Woodwould
24th June 2008, 03:28 PM
Many years ago I restored a beautiful and rare seventeenth century, caned seat, walnut chair belonging to Victor Chinnery (President of the Regional Furniture History Society, consultant to Christie’s, London and author of several publications and books including the standard reference work on early oak furniture, 'Oak Furniture - The British Tradition') which was unique in as much as it was made of walnut, but painted to resemble the very finest figured walnut.
The chair so caught my eye, that while it was in my possession, I took detailed drawings and measurements of it for future reference. The seat was caned with some of the finest caning I have seen. Traditional caning hasn't changed much over the centuries except for the fineness of the cane and the proximity of the cane holes. Later caning became somewhat coarser to the point where nowadays it is often clumsy looking with poorly prepared, 'hairy' cane (more frequently, machine made sheets of caning are wedged into furniture).
Some time thereafter I embarked upon making a copy of the chair as an exercise in fine caning. The chair frame would present nothing challenging to the average woodworker (there being only minimal carving in the form of a cushion moulding between two beads), but sourcing 1/16" prepared cane (barely 1.6mm wide) proved impossible. I eventually split some 4mm cane down to the required width with a home made plane-like tool, gaining two strips in the process!
I didn't want to paint my chair as the original was, but I did pick out some pleasantly figured walnut for the job.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_01b.jpg
Cushion moulding was a popular feature of the 17th and early 18th centuries.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_03b.jpg
Simple turned front legs and unadorned back legs.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_02b.jpg
The finished chair with typical fine caning.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_04b.jpg
The chair so caught my eye, that while it was in my possession, I took detailed drawings and measurements of it for future reference. The seat was caned with some of the finest caning I have seen. Traditional caning hasn't changed much over the centuries except for the fineness of the cane and the proximity of the cane holes. Later caning became somewhat coarser to the point where nowadays it is often clumsy looking with poorly prepared, 'hairy' cane (more frequently, machine made sheets of caning are wedged into furniture).
Some time thereafter I embarked upon making a copy of the chair as an exercise in fine caning. The chair frame would present nothing challenging to the average woodworker (there being only minimal carving in the form of a cushion moulding between two beads), but sourcing 1/16" prepared cane (barely 1.6mm wide) proved impossible. I eventually split some 4mm cane down to the required width with a home made plane-like tool, gaining two strips in the process!
I didn't want to paint my chair as the original was, but I did pick out some pleasantly figured walnut for the job.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_01b.jpg
Cushion moulding was a popular feature of the 17th and early 18th centuries.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_03b.jpg
Simple turned front legs and unadorned back legs.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_02b.jpg
The finished chair with typical fine caning.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/I-Got-Wood/Furniture/Dutch_caned_walnut_chair_04b.jpg