The Demilune Table
Many decades ago Ferd came across an antique table while on a research trip to study furniture in Winterthur, Delaware. The provenance write-up on it indicated that it was one of a pair that had been split up when each of two sisters had inherited a single table. Where abouts of the second table were unknown. He considered buying the table and then recreating the lost half of the pair as an exercise in developing replication skills and to challenge himself to adhere to the limitations of the colonial cabinetmakers whose work was done without the benefit of power tools. If his second table matched the first well enough to appear to be a pair, Ferd felt he would have learned and earned a great deal of experience. His plan was thwarted by the antique dealer’s price quote which was more than his first home.
Ferd asked her if she minded if he made some measurements and did some drawings to allow him to attempt building a similar table. She was pleased to oblidge, and said that if he did indeed succeed in recreating the table he might then be more inclined to come back and purchase the original table from her so that it would again have a fitting mate. He spent the rest of the afternoon measuring and drawing the many fine details of the table - the rope scrolled apron, the slender legs with hand carved upside down tulips, and a central finial anchoring a delicate lower fretwork. These drawings hung on the wall in his workshop for years reminding him of the demilune dream, until the day he decided to build it in 1/12th scale.
After months of work he created a lovely demilune edition that he was proud to favorably compare to his now yellowed old drawings of the antique table. He was not prepared for the response of so many miniature collectors who wanted a pair of tables, and the edition sold out almost as soon as it was released. Ferd agreed to go back into the workshop once again to build the demilune one last time.
One of the charming features that mesmerized Ferd was the hand carved tulips on the legs. He holds the leg in three stages of carving and still needs to create each individual petal with a fine blade.
If it is even possible, this edition is still more lovely than the previous one. If you enjoy having the options of a pair of tables where they may be placed back to back and create an oval table, or if you wish to further that sense of tradition with elegant and classical symmetry, then a pair of Demilune Tables might be part of your very own dream as well.
But please do not wait, as he shares that there will not be another such edition again. Ferd Sobol is an IGMA fellow who has been creating some of the world’s most beautiful miniature furniture since 1981. He has been known internationally among collectors as The Workshop Wizard.
The Demilune Table features Ferd’s delicate open roped design apron on the front of the tabletop, and on the legs are hand carved hanging tulips. A central finial pays homage to The Federal Period and it balances this table so beautifully. 1/12th scale. The tabletop is made of Carpathian burl, perfect to hold silver by Obadiah Fisher as seen above, or to set inside the foyer ready to gather goods as one enters the house.
Some collectors chose to purchase a pair of tables to flank a fireplace mantle or hug a doorway as TheDemilune Table snugs the wall, fitting anywhere. Delight your eyes and see much more from The Workshop Wizard at the website, the blog, on Pinterest or in his new book on Miniature Furniture.
No comments:
Post a Comment