Of all the furniture of the 18th and 19th centuries, the work of Boston chair maker Samuel Gragg (1772-1855) is some of the most shocking to modern eyes. His elastic, steam-bent chairs are based on the ancient Greek “klismos” chair,” yet they have unexpected curves and a lightness that is contemporary. There aren’t many Gragg … Read more
For me, the highlight of 2010’s Woodworking in America conference was The Feast of André Roubo, a dinner held high above the city of Cincinnati. And I was not alone. One attendee stopped me as I was leaving the feast to tell me this: “I’m not interested in history, old stuff, André Roubo or old … Read more
Paris parquet finds a new home in a rural Virginia woodshop.
By Don Williams
Pages 54-55
The convergent threads of life are sometimes amazing, coincidental things.
My earliest and most important mentors in the restoration arts were Pop and Fred Schindler, the remarkable father and son of an eponymous shop, who first introduced me to Monsieur André Roubo nearly 40 years ago. Their roles in shaping me as an artisan cannot be overstated.
BLOG: Editor Christopher Schwarz has written a lot about the Roubo workbench – find all the entries on his blog.
WEB SITE: “L’Art du Menuisier” is available in the original 18th-century French on Google Books.
TO BUY: Plate 11 of “L’Art du Menuisier” is available as a poster, suitable for framing. Read more
