| Project by Alan Young | posted 91 days ago | 410 views | 2 times favorited | 19 comments |  |
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This past winter my wife and I watch the entire Jane Austen series offered up on PBS . Seeing all those period films made me think how challenging it would be to design and build a piece that might sit well in at least one modest room in one of those stories….I decided on a Writing Desk as per the situation of Fitzwilliam Darcy. The design is not a reproduction of any particular piece. But I’ll say that my goal was to produce a piece that has the look and feel of something you might find in one of those settings.
The desk is made from Walnut, Walnut veneer, and Sapele. The design is dominated by gilded carvings, edge treatments and moldings.
Lets take a tour around the desk and see the view from the four sides.
The front of the desk features a drawer with a tambored center and carved pulls with an inset gilded dowel frame. The drawer is itself sits in a gilded frame. Turned and fluted legs support the carcase.Above each leg is a shield with a gilded carving.
The corners of the desk feature a double curved panel in a bold supported framework.
The panel has an inlaid design.
The sides feature a walnut veneer panel in molded frame with gilded scroll and arrow carvings.
The back corners have a glided writing feather carving atop the turned, fluted and gilded leg.
The back side is a set of three veneered panels in molded frames. Gilded arrow carvings encircle the framework.
The Sapele top has gilded carvings in the corners and along the edges…
Thanks for looking. I have a pretty LONG and thorough description of the design process and all the construction episodes on my webpage:
http://www.woodwardwoodworks.com/DARCYDESK/DARCYDESKDesign/MrDarcysWritingDesk.html
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19 comments so far
Paul
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48 posts in 127 days
posted 91 days ago
I guess I will sell my tools, can’t compete with this! Great job.
Paul
-- Paul, Washington State
thetimberkid
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1684 posts in 241 days
posted 91 days ago
Nice writing desk!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- Look great, get your TTK merchandise now! http://www.printfection.com/thetimberkid/ Check out my site http://thetimberkid.blogspot.com/
Jimboe
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77 posts in 287 days
posted 91 days ago
very nice !!!
kewald
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62 posts in 118 days
posted 91 days ago
Extraordinary!
As a novice gilder, I wonder what process you used in the gilding. Did you use gold leaf or schlagmetal?
-- Always do the Right Thing the Right Way the First Time - if you can figure out what that is! Ken, Spring Branch, TX
Alan Young
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42 posts in 258 days
posted 91 days ago
Ken,
I used Sepp Mica Powders mixed with Sealcoat-ie dewaxed shellac…scroll down this link
http://www.woodwardwoodworks.com/MrDarcysWritingDeskp3.html
Alan
kewald
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62 posts in 118 days
posted 91 days ago
Alan,
So I see! The only gilding I’ve done has been in repairing picture frames. For that kind of work, I use either gold leaf or schlag metal, and use the mica powder to fill in the inevitible gaps in the leaf.
For flat work, using mica powders and a carrier makes lots of sense. Far easier and less expensive than using leaf.
Thanks for sharing.
Ken
-- Always do the Right Thing the Right Way the First Time - if you can figure out what that is! Ken, Spring Branch, TX
daveintexas
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224 posts in 413 days
posted 91 days ago
That is one great looking desk. You should send the pics to FWW, maybe we will get to see it on the readers page.
Thanks for posting
-- MISSION FURNITURE-My mission is to build furniture
woodyone
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223 posts in 129 days
posted 91 days ago
Brilliant, the quality is amazing well done.
Woody.
-- Woody, UK
Arianna
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117 posts in 129 days
posted 91 days ago
very beautiful work.
-- Arianna
SCOTSMAN
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539 posts in 123 days
posted 91 days ago
Well don Alan looks like I had better get moving to another hobbyL.O.L. seriously looks beautiful well done ajob like this is hard to equal never mind beat.Kindest regardsAlistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
Kipster
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1070 posts in 290 days
posted 91 days ago
That is an admirable piece of work
-- Kip Northern Illinois ( If you don't know where your goin any road will take you there) George Harrison
Christopher
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199 posts in 457 days
posted 90 days ago
Yery well done! Difficult piece, keep it up!
-- Sometimes when I am building something and it is out of square, I just bend my square.
trifern
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4974 posts in 304 days
posted 90 days ago
A very attractive piece of furniture. Thanks for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
corey cyr
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42 posts in 202 days
posted 90 days ago
that is a very nice peice of furniture.
JerseyJoe
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25 posts in 94 days
posted 90 days ago
Excellent Craftmanship. You should be very proud. Job well done…
-- Joe Massanova, Somerdale, NJ
Bigbuck
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1050 posts in 201 days
posted 90 days ago
Beautiful, that is a goregeous peice. Very nice job!
-- Glenn, New Mexico
kenn
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138 posts in 257 days
posted 90 days ago
WOW! That’s a serious projeact that you executed extemely well. I’m very impressed. Awesome job.
-- Every cloud has a silver lining
Woodhacker
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686 posts in 261 days
posted 90 days ago
What an incredible looking piece Alan! Amazing!
Thanks for sharing it…and all the extra photos.
-- Martin, Kansas
WhattheChuck
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71 posts in 98 days
posted 90 days ago
Nice!
-- Chuck, Pullman, WA