In March of this year I received a telephone call from an old client.

(It's a funny expression 'old client'.
Like 'small farmer', which means the farmer (maybe of gargantuan proportions) of a small farm, 'old client' (who may be very young or, as in this case, certainly much younger than I am), is a person who has previously been a client).

Anyway, he asked me if I would be interested in quoting for designing and making another piece of furniture for him.

Of course I was interested - as I mentioned in the post 'Stirring Memories...........' 2 April 2010.

We met to discuss his requirement: A Gentleman's Dressing Cupboard or Press.

Now I had an immediate mental image of A Gentleman's Dressing Cupboard and, interestingly, it concurred entirely with what was in my 'old client's'
mind - A cupboard with low-fronted, sliding drawers behind a pair of meeting doors, above a chest of two short and two long drawers - and, indeed, he had a picture of just such an item to show me.

Once home, I checked in John Gloag's – A Short Dictionary of Furniture – to find no entry for a Gentleman's Dressing Cupboard. - Gentleman's Dressing Stand, see Dressing Stand has an entry, as do: Dressing Box; Dressing Chair; Dressing Chest; Dressing Commode and Dressing Stool.

And under an entry for Gentleman's Repository Mr. Gloag says: Term used by Ince and Mayhew in The Universal System of Household Furniture (1759-62) for a large piece of case furniture with a break front, shown on plate ........ In the explanation of the plates it was described as follows: 'The upper or Middle, is a Book-case, on each side is Draws, the Top of the under Part or Middle, is a Desk Drawer; under that either Draws or Cloaths-Press..... on each side is Cupboards.' Illustrations of such large pieces designed to perform several functions were probably included in the books of 18th-century makers, with the idea of starting trains of thought with potential customers, rather than as models to be executed.

And under a lengthy entry for Dressing Chest Gloag says: Alternative designs for a dressing chest with a superstructure of cupboards were given by Chippendale on plates........of the Director (Third edition, 1762), and described as a 'Dressing Chest & Bookcase.'

But anyway, at our first meeting (or rather, our first meeting for some thirteen years) we discussed the fine-detail of the requirement and, as set-out in my post What is Design or The 'Mission Statement' of a Commission Designer and Maker........ 26.03.10), I established who would be using it and for what purposes, inspected the site and assessed the adjacent features as to how or whether they should influence the design of the proposed item and how they would be influenced by its imposition in the space.

And our conversation ranged widely and my client (for so he has become) told me of his friendship with William Bunbury of the Lisnavagh Wood Project and his hope that, were the project to go ahead, the timber for it could be sourced from there.

So, with my head now filled with the information I required to start-out on the design process I decided, first, to contact William Bunbury at Lisnavagh to see if I could move forward on the materilas front also.
I had, indeed, long intended to visit Lisnavagh so this was precisely the impetus I needed.

Email to William Bunbury of Linavagh 25 March 2010

Good afternoon,

I am a furniture designer and maker and I have an enquiry for a
fine-furniture item from ****** ***** who is an old customer of mine
and, I understand, a friend of yours.

****** is hopeful that I will find timber that will suit this project
from you.

Neither ****** nor I are fixed on a particular species: quality, and
appearance will determine the selection.

I will need 1" and 1 1/2" material kiln-dried to 10%.

Would it be possible for me to visit you next Monday morning, March 29th.?

I used to be involved in kiln-drying hardwoods myself, so I really look
forward to seeing your operation.

Regards,
Clive Nunn.

Reply from William Bunbury 25 March 2010
Hi Clive,

Many thanks for your e-mail and it's great to hear from you.

I have been aware of your work for some time and also of your work with
Mickey Gabbett, who I know. I had a look at his (& your!) set up at
Ballaghtobin around nine years ago before I really got going here at
Lisnavagh with milling and drying our timber. It seemed so sad that your
idea had not worked out there, but it taught me to proceed with caution!!

I would be thrilled to show you around on Monday morning - it would be
interesting to see what you think of our set up! Would about 10.00am suit
you? I will introduce you to Dena Nolan and Bradley Richards who (these
days) are better able to help with details of our stock than I am.

Yes, I have known ****** ****** for some time and have a lot of time for him.
He was very helpful to me about 15 years ago when I was dabbling in music.
So I really hope that we can find something that might suit you both!

Let me know if 10.00on Monday suits you.

Best wishes

William.

(More in 'Stirring Memories................. 02.04.10')

Email to the client 30 March 2010

Hi ******,

As heralded, I visited Lisnavagh this morning and I could see just why you would want to source the timber for 'the item' from William. - Lovely people in an equally lovely place and he spoke just as warmly of you as you did of him.

But, assuming of course that I present a proposal that you decide to commission, it remains to be seen as to whether I will source any of the wood from him.

