Cabinet making

W. Godziemba-Maliszewski
Maître Ébéniste ~ Master Cabinetmaker

London Joiners Ltd. makes superior furniture, boardroom tables, dining tables, and perfectly detailed replications of 18th century and other period furnishings. W. Godziemba-Maliszewski, owner of London Joiners Ltd., has a historically important collection of antique cabinetmakers and joiner's tools, and tools from several other arts, from France, Germany, England, and America. Such are employed in new work, and in replications, imparting a classic look that no machine or router-bit can achieve.

London Joiners Ltd. have enormously wide rare wood boards in stock, suitable for Board Room Tables and Dining Tables. See the Rare Woods section on the main page for the rarest and most uniquely beautiful wood in the world, quilted and tortoise shell mahogany. A unique collection of rare and antique woods distinguishes the creations of London Joiners Ltd. When, sometimes, new wood is used, London Joiners Ltd. employ techniques to make it look old if necessary, such as burying walnut in earth packed with rock salt. As to finishing, old guild methods are used, such as the chemical coloration of wood derived from Flemish and other textile techniques that are hundreds of years old.

W. Godziemba-Maliszewski is widely recognized as an expert in antiques conservation and repair, as well as a master cabinetmaker and maitre ebeniste, a maker of superior cabinetry. Some of his techniques are covered within various subjects on the main page, including Finishing, Rare Woods, Restoration and Conservation, and Clock Case and Musical Instrument Repair. In addition, two interviews, also reachable from the main page, discuss new and old work in detail.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1 - 2 - 3
Buffet � Pierre, newly made, of French Walnut. French Polished over quill-reed lapidary waxing. A Wilton Connecticut collector who had an original and wanted a double commissioned the piece. Packing in rock salt and burial in earth first aged the wood for several weeks. The lapidary waxing of the piece was by a reed quill filled with wax, a technique known to the Egyptians, and generally practiced in England and Holland from the 15th to 18th centuries. When the wood is brilliant by such a technique, the final French Polishing (Italian lac technique) was worked onto the wood. This was then rubbed down flat and waxed over with Pate Dugay Rustique Dore wax. Whitechapel Ltd. supplied the handmade French period hardware. Photos by Stuart Simons.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 4 - 5
French Bed, designed and made W. Godziemba-Maliszewski for the same client that comissioned the Buffet � Pierre shown in Figs 1 - 3 above.

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 6 - 7
Oak Dresser, newly made, in the English style of the 17th century, of old Pin Oak. Victor Chinnery illustrates a 1680 near example in Oak Furniture, The British Tradition, page 348. The oak for this piece was formerly in an 18th century Connecticut house attic. Though shaping with antique tools intruded on the wood, exposing edges, expert patination by London Joiners Ltd. rendered a perfect antique appearance. The surfaces were polished with a lapidary wax reed-quill. Whitechapel Ltd supplied the handmade hardware. Photos by Stuart Simons.

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

An English tray stand. The stand was made to support the antique English tray shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 shows the stand alone, which, with the tray removed, reveals a gaming table. This was a pleasant surprise for the client who expected only a stand.

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig 10.
Coffee Table of West African Mahogany surrounded by French Walnut banding, with Clara Walnut nose edge. The piece is 50 inches across and stands 18 inches tall, supported by 5 cabriole legs. The wood was colored by first using a mordant of cream of tartar, then potassium dichromate, and then French Polished (Italian lac technique). The piece was made for a Greenwich Connecticut family who wanted a seating table to complement their classic English style library. Photo by Don Dempsey.

Fig. 11

Fig. 11
Chinoise Vitrine of Vermillion wood. Designed for a Bedford New York collector of ivory treen. Photo by Don Dempsey.

Fig. 12

Fig. 12
Chinoise Glass Case of Hauli Wood. The case stands 27 inches tall. Photo by Don Dempsey.

Fig. 13

Fig. 13
A Child's Rocking Chair, designed after an antique example from Boston circa 1820. W. Godziemba-Maliszewski has made several of these chairs for his son, some of his friends and relatives children, and one donated for a disabled child. Photo by Don Dempsey.

Contact London Joiners:
info@londonjoiners.com
23 Westchester Avenue Pound Ridge NY 10576 914 764 4216	94 Dodgingtown Road Bethel CT 06801 203 798 2534

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