Popular Woodworking 2008-10 № 171, страница 58

Influence from the last. I he

Robinson arm char/. jn exercise rn understated grace. borrows heavily from Chinese design.

Fantastic floral inlays. Most Greene & Greene motifs borrow from nature. Then? inlays from the tumble home guest bedroom are no exception.

Oriental influence and incredible detail. Ihn htxik-case from the Blacker house combines oriental motifs with astounding craftsmanship. The cloud scroll details in the uf)f>et comers are an excellent example, as ate the tsuba shapes in the glass leatHng.

Additionally, many details appear in varied forms. In the Gamble house, the lifts on the entry table are quite different from those on the living room furniture. The Robinson house dining room wall cabinet has lifts that approximate halfdovetails.

Even something as simple as an ebony peg appears in varied forms. Consider the tsuba-shaped pegs on the end of the drawer fronts of t he Gamble library table pictured on the next page. The Ford house dining chairs include pegsthat arc somewhat irregular with concave sides. Those same chairs have long ebony vcnical inlays on the back splats. There is always some new surprise.

Fmgerjoints.anotherobviousclcmcnt.arc amongthc most striking details. They appear in furniture, built-insand architectural trim with many variations. Often more beautiful than any dovetail joint, the finger joints arc an example of how the Greenes were able to put their signature on existing forms, leaving no doubt about a pieces origin.

No lessintriguingarca numberofelements that have received far Icssaitention. One favorite is the scroll detail from the Blacker house, highlighted in the first article in this scries. Sometimes called 'cloud scrolls" in Chinese furniture, the Greenes also used them more subtly. One instance isat the base of the stairs in the Gamble house. Another is in the carvings on the Thorsen library table pictured on the next page. In cach ease the result would have been beautiful without the extra ornament. but is more so with it.

Many other wonderful details appear in the Greenes'work that arc not considered pan of the core vocabulary. Shelves arc stepped to provide both strength and a lighter feel: ebony pegs or pins arc used to secure drawer dividers or align table leaves: subtle carving details mirror lifts: escutcheons arc made of exotic woods. And the list gocson.

Construction

Greene &Grecnc furniture isrelatively scarce: the opportunity to examine construction details is truly rare. Due to the kindness of numerous individuals, we've had unusual access to several pieces. Sincere thanks to those who have assisted us in our efforts.

The first thing one notices when examining the construction of this furniture is that it isquitc well done. Despite their age. and in some cases neglect, the piecesare in very good cond it ion. They are sol id. wit h few signs of damage due to design or implementation.

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