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Here at Popular Woodworking we like great pieces of furniture for the projects we publish in the magazine. What we really like are great pieces of furniture with a good story behind them. In our November 2007 issue, we have an article by Darrell Peart that is exactly that , a reproduction of a library table originally made in the workshops of Peter and John Hall. The Hall brothers made the furniture designed by Greene & Greene in the early 1900s.
This table has all the design elements of Greene & Greene, but its actual origin is something of a mystery. While Darrell was doing research for his book “Greene & Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop,” he visited the grandson of Peter Hall. In the living room was this table, that had been altered in the 1950s to make a coffee table. Darrell posted some pictures on the Yahoo! Greene & Greene group and I got in touch with him to see if he would build a reproduction of this piece for Popular Woodworking.
Darrell kindly agreed and the article is featured in our November issue. Darrell is thorough and meticulous, and sent us more material than we could fit in an 8-page article. Not wanting this to go to waste, we are putting the extra text, drawings and photos online in a pdf document. Click the link at the bottom of this entry to download it. Also online is a slide show of detail photos of the original table, and the lower 12″ inches that have survived.
Click here to download additional text, drawings and photos. (1.04 MB)
Click here to download a slide show of detail photos of the original table.(2.52mb)
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When I first read that the November issue would feature a G&G style library table I was left with mixed feelings.
You see, I’ve become fed up with in-the-style-of G&G pieces where G&G details are exaggerated to the point they become grotesque. And worst of all, those so-called G&G pieces are so ill-proportioned that I feel sorry for such a waste of precious mahogany. Greene & Greene masterpieces are just the opposite: sublime proportions and subtle details.
Well, my fears are all gone now. This is a beautiful piece of furniture by the Hall brothers. Could we expect less from the best?
Anyway, a special thank you to Darrell Peart for his superb work and for sharing his knowledge about the Greenes.
And many, many, many thanks to Mr. Lang for being the great Greene & Greene devotee that he is and for giving so much of his knowledge so willingly.
All the best,
Eric Pereira
Porto, Portugal.