Custom Medieval furniture/chairs/tables/etc for sale

Prince Of Darkmoor · Post by **Prince Of Darkmoor** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 1:06 am

My wife and I recently moved in with her mother and stepfather. The stepfather is an accomplished woodworker and has a great shop. I was showing him some photos and plans of medieval furniture and he is confident that he can build the pieces. He also has access to virtually every kind of wood out there.

He has asked me to check here and see if anyone has any interest in such items. The way it would work is this - you would send him plans (or pictures) of what you wanted made, specify dimensions and type of wood desired, and he would build it to your specifications. I could help him do the actual hinges and clasps, when necessary.

This wouldn't be something that Darkmoor Armoury is offering, it's just an idea my stepfather-in-law is entertaining since he is always looking for new projects to work on and would like to do some of this stuff. He and I will be starting on a set of medieval chairs soon and I have no doubt that they will turn out great, after seeing some of his past work. He's a construction superintendent by trade and has been in the business most of his adult life, so he's got a solid understanding of how to put sturdy objects together.

The questions I have for you all are:

1) what price range would be reasonable for well made products like these in nice wood?

2) what type of items would you like to see produced?

3) where else are there people selling their medieval wares like these online?

I also showed him my white oak longbow that I got for Xmas and he said he could turn those out with no problem either, in pretty much any wood you wanted.

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 1:41 am

3) where else are there people selling their medieval wares like these online?
http://www.albionworks.com/

I also showed him my white oak longbow that I got for Xmas and he said he could turn those out with no problem either, in pretty much any wood you wanted.

Although it may look like it, a bow isn't just a piece of wood that's been planed down to a specific profile. A working bow has specific physical and tensile properties. I may be wrong but I don't think just any wood can be used for bows. I've never heard of an oak bow--as a matter fact I was told that oak wasn't a good wood for bows because it's too brittle, which makes me wonder where you got an oak bow.

Gwen

medieval misfit · Post by **medieval misfit** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 2:05 am

yea, there usualy made of Yew.

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mcrs(medieval chivalry reenactment society]

Derian le Breton · Post by **Derian le Breton** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 4:48 am

I have heard (though I know nothing about bows) that ash is pretty good as well.

-Donasian.

white mountain armoury · Tue Dec 31, 2002 8:38 am

I wonder about the bow as well, oak has poor flex

Richard de Scolay · Post by **Richard de Scolay** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 9:32 am

I did a quick google search for white oak longbows and found a decent number of hits. It seems as white oak makes for a decent bow stave. Here are a couple sample links:

http://www.zetatalk.com/food/tfood41c.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Lodge/7598/staves.htm

--Richard

Hushgirl · Post by **Hushgirl** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 9:42 am

Does this mean you're in Kansas now, Toto?

X-chairs are hard, but popular. If you can get one at all, it will run about what a good arm-chair does. Footstools, storage chests, tables, kitchen boxes (boyscout style, not period but useful). Feast gear. Boxes, boxes, boxes.

LFord · Post by **LFord** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 9:53 am

Actually, both red and white oak can be used to make various types of selfbows. The tillering is different than yew due to the difference in elasticity of the woods. Some of the other woods I have seen(but not shot) include black walnut, ash, and osage. I personally shoot a mulberry longbow from Bill Darr of Whipperwil Archery that shoots and looks like yew at about half the price. One of the prettiest bows I have ever seen and shot was a take-down longbow made out of cedar.

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KILT: Slang term used to refer to the death of an individual.
(I done kilt him.)
NOT a garment worn by a 13th century Scot

white mountain armoury · Tue Dec 31, 2002 10:22 am

Thanks for the bow wood facts, interesting.

Wolfesco · Post by **Wolfesco** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 10:33 am

I keep hearing how great Whipperwil Archery bows are but no one seems to have any contact information for them. Would someone be so kind as to sned me an e-mail address or phone number or address or anything? Please.

