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@@joebland5331 Now, that makes more sense. Like a mechanics toolbox. I was a mechanic and that's about the only time I used my keys was to move to another job.
That comment is a bit off, I think. This dresser is not cheap. Less ornate and less costly maybe but not a poor man's piece of furniture. The handmade locks cost a buck back then as did all the joinery. As for moving, this Shaker is a static piece, not a trunk to load up onto a wagon, rail car or steamer.
I feel the spirit of Norm - providing homily background and history of not only the piece, but what was going on in America and why things were the way they were. Pull up the popcorn and watch some woodworking Masterpiece Theater. I can't stop smiling James: Well researched, written and shot. It's been a real fine journey watching your channel mature and I cannot properly express how happy I am that you were put here to educate and entertain us.
James Hamilton, skilled woodworker, historian, detective. This episode was fascinating and educating. It was wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.
I think this is a pretty special community of makers to be able to appreciate the workmanship put into this piece. I'm glad you shared it with us. Currently, I have on my to-do list a c.1952 bedroom set that I need to refinish. My parents bought it when they married. It certainly isn't as old as your chest of drawers, but my mom and dad slept on it, I slept on it, my elder daughter slept on it, and her elder son sleeps on it when he visits. It will be passed down to him when he has a place of his own. This video has made me realize that I need to write down the provenance of the bedroom set for the generations to come.
You've got a waiting list too! Late 19th century Pembroke table with a huge split down the middle, the maker didn't allow for shrinkage! An oak chair with a wicker seat and a low born beech chair that was painted in the 1960s and the then broken wicker seat had a piece of ply put on! Looking forward to each and every one.
@@andrewclarkehomeimprovement LOL... yeah, I've definitely got a list. Added to the bedroom set is another solid maple kit that was my younger daughter's (but not a family heirloom), and a huge, intricately - carved, lion-paw hat stand that belonged to my grandfather and my dad.
@@pawpawstew we're going to be busy! Forgot to say. The oak chair has the seat burst out...my kids have christened it the James Bond chair after the interrogation scene in Casino Royale. I'm not going to sit on it, far too dangerous! :-)
Recently I was invited to a family house I haven't been in over 20 years, with almost 200 years of family history. My mother asked me to look at this dresser in the middle of the living room, and really it was looking okay (like an old piece of furniture) The, looking closer, I could see some symetry issues with the mouldings, imperfections in the glass windows... She told me it was a mariage proposal gift to my great-great-great grandmother Emily. Made in the early 1800s by what will be her husband (unfortunately we've lost his name in the genealogy tree), every part was made by hand, including the locks and the glass windows. I was amazed by the history a single furniture can carry.
Shaker living was also communal with room, bunk and drawer assignments Which in part explains the individual locks on the drawers, and why many Shaker pieces have hidden compartments. Check out the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, KY.
Wow. That was great, James. We just picked up some waterfall furniture from a local family in Sonoma County, California. They came here over a 100 years ago. In the dresser (purchased in the early 1940s), we found a chunk of gold(!) weighing about 2 grams. We called the seller and it was panned by her grandfather. It was her mother's furniture, and the nugget had been a keepsake in the prominent family they had lost long ago. They were so happy that we found it and returned it. We really enjoy being part of history!
I agree with your assessment that the craftsman made this drawer for personal use. I’m a potter, and I put more flair into my own personal objects, so I can appreciate and recognize that sentiment in the work of others.
Discovered this channel a little over a month ago, feel like I've been missing out for 10 years. Lol. I love the in depth acknowledgement of quality woodworking and the interpretation of the time at which it was created. Hope this lives for another few generations like it should 🤙
Excellent. I've seen dozens and dozens and dozens of your videos. Did I mention, dozens? I've enjoyed and learned from them all. But this was on another level. There are dozens.... Ok, billions of how to woodworking and shop tip videos on RU-vid, but the type of teaching and analysis at least on this level is a lot more rare. Please do more of this type of thing. 5 out of 5 stars. Two hammer flattened thumbs way up!
