Reproduction Seymour Tambour Desk

[Rob Millard]

This is a tambour desk I made combining details from several such desks, from the shop of John and Thomas Seymour. It is largely based on catalogue entry 10 in The Furniture Masterworks of John & Thomas Seymour, by Robert Mussey. I made changes to the inlays, and species of wood used for the tambours. The desk measures 35 ½” wide, 19 ½” deep, 43 ½” high. It is made from Mahogany, She-Oak, Holly, Curly Maple, Ebony, Walnut, Cherry, White Pine and Ivory (from old piano keys). The writing surface is covered in blue wool felt
(baize) with a leather boarder. The drawers are lined with blue paper. It is finished with my standard lime and water mixture, applied after a coat of yellow dye to enhance the highlights. The crotch veneer on the drawer front was given one coat of oil based varnish, to pop the grain, but not overly darken it. The lime/water was followed with tinted Danish oil. All mahogany surfaces with filled with oil based grain filler. The She-Oak tambours with also colored with the lime/water mixture; the curly maple was colored with Trans Tint Dark Vintage Maple. The top coat is one coat of de-waxed dark shellac and several coats of blond shellac. The pigeon-holes where painted with a combination of white and Prussian Blue Japan colors with a whiting extender. As with all my reproductions, I made the inlays. The hardware came from Londonderry Brass.

Rob Millard

[John Timberlake]

Terrific work. Looks very much like a similar desk normally on display the Cleveland Museum of Art (building under construction). Nice choice of wood, nice looking dovetails, and beautiful finish. Love your work.

[Alan Turner]

I am honored to be the first to offer congrats on a job well done. The details are striking and well done.

[Al Garay]

Speechless. And you are supposed to say that you built it using hand tools.

Absolutely stunning piece.

In the Woodnet forum, they would say "YOU SUCK!" and that's the highest compliment given.

[Jim Becker]

Rob...as usual...stunning. You really are a master craftsman!

[Zahid Naqvi]

Rob, your work is beyond praise. The attention to detail and the quality of workmanship is nothing less than stellar. You sir are a true craftsman.

[Dave Fifield]

Rob - excellent craftsmanship! Very nice piece of work. You get a gold star to put on the SMC work chart! :D

Dave F.

[Ed Nelson978]

Beautiful work Rob!

[Dan Oliphant]

Wow, what a treat to look at, now that is real eye candy!!!!

[Calvin Hobbs]

Great project Rob. Looks just like a Seymour, down to the last detail. Very crisp work, great finishing.

How much time did this piece take, if you don't mind me asking?

Again, beautiful.

Cal

[Jason Tuinstra]

Rob, the piece is a true beauty. While I prefer the Shaker style, the craft and skill you show in your work is right there at the top of anything I've seen. A real show stopper. Thanks for showing it off for us. BTW, I love the thin dt's. Nothing like it.

[Chris Barton]

Rob, as always I will line up with the others to tell you how fine your work is. Mussey's text is the single most important book I own (IMO) and your work certainly does replicate the piece in the picture.

In describing you finish work on this piece, I began to wonder if you have run across any finishing instructions that may have survived from that period. One would believe that it would be reasonable simple (even the Seymours were in it for the money) and reproduceable. I rely heavily on shellac and to a much lesser extent, BLO as the foundations of my finishes. It would be interesting to see first hand techniques of our fore fathers.

Rob, when is YOUR book coming out? With all this great work I would certainly expect that a book would be in the works... I hope I didn't let a cat out of a bag.

[Chris Barton]

Sorry, just one more question; how many hours did the piece take you?

[Mark Stutz]

Rob,
As always, your work is truly awe inspiring. I eagerly await each of your project posts knowing that something amazing is going to show up. I only dream that somedy I can come close to doing something like this.

Mark

[Mark Valsi]

Man, that is sooooooooooooooo good !!

the only comparison I can make to his woodworking and mine is comparing my golf game to TIGER WOODS !!!


That is museum stuff for sure !!!

AMAZING !! WOW, INDEED !!

[Dan Forman]

Has anyone said exquisite yet? Hat's off to you sir.

Dan

[Richard Wolf]

Very well done.

Richard

[Howie French]

Rob,

your work is so impressive, I am really appreciative of you postings

Howie

[Don Bullock]

Rob...as usual...stunning. You really are a master craftsman!

Jim I couldn's have said it better. WOW!!!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Uh Rob, This is two posts like this on Seymour pieces in less than 3 weeks. Do you ever sleep? I am astounded again for about the ....... time. What are you going to do when you run out of Seymour pieces to make?

As always, my hearty congratulations for more of your outstanding work.

[lou sansone]

hi rob
that is a great piece. I remember when I first saw Seymour pieces I thought to myself " what's the big deal". Then I started looking more closely at them and saw the big deal. the photos do not do your work justice. thanks so much for letting us take a look at such fine pieces.

best wishes in the next piece
lou

[Dave Ray]

Rob, as everyone has said, magnificent piece. Great write also with good info. You keep moving that bar up for the rest of us.

[Steve Wargo]

I saw this last week, and just couldn't let the thread die after just 2 days in the spotlight. This piece is stellar Rob. I love Federal Period Furniture and love the tambour front writing desks. Now I want you see one with the bellflower inlays on the tambours. Great job, and wonderful piece of furniture. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Chris Barton]

I agree with Steve and was just admiring his chest in FWW as I was, er, in a meeting...