Thanks
Steve Vaught

LFord · Post by **LFord** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 11:34 am

I got this phone number from an old business card of Bill's 804-224-9392. I also spoke with La Belle Compagnie at Military Through the Ages in March of this year and they told me they deal with him so if the number no longer works they might be able to get you in touch with him. Here is the website for LBC.
www.labelle.org

He also does Renn Faires,(I first ran across him at the PA Fair)that might be another way to contact him.

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KILT: Slang term used to refer to the death of an individual.
(I done kilt him.)
NOT a garment worn by a 13th century Scot

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 31, 2002 8:08 pm

POD,

I've got a book on Medieval Furniture Making... (Its actually quite common) I used to be into woodworking, but never got around to using it...

Gimme a call (828-699-5793) and I'll work out sending it to you... you pay shipping or something... its got patterns and detailed instructions for both "easy" and "difficult" pieces of furniture.

I'm never gonna use it.

If your work has a fed ex #, I could use that to send it from my work... course, you'd have to trust me with the #.

Later.

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Matthew Broadway
Web site Design - Broadway Design
Founder of The Armour Archive

Since everything is but an apparition, perfect in being what it is, having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection, one may well burst into laughter.

Iain (Bunny) Ruadh · Post by **Iain (Bunny) Ruadh** » Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:20 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Prince Of Darkmoor:
<snip>
The questions I have for you all are:

1) what price range would be reasonable for well made products like these in nice wood?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, I'm making the basic working camp/campaign style stuff and I start at $40 and can run into the hundreds, but I've chosen to go for the stuff you can take to events and kick around (actual travel stuff). If you are going for full period hand techniques, heavily decorated, hardwood, stay in the home stuff, you can run from a few hundred to thousands for museum grade.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
2) what type of items would you like to see produced?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I started making basic camp gear for myself and my melee unit for use at Pennsic War. I then made some chests and chairs for friends. Ever since I've have had request after request for boxes, boxes and more boxes. Many people are wanting to replace their Rubbermaid stuff (go figure)! Benches and chairs are next on the list along with trestles & tables.

Oh! Armour stands and carts for Pennsic/Gulf/Estrella also! We've had some serious bartering going for the carts after some of the field battles!

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
3) where else are there people selling their medieval wares like these online?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
My two favorites, hands down, are:
http://www.albionworks.net/
http://www.art6.net/arteso/

There are also:
http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/
http://www.oldefurniture.com/
http://merchants-medieval.com/cockerel/
http://www.ladypegleg.com/

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"His troops would follow him anywhere ... but only out of curiousity!"

Prince Of Darkmoor · Post by **Prince Of Darkmoor** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 5:31 pm

Sorry for the delay in following up. Thanks to all for their great input and links. It looks like Albion does some damn fine work!

Broadway, that is most generous of you and I don't think I can pass that kind of deal up. I'll give you a call when I get off work a little after 5 tonight. We have a FedEx # here, but the "ladies" in accounting get so uptight whenever we use it for personal stuff that I'd rather not deal with them for a while.

Would you (as in everyone) be content with modern hinges or would you have to have period looking hinges on your boxes?

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"If the U.S. Government wants to stick a tracking device up your ass, you say 'Thank you, and God Bless America!'"
Salinas Swordsman
Darkmoor Armoury

john · Post by **john** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:08 pm

If you are looking for ready made hinges that look right try Lee Vally.

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.asp?page=41380&category=3,41427&absPage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=

If you like wood working and tools, I strongly recomend them.

Edric · Post by **Edric** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:43 am

You might have a flat price which would be with modern hinges and offer and upgrade on period looking hinges.

VanDykes has nice hinges too.

http://www.vandykes.com

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--Edric de Aldebury--
edric@edricsrose.com
http://www.edricsrose.com

Flos est puellarum, quam diligio, et rosa rosarum, quam sepe video.
"My love is a flower among virgins, and a rose among roses"

[This message has been edited by Edric (edited 01-03-2003).]

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 1:55 pm

My wife and I are generally interested in this sort of thing, PoD, generally chests and stools and the like... I can't talk for now (especially because my budget's mostly blown until March -- but if he started producing, you could spam me on his wares on a regular basis, and I wouldn't mind at all, and might grab something for her birthday, etc.).