Many thanks James for continuing to use this specific piece to teach us. You've given me insight that joins together my two hobbies, woodworking and genealogy. One of my 3GrGrandfathers is shown in the census records as a cabinet maker in the mid-1800s, and the same records show several carpenters and other craftsmen living nearby; separate research shows that he lived near a mill, now long gone but I've been to the location where the old dam still remains. I bet they had an up-and-down saw operating on the waterwheel, and my ancestor and the other carpenters lived nearby to take advantage of it. The most important sentiment you expressed was the last one - if you could, you would track down the family and return the piece. That's a really nice thought.
The most amazing part about this was when you say you wish the maker would have signed it so you could track down the family and return it to them. Wonderful! This is a very enjoyable video aswell. Im not that into old furniture or furniture in general but i enjoy hearing people talk about older furniture and how they were made. Thank you for all the great content!
I am impressed by your willingness to revisit this piece and reassess it's probable authenticity, a show of humility sorely lacking these days, thank you!
It was really enjoyable to hear your take of this woodworker/carpenter based on his/her work. It's nice to be reminded that sometimes good work lives on long after us if someone takes the time to acknowledge it.
After our move to Louisville, KY, 20+yrs ago, I put my wood shop back together in half of our 2 car garage. I've made several pieces of furniture over the years from cherry, pine, walnut, maple, and mahogany. I really became more inspired after my first and subsequent visits to the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill (south of Lexington, KY). There is real beauty in the simplicity of the Shaker style furniture. I made a very simple corner hutch from cherry for my daughter during 2020's pandemic times. It is my favorite piece in nearly 40 yrs of woodworking. It is 28" on the wall sides and 40" across the front and 72" tall. The top half has 2 shelves with 2 doors, 2 over 2 glass panes. The bottom has 1 interior drawer and 1 shelf covered by full paneled doors. In late 2020 into early 2021 I was commissioned by two of her close friends to build the same hutch for them.
I'm an apprentice in a furniture restoration company. I stumbled upon your page today and am now binging. Thank you so much for such clear, concise content. You definitely have a new fan!!!
A few years ago I started picking up old furniture pieces at salvage yards and restoring them. Though I doubt that any of them could even remotely be regarded as antique in the full sense of the word, every single piece told its own story, its own rich history of ups and downs, fix-ups and mess-ups, stains and burn marks and grooves and scratches. I've thoroughly enjoyed every restoration, knowing that I would be adding to that story as time went by. Very satisfying indeed!!
Another great video. My wife just picked up a kitchen table that is at least 100 years old. Very well made. I prefer to build everything, but absolutely enjoy an antique with history. I would like to believe the furniture I build will be around in 100 years!!
Brilliant work by you. My father, if he was still with me, would have loved this. My father was an old school cabinet maker with 6 children and supported the eight of us for years, often with 2 jobs. People would not always pay him the full amount, very disrespectful., and very ignorant. But I digress as you made me think about some one who would have loved your work.
I love the stories about old furniture, old tools and how such wonderful works of art were built. I also like the "country furniture" and just recently had the opportunity to handle a footstool made by a home owner over a hundred years ago. The legs were turned and no two were exactly alike or the same length or width. The rails were not the same width end to end. It had been broken & repaired many times. I just built another one. My grandfather was a cabinet maker and traveled working for the Georgia Showcase company. He built display cases, cabinets, etc. I did not get to learn much from him as he died when I was 10. I do like your videos.
That original video was amazing. I learned furniture didn't have to be made from all one type of wood and really it's okay to use what materials you have available to you. If you ever find any other cool old furniture, please show em off 🤟
This is my third or fourth time watching this. I just haven’t had an opportunity to leave a comment previously. This is just amazing to hear you explain. I love that you have the knowledge of the time periods and your storytelling ability just draws us in to enjoy it with you. As always, thank you for sharing your passion and expertise.
I'm a computer guy. But I really really enjoyed this forensic look at furniture. Can you make this part of your routine every once in awhile to have a forensic view of how it was constructed and put together because it's quite fascinating.
This type of history is fascinating. Appreciation of quality and the labor required to produce it is a thing of beauty and pays tribute to the craftsman that have come before us
You have a keen eye and obviously a great interest in the history of woodworking. You must be a teacher ? You talked clearly and your delivery was spot on. I enjoyed your video!
Really enjoyed this kind of story telling format 👍 I hope 200 years from now, some famous woodworker will dissect the dresser i made with pocket screws and shower me with praise 😉
If Norm A. would watch this video, he would be very proud of you as a relay generation of fine woodworking spreading the knowledge. Tip of the hat to you Sir!
