I’m trying to put some construction techniques in my minds eye for a William and Mary style high chest. I have quite a few questions concerning these pieces but I’ll ask them one at a time so I don’t get totally confused all at once.
Many of the high chests I’ve been looking at have a proud bead that follows the cyma curved shape of the apron. Some may call it a cockbead but it is not on the drawers. The turned leg base also has a shaped stretcher that mirrors the apron. These chests are typically veneered right up to the bead. There must be a technique in the construction that will facilitate making the bead, fitting the veneer and cutting out the mirrored parts in an orderly or complimentary way.
The shaped edge on the apron has tight radiuses as well as short straight runs and many inside and outside corners depending on the design. I’m thinking the bead must be applied rather than scratched and the rest of the surface relieved. This detail is sometimes seen on Queen Anne pieces also. If applied, I think it is possibly a combination of sawn and bent stock, mitered at the junctions.
If anyone has experience replicating this style, I would be thankful for some insight or a source that addresses this detail. I have searched the web and looked through a number of books. Jeffery Greene’s, “American Furniture of the Eighteenth Century” has some good info but does not get into the specifics of how the stock might be managed or how this edge treatment was achieved. Thanks.
Replies
Hammer,
The moulding is applied (I believe) in sections, bent or cut from solid stock to match the curve of the apron.
The apron is veneered then trimmed to shape - then the cockbead applied - it's still termed a cockbead as far as I know, as it's purpose is to prevent the veneer from being lifted vy an accidental contact.
W&M used flat stretchers, typically in Solid - it's the predominant feature of the style.
Typically, walnut veener was used, but the piece was heavily covered in marquetry and paterae.
Don't know if this helps or just confirms your suspicions.
Rob M, Lee G, and Sgian D should be able to fill in a few more details as they come across your post.
Cheers,
eddie
I made one William and Mary piece, a lowboy that had the bead you are talking about. The bead was bent to shape then glued and nailed on. After several attempts to bend the walnut, I gave up and used white oak. The oak bent very easily after being steamed. I made a positive and negative form that had slightly tighter curves than the actual apron to hold the bead while it dried. After the bead was in place I dyed it to match walnut, which made it nearly indistinguishable from real walnut. On the apron I veneered it first and then using a reverse tooth jig saw blade cut the profile.
Rob Millard
Thanks Rob and Eddie. Rob, that lowboy is a dead ringer for the one in the Issac Sack collection. Were you able to see the original? It must have taken some extensive research to replicate that famous piece so perfectly. Did you ever discover if it was attributed to or suspected to be the work of a specific cabinetmaker? I visited Winterthur at Thanksgiving. The Rococo pieces were so overwhelming I missed the cellerette attributed to Benjamin Burnham. Rob, are you true to the original when you construct period pieces? So much of the joinery can have issues. The thickness of the turning stock for those legs has me concerned. It won't be easy to find suitable stock for them. What would be your given choice for the substrate wood on the carcass? Do you use what was used on the original? Any tips on the splined brasses, I've never installed any.Sorry for all the questions. I have many more but I don't want to impose on your kindness. Thanks again, I've got to go move some more snow. I'm setting up the steam box next week for another job, hopefully I'll have some time for some practice pieces. Guess I'd better break out the beetle!Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I made the lowboy by working from the photo in the Sack book. I will make changes to the construction of a piece as long as it won't be seen. For example the lowboy has an applied molding around the top, which of course causes problems, as would veneering just one side of the top. To overcome this I made the top and sides from a core of narrow quatersawn pieces of pine and then a layer of crossbanded poplar veneer. The visible surfaces were veneered with burl maple and the inside with pine veneer. This in effect made plywood panels, that are very stable but indistinguishable from the original. I purchase the stock for the legs from Groff and Groff lumber. The brasses came from Ball and Ball, and they are held in place with a cotter pin like affair. I bent a small right angle on the very end , and then pushed these bent ends into small holes drilled in the back side of the drawer. I'm not sure how common this would have been during the period, but it kept the pins for catching on things placed in the drawer, and reminded me of how period nails were clinched. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want, and I'll do my best to answer them.
Rob Millard
I have attached a photo of that lowboy ( I thought it was lost when my computer crashed two years ago). I was uploading photos of this piece to the FWW website when I heard about the 9/11 attacks, and the driver from the shipping company and I watched the second tower fall while he was here to pick it up. This was when my photography stank, so it is not the best.
Rob Millard
I must be turning into my mother in old age. I'm worrying about imaginary problems and overcomplicating simple things. One of the things I love about woodworking, especially the old methods, is the exquisite simplicity with which the eye is fooled. My curiosity would not rest so I grabbed a piece of scrap, and did a quick layout. It must have taken all of 20 minutes to mark the scrap and change the band saw blade. It was less than 20 seconds before I had the solution to my question and my fears laid to rest. Next time I'll actually try the process before bothering you kind responders with a dumb question. I'm already so enamored with this technique I won't be able to restrain my use of it.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
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