Interesting Pieces of Furniture - 2

[Anonymous]

Hi all

The second piece of furniture in what I hope will be a regular series over a long period of time.


This one was the first suggestion I received from a member in my 'inbox'

All that he told me is that this is one of his all-time, favourite pieces and is a desk made by Nick Chandler when he worked for David Savage.

He says that "For me it has a sort of vitality that makes it feel almost alive."

David Savage's website is here

All are welcome to comment on the pieces and please pm me with links to any photos that you would like featured here and a few lines explaining why


I will copy all items of furniture I post here into a single sticky thread in the Design Forum, thus creating a pictorial 'list' of interesting furniture here

 

[Paul Chapman]

In case anyone is wondering, it was me who submitted this one.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[ByronBlack]

I love the tapering of the legs, and the curves - fantastic bit of craftsmanship.

 

[MikeW]

I like the wood selections and from what I can tell, the finish does the wood justice. I'm not so sure I like the legs. For me, they seem almost like an after thought. A, How do I go from the scale I need at the apron to the, almost trademark narrowness, fineness of the foot which is characteristic of the Savage workshop type of afterthought.

I prefer the table which Krenov made in this shape. Not as high fashion as this one, but better proportioned.

Take care, Mike

As an aside, I do really like the Love Chairs they make, as well as several other pieces both with and without the spindley legs.

 

[Shivers]

Hmmm--what would you call this style,-- traditional avante garde.

Not to my tastes,but theres some nice skill involved in balancing out the designs,sometimes the design process can take up a fair amount of time & isnt always in a linear timeframe.I'd say(looking at his website)that he has tremendous talent & is a top notch craftsman to boot---a rare combination,
I,m not sure about the choice of woods--seems to dark for the shape(could be lighting conditions on photo shoot),i just checked the website & i see that that he refines his models over time --so this is just one possibility/variant of the theme.This guy is very good & also must have equally talented fellow artisans working along side,what he's doing is probably the hardest area of woodworking to succeed in.

Shame there no mention of wood types/finish ect,nice stuff though--i think i'm getting my enthusiasim back for furniture again.

regards all

shivers.

 

[MikeW]

Well, Shivers. Any comment on the pricing?

From the website:
...between £20,000 and £35,000 depending upon your needs ($30,000 - $45,000).

Take care, Mike

Sorry to stir the pot. I'll play nice from now on...

 

[Shivers]

Well, Shivers. Any comment on the pricing?

From the website:
...between £20,000 and £35,000 depending upon your needs ($30,000 - $45,000).

Take care, Mike

Sorry to stir the pot. I'll play nice from now on...

no problems with pricing on this stuff it's cracking--immense design time & thought have gone into it--this is the real deal,
intrestingly the website says theres a chair that goes with this desk-it would have been nice to also see that since they go together.

regards.

shivers.

 

[Anonymous]

Now this really is inspiring!

I've just spent half an hour looking through Mr Savage's website and I'm gobsmacked! At first I assumed he was based in California - the home page has that look about it - but was amazed to find he's over here!

I feel very stupid for having never heard of him!

I don't actually think that the desk Paul has chosen for us is my favourite from the photos I've been looking at, but it is beautifully designed and executed. No way could I have done that. The Becksvoort chest of drawers... yes I could. And that, to me, is the big difference.

I would also like to see the desk with it's matching chair - for me a desk or dining table should always be viewed with it's accompanying chairs for the full design effect - after all that is how it will be viewed for the next hundred years. (Or possibly slightly less in the case of my furniture!)

I really like the 'Million dollar table' on the Savage website.

And no argument from me about pricing here, either :lol:

Brad

 

[Shivers]

Now this really is inspiring!

I've just spent half an hour looking through Mr Savage's website and I'm gobsmacked! At first I assumed he was based in California - the home page has that look about it - but was amazed to find he's over here!

I feel very stupid for having never heard of him!

I don't actually think that the desk Paul has chosen for us is my favourite from the photos I've been looking at, but it is beautifully designed and executed. No way could I have done that. The Becksvoort chest of drawers... yes I could. And that, to me, is the big difference.

I really like the 'Million dollar table' on the Savage website.

And no argument from me about pricing here, either :lol:

Brad

Quantum leap in craftsmanship alltogether--heres an gifted well trained artist ,whom went & trained under real world situations amongst real tradesmen,the combination of these skills is phenomenal,-brillant brillant stuff---

yes the million dollar table is fantastic,Did i say i like tables.

Back to the desk--i wonder if the owner has a computer monitor on it now.

regards

 

[DomValente]

Now that is a beautiful piece, agree with MikeW the legs just seem slightly wrong, not sure why, a little ungainly perhaps, overworked maybe, but still like it

 

[Anonymous]

I think that all it needs are some eyes and it could be an alien from Starship Troopers!!

