When the prototype for one of Ron Clarkson's furniture reproductions sold for $3.6 million at Sotheby's in New York last January, Ron wasn't the least bit surprised.
"It was a gorgeous piece," he said. "That desk was a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of furniture makers from the 18th century."
Made from mahogany and adorned with intricate hand-carved shells, "that desk" is a Newport block-front knee-hole desk, 1765-1785, originally made by Edmund Townsend. Ron, who crafts furniture reproductions in his Chestertown, Maryland, studio, was commissioned by the owners to make a reproduction of the piece before it went on the auction block in New York.
"Making any kind of reproduction is a challenge," Ron said about his work. "It takes a lot of research to get the feel of the piece and to make an accurate reproduction."
Ron first became interested in furniture reproduction more than 25 years ago when he started doing furniture refinishing and repairs for a small shop in his hometown of Chestertown, Maryland. Gradually, his interests focused in on reproductions of furniture from 18th century America, such as Queen Anne, Chippendale and Newport style furniture.
"I like being able to bring back a form of artistry that I feel has been missing," Ron said. "The furniture makers who were creating chairs and tables and such back in the 18th century were doing so on a commercial level, yet still managed to put artistry and elegance first in their work."
Today, Ron finishes eight to ten reproductions each year. He has made chairs, cabinets, "pie-crust" tables, beds and more, and his pieces have been purchased by collectors as far away from his studio in Chestertown as Washington, Florida, Michigan and England. He has created pieces for Mount Vernon and the Queenstown Court House in Maryland. In addition to carving, Ron also finds time to give lectures and teach classes about antique restoration and reproduction.
Making Classic Chairs: A Craftsman's Chippendale Reference, is Ron's first book for Fox Chapel Publishing. He has also written two other books on reproductions: Making Classic Carved Furniture: The Queen Anne Stool and Classic Carved Furniture: Making a Piecrust Tea Table.