18th Century Furniture by Bilderback Woodworks

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Woodworker holding carved shell motif panel next to matching carved drawer front on chest of drawers in workshop

This is Larry Bilderback of Dayton, Ohio with his side business, Bilderback Woodworks. He builds fine furniture by incorporating relief carvings into his 18th century designs. Below Larry is pictured with his Newport Rhode Island mahogany block front chest of drawers with concave and convex shell carvings.

Dovetail drawer joint on unfinished wooden cabinet with carved shell applique on panel in workshop.

Bilderback showcases the Goddard and Townsend  features using shell carvings, ball and claw constructs, block and shell case architecture on many of his creations.

18th-century style mahogany side table with carved cabriole legs and claw feet
Close-up of carved claw-and-ball foot on polished wooden furniture leg against red carpet
Wooden corbel being hand-carved with chisel next to a painted corbel template on workbench
Woodworker standing behind a table with a roll-up pouch of carving gouges in a workshop.

Using the Al Breed School of Fine Woodworking castings as inspiration, Larry replicates Newport Rhode Island bracket feet designs.

Larry learned how to carve while working his main job traveling and staying in hotels over the years using books purchased from Woodcraft.  He frequented several Woodcraft stores along his route through Dayton and Cincinnati Ohio, Knoxville Tennesse, and Birmingham, Alabama for expertise, and his supplies including the pfeil Swiss made 25 piece collection carving tool set, item #05B58.

In this interview, Larry gives us a tour of his home and fine furniture explaining his involvement in the Western Ohio Woodworking Club, and the Society of American Period Furniture Makers(SAPFM).
18th-century highboy chest with carved shell motifs and brass hardware in corner room
Round tilt-top table with carved scalloped edge and tripod claw feet in dark wood finish
Tilt-top table with carved claw feet and scalloped edge, polished mahogany wood grain visible
18th-century corner cabinet with glass-paneled door and carved wood details displaying china and figurines
Four carved wooden fan-shaped furniture appliques with detailed fluting and scrollwork on a polished wood surface
18th-century mahogany sideboard with carved cabriole legs and brass drawer pulls
18th-century carved mahogany armchair with pierced splat and upholstered seat in a home setting
18th-century carved mahogany chair with cabriole legs and blue upholstered seat
Large brick and wood-framed workshop building with multiple windows and a central entrance door.

Larry also put together a dovetail presentation for the Western Ohio Woodworking Club:

Larry Bilderback Dovetail Presentation.pdf

Contact Larry at lrbilderback@aol.com or at (937) 294-2147 for your special 18th century designed furniture; you will be impressed!

Here are some photos of Larry’s work:

Look for these photos and more on our Woodcraft Facebook site too…http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/WoodcraftWoodworking.

As mentioned in the video, Larry participates in the annual Dayton Ohio Artistry in Wood Show, along with hundreds of other woodworkers displaying their talents in all the woodworking venues.

We’ll have more on this subject in an upcoming blog when we talk with furniture & cabinet maker Dick Reese, also in Dayton, Ohio as we explore his amazing woodshop. Here is a tickler…and yes, this is a woodshop!

Come back for more of our one tank trips as the Woodcraft Woodworking Adventures continue!

Auf wiedersehen…Frank

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