Pair of Queen Anne Highboys

[Robert LaPlaca]

Folks, I would like to share a pair of Queen Anne highboys that I have recently completed. The design is kind of a cross between the best features of Randall O'Donnell's highboy from FWW #117-119 and the highboy from Norman Vandals Queen Anne furniture book. The highboys were 85% built from some Black Walnut that was sourced in North Carolina, the material was amazing, most of it was 10-12 foot long, 14 to 15 inches wide,clear and air dried.. The thicker stuff for the turnings. gooseneck mouldings and legs came from Good Hope Hardwoods or Groff and Groff. The secondary wood is yellow Poplar.

Both highboys were dyed with water based dye, the finish is a combination of shellac and Waterlox original. The brasses were sourced from Ball and Ball.

Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed building them..

[Paul Murphy]

Wow! Kinda leaves me without words, thats a whole lotta painstaking work. I think the walnut and workmanship are both supurb.

[Gordon Eyre]

Beautiful work, you can be righteously proud.

[jim sauterer]

very nice robert .you should be very proud of those,

[gary Zimmel]

Real sweet pieces Robert. Very well done sir... Thanks for the look see.

[Andrew Hughes]

Those are real nice,Not too many people making furniture like that around here.Sure are nice.

[Mel Fulks]

Beautiful .May we ask if they are going to actually be used as a pair? I don't think I've ever seen a pair before.

[Scott T Smith]

Absolutely gorgeous, Robert. Very nice design and craftsmanship.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Beautiful .May we ask if they are going to actually be used as a pair? I don't think I've ever seen a pair before.

Oh my heavens no, those two 'beasts' take up so much wall space it was a challenge to photograph them side by side somewhere in the house. Boss Lady graciously allowed me to use the only wall in our home that would support the photographing the two side by side, that was in our dinning room, after everything was emptied out..

The darker dyed highboy is for the Boss Lady, the lighter highboy is a commission..

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Excellent work Robert! Thanks for sharing and providing some inspiration!

[Will Boulware]

Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing!

[Tony Shea]

Not my style of furniture but there is some major props due in the workmanship department. Very impressing work. Some better close ups of the carving details would be nice. The finish turned out great as well. All around I am very impressed!

[Joe A Faulkner]

Stunning, inspirational. Wow!!! Excellent workmanship.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Thanks for everyones kind words.. A few more shots are attached

[Nelson Howe]

Those are magnificent.

Nelson

[Jeff Monson]

Robert, those are both unreal. I cant imagine the talent and the time it takes to complete a piece like that, let alone 2. Very impressive work.

[Mike Allen1010]

Robert your highboys are truly inspirational in every sense of the word!

Fantastic design and craftsmanship - thanks very much for sharing the pictures. Honestly if I ever did anything half that nice I could die happy!

Mike

[Kevin Bourque]

Gorgeous work! How long did it take you to build them?

[Robert LaPlaca]

Gorgeous work! How long did it take you to build them?

I am a slow builder.. But I figure each highboy is 200-240 hours, from rough lumber to finished product..

[Jeff Brown]

Simply Beautiful !

Very talented work :-)

[Timothy Mann]

Hi everyone, my first post here, and I just had to say these are just beautiful! The largest projects I have ever done was a pair of china cabinets, but they pale next to these, I am in awe.