jprconsulting
Well-known member
Steve Latta
Federal Furniture Construction and Ornamentation
Peach State SAPFM Fall 2012
Oct 5,6,7,8
The years after the American Revolution brought many changes to the young republic. The merchant class was rising, farmers had outlets for their crops, and manufacturing was on the rise. The nation?s established elite, along upwardly mobile middle class, had money to spend for homes to be filled with some of the finest furniture in the latest style. Luxury abounded and new furniture forms including card tables, work tables, sideboards and breakfronts to name but a few reflected a opulent display of wealth.
Adhering to the strictures of neoclassicism, furniture designers and cabinet makers at the close of the eighteenth century drifted away from the more ornate Chippendale style and championed less complicated, linear forms accentuated by ornamental veneer work. This transformation brought about the need for craftsmen knowledgeable of new taste and skilled with a very different repertoire of techniques. It was the age of the specialist with gilders, ornamental painters, upholsterers and inlay makers enjoying new prominence.
The purpose of this weekend is to study the furnishings of the Federal period and the skills necessary to reproduce them. After an overview of many of the forms, we will key in on a few of my favorites including dressing tables, breakfronts and card tables, specific genres that truly reflect the age. We will take a look at some regional traits relating mostly to design and ornamentation but I am sure we?ll drift into some construction points as well.
Monday?s workshop will focus on a few examples of Baltimore card table leg with a presentation of single and double stringing, various bellflower, cuffs, bandings and so forth. Participants will be able to explore the various techniques and walk away with both a new found knowledge and a desire to delve deeper into this graceful form. Much will be learned by all.
Status of final program
A more detailed description that is still a work in progress and will discuss daily activity should be out soon. Days will be divided between Steve?s presentations of slide/talk and live demos. Lots of mock ups of construction of the SC sideboard and card table with contrast in modern and period joinery, discussions of regional differences in ornamentation and practices.
To get the maximum out of this weekend and especially the Monday workshop, you should either be an experienced Federal furniture builder or have reviewed Steve?s two DVD?s in detail. We can review his DVD?s at any time at our own pace, but we are only going to have Steve here for 3 days and we want to get as much from him as possible. So we will not be back tracking or covering the basics that are already in his DVD?s. If you would like to review the DVD?s, please respond to all and request to borrow one from our members. I know several people have the set and are willing to share. If you have a set and willing to loan them, also respond to all.
Schedule
Friday Night- 7pm-8:30pm - open attendance ? 1 ? hour lecture and demo on Federal work. This will cover a lot of Steve?s work and explanation of the origins of this style.
Sat-Sun ? 9am-4pm Presentations and demos. SAPFM members registered for event. This is lecture format, video screens, Q&A. It will comfortably hold 40 people which is around our normal attendance.
Monday ?9am-4pm - SAPFM members registered for event - workshop/demo with smaller group ? current estimate is the limit will be 12-15 depending on exactly what we do. We are trying to work it out so Steve will do demonstration on a more complicated Baltimore leg with participants then doing the same at the bench. This is NOT a beginner effort. Participants should have experience making Federal furniture with experience in most of the following features: bell flowers, stringing, bandings, cuffs, inlaying and veneering. If a participant does not have adequate experience he will not be able to keep up hands on program. Because Steve?s time on Monday is limited by his flight schedule he will not be able to back track to bring someone up to speed. This is more of an advanced class and we will maintain that pace to get through it.
Cost
Steve will be sending down several heavy packages with mock ups of the construction in addition to some other supplies. Of course, we also have his fees and travel expenses. Steve?s expenses will be limited because he will be staying in Ken?s home.
Currently we expect the charge for Sat-Sun will be no more than $70, with the Monday workshop being about the same.
This is shaping up to be an excellent program. Steve is an outstanding instructor and there are very few people who are more knowledgeable about Federal furniture construction and details. Updates will be posted on the www.peachstatesapfm.info site under events as soon as we finalize them. Look for updates there.
We hope you are able to attend and we know you will enjoy it.
Ken