Here are two initial sketches of a single-pedestal dining room table I'm working on for clients in Philadelphia. They're looking for something simple, unadorned, and light. I'm thinking that the pedestal will be modeled on a doric column, though I'm not sure it will include entasis on so short a length. If anyone has a point of view on that, please weigh in. In any case, I'm looking forward to turning the column on my grandfather's old (ca. 1939) lathe, which I hope to have operational next week.
The table will be made mostly from maple. I'm planning on using quarter-sawn maple veneer with the grain running vertically on the apron. I'll include a small quirk bead along the underside of the aprons. Because the bead will have to be in sections along a 170" circumference (diameter of the table without its leaf is 54"), I was thinking I'd include some ebony accents at the breaks rather than using a scarf joint and hoping nobody notices.
I'm getting to where I'm pleased with the basic massing of the piece, but am not yet settled on a final leg design. This is where I turn to the books. I'm pretty certain that the inspiration I'm looking for can be found between the covers of Angus Wilke's definitive text on Biedermeier, recently reprinted with amazing improvements to the color photographs.
More on this project coming soon.
1 comment:
Hi Tim:
This is a good one.....as you mentioned the entasis, I immediately thought of a Sheraton, drum table something in the Federal time period....I'm caught up in that right now......as I read on I wasn't expecting your answer to come from "Biedemeier". Very cool....immediately thought of that Danish tilt-top table with the super veneered graphic. Went to my Biedimeier reference and....they never show the column, it's always behind the graphic. Got a kick out of that!!!
I did notice a few columns on side- tables, but my 2 text are showing more oversized beads and the tapered roman column with flutes....that doesn't help the unadorned style your looking for. Understanding my time is limited in your design process, my first thought was to stay with a straight column so you wouldn't need to turn an adorned base to transition off of to create your curve.
Tim...this is exactly why I pop in here, super stuff, love the thinking.
Neil
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