Josje Bouwt – A class with Geoff Wonnacott.

Josje Bouwt: Louis XVI Parquetry Gueridon

If you have not visited Josje Bouwt’s “A Beautiful World” blog, consider this an introduction to the types of posts Josie provides. I am including the basics on how to create this small writing desk, but I encourage you to follow the links to see all of the pictures. Look around the blog to see if agree that Josje Bouwts’ work is amazing.

A class with Geoff Wonnacott.

Several years ago, I believe it was as far back as 2009,  I asked Geoff if he could come over to teach a class in the Netherlands.   Unfortunately for us he was very busy and didn’t have time to come over and teach.  In the years that followed several of my friends and I kept asking (or maybe at some point it could be considered as nagging) him to please come over.  Pleeeeeease!

Geoff finally succumbed to the pressure and in May he came over to teach us how to make the wonderful Louis XVI parquetry gueridon.

Cut out the table using a scroll saw.

Cut out the table using a scroll saw.  Not my strong point.  Thankfully sanding will make it perfectly round.

Adding a drawer and, for this table, a half round raised back.

I forgot to take photos at times.  This is a little writing desk (bonheur du jour) I worked on at home using the technique I had learned in the class.

Adding a drawer and, for this table, a half round raised back.

Working on the checkered parquetry top.

Back to the class piece again.  Working on the checkered parquetry top.

Starting on the parquetry on the rounded front drawer.

Starting on the parquetry on the rounded front drawer. The finished piece you see here is not mine unfortunately 😉  This is Geoff’s piece which I was using for reference.

This is my table, almost finished

This is my table, almost finished.  It still needs a finish  on the wood.  Unfortunately I could’t get the same type of finish Geoff uses on his pieces (which he did bring to class, but as I wasn’t finished yet…), so I used spray shellac.

The shellac gives the piece a warmer and slightly darker finish and I think it is not as ‘crisp’ as  the finish Geoff uses, although that could also be due to my woodworking skills of course 😉

The gueridon in its new home.

The gueridon in its new home.  It fits well in this room I think.   In the lefthand corner of the photo a glimpse of another new piece I got in May, of which I will tell you more in my next post.

It was a really good class in which I again learned a lot.  I hope Geoff will be back to teach another class!