| Project by acanthuscarver | posted 585 days ago | 1401 views | 7 times favorited | 24 comments | ![]() |
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This is a copy of the only known Philadelphia spice chest that is modeled after a highboy. The piece is constructed of mahogany with poplar secondaries. The color is achieved using water based analine dye and the finish is my typical shellac. There are no secret compartments in this spice chest. I’ve also made another version of this spice chest with a more ornately carved bottom apron. I’ll add more photos when I get the chance.
Ok, by popular demand (and the fact that I promised it) I’ve added more photos. The crotch door panels are resawn from a single solid crotch and then laminated to straight grained mahogany. I looked for a shot with some of the drawers open but don’t have any. You’ll just have to take my word for it that they are constructed with hand cut dovetails. Not owning, or knowing how to use a dovetail jig will do that to a person.
J.C., I’ll be waiting to hear more from you. You guys are good for my ego. Sometimes, when you make things like this on a daily basis, you take for granted how special it is to have the opportunity to make things like this on a daily basis. Everyone has had such kind words of encouragement that it makes me pause and realize how truly lucky I am to be able to make a living at my chosen profession. Thanks to all of you.
-- Chuck Bender, period furniture maker, www.acanthus.com































24 comments so far
GaryK
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9496 posts in 867 days
posted 585 days ago
Fantastic piece! I would love to see more pictures of it?
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
CharlieM1958
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7466 posts in 1097 days
posted 585 days ago
Amazing work!
More photos, heck ….. I’d really love to see it in person. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
TomK
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501 posts in 753 days
posted 585 days ago
That’s incredible detail and craftmanship. Welcome to Lumberjocks!
-- If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free! PJ O'Rourke
tartanjock
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7 posts in 626 days
posted 585 days ago
Chuck
You are more than a furniture maker. Thank you – MORE PHOTOS & DETAILS and more power to your elbow . . .
-- TartanJock
ChasHutch
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56 posts in 594 days
posted 585 days ago
Dang. Absolutely awsome. How big is this? Could put something next to it for the next pictures? Maybe some spice bottles ?
-- Hutch - North Dallas, Tx - Safety First
Hugheser
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14 posts in 790 days
posted 585 days ago
Incredible. Please post more pics.
-- Brian (Woodworking n00b)
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 841 days
posted 585 days ago
Chuck,
This is just exceptional work! Just excellent. I definitely prefer the the carved apron over the plain one on the desk. The plain apron seems to need something. You are a true craftsman, my friend.
-- Thos. Angle
Scott Bryan
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20071 posts in 700 days
posted 585 days ago
This is simply gorgeous. I certainly wasn’t expecting this when I opened it. I agree with the others about the pictures. You can post pictures in three slots. Use them all to showcase your piece from different angles and by all means open the drawers as well.
I can honestly say this is the nicest spice cabinet I have seen.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
ND2ELK
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6065 posts in 652 days
posted 585 days ago
Hi Chuck
The piece is simply exguisite! You are a true craftsman of your craft. Your are truely Blessed to have talent like this. Thank you for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
rikkor
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11338 posts in 753 days
posted 585 days ago
Holy cow! This is sooo nice. Please post bigger pictures, I am not quite sure I drooled over every detail.
Grumpy
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14852 posts in 729 days
posted 585 days ago
Excellent work Chuck.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
Daren Nelson
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518 posts in 784 days
posted 584 days ago
What is the size of the combined upper drawer faces behind the doors? That is one heck of a crotch piece.
-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/
DAN
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6396 posts in 861 days
posted 584 days ago
great work and welcome to lumberjocks
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
acanthuscarver
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150 posts in 591 days
posted 584 days ago
Ok, ok, I’ll relent. I’m trying to dig up more photos of the piece but I have to sort through hundreds of them on the computer. As soon as I dig up more pics, I’ll post them. I should have a scroll board close-up as well as one with the doors closed. Wish I could post more but…
To answer a few of the requests, the piece is about 46” tall to the top of the center catouche. Seeing one of them in person is probably not possible as the piece is long beyond my posession. Unlike most of you, I don’t end up keeping the bulk of the pieces I make. I do have a house full of things I’ve made but that took many years to accumulate. You are welcome to come take one of my classes on how to make spice chests and begin the journey for yourself but I’m not here to promote my school. I’ll keep posting projects. Just let me know when it’s time to quit.
Yeah, that’s a big crotch. If I remember my measurements correctly, it’s clost to 20” wide. I’ve built a few of these spice chest and each one was a blast. For the record, I hand cut all my dovetails, including the ones on the drawers. The carving is all done by hand but I do use some power tools to make the bulk of the gooseneck moldings.
-- Chuck Bender, period furniture maker, www.acanthus.com
dennis mitchell
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3785 posts in 1193 days
posted 584 days ago
That is a very interesting height. Great piece.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
Charles Mullins
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94 posts in 590 days
posted 584 days ago
Chuck,
You are truly an inspiration to a wood butcher like myself. This is also the style of work I like to do when I can.
I also don’t have much in my house that I have made except for the house itself. Most all of it has found a home somewhere else.
Thanks for posting it.
-- God makes the wood beautiful--I simply rearrange it to make it more useful, hopefully.
jockmike2
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7222 posts in 1125 days
posted 584 days ago
Just beautiful, there are no other words. The best work I’ve seen here in a long time. mike
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
jcees
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548 posts in 677 days
posted 583 days ago
I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ till you put MORE pictures up. So there… beautiful… but not another word… gorgeous…
always,
J.C.
aka The Incredible Mumbling Man
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
Joni Hamari
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23 posts in 570 days
posted 568 days ago
One of my favorites…A Spectacular piece!
-- Joni Hamari, Cave Creek, Az www.CustomSculpture.com
teenagewoodworker
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2470 posts in 647 days
posted 514 days ago
wow this is an amazing piece. i love the top detail a lot! it is so detailed! thanks for the post.
kolwdwrkr
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2218 posts in 469 days
posted 428 days ago
incredible piece. Nice work
-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~
matt garcia
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678 posts in 550 days
posted 134 days ago
Another special diminutive chest. I love miniatures!! The fact that so much attention goes into a small piece, as does a Highboy, in my opinion makes this a special piece. That, and that the Master Furniture maker is Chuck Bender!! I love it!! Chuck, I don’t know how you can work so hard on something like this, and let it go. That would be the hardest thing for me about this project! I wonder how long it took your customer to finally touch it, after the awe of the beauty finally sank in?
-- Matt, Houston Texas
Karson
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25274 posts in 1279 days
posted 123 days ago
Chuck: I guess I never went looking for your projects. This is another example of your great work.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Beginningwoodworker
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3857 posts in 551 days
posted 89 days ago
Very nice peice, Chuck.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker