Carving in the Newport Style
Some of the most highly prized furniture by today’s collectors and museums was built in Newport, Rhode Island in the second half of the 18th century. Wealthy families commissioned elegantly proportioned and embellished pieces from the Townsend and Goddard families as well as other skilled Rhode Island craftsmen. There’s a great reward in challenging yourself as a craftsperson and recreating one or more of these iconic works. In this class I will pass on the basic processes and tricks I’ve learned in making nearly 30 Newport pieces over the years. We will cover the hallmark Newport elements: concave and convex shells, ball and claw and bracket feet and the Egyptian-like sparse knee carving seen nowhere else in colonial America. This class is a must for anyone interested in this great regional style. The How to Use Carving Tools and/or Ball and Claw Carving classes would be helpful but not necessary as preparation for this class.
2023 Class Schedule
Date
August 7-11, 2023
Class Time
8 am – 5:30 pm
Type
Five-Day Course
Skill Level
Intermediate
Tuition
School Information
Tool List
- #49 rasp, cabinet scrapers like Lie-Nielsen hand scraper set, dividers like Lee Valley 05N20.01, low angle block plane like Veritas 01, 05P22.51, a spokeshave like Woodjoy 2″ performance spokeshave
- Carving tools 1-3, *1-8, 1½″ paring chisel, ¼″ same
- *3-8, *3-12 fishtail, 3-16, 3-25, 3-30
- 5-5, *5-12, 5-20, 5-25, 5-35
- 7-8, 7-20
- *8-4, *8-10, 8-11, 8-13, 8-16
- 9-3, *9-10, 9-13, 9-5 fishtail
- 11-2, *11-3, 11-7, 11-10
- 12-3 bent (12A-3), *12-8
- backbent gouges 25-3, 25-6, 25-6, 25-10, 28-10
10% Off Lie-Nielsen Tools
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