Details on my other blog. It’s fantastic. Get one.
— Christopher Schwarz
Author: Lost Art Press
Publisher of woodworking books and videos specializing in hand tool techniques.
This is Not Your 15th-century Ancestor’s Table
Though it might seem like it, I’m not writing a book about medieval furniture. I’m leaving that task to the capable hands of Derek Olson at the Oldwolf Workshop. Check it out here, it’s going to be cool.
The stuff in my book, the “Furniture of Necessity,” has its roots planted in the past, but the leaves are new. The writing, which is about halfway done, is more in the vein of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” Yes, the book is about one thing, but also another thing. Which means the Lumberjocks will hate it.
I am drawing inspiration from early furniture because the rules for what was acceptable – “Indeed, Burlington Cockletit, that’s a table and that’s a chair” – were much looser than they are today. And they would use joints in ways that proper furniture makers today do not.
As to the aesthetics of the individual pieces, I want them to look comfortable in an artisan’s home. Simple. Sturdy. And not trying to be a social steppingstone.
More later. I have to pack my truck for Handworks.
— Christopher Schwarz
The Tiniest Tool Chest at Handworks (Natch)
This photo is kind of difficult to interpret. The big chest is 1:4 scale (about 9” long). The small one is 1:10. It is Marco Terenzi’s work, of course.
Both will be at Handworks this weekend, along with so much other cool stuff that I won’t be able to see it all.
By the way, Marco makes micro tools for sale, so follow him on Instagram. You never know when you might be zapped by a shrink ray and need a 1:4 scale hammer to fight rabid chipmunks.
— Christopher Schwarz
A Reminder About Studley Tickets
With the exhibit of the Studley tool cabinet and workbench only days away (May 15-17, 2015, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Don Williams is fielding a lot of questions about tickets. Here are some frequently asked questions about tickets, books and art prints:
Will you be mailing my tickets?
No. The ticket purchases are recorded electronically. Don will print the entire list out, then check you off the list and hand you your timed ticket when you check in at the Scottish Rite Temple. You will show it at the door of the exhibit hall and be ushered in. Just to make sure, it would be a good idea to bring your PayPal receipt with you just in case something gets missed.
I ordered my copy of ‘Virtuoso’ to be picked up in Amana, can I pick it up at the exhibit?
No. You need to pick up your copy at the Lost Art Press booth in the Festhalle Barn. John will have a list of everyone who ordered a book and asked to pick it up in Amana. It would be a good idea if you brought your receipt with you, but if you don’t have it, we’ll work with you.
How can I get my book signed by the author and photographer?
There are three book signings scheduled at the exhibit in Cedar Rapids:
Friday at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday at noon to 1 p.m.
More details are here.
If I ordered ‘Virtuoso’ before Handworks, will I receive a commemorative postcard?
Yes, you will.
Where can I get a Studley poster?
There will be 100 commemorative art prints for sale at the exhibit only. None at Handworks. Details here.
— Christopher Schwarz
Free Shipping for ‘Virtuoso’ Ends Tomorrow
“Virtuoso: The Tool Cabinet and Workbench of Henry O. Studley” has just arrived in our Indianapolis warehouse, and all the pre-publication orders will begin shipping soon.
Our offer for free domestic shipping ends May 13 at midnight. After tomorrow, the book will cost $8 or more to ship, depending on where you live in the United States. If you have been a customer of ours before, then you know that this free shipping is the only discount we will ever offer on a book. Our books do not go on sale.
On Thursday we load up a trailer with 3,013 lbs. of books and head to Handworks in Amana, Iowa. We are bringing as many books as our towing and payload capacity will allow. But because books are heavy, we might run out of some titles during the show. So stop by our booth early to avoid disappointment.
— Christopher Schwarz