Jugendstil der Tisch.. (Table)

[SARGE..g-47]

She wanted a table to accomdate a small Betta fish-tank with the space from our old computer hutch which was replaced by a larger one I finished a month ago. The wall space was vacant and determined the width. I had to attempt to compliment the computer desk-hutch which is in the same small study between kitchen and family room on a larger wall. So....

I saw a table used to sit pitchers on at a station in a German Beer Hall in Munich in the early 80's which had no drawers. I also saw a serving table by the Dutch designer Limbert (influenced by McKenzie and his Glasgow style) with double row drawers. It was Jugendstil (youth style) popular in the late 19th century in Germany and parts of Europe.

I took both designs from memory into account and created my interpretation which was a strongly built fat box. Took off all the fat and leaned it down to very lean with cut-outs and openings. Then added back toned muscle with thin corbels.. curves and arches and basic joinery. This is the result which may not appeal to you personally but I feel appropriate to compliment the desk-hutch just completed and the simple style we call home.

QSWO.. hard maple drawers.. ebony drawer pull fronts.. no metal. Simple in reality with a two week build and two week finish with intermitten hours applied Mon.-Fri. Sorry about the lighting in pictures as I have no skill with camera's.

[tlt]

simply beautiful -- that is an incredibly lucky fish!

[dkerfoot]

I love both the design and the finished piece. Very, very nice!

[Lonnie in Orlando]

Sarge:

I am a fan of Charles Limbert's Holland Dutch Arts and Crafts Furniture, too. You did a terrific job of capturing the (in my opinion) more pleasing soft curves of his style. Those great dovetails are probably better than anything his factory ever produced!

There is no way I could build that table in two weeks! I measured up a Limbert #358 bookcase the last time I was at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville - hoping to build it "someday". If I ever start on it, I would be happy to complete it in a year!!

Congrats on a beautiful design and fine workmanship.

- Lonnie

[just started]

So how much for a set of plans?

[drillman88]

Sarge,
Beautiful as always, thank you for sharing your talent and knowledge with us...

[Ed62]

Hello Sarge,

That's a winner!! As always, beautiful work.

Ed

[Rand]

Awesome. It looks like it's 100 years old and will easily last another 100.

[lrogers]

Nice work Sarge! I like how the grain in the lower left corner forms a sort of star burst.

[ironhat]

Boy, Sarge, ya really tick a guy off. Here you are knocking out one beaut after another and I can't cut a straight edge even with a fence! Great stuff, sir!!

[SARGE..g-47]

First and foremost.. sincere thanks to all who have responded as I wasn't sure how this style would be recieved. I was also not sure how the intended might recieve it. My wife see's a pile of wood (her words) in the shop and cannot vision it more than a pile of wood. I see a basic box where I will add a bit here and take a bit off there until it starts looking like what I precieved in my mind before the first cut is made.

So.. she stays clear of the shop until I bring it up for a verdict. She was thrilled with this along with the desk-hutch and I was declared Not Guilty of total Slaughter and given the day off until I start a printer table tomorrow she had requisitioned. Is that respect or what?

TLT... yep, that litle Siamese Fighting Fish has been strutting his stuff all afternoon on his new throne. ha.. ha..

Lonnie... I also like Limbert and many others that fall outside the normal A & C that most think of when they think of A & C. It was a broad movement that covered a lot of ground that many are not aware of. Gives me plenty of ideas to work with as I love to mix and match with my own twist.

And Doug might be interested in the fact Limbert is Dutch but moved to America but the furniture is built in Holland.. Holland, Michigan that is as that is where he lived.. designed and built. Regarding the Grove Park Inn.. I just got the book a few days ago and was impressed. Enough I am considering taking my wife up to Asheville in Oct. for our 20th Wedding Anniversary and of course I'm going to check out that great collection of A & C in person.

The DT's are hand cut as I learned from Ian Kirby with a few tips from Frank Klaus to just lay them out and don't bother with measurements. And of course I am aided with a great DT saw in the $19 Irwin 19 tooth saw. A dollar a tooth ain't bad even for us poor folks.

Just Started... I don't have any plans. I just look at a picture or have a vision of something.. do a few crude notes on a note-pad with measurement and let the blades turn. I have never in 38 years had a plan-plan other than "on the fly". It can cause hit and misses but.. I just have been doing it that way and will probably continue as I trust judgement and confidence at this point.

Even though that Cad thing could be helpful. Just not my cup of tea. Just look at the pictures and they will tell you what to do.

Rand... it's probably I who looks 100 years old as I feel like 100 sometimes. The piece did take on a older look as was intended. Probably my old tools that got it there.

And thanks again very much to Doug (see note to Lonnie on Limbert).. Drillman.. Ed62.. Irogers as the compliments make me want to strive to do more as in the Flemish expression.. Als ik kan or "as I can"!

Thanks guys....

[SARGE..g-47]

Boy, Sarge, ya really tick a guy off. Here you are knocking out one beaut after another and I can't cut a straight edge even with a fence! Great stuff, sir!!

Thanks Ironhat.. The key to all those curves is having a warped fence and let the stock follow it so.. just build things with curves.

[John Hunter]

Very nice!

[Bill in Buena Park]

Nothing like the beauty of the fleck in the grain of that QSWO, Sarge - very nicely done!

[billwmeyer]

Even though I would rather see the pitchers of beer on the table instead of the fish, that is one beautiful table! Great work.

Bill