Each year, the Society of American Period Furniture Makers recognizes an individual whose achievements best reflect the mission of SAPFM. The Cartouche Award is SAPFM's way of acknowledging the contributions made by craftsmen, educators, conservators, and supporters, professional or hobbyist, who have inspired or instructed others, or who have simply made the world more pleasing as a result of their skillful labors. Each year, the recipient of the award is honored at the Cartouche Award banquet, held in conjunction with Colonial Williamsburg's annual conference Working Wood in the 18th Century.
The idea of presenting an award to recognize excellence in period furniture making was inspired by college football's Heisman Trophy, given annually to award outstanding performance in the field. The actual cartouche from which the bronze is cast crowns a Philadelphia tall case clock built by Gene Landon. The bronze, weighing close to five pounds, is cast by Dana Stewart in Lambertsville, NJ. An individualized brass plaque is acid-etched to raise the shell and text, while the background is textured and painted. The bronze cartouche and brass plaque are then mounted to a mahogany base made by Mickey Callahan.
Do you know someone who should be considered for the Cartouche Award? Download nomination guidelines here. Neither nominees nor those who nominate them need be members of SAPFM.
2013 Will Neptune
2012 Allan Breed
2011 Benjamin C. Hobbs
2010 Steven Lash
2009 Dennis Bork
2008 Alfred Sharp
2007 North Bennet Street School
2006 Fred Stanley
2005 Phil Lowe
2004 Mack Headley
2003 Gene Landon
2002 Robert Whitley
2001 John McAlister
2000 Harold Ionson
Corona Plumosa by Nancy R. Hiller will be included in the Indiana State Museum's studio furniture exhibition, scheduled to run from October 2013 through June 2014. Using a blind jury process, Professor Wendy Maruyama of San Diego State University selected 23 outstanding examples of functional studio pieces by Indiana artists in traditional and contemporary designs.
The Highland Woodworker’s first Moment with a Master of the 2013 season features 2008 SAPFM Cartouche award recipient Alf Sharp. Find out how Alf’s fascination with the centerfold of a British secretary attracted him to furniture making. Learn more as we visit with Alf in his Tennessee home and shop on the next Highland Woodworke, available after February 23 at Highland Woodworker.
Mary May describes how to carve foliage on a spindle in an article in Popular Woodworking. "Carving an Acanthus Leaf on a Turned Post" is in the October 2012 issue.
Nancy Hiller has an article in the September/October issue of Fine Woodworking (#228), "Arts & Crafts With an English Accent" The article details the making of a writing desk that she designed based on original circa-1903 drawings of washstands produced by the Harris Lebus furniture company of London. Nancy found copies of the plans at the Geffrye Museum in Hackney and obtained scans of the original drawings through the National Archives.
Freddy Roman shows how to quickly plot an ellipse using simple geometry in the August 2012 Popular Woodworking.
Charles Bender explains three variations of the trifid carved foot prevalent in Philadelphia in the August 2012 Popular Woodworking.
In the July/Aug 2012 issue of Fine Woodworking, Alan Turner describes how to make crosscut sleds for the table saw to accommodate a variety of cutting applications.
W. Mickey Callahan shows how he uses an overarm jig at the router table to produce curved mouldings with complex profiles. His article appears in the July/Aug 2012 issue of Fine Woodworking.
Eight members of SAPFM have been selected into Early American Life Magazine's 2012 Directory of Traditional American Crafts. Their work and contact information appear in the August 2012 issue. Congratulations to Dennis Bork, Vincent Chicone, David Diaman, Benjamin C. Hobbs, Tony Kubalak, Bob Stevenson, Matthew Wolfe and Fred Chellis !
