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Masters of the Craft

Steve Brown Takes the Measure of a Chair

Jon Binzen, senior editor

26 users recommend

Learn the secret to Steve Brown's beautiful period reproductions.

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An education in craftsmanship. That's how Boston's North Bennet Street School describes the experience it offers its students. With programs ranging from violin making to restoration carpentry, the 126-year-old school ranks among the premier institutions in the world for learning a traditional craft.

Steve Brown is the head of North Bennet Street's Cabinet and Furniture Making Department, which places a strong emphasis on learning how to make furniture by studying and reproducing outstanding period pieces. Brown and his fellow instructors regularly take students to museums to examine furniture, and in this slide show Brown takes the viewer along with him to one of his favorite museums for such trips--the Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library, in Hartford. 

The museum has an extensive collection of period furniture and a welcoming policy toward woodworkers, researchers, and others interested in seeing museum-worthy period pieces up close. Set up with a Queen Anne side chair by Rich Malley, the museum's head of research and collections, Brown shares many of his techniques for recording the critical dimensions, shapes and construction details of a piece of furniture.

Brown went through North Bennet Street School himself in the late 1980s and has been a teacher there for over a decade. In between, he spent 8 years working for Phil Lowe, a frequent Fine Woodworking contributor and a winner of the Society for American Period Furniture Makers' Cartouche Award for lifetime achievement.

Steve Brown's heartback side chair, which is on the back cover of Fine Woodworking issue 218, was the last project he worked on as a student at the school. He is currently building a second version.

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Comments (5)

jtpesq writes: Thanks for a very interesting and informative show
Posted: 4:56 pm on March 3rd

Bruce_Lundegard writes: The Federal era hearback chair is absolutely stunning! Congratulations to Mr. Brown.

Are measured drawings of this chair available? I'd like to try making my own.

Thanks, Bruce Lundegard
Posted: 11:26 pm on February 20th

mrqs2 writes: I'm a member of the Eastern Massachusetts Guild of Woodworkers and this month's meeting was at Phil Lowe's shop.

Phil covered "measuring furniture for reproduction". Everything that is covered in this article, is exactly what Phil covered. The demo was on a Massachusetts Queen Anne side chair. It appears this article used the same or very similar piece for the sample.

It's really great to see that there are others out there that have the knowledge and are willing to share it like Phil Lowe.

This was a great article, please keep up the great work! I'm looking forward to more articles from Steve. Until then happy woodworking.

Gary
Posted: 8:02 pm on February 15th

DanM writes: Fascinating. The archaeology of a chair. Beautifully done.

And the chair on the back cover of FW218 is absolutely magnificent. Beautiful.

Wow.
Posted: 4:16 pm on February 15th

FIMWDWKR writes: Steve Brown is one the one the smartest & talented craftsmen alive. This man has soooooooooooo much to offer to the woodworking world. It is great to see Steve get recongnized for his talents. For if it wasn't for Steve Brown being in charge of NBSS Furniture Making Department who knows what this section of shchool would be like today. I think it would had just suffered a painful death.

The Furniutre Making Department is as good as it is because of Steve. FWW needs to get Steve to write more articles for he has a lot offer. Great Job Steve! For it has been awesome getting to know you.

Freddy
Posted: 8:15 pm on February 11th

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