

   But to be fair, without any evidence of plans, books, etc. from your fathers estate, you may never know for sure.

   Mike

1. 
   crowell | Aug 19, 2008 07:42pm | #2

   I am a woodworker as well, and it is impossible to believe he built such complicated pieces that are well proportioned and perfect craftsmanship without plans.  And, I know he did not do this by trial and error.  His shop was full of Delta tools, all of which are still is perfect shape and used in my shop.  Maybe, Delta had books of plans?  Thanks for your reply.  Dick Crowell

1. 
   BossCrunk | Aug 19, 2008 09:19pm | #3

   Delta indeed used to publish plans.  Do a web search on Deltacraft publications and see if anything looks familiar.  Some of the Deltacraft issues can be found on EBay as well.  They're a piece of Americana as far as I'm concerned and from a happier day when you bought Delta you really had something worth owning.

   Edited 8/19/2008 2:32 pm ET by BossCrunk

1. 
   crowell | Aug 19, 2008 10:27pm | #4

   Thanks, and will look into the Delta site.  Dick Crowell

2. 
   mbholden | Aug 19, 2008 11:32pm | #5

   Dick,

   From your first message, I had the impression that he made pieces inspired by the 1800's, this is my first love as well.

   I reading books on furniture from that era, plans as we know them, were not common. Most that I have seen from that era are the equivalent of a "cocktail napkin" drawing showing the basic outside dimensions, the number of drawers, leg and crown treatments and thats it.

   I have also worked like this, I call it: "making elephants" from the old elephant joke - "How do you make a statue of an elephant? Start with a big block of marble and cut away anything that doesnt look like an elephant!"

   Your father may have been much more of a craftsman than you give him credit for.

   I can easily imagine working to a picture from a magazine.

   Mike

1. 
   crowell | Aug 19, 2008 11:56pm | #6

   I am guessing that is what he did, worked from a photograph in a magazine.  At least for my writing project, trying to give future generations some idea where all this came from, I am making detailed measured drawings of each piece for the book.  Thanks.  Dick Crowell

2. 
   joinerswork | Aug 20, 2008 01:53am | #7

   crowell,

   I have a book written by Franklin Gottshall, Period Furniture Design and Construction, copyright 1937.  Frank Gottshall was a one-time employee of Wallace Nutting, (of Furniture Treasury fame), in his furniture business, and later was a prolific author.  I have another of his books, Reproducing Antique Furniture, from the early seventies, but my copy is the 7th printing of an earlier edition.

   Also, Fine Furniture for the Amateur Cabinetmaker, by A(ndy) W Marlow, was copywritten 1955.  Marlow also wrote several books, I believe.

   And finally, Carlyle Lynch's Furniture Antiques found in Virginia, was publiushed 1954.

   All are Bonanza publishing works.

   These three guys were pioneers of the home craftsman movement.

   I doubt that you will be able to find any of them in print today, they may be available for viewing thru interlibrary loan from your local library.  Many of Lynch's plans, tho not the book, are available online at carlylelynch.com

   Still available (I think) from Dover, are Margon's American Furniture Treasures, first published in 1949, Measured Drawings of Early American Furniture, Osburn & Osburn, pub1926, and Salomonsky's Masterpieces of Furniture, pub 1953.

   Salomonsky has several pieces of English and Continental origin.

   Ray

    

    

1. 
   crowell | Aug 20, 2008 04:15pm | #8

   Your message is interesting for one single reason.  I am a woodworker, and in my library is a copy of every book you mentioned.  Why didn't I think of going there first?  Thanks for the heads up.  Dick Crowell

1. 
   BossCrunk | Aug 20, 2008 05:21pm | #9

   I'm confused.  Are the pieces reproductions of British or American pieces?

   Edited 8/20/2008 10:21 am ET by BossCrunk

1. 
   crowell | Aug 20, 2008 05:28pm | #10

   The similarity between the two styles is so similar it would be hard to say.  I would say more toward English.  Dick Crowell

2. 
   joinerswork | Aug 20, 2008 08:47pm | #11

   Dick,

   You must be as old as I am, to have all those books.  Back in the early 70's, that's about all that was available.  I remember a friend back in those days excitedly showing me a new magazine he'd found. It was called Fine Woodworking. 

   Ray

1. 
   crowell | Aug 20, 2008 08:53pm | #12

   I have every issue from no. 1.  Dick Crowell

1. 
   joinerswork | Aug 20, 2008 09:01pm | #13

   Dick, you got me.  Mine starts with I think, #3.

   Ray

3. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 22, 2008 03:56am | #14

   Popular Mechanics probably.. Long ago I built a Cabin Cruser out of straight grained Fir and Oak that was made from plans from them...They had all sorts of things to build!

   Even made a Hydroplane from one sheet of plywood plans they had that I almost died in!

1. 
   BossCrunk | Aug 22, 2008 05:18pm | #15

   Agree... if the gentlemen had been working out of his woodworking library then one wonders why those books would be gone.

   I think the plans came out of a magazine or magazine--type publication.  These things so often get tossed out.  Seems this might 'splain the "missing" plans.