Chests

About The Living History Shop

Published February 4, 2012 | By Administrator

We hand-build 18th century travel furnishings and field equipage to your specifications.

The Living History Shop works in close collaboration with historic sites as well as the Smithsonian Museum to research and reproduce unusual and challenging examples of historic technology specific to the 1740-1790 time period.

Because of the increasing complexity and scope of our projects, we will no longer be printing a catalog. Simply call or email us with your needs or to obtain current prices and delivery schedule.

Curators of historic sites can obtain — with permission from sites in possession — reproductions of some of George Washington’s personal campaign furniture and accessories, including his: Folding Field Bedsteads, Mess Kit, Stool, Liquor Chest, Shaving Kit, large Storage Box, Luggage and Writing Case.

All items are made from original examples I have seen and documented and employ construction details of the original. Iron keyed locks are used on chest lids and drawers. Hand forged iron work is made to our specifications by Jeff Miller (Flintlock Forge).

Examples include:

Wooden chests with dovetail or lap joints, forged iron or rope handles, snipe or strap hinges, painted or not
Pine topped tables with scissor leg or sawbuck design (2″ X-legs with streacher between)
Pine plank benches
Pine bench Shaving Horse
Red oak open frame wheelbarrows with solid (non-spoked) wheel standard
Red oak standard size ( 1 3/4″ thick frame) four spoke wheelbarrows with or without sides 1/2″ thick
White oak heavy duty wheelbarrows using 2″ thick stock for frame and 3/4″ thick sides and bottom – four spoke wheel
17-18th century Miner Style Wheelbarrow (from