First and foremost is the lack of availability of really fine quality antiques. A Philadelphia or high-style piece is going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And most of the really nice antiques are in museums. So, cost and availability are the biggest issues. An excellent reproduction piece runs a very small percentage of an antique. Also the reproduction pieces will not need a special insurance policy. Furthermore it will be a piece of furniture that you can use and live with.

Selection is not a problem with reproduction pieces. If you have a photo or have seen a piece in a museum, it can be reproduced. So there you have it; availability, cost and furniture you can live with.

I build my reproductions with the same construction methods with materials and tools that were used in Colonial times. All surfaces are hand-planned and scraped to give the same look as a period antique. Depending on your taste, the surface can be sanded smooth or left at the scraping stage with the small defects similar to those found on an original antique. Moldings are made with wooden hand planes, with the small imperfections that give a piece character.

So often I'm asked where you get the carvings or how much time was needed to make a piece. The carvings are hand-made with mallet and gouge, just as it was done in Colonial times. Also, many of the curved moldings are hand-carved. This is quite time consuming, as you might imagine, but it is the only way I know how to do it. As far as the time carving requires, it is really a labor of love. Many times there are hundreds of hours spent carefully drafting all of the carving details.

I've been building Windsor chairs for a few years now and I find it to be one of my favorite things to build. The Windsor was everyman's chair in the 1800's because it was quick to build and that's part of the reason to like them so much. The chair's progress occurs at a much faster pace than the more formal Chippendale and Queen Anne chairs that I also build. I really like this quick progress and simple joinery. While a carved Chippendale chair may require a month or more to complete, I can build several Windsor chairs a week. It also means the cost of a Windsor can be more reasonable.

The other part of Windsor chair-making that I really enjoy is the finishing. My favorite is my antique finish that has eight different layers applied. This finish can be varied from just a little of the first and second colors showing through to a very heavy wear in the final coat such that a lot of the first and second colors are visible as well as some of the bare wood.

I have been named one of the Top 200 Craftsmen by Early American Life Magazine; in addition, my work has appeared in Fine Woodworking Magazine. Please give me a call or send an email message if you are interested in a fine reproduction Windsor chair.