Specimen Cabinet
Lots of Drawers
A collector's or specimen cabinet, this piece was inspired by antique cabinets that emerged during the Enlightenment period in Europe. As the world opened up and became smaller, intellectuals, philosophers, and scientists sought more rational ways to understand the world. A scientific method based on empiricism developed and gained prominence. Gradually, a separation between church and state also emerged creating the foundation of our modern world.
Background
Frank made this cabinet for the Manley Wood Expo. It is an eclectic piece that combines a lot of different influences and styles. Specimen cabinets were and still are used in museums; however, this one is more a case of art for art's sake. This piece was heavily inspired by the Aesthetic Movement of the latter half of the 19th century. The Aesthetic Movement expressed a dislike for an ever-growing industrial age where machine-made production created substandard goods and the negative social impacts from people working in large factories started to be felt.
The primary timber is Tasmanian Blackwood. It was salvaged from an Edwardian sideboard.
The timber that the sideboard was constructed from was very high quality, figured Tasmanian Blackwood.
Process
This project covers a wide variety of skills and techniques. The old Edwardian sideboard that the timber was salvaged from was given to me. Style wise it was not a very attractive piece, it was very chunky, oddly proportioned with an overbearing scale. However the timber it was constructed from was very high quality.
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Tasmanian Blackwood, (common name Acacia, scientific name Acacia Melanoxylon). The timber was very high quality, dense grain, deep in colour and nicely figured.
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The four legs are turned in the lathe. The double beading is turned separately out of Casuarina and Burl Myrtle.
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The Black Japan finish on the legs is shellac based and polished in the lath.
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This piece is exclusively made of solid timber. 90% of the timber was salvaged or from invasive weed species, e.g Camphor wood. The aromatic Camphor wood was used for the drawer linings.
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The main feature veneer is a very tight eucalypt burl. The small internal drawer fronts are made out of a figured fiddleback Blackwood.
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The drawer knobs are turned out of faux ivory and ebony timber.
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The stretcher rails are cotton reel turnings. Cotton reel furniture was furniture which was literally made out of cotton reels, which is where the shape of that style of turning originates.
The legs for this piece were made in the wood lathe. The beaded segments are made from burl Myrtle. The black Japan finish was done in the lathe.
The turned stretcher rails are Blackwood and inspired by depression era cotton reel furniture. Furniture literally made out of old cotton reels.
The timber used are as follows; Tasmanian Blackwood, Eucalypt Burl, Australian Cedar, Western Australian Jarrah, Myrtle and Casuarina.
The cabinet carcass is Solid Blackwood which is put together with precisely cut and exposed dovetails. All the drawers are fully dovetailed front and back.
This cabinet is a very luxurious piece which Frank very much enjoyed making. It expresses his deep commitment to the art and craft of furniture. Exquisitely finished and beautifully detailed it is a showcase of Frank's wide range of skills as a furniture maker.
Outcome
This was displayed at the Maleny Wood Expo where it won the craftsmanship award. It was also featured in the "Australian Wood Review". www.woodreview.com.au
This piece was desplayed at the Maleny wood expo where it was very well received and won the craftsman ship award.