Northern Woods Entry (pics)

[Joel Ficke]

Thursday is the start of the Northern Woods exhibit in Minneapolis, MN -- here's my entry.

Details:
wood: Mahogany and white pine
finish: Analine dye, BLO, and shellac (with lots of problems along the way)
source: Gratz tall chest at the Winterthur Museum
time: 2 years start to finish -- a pure neander effort

If you get a chance to see the show, please stop by and say hi. Also the original is on display right now as part of a traveling display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, so make sure to see that as well.

Thanks for looking.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n113/jficke/Gratz/DSC_0143_web.gif
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n113/jficke/Gratz/DSC_0153_web.gif
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n113/jficke/Gratz/DSC_0145_web.gif
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n113/jficke/Gratz/DSC_0156_web.gif
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n113/jficke/Gratz/DSC_0154_web.gif

[Steve Jensen]

Wow! That's absolutely amazing!

[Calvin Hobbs]

Joel,

This is beautiful work. All of the carving is so crisp and clean. The finest I have seen of this type of Chippendale rococo carving. It was worth the wait to have such a tremendous piece.

Cal

[Neil Lamens]

Hi Joel:

That's a beauty. Lower section all tied in magnificently!!! Really COOL!!! and most importantly........have a blast at your show!!! You gotta be excited!!!!

Neil

[Dave Anderson NH]

Outstanding job Joe. Philadelphia Chippendale pieces always are exciting to look at and yours is certainly no exception. You did a great job on some very difficult carving.

[Ron Brese]

What can I say but WOW!

[Brian Geyer]

that is outstanding work. i wish i was closer so i could see it in person.

[Andy Livingston]

Truely Awesome. That is inspiring work!!!!

[Al Willits]

Planning on getting over to the show this weekend, be looking forward to seeing it in person.
Does set my thoughts of entering the show back even futher than I figured...
whoa! some beautiful work there.

Al....who hopes there be a show in twenty years....come to think of it, hopes he'll be here then too...:)

[Karin Voorhis]

That looks like a winner to me!!! Good luck and have a great time.

[jeremy levine]

Wow! That's absolutely amazing!

What he said.

[rick fulton]

Wow Joel, that is truly impressive work. And only hand tools? Can't imagine how many hours must have gone into it. Just fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Is it OK to add a photo to the post for smc posterity?

[Don Bullock]

I once dreamed of making a chest like that. Then I came back to reality.

That is a beautiful display of woodworking craftsmanship at it's highest level in my mind.


Exquisite!

[Bob Stack]

When I looked at the first image I thought: WOW Increadible.
And from the legnth of the posts looks like you lefts us all pretty much speachless.

[Joel Ficke]

Thanks for the great comments all. I hope to take that positive feedback spirit to the show with me. Sometimes I'm my own worst critic as all I see are the defects, finishing mistakes etc, so it's awesome to get the positives accentuated too.

Calvin - much appreciated note about the carving detail. Upon close inspection you can actually see my carving progress from the lower apron to the upper scrollboard and cartouche with the apron being kinda bulky and square and the scrollboard folliage being light and natural looking. For me this was really a good thing to see. Maybe it's technique improving or just my eye developing over time, but I sure hope it continues to get better. Two years is a long time, and I don't want to start another one tomorrow, but it was worth the effort. A definite learning experience.

Al - I look forward to seeing you at the show. Please say hi. I plan to be there most of Friday and Saturday.

Rick - How did you get the thumbnail into your post. There must be a thread for this, but I didn't see it last night. Anyway, yes and thanks!

I should also mention that this was built under most excellent instruction of Gene Landon teaching at Oldemill in York, PA. Really a wonderful experience for someone with no previous 18th century knowledge.

[Calvin Hobbs]

Joel,

Quick question. I'm sorry I don't know this....

I know that the vines/scrolls are applied on the scrollboard at the pediment and on drawer front, but never was sure about the aprons. I have not been able to examine an old one, are all these applied as well or are they carved from the solid? (or was it done both ways). It would seem, especially on a chair front rail it would lend itself to be integral in case of bumps/damage. The applied stuff would want to break off.

