Kessler Craftsman

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The Kessler Craftsman Portfolio

While a majority of my work is commissioned for a particular patron, designer or architect, speculation pieces are occasionally created for sale on this website, for shows or for sale through galleries. See Catalogue for more details. See Contact Us for a list of galleries and shows displaying the work of the Kessler Craftsman.

Furniture

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Quarter-sawn White Oak Coffee Table

This 28'x38' coffee table features solid quarter sawn White Oak and very thin Mission-style spindles. All joinery is mortise and tenon. The top floats on the base with "Z-clips" that allow for seasonal wood movement. The finish is a simple one-step stain topped with semi-gloss hand-rubbed polyurethane. This piece can be commissioned in different kinds of wood, different dimensions, with a beveled glass top and with wider Stickley-style spindles if desired.

(28x38x18")

Quarter-sawn White Oak Sofa Table

This parlor table is constructed using classic mortise and tenon joinery and, like much of my work, features ultra-thin Mission-style spindles. The finish is a simple one-step stain topped with a hand-rubbed polyurethane finish. Perfect for behind a sofa, in a hallway or parlor, or in a dining room, office or study.

Quarter-sawn Chest of Drawers

This is a very large 9-drawer chest that features a center cabinet with an adjustable center shelf. All quarter-sawn solid White Oak with Black Walnut "butterflies" on each cabinet door and small square decorative pegs of Macassar Ebony in each leg.

The astute viewer will notice significant "ray fleck" figure on all four sides of each corner post; an impossibility in nature. These 2.5"x2.5" corner posts are actually constructed with four mitered and splined, highly figured 1.25" White Oak boards!

All of the dovetailed drawers are lined with Aromatic Cedar and feature solid-maple construction with solid NK-style drawer slides; no metal is used anywhere!

The back of this stunning piece is also White Oak and completely finished.

This piece features a 5-step finishing process that starts with a water-based wood dye, followed by garnet shellac, followed by a dark brown stain and pore-filler, followed by numerous coats of super-blonde shellac. The final step involved application of several hand-rubbed coats of clear polyurethane varnish and carnauba wax.

When finished, it took three men to move. and that was after removing the nine drawers and center shelf. All hardware is hammered bronze. At last conversation, the owners still had not filled it completely!

Wood Tansu Chest

This Tansu chest features solid quarter-sawn White Oak with Black Walnut inlay. This piece features arched stretchers, arts-and-crafts style corbels supporting the top, frame-and-panel construction and exposed pyramid plugs hiding the joinery.

The three drawers are designed with solid wood inserts for the artist's hand tools and instruments. The lower section features a drop-front three-piece frame-and-panel cabinet door with rare earth magnet catches. The hardware is bronze/copper with variegated patina. This fine piece serves as Mr. Pile's resumé.

p.s.-Tansu (箪笥=first character means "bamboo rice basket", and the second means "box", more specifically "lunch box" or "clothes chest") is Japanese for chest of drawers - steVe

Quarter-sawn White Oak Jewel Chest

This piece was inspired by a visit to the Mission city of San Antonio, Texas and features solid quarter sawn White Oak with Black Walnut accents.

This piece features frame-and-panel construction with mortise and tenon joinery. The frame-and-panel top feature mitered rails and stiles with Walnut splines for strength and durability. The piece is lined with green felt and features two removable solid quarter sawn White Oak inserts to hold jewelry and other small items.

Sewing Table Top in Quartersawn White Oak

The owner, Mary Kubecka, commissioned this table top for a sewing table that had been her grandmother's.

She has commented over and over, how smooth and silky the finish is on the top. She can't pass it without reaching out and touching it!

Mission/Prairie Sofa Table

This is one of four beautiful quartersawn White Oak tables just completed and shipped to Elizabeth and Ed Hoy for their new dream home. This table features 3/4" spindles, butterfly inlay and Macassar Ebony pegs and a finish of Garnet Shellac, Nitrocellulose lacquer and, on the tops, hand-rubbed polyurethane for durability. See the other tables in the series!

(18 X 54 X 30 200.00)

Mission/Prairie Coffee Table

This is one of four matching tables recently finished and shipped to Elizabeth and Ed Hoy. This table is a whopping 42" X 42"..for a beautiful, but massive, living area. At sixteen 3/4" spindles per side, this is the largest coffee table I've ever made!

(42" X 42" X 24 300.00)

Mission/Prairie Side Tables

This is one of a matching pair of 21" X 21" side tables..and part of a set of four matching tables...see the Mission/Prairie Sofa Table and Mission/Prairie Coffee Table. All shipped to Elizabeth and Ed Hoy in mid-November.

(21" X 21" X 70.00)

G&G Inspired Table

This beautiful Honduran Mahogany table was built to this Wall Street customer's specifications. Featuring organic details such as the "cloud lift" stretchers, rounded ebony plugs and top spline, a beveled through-tenon shelf and an inset glass top, this Greene & Green inspired piece is truly outstanding.