Newport Secretary:
We are working on a antique reproduction of a Chippendale mahogany block and shell carved secretary. The original (made for Nicholas Brown) in Newport, RI circa 1760-1770 by Goddard-Townsend furniture makers. This is a very challenging piece, with the many stunning design elements that are involved. This secretary was not ordered, but Matt however was drawn to its’ design and challenge involved. Follow the progress and contact us if you are interested in this piece, or one like it.
These are a couple pictures of the original. The piece on the left is one of nine remaining six shell secretaries, many of which are in museums. The fall front desk example on the right was also a popular variation. A view inside the desk below
A single 2” thick board was used to make both of the sides. The board was re-sawn to create the book-matched effect. This is when a board is sawn down the middle and opened up like a book, so that the resulting two pieces are almost mirror images of each other. At left you can see the two sides are clamped together and are trimmed to exactly the same size. Below the two sides are shown. The dovetails have been cut which attach to the top and bottom, and the sliding dovetails are cut, which hold the drawer dividers.
At left you can see the case being glued up. The top, sides and bottom are all dovetailed together. This makes a rock solid joint.
Below, the drawers have been shaped and fitted, with cock beading wrapping around each drawer opening. The drawer fronts were shaped from a single 3” thick mahogany board.
Check back to see the progress...
