A client hired me to create a new side table to match a beloved antique. The original was modest- made of softwood, no drawer- yet elegant in its simplicity and clean lines. It bore the marks of well made furniture. The leg joints had been pinned for extra durability, and the top planks were shiplap joined. A well developed patina and numerous repairs showed that the piece had served multiple owners well.
This would be something of a treat.

To source my stock, I reached out to my favorite local supplier Abernethy Sticks. Joe Abernethy was able to cut what I needed from a salvaged beam. Though the lumber was freshly cut and planed, it still showed the character and depth of color acquired during its former life.
I built the replica to the dimensions and aesthetic of the original, carrying through joinery, hand tooled surfaces and natural oil finish. I made sure not to polish out all of my scribe lines and plane bites - these help tell the story of the piece and how it was made.
When I delivered the finished piece I was struck for a moment looking at the two side by side.

They were twins born generations apart. I could see the better part of a century in both directions through time; what the new piece would become, and how the original had once looked, fresh from its maker.
What an honor to participate in this living tradition.