When I browse round the internet looking for cabinet makers, this is the type of work that I look for. It makes you take a second look. Unlike the drawer cabinet by Becksvoort's where you can tell what you are getting at fisrt glance, this piece encourages you to "get involved". I can only imagine that if you had the chance to see it in real life many hours could be lost looking at it from every angle.

Would I want it in my house, probably not, but thats not to say that I dont like it. I think that I "appreciate" it and I enjoy looking at it.

One question that i thought of when looking at the Becksvoort's 15 drawer cabinet was what would it be worth 1 week out of the workshop. How about one year, ten years etc. Where as I couldn't quite see the value of Becksvoorts piece, this one I can.

Anyway, thats what I think.

Rgds


Saint

 

[woodbloke]

The desk part is inspirational in my view though I have to agree with others that the leg detailing looks very odd....it doesn't spoil the piece but detracts rather than enhance or compliment. Much more of David Savage's work, amongst others of the same ilk in F&C. If you regularly want to see this sort of quality work in a mag, then in my view, its the only one to buy - Rob

 

[Philly]

What a great piece! Very organic, flowing lines and marvelous workmanship.
I would like to see the chair that goes with it, too.
The feet look so thin and dainty. The more I look at this one the more I like it. Excellent!
Philly

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

I can see why it look's "almost alive". This seems like a sort of joke neo classical form. My kids have a dvd of beauty and the beast where all the French neo clasical furniture comes alive and does dance routines and stuff. Its got the same sort of character about it. Mind you to be honest if I had some of those chairs (off the Savage web site) around the house it'd do my head in, theyre just too busy and shout out "look at me, look at me, I'm clever, I'm different"
The thing on this table (form wise) that I think could be better defined is the staright plumb vertical on the legs, a gentle s cabroile type of thing might have been more in tune with the top?? Perhaps assymetrical leg's of subtly differing profiles seeing as the top's edges have varying lenghts and degree's of curve?? Its very difficult to ***** from one poor picture but I suspect the finish/craftsmanship etc is top rate (which it should be at that price) Will it look tired and dated in 10, 20, 50 years time? who knows. I suspect it will in the broad scheme of things. My observations of furniture generally always lead me to conclude that the most enduringly popular forms are the one's that hark back to greece and Egypt (or are influenced by them to greater or lesser degree's), neo classical furniture/architecture etc has its moments when it resurfaces, usually during periods of social turmioil when (rich) people want some sort of stability and "order".

 

[spadge]

Really like about 90% of this table.

The outward curve of the ebony feet spoils the look for me. I know some tension in a design can really lift the look but this detail makes it look like a spider about to run off.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks for all your comments. This piece was featured in one of the woodworking magazines - "The Woodworker" if I remember correctly - over a two or three month period at around the time it was made. The articles covered the design as well as the making of it. Not sure if I still have the magazines - had to have a clear-out a few years ago when they were taking over the house

Unfortunately the picture on the website does not do the piece justice - it doesn't look so dark in real life. And some of the features don't show up. For example, the bottom three inches or so of the legs are in a very dark wood - ebony I think.

Like some of you, I also like some of the chairs David Savage has made, which started with the two that were used at his wedding (Gallery 5 on his website) - a lovely idea I thought. The making of these were also featured in the magazine.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

Like other's here I really appreciate the design innovation and craftsmanship of David Savage and his workshop.

This type of "art furniture" is wonderful but it simply wouldn't fit in my home. So I admire it as I would a large painting that I know would be too big for the walls of my humble home.

I have some experience of this issue, because as a young (23) man I bought a dining table and 6 chairs that are currently in storage. The table is 9 feet long made of elm which is bookmatched along the long axis. It has 3 legs one of which comes through a circular hole in the top about 18 inches from one end. The other 2 legs are set just ouside the top of the table. I saw it and fell in love. I commissioned 6 chairs echoing the theme.

I still love this furniture but it looks at it's best when you can view it from a couple of metres away. It really needs a big room on it's own. The current SWMBO doesn't like it so it languishes in storage because I can't bear to part with it.

Art furniture - you either love it or hate it but if you love it and you're a mere mortal housing it can often be a big problem.

Now, a pair of love chairs would make a very nice 50th birthday present

 

[Paul Chapman]

Now, a pair of love chairs would make a very nice 50th birthday present

Are you going to have a go, Phil, following your chair-making course? It would be a lovely gift 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Shultzy]

I have to agree with Good Surname or what ? that this piece is unlikely to fit into most peoples home. I like the piece very much and you can't fault the design effort and construction, but its very much in the "competition" bracket. This is the sort of furniture you might see in a museum or one of the Nation Trust properties, to be looked at rather than used.