Just a thought from somebody who spent his working life in cabinet shops but the dovetails on the interior rails sounds like a great job for an apprentice, learning the skills where it would never be seen.
This is by far the most enjoyable (and educational) woodworking video I have ever seen, and I’ve been around the block quite a few times. Thank you for sharing.
I have my great grandfather's secretarial. It stays at the mountain house. He came to America in the early 1890's. The thought is that he built it (being a blacksmith he had the tools and skills). I say it was bought. Beautiful piece. We also have other family member items. Trunks brought over from the old country, and things like that. Fun to keep
I really like what you are turning this channel into. I myself bought an old dresser and did some repairs. It was fascinating to see the history it had hiding in plain sight.
Fantastic info, I had purchased a antique dresser off of Facebook garage sale a number of years ago . I kept offering more then the $20 the seller wanted but they wouldn’t take it. When I saw the large top drawers (it has two instead of one on top), drawer locks, square head nails, dove tail rails and drawers I felt bad just paying the $20 but they wouldn’t take more. I went through the slow process of refinishing it for my daughter and she loves it. The craftsmanship of a dresser built in the 1800’s to stand up today is exceptional. I loved spending the time bringing it back to its former glory. It’s always a great detective story looking at older furniture. Thank you for sharing a great video!
What a great video! Thanks for pointing out the quality and value of a piece not made by some famous shop. Well built pieces of any source deserve to be admired.
Another GREAT video. I love going into junque shoppes and looking at the backs of “vintage” furniture as well as the under-sides of drawers. They often tell you much more about a piece than the exterior appearance. Thanks!
I’m an admirer of Shaker furniture and have several compendia of techniques, history etc. I believe you “hit the head on the nail” with your analyses. Nice job James.
Great video! People think I'm crazy when I inspect a piece of furniture from top to bottom, but I am fascinated with the quality of these pieces when you think about the tools they had back then. I've got some of the best tools you can buy today and I struggle to get results even close to what these craftsmen were able to achieve! Please do more videos along this topic.
My hat's off to you sir. That was an amazing example of craftsmanship. Complete and thorough. Thank you for taking the time to educate us all. Sincerely I appreciate it. Keep up the amazing in-depth work for an amazing channel.
That was awesome James! It made me reminisce about my Grandfather. He was a master craftsman. For myself and three siblings for our first birthday he made each a toy box/playbox, hand cut dovetails, personalized engraved inside lid. He disassembled a Grandmother clock and reproduced it with wood gears and innereds. My playbox is coming up on 70 this June!
What a gorgeous piece! Seeing the intricacies of it and the care in which it was crafted, I can't help but agree with you completely that the maker was the owner. A majestic piece. Nothing shameful in it's rural origins!
You are incredible! This video was simply amazing! It’s so impressive how craftsman did things 200 years ago. I know all of the finished products weren’t perfect, but everything by hand and had to keep a fire going too!
Another great video. I'm also a fan of woodworking history. I've manly worked in the general carpentry and remodeling field, but I certainly do appreciate skill and old school craftsmanship, when I see it. For me, a well built home is like a piece of fine furniture that you live in, and I want the things I build to last and be appreciated by future generations in the same way as you appreciate this dresser, even if no one ever knows who I was. Thanks for taking the time to show us his work and it's significance. We are what we leave behind, in every way.
This is a great review of old-time craftsmanship. It seems clear to me that the maker took pride in his work, doing everything with care, whether the ultimate user recognized the artistry or not.
The back-story IS the real story and as woodworkers, we need to stop and smell the roses or perhaps explore the how and why. Great video James full of interesting content.
I find your final comment most humbling. Not many people out there these days would spend the time to track down the family and return such a piece of woodworking history. The fact that you would, sir, says volumes of your character. Rare these days. It’s a shame the craftsman didn’t sign it. Keep up the good work, and the exceptional videos you make and present to us. Thank you!
sometimes I see old portraits in antique shops from the 1800's and wish I could find the family to return such a treasure to them. But they are never labeled.
Yet another outstanding video, James! Absolutely fascinating! How many people in the world could look at an antique piece of furniture and deduce all that?? Is there no limit to the knowledge you can impart upon us?! Thank you so much for everything you’ve taught me!