Did you use any machines for roughing out/dimensioning?

If I get a chance to come up North, would you be willing to go over your carving techniques with me? My attempts at the vines/foliage are quite lacking in comparison.

Cal

[Joel Ficke]

Yes the apron carvings are carved from the solid (not applied). Use a marking guage to set the depth around the perimeter and go crazy hogging out the excess. Next rasp the bulk features to their rough profile and then it's just like any other carvings.

Certainly when we all get together it would be fun to review the process. I took pretty good notes/pics along the way, so hopefully that will help the explanation a bit.

[Mark Valsi]

Holy Bleep !!

[RickT Harding]

Holy Bleep !!

I was working for words and then you found them for me. Amazing to see such intricate work.

[John Gregory]

WOW!!!!!!!!

The piece is awesome.

[Nancy Laird]

Joel,
Although I'm not a fan of this style of furniture, I have to say that this is one fabulous piece. The carving is exquisite, but I'd sure hate to dust it! Nice work!!

Nancy

[Larry Fox]

Magnificent piece! Very well done.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Show off~!!
Nice piece, superb carving, love the legs.

[Mike Henderson]

That's a beautiful piece. That carving is really difficult and time consuming. Hope you do well in the show. Wish I was in the area so I could see it in person.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Ok....I'm glad I'm sitting down...that is fantastic!

[Bruce Page]

Not in a million years would I be able to do work like that! I’m in awe!

[Ron Kellison]

Obviously, a labour of love! I can't imagine ever having the skill to do a work of such caliber! I also sniffed around Photobucket and I've got to say that your jointer is one serious piece of machinery! I'm guessing that a mobile base is out of the question!:D

[Joel Ficke]

Ron,

No doubt about the jointer. That thing weighs a ton...almost literally. Refurbing that is my big summer project...well that and cleaning enough space in the shop to fit it :eek:

[jonathan snyder]

WOW, that is spectacular! It would take me two years just to carve the ball & claw feet. You are very talented. Good Luck in the show.

Jonathan

[Dan Drager]

My Wife and I visited the Milwaukee Museum of Art this last weekend. They had some simply amazing peices and the highboys were like nothing I had ever seen.

Honestly Joel, yours belongs along side those museum peices. Unbeleivable work. Congratulations.

[Charles Wilson]

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Chuck

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very, very, very nice work Joel! Stunning!

[Greg Deakins]

That is a very well done piece. I cant wait to see it tonight in person.

["Gary Brewer"]

Joel: Very Very impressive!!! Where did you learn your carving skills and did you find a god source for the lumber?
Thanks,
Gary

[Larry Fox]

Whatever the prize for this show you are entering - I think you are safe making room on your shelf now.

[Joel Ficke]

Thanks again for the kind words all, this energy will carry me though the weekend.

Greg I look forward to meeting you tonight. I hope you post pics of your entry for the SMC gang too.

Dan this is the nicest comment yet. From my point of view, the early carving work on the apron isn't good enough but hopefully I'm past that bulkiness for future work. Thanks for the comparison though as that is what I am striving for.

Gary the carving knowledge came primarily from Gene Landon teaching at Oldemill in York, PA. He's fantastic. Lumber came from Irion and Groff and Groff lumber companies in PA. Irion has top-shelf quality lumber but are priced accordingly. Morris at Groff & Groff can find similar with notice and will be a little lower price IMO but it may take a little time. Both are great though. There are probably others too, but these are the only vendors I have experience with.

[Justin McCurdy]

I am speechless. I can't even imagine where you would start on something like that. I would get frustrated after a couple of days and just find some way to wrap it up. Just beautiful.

