Ebony Desk

Writing Desk composed of Gabon Ebony, Macassar Ebony, Madrone, Holly, Port Orford Cedar

This piece was inspired by a desk made by a student years ahead of me, Scott Nelson. It was the first piece of furniture I have encountered that was built to this stunning standard.

It is decadent, lavish in its wood selection; a glamorous gift-wrapping of Macassar Ebony floating above a stone-like Gabon Ebony stand. In designing this stand, I thought of Faberge eggs and their cradles. The drawers feature a waxy cream holly for their sides and shimmering cedar bottom offering a resinous whiff with each opening.

I learned a lot from this oblique casework and loved most of it. I took particular pleasure in the gallery, finding the right curves, and developing details within the drawers and their pulls. Each pull was carefully carved by hand with knife. Their form is something like a nutshell or maybe something found in the sea.