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Oak Bookcase General description
The brief was to create a bookcase with the look of one that had been around for very many years. It
was to go into an extension that had been specially built
for the purpose. Furthermore, the new bookcase
had to reflect the style of a much cherished piece of
furniture in terms of colour, cornice and fluting. The
bookcase is 6.5 metres long and 2.3 metres high. There are 9
sections and 63 shelves.
Five sections along from the left there is a
cupboard with 4 x raised and fielded doors. Inside there are
a couple of shelves. This cupboard was to be positioned
directly opposite the existing piece of furniture.
Above
Left and right, the bookcase viewed from opposite ends of
the room. The shelves can be adjusted by 19mm
increments.
Principal material; for the shelving is oak veneered MDF with oak lipping. The
cupboard doors are solid oak.
The cupboard is of carcase construction with raised and
fielded doors.
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Above right, the cherished piece of furniture.
The colour, cornice including "dentil moulding" , and
fluting were to be replicated in the new piece.
Below right, the height of the bookcase was
dictated by a reduced ceiling at the left hand end of
the room. You can see the new cornice with "dentil
moulding" just fitting below the ceiling.
Below left, you can see the fluting on the new
cupboard.
The colour was achieved by the use of "Van dyke
crystals" which in essence are roasted and crushed
walnut husks dissolved in hot water. By making
a mix that is initially very dark in
colour; one can, by diluting it down achieve
a match. Van Dyke Crystals provide both a natural
and a much more subtle staining
than that of modern dyes and stains. The same
process was used for the furniture in
St Marks Church.
The finish is brushed French Polish, see the
Hi Fi cabinets for
more information.
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Below the bookcase - or as much of it
as I could get in the picture and opposite it , the
existing piece of furniture which served as a "model for the
colour, fluting and "dental" cornice.
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