When I talk about furniture connoisseurship, I’m basically talking about three or four aspects of a piece that make it what it is. If I try to categorize these aspects they break down into design, craftsmanship, materials and finish.
Today I’m going to start a whole new project. The education of the masses on what makes one piece of furniture better than another. Sure, we woodworkers would probably look at the construction techniques or the refinement of the carving and make the determination based on that observation but we’re missing something. The sum of the collective parts is not necessarily greater than the whole. What I mean is, if a piece is meticulously crafted but is lacking in design, and detail, it will still be something less than a masterpiece.
