Woodworker: Lesley Gold
Gold made this lap desk (14-3⁄8 in. deep by 9-3⁄8 in. wide by 2-1⁄2 in. tall) in a master class at Philadelphia Furniture Workshop. It’s a replica of the desk Thomas Jefferson used when drafting the Declaration of Independence. The challenge of using all her skills on such a small scale drew Gold to the project. “Precision was demanded during every step of the build,” she says, “installing the minuscule hinges, adding 1⁄16-in. banding to the drawer front and back of the box, fitting the drawer after cutting dovetails in 3⁄16-in. mahogany and my favorite-positioning the lock and escutcheon.” The box is mahogany with yellowheart banding; the finish is lacquer.