A while ago, back at the beginning of the year, I had ordered a fauldstool from the Archives own Baron Conal, out of Elm, and with a boiled linseed oil finish.
The stool arrived today, via Fed Ex, and so here is the promised review.
Communication A+.
Baron Conal did have some delays, due to various things that popped up, but nothing serious - I was in no great hurry, and a number of people were ahead of me in the queue. Baron Conal kept everybody abreast of progress through the archive, and also via PM with me.
Quality, A+.
I received a very nice fauldstool, well made, and to my specifications. Normally, Baron Conal makes these out of Oak, but we discussed a number of optional wood types, including Elm and Walnut - everybody seems to have these in Oak, and I wanted a stool with a continental flavour, as representing someone who has spent the bulk of his career 'across the Narrow Sea', and while Oak is most common for Late Medieval English Furniture, with Walnut and others coming in second, the reverse seems to be true on the Continent, with Walnut and Elm being a little more common. THe pricing of Walnut was beyond my means for this specific project, so Baron Conal traked down Elm for me, for which I am very greatful.
I should also point out that Baron Conal was very patient with my 'eccentricities' of request -the odd wood type for one, secondly, I desired no obviously modernisims in the construction, he used steel rod, piened over washers for the system. Thirdly, his normal finish is a polyurathane one for wear, he took the trouble to put a very nice boiled linseed oil finish on it - I like my furniture to wear as an original wood.
His design is a very good one, I have no doubt of it supporting me, and my 65 lbs of armour - it is to be an arming stool for me for our Higgins presentartions, as well as accompanying me in the field. Best yet, I found an illumination of almost the exact chair, in a manuscript from 1462 - the sole visible difference being the top 'arm rests' (they aren't, really, and never were intended to be with this type of fauldstool - I look at them as a pillow retainer) are big-ish dowels, instead of a flat board.
Pleasing the Customer A+.
Baron Conal had a minor drilling mistake, when the stool was nearly done in late June. He gave me the option of having him fix the holes, and re-drilling, or cutting the parts for a new stool. I didn't want any obvious modernisims, and I have no doubt it will get up-close looks in the field and on the auditorium stage after the presentations are over, so I opted nor the stool being re-cut, which Braon Conal VERY graciously did, without demure.
I would say the entire commission was an excellent experience, and the end product was well worth the wait. I myself do woodworking, but I haven't the patience for this particular type of project, nor the spare time, so I will say at $100, + shipping, this is a veryu good value, and was well worth my while.
I would have no hesitation in comissioning any of Baron Conals work, in future.