[Brian Boru]

Joel,
Very Fine work indeed.
Did you make a archetype / prototype?
Good Luck


About the original at the Winterthur Museum:
"Drawn directly from nature, the eighteenth-century rococo style derived its name from rocaille, a French word referring to the rocklike creations that ornamented fanciful grottoes. This style was so successfully popularized by London cabinet-maker Thomas Chippendale and his furniture design book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1754-1755 and 1762) that it is now frequently referred to as the Chippendale style.
Flowers, shells, trees, and land formations served to inspire the wildly creative, sculptural, and often curvilinear forms, which were incorporated into everything from textile patterns and chased and engraved silver tea sets to foliate ornament on furniture and other decorative arts. A high chest owned by Michael and Miriam Gratz (married) of Philadelphia stands as one of the most florid expressions of high-style rococo taste in pre-Revolutionary America . The asymmetrical shell, bold naturalistic carving, and pierced central cartouche reveal the carver’s skill and understanding of rococo design. In Henry Francis du Pont acquired this high chest, as well as a companion dressing table, directly from Gratz descendants."
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2002/winterthur/winterthur.pdf

[Bob Nelson]

Well that does it!!! I WAS going to enter something next year ;) .

Stunning work. I look forward to seeing it in person. Probably Thursday on my lunch break.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Yea, that's pretty much a "WOW!" I admire your dedication to your craft. Very inspirational.

[Bob Nelson]

Joel:

I just saw it in person and it's even more stunning!!!

You got half my vote for "Best in Show". I had to give a vote to Mark Laub for his piece. It was incredible.

Congratulations on the fine work!
Bob

[Joel Ficke]

Bob, thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you got to see it. What did you like most and least about it? I too enjoyed Mark's piece as well as many others there.

Brian, no prototype for me, but I did get to view another piece throughout the process. That said, I have several portions that were thrown away and redone during the process, so maybe if I put those altogether I'ld have a proto :-)

Jim, IMO building a piece like this is very much a learning process as opposed to some natural talent -- if you have the desire, with training you can build it -- I truly believe that. Just be prepared to get knocked down and get back up a few times.

[Bob Nelson]

Joel:

The intricacy of the carving and the mirror finish really caught my eye on yours. And it was huge. I'm 6'2" and felt dwarfed by it :D .

What I liked least about it was that I didn't build it :mad:

I wish I could have spent more time, but had to get back to work.

[Charles Jackson III]

That is some beautiful work.

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Awesome Joel: I've been away and just saw this. Fantastic

[Tyler Howell]

What they said Joel.
Going down to take a look tonight.:cool:

[Pat Doble]

Joel, I was able to fit in a short trip to the show on Friday night. Your piece is absolutely stunning - simply amazing to see in person - and even more so because of the 'neander effort'.

My favorite three pieces were yours, the Mark Laub piece and Francis Peterson's maple table - and every time I try to rank them I come up with a different order. Lots of outstanding pieces there, but I feel yours and the Laub Lingerie Chest were the most impressive.

Keep up the incredible work.

[Al Willits]

Wife and I stopped by the show to wander around and see Joel, missed Joel unfortunately, but did wander a bit, pretty interesting stuff.
I gave Joel my vote as I liked Marks piece a lot, but didn't care for the four leg looking things that sprouted up from the piece, that was the tie breaker for me.
Beasty's favorite was the light colored (maple?) table, she liked the design of it and its look, have to agree, nice table.

Al

[Tyler Howell]

What a pleasure meeting you Joel.
The "for sale" sign went on my shop Saturday after seeing your work.
The bar is too high:o .
Hope to see you again at some of these creeker gatherings.

[Pat Doble]

Joel, just ran accross the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild newsletter with the award winners from last years show...

Congratulations on your Judge's Award, a truly deserved honor. Your piece was outstanding.

For anyone that wants to see Joel and the rest of the award winners:

http://mnwwg.org/mambo/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,17/Itemid,29/mode,view/

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

That's a whole lotta o' lotta you got there Joel~!!

[Ed Costello]

It just is not fair. I am not worthy..............You should be very proud, truly a stunning acomplishment!!!!!!!

[Bill Wyko]

Hands down, the nicest HB I've ever seen! Your skills are in a class all their own.