Creative Woodworks & crafts-103-2004-Holiday, страница 26

Fig. 1. Ira's impressive Wall of Clocks, where he displays virtually every clock offered by every pattern company known today.

Ira Anjoorian:

m.....—— .......—.......——i

Amazing Clockmaker and Dear friend

by Raymond and Dan Wilckens

Meeting Ira

Wo became acquainted with Dr. Ira Anjoorian in 1997, when he purchased some patterns from us. Shortly thereafter, a close friendship blossomed, which continues to this day. Before proceeding, a little background information is in order. Ira is a retired general surgeon from Providence, Rhode Island, where he served with distinction at St. Joseph Hospital from 1966 to

1999. He was President of the hospital's medical staff from 1986 through 1988, and was on the board of trustees from 1986 through 1990. He was also Chief of Surgery until his retirement in 1999. and served on the staffs of Rhode Island and Lying In Hospitals. To this day, he remains an Honorary Staff Member at St. Joseph Hospital. In spite of many twelve-hour work days as a surgeon, Ira still found time for one of his great passions— woodworking. He spent many an evening in his shop, creating a wide array of freestanding cabinets and furniture for family, friends, and associates. Ira was not interested in decorative woodworking at that time; however, his in-laws bought him a scroll saw in 1995 as a Christmas present, and shortly thereafter he got into it very intensively.

Ray and Betty Wilckens visit Ira in Rhode Island

We lirst met Ira and his lovely wife, Lucille, face-to-face at Joe Divcley's third annual scroll saw picnic in Pontiac, Illinois, in

2000. It was there that they invited us to visit them in Providence, Rhode Island, an invitation we gladly acccptcd.

When we arrived at their home in Providence, we were not prepared for what we saw. As we entered the dining room, Ira laughingly introduced us to his Wall of Clocks, where he displays virtually every clock offered by every pattern company known today (see Fig. 1). Incredibly, every room in Ira's home was equally chock-full of amazing, intricate clocks made by Tra, and many were sitting on gorgeous cabinets he had built. When asked which project he made first, he pointed to a beautiful version of the Apostle Clock from Wildwood Designs (see Fig. 2). After completing the Apostle Clock, Tra chose to build Wildwood's Dome Clock. lie concedes that this one was somewhat more dilTicu.lt, and that it took "a few days" longer than the Apostle Clock; however, the results are just as nice, as shown in Fig. 3.

With the Dome Clock under his belt, Ira began ordering clock patterns from every possible source, and he says he can cut many of them in as little as a day. Awed by Ira's clockmak-ing ability, my son Dan and I (Wilckens Woodworking) named one of our clock patterns after him and sent him a pattern to cut out. He cut, assembled, and finished the three lovely Anjoorian Clocks (shown in Fig. 4) in just nine days. The original took Dan and I considerably longer to build. lie has completed several more of these and given them to family and friends. Ira designates not speed, but rather consistency as the secret of his being able to get so many projects done so quickly. It is not uncommon for him to saw for ten hours at a time. He also cuts

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Creative Woodworks & Craft:; Holiday 2004 • 15

Fig. 3. After completing the Apostle Clock, Ira chose to build Wildwood's Dome Clock.

2. The Apostle from Wildwood