DONALD ROGERS
In the early years of colonial America most furniture was built by local carpenter/joiners. These craftsmen made a living
through a combination of furniture building, carpentry, farming and many other trades. As America became more affluent,
and cities more populated, there arose specialized furniture builders who produced a much more sophisticated product
than the local craftsmen. However, in rural areas, the carpenter/joiners continued to produce furniture in the simpler
tradition through the 1830's. The furniture they produced was built with local woods, mostly oak, chestnut, maple and pine.
It is this style of simple country furniture that I have endeavoured to reproduce. As a wood turner, I am attracted to this
furniture style because most of the tables feature turned legs and stretchers. I have tried to let the basic form of this
furniture speak for itself. I use mostly antique wood recovered from 18th century barns to construct my furniture. As my
technique has progressed, I have been incorporating more of the defects and natural aging found in this material. I don't set
out to antique my tables, but let the ancient wood naturally express itself. I attempt to use traditional joining techniques
wherever possible and finish my tables with traditional finishes.
Working with antique wood has proved to be much more satisfying than working with modern kiln dried lumber. It gives
me much satisfaction to construct a table using old growth timber that was felled and hand hewned in the 1830's. This
precious wood, that spent more than 100 years as part of a barn, now has a new life as a piece of furniture in the 21st
century.
through a combination of furniture building, carpentry, farming and many other trades. As America became more affluent,
and cities more populated, there arose specialized furniture builders who produced a much more sophisticated product
than the local craftsmen. However, in rural areas, the carpenter/joiners continued to produce furniture in the simpler
tradition through the 1830's. The furniture they produced was built with local woods, mostly oak, chestnut, maple and pine.
It is this style of simple country furniture that I have endeavoured to reproduce. As a wood turner, I am attracted to this
furniture style because most of the tables feature turned legs and stretchers. I have tried to let the basic form of this
furniture speak for itself. I use mostly antique wood recovered from 18th century barns to construct my furniture. As my
technique has progressed, I have been incorporating more of the defects and natural aging found in this material. I don't set
out to antique my tables, but let the ancient wood naturally express itself. I attempt to use traditional joining techniques
wherever possible and finish my tables with traditional finishes.
Working with antique wood has proved to be much more satisfying than working with modern kiln dried lumber. It gives
me much satisfaction to construct a table using old growth timber that was felled and hand hewned in the 1830's. This
precious wood, that spent more than 100 years as part of a barn, now has a new life as a piece of furniture in the 21st
century.
WOODTURNER
Turning a table leg on a P. Blaisdell lathe, C. 1890