I certainly saw some good timber, especially oak, but I remain uncertain as to its viability for a fine-furniture item destined for a centrally-heated environment. - In fact, I definitely wouldn't use their material for the structure (framing): this only because of their drying method but, if you were to agree on oak, I hope that they would provide the 'glamour' as in, panels, gables etc., etc...

They are in something of a state of flux at present so I await their call to return to look at material that they have agreed to select from their stocks that meets my specification.

We shall see what we shall see and I'll keep you briefed.

In short, it looked to me as though making an Irish hardwood-processing enterprise 'work' has become no easier since my attempt!

Meanwhile I will get on with the design work, and the costing, so that we can proceed (or not) as soon as the materials issue is decided.

Best regards,

Clive.

Email from the client 30 March 2010

Dear Clive,

I have a great affection for William and am aware that he is very much swimming upstream in his various endeavours at Lisnavagh. The 18th and 19th century machine that is a landed estate is, I imagine, a supremely difficult one to run in the 21st century. However, love of place seems to be the motivating factor from him. And who could blame him? It is such a beautiful environment.

Regarding the wood, I will be completely guided by your advice and experience. If it was possible to include some of William's wood as the 'glamour' element that would be wonderful. However, if you do eventually decide that there is nothing suitable, so be it.

I am very glad that you have had the chance to meet with William and hope that there might be some other business that the two of you can do in the future.

I look forward hearing more from you soon.

Best wishes,

******

Email to the client 7 April 2010

Hello ******,

I have not heard back from Lisnavagh yet - of course it has been holiday-time - but my thoughts are beginning to take shape.

From what I saw there, I think it most likely that it will be oak for the panels that they may be in a position to supply.
So, I am thinking that I might use North American white oak (as in your dresser and dining table) for the structural elements (framing), for reasons of stability, and the more figured, Irish oak for the panels, sides, drawer-fronts etc..
As you mentioned, ******** **** **** is not necessarily the final position for the furniture items. So, although they would not currently be in the same space, it is possible that they would be in the future, so I thought it might make some sense if they were related in terms of both materials and design and this timber selection would be largely consistent with the oak wardrobe already in place.
What do you think?
I expect to be in Dublin one day next week when I would plan to meet with you to go over a preliminary proposal and give you a budget estimate.

How would this fit with your movements?

Regards,
Clive.

Email from the client 7 April 2010

Dear Clive,

That all sounds perfectly fine. Needless to say, please do not do too much prior to our having some idea of the budget. I don't want you to be disappointed if penury scuppers the plans.

We will be around all next week, so anytime is fine by me. The closer to 9am is best, as the kids are dropped to school and ***** will still be at home.

Best wishes,

******

Email to the client 12 April 2010

Good evening ******,

Sorry to pester you but if you got a moment to take a snap of the wardrobe for tomorrow morning it would be very helpful and would enable me to better focus my proposal to you.

Many thanks,

Clive.

Email from the client 13 April 2010

Dear Clive,

please excuse me but I have only returned to my desk this afternoon.

Here are two shots of the wardrobe. I hope they suit.

On a different note, attached is a shot of a pair of regency mahogany chiffonier from the mid 1830s that were made by my great, great grandfather (on my mother's side), Henry ***** (1801 - 1869), of ***** Street in Limerick.

It seems that a love of well made furniture runs in the family. Could any element of the design of the latter be incorporated into the new piece, no matter how subtle?

Best wishes,

******

Email to the client 13 April 2010

Thank you very much ******, that's exactly what I wanted re. the wardrobe pics.

The chiffoniers made by your great grandfather are beautiful and beautifully made. Of course we could incorporate a detail from them into the 'proposed' item. First thought would be the columns but we can chat about that when we meet. - That now looks more like early next week rather than later this week.
I'll keep in touch.

Best regards,
Clive.

And we did meet when I showed my client drawings of a preliminary proposal with various door panel options.
We discussed them and I came away with the feeling that we were close to an agreed solution.

Email from the client 20 May 2010

Dear Clive,

***** and I have had a good discussion about the piece, and would like you to proceed with its making. We would like, however, to put a ceiling of €*,*** inc Vat, if you can work within that budget.

We also have one or two observations and suggestions. On the drawings that you have given to us, the depth of the base part is 608, which seems to bring the piece exactly flush with the wall depth of the adjoining built-in wardrobe. The skirting board would presumably push that out another centimetre or two. Would it be safer to drop that depth back to say 580 or 590? Also, would you consider raising the height of the bottom half of the piece from 900 to about 1120 to add one more row of drawers and take away on of the drawer/shelf levels in the upper part? Finally, and especially if this means less work for you, we would be happy to have shelves rather than the more traditional drawers in the upper part, as this area will be used mainly for the storage of sheets and blankest and would not be used, practically, as often as the drawers in the bottom section.

Your feedback will be deeply appreciated.

