I’ve learned from this feature not just about the huge diversity of interests of our readers, but also about how many of them are immensely talented in their avocations. And today’s reader, Doug Keck, is one of those. Here he is with some beautiful furniture. His words are indented:
I have spent a lot of lockdown time in my woodshop. This is a lifetime passion of mine. I have filled several houses with furniture over the years and am currently working on my son’s house.
The table and chair were inspired by furniture that I saw at the Villa Kerylos on the French Riviera. It was built and furnished between 1902 and 1908 by Theodore Reinach in the style of ancient Greece. The wood is koa, a Hawaiian wood now quite rare and expensive. I bought the wood in the 1970’s when it was cheap. These items used the last of it. The inlays are mother of pearl and ebony. The leather for the seat is from an elk hide jacket that my father had made from an elk he shot in about 1960.
The whirligig was just a fun little project. It is me hand planing a board. My current project is a teeter totter whirligig for my grandchildren.
Wow! Beautiful wood working!
I wish I had those skills. Congratulations on your creativity.
Ditto!
Great work, man.
Years ago I built some wooden furniture for a place my wife and I were living in — a kitchen table, a bookcase, an “entertainment stand” for the stereo and teevee.
My cousin, who’s a very skilled word-worker, came for a visit. I showed the pieces and asked what he thought.
“Nice,” he said. “Very … uh … rustic.” 🙂
“My cousin, who’s a very skilled word-worker,…”
You mean he’s a writer? 😉
Been so long since I worked with wood, I can’t even write it right.
Reckon my typing’s gotten a bit “rustic,” too. 🙂
Very nice work. Lots of time and money in that hobby. Just guessing from the second photo – California?
Yes, Hollister which is about 100 miles south of SF.
Hollister? The site of the 1947 biker invasion that inspired The Wild One?
Say, Doug, what are you rebelling against? 🙂
Yes, the very place of the origin of the biker legends. I have lived here for 38 years. The old timers that I met mostly told me they found out about the event when they read about it in the SF chronicle, but hey it’s a good story!
I rebel mostly against bad food and winter which is why I live in California.
I lived in Alameda a couple of times. Also long ago I went to school with a guy from Half Moon Bay.
My gosh! Your work is exquisite, every inch of it. I especially love the foot at the end of the table leg. And in the photo I see an optical illusion that makes the table top seem somewhat pyramidal.
You are correct,it is an illusion the top is rectangular. My furniture skills are better than my photographic skills.
Lovely work! I’m always impressed by people who can do fine woodwork.
Koa! Around 1975 I made a jewelry box out of Koa for my first real girlfriend. The wood was beautiful but my box had little of the craftsmanship shown in your lovely furniture creations. She loved the box nonetheless.
Wow, I’d love to have that set in my house. How much? Just kidding. It’s cool that you’re able to repurpose the elk skin. The inlays are exquisite.
Approx. how long did it take to build that set?
I was pleased to reuse the Elk skin as the furniture is for my daughter-in-law and keeping the family connection fun.
The table and chair were about 120 hours of work.
Thanks for the info Douglas; I’d say you’re a pretty quick woodworker. 👍
Really beautiful work! The detail is so impressive-
Great work – but a table with sloping edges?
rz
I could be wrong, but that’s an optical illusion.
The table edges are square.
Yes, that’s what I thought too at first glance but closer inspection shows that the table is flat.
Correct, the top is flat. What seems to be a slope is a mitered frame around the center panel which is veneer.
So beautiful. Great chair to sit and meditate with an amber restorative (cf. Hitchens) in hand.
Wow, have you every made a Podcaster desk that’s somewhat low so that a gaming chair would be perfect for?
Very nice.
Beautiful wood and exquisite furniture…
Fabulous craftsmanship – you are very talented. I love the re-purposing of the leather jacket too!
Absolutely gorgeous Doug. Just beautiful.
Doug, your work is fabulous and intriguing. These are truly one of a kind pieces (bespoke as some might say), and I love that you re-purposed hide from your father’s jacket. How stable is the three-legged table and how much weight can it safely support? The wood is stunning. Your smile seems to reveal the satisfaction you get from such a wonderful hobby!