Best wishes,

******
(This email clearly highlights a flaw in all I have said so far concerning the progress of this project: I have refered throughout to 'the client' and 'my client' when, in truth it should be 'my clients'. It is just that, for logistical reasons, I have dealt with just the one party.)

Email to the clients 21 May 2010

******, thank you very much.

Yes, of course I can work within that budget, especially with the elimination of the upper drawers.

I am really delighted and grateful, not just for the business which is of course very welcome, but I really like the item and it is a true pleasure to work for and with someone that takes such an interest in the whole process of bringing an idea through all the stages to production. It fully vindicates the function of being a commission designer and maker if one can successfully reconcile the three elements of the need and purpose to the function and the space and position.

Yes, we will certainly adjust the depth so that all of the item is within the depth of the adjacent cupboard.

I am less certain about altering the relative heights of the upper and lower portions.
First reaction and gut feeling is that it may destroy the proportions of the item.
So, over the weekend, I will redraw the item to your suggested dimensions and email the result to you, along with my opinion.

Once we have settled these final details I will ask you for a deposit so that I can start to assemble the materials before I go to Canada on 4 June in readiness for starting work on my return on 18 June.
In this connection, I received a telephone call from ******* yesterday when he said that he may have some suitable oak for me to look at - but then again he wasn't sure! We shall see what we shall see.

Keep your eye on your email, from lunchtime onwards tomorrow, for the amended drawing.

Thank you again.
Clive.

Email to the clients 22 May 2010

Good morning ****** and *****.

I attach the amended drawing. I have only adjusted the left hand image with doors, so that you can contrast the new proportion against the right hand original proposal.

My opinion? Yes, I do think that the original proportion is more pleasing but not to the extent that I would fight against the change.

I think the decision should be yours: you know the extent to which having another drawer will improve the function of the item and only you can decide if that benefit outweighs any disimprovement to its appearance: that is, of course, if you share my view that the appearance is compromised.

I did not take the time to re-calibrate the drawer sizes: I would, of course, do so if we go with the extra drawer. By this I mean the deepest drawer would be at the bottom and they would be graded as they go up.

So its over to you and I look forward to hearing your decision.

I'm off to cut grass on a perfect summer's morning!

Best wishes.
Clive.

Email to the clients 31 May 2010

Good afternoon, ******,

Thanks for passing-on your decision and I will of course ensure that it looks its best.

I will be in Dublin on Wednesday when, if it is convenient, I will call by to give you the final drawing with the drawers properly configured and to have a last word about the material.
It would also give me the opportunity to check again the available height: it may be that we could steal an extra few centimetres.

I would also be grateful if I could collect the deposit cheque: I'm hoping that some of the basic framing work will be done while I am in Canada.

I will call you tomorrow to check if this works for you.

Thanks again.

Best regards,
Clive.

Email to clients 8 June 2010

Good morning from Canada.

I'm sorry In did not get these to you before I left but, foolishly, I mislaid where I had noted *****'s email address and anyway I ran out of time to get all I needed to do done.

Anyway, here are the amended drawings for your consideration and approval.

As you can see, I am on email here so feel free to contact me if you wish though we are going to be in the Rockies from tomorrow until the following Tuesday where I doubt that I will have a connection.

Anyway, I will be in contact immediately upon my return on 19 June and, once any last minute refinements are agreed, I will get into full production.

Best regards,

Clive.

Email to clients 21 June 2010

Good afternoon, ******,

I'm home and getting my feet back under the table after a truly wonderful trip to Canada.

Would it be convenient for us to meet on Wednesday or Thursday to go through the final, final details and for me to collect the deposit with a view to my getting into full production on Monday 28 June?

I will give you a call tomorrow.

Best regards,
Clive.

And we did meet on the Wednesday when we agreed the final minor details.

And at this meeting I asked my client if he would be amenable to my 'blogging' the story of his commission from start to finish. And to my delight he agreed without demur.

I returned home, prepared the first working drawings and got on to Lisnavagh to see if I could finalise the materials requirrement.

Sadly, I was unable to source timber that I considered suitable for the item at Lisnavagh and it will now be made from French oak, sourced from from Jean Hetier, of The Art of Wood, who holds substantial stocks on the Kilkenny to Kells road.

And so, fully four months since my client's telphone enquiry 'the item' will go into full production tomorrow, Monday 19 July.

In fact, considerable progress has already been made because, as I mentioned, I had taken an early decision that the 'structure' would not be made from Lisnavagh oak even if they could supply material for other parts. Thus, having discovered the local French oak resource and having satisfied myself as to its suitability, I purchased the structural material there and the framing is already complete.

And although I am sorry that it will not be Irish oak from Lisnavagh, as my clients had hoped, I am pleased that the piece will be made from the one material, from the one source.

As you can see that this furniture commission had a considerable 'history' before any wood dust was created, so to speak.

From here onwards I will show its progress with with but few words and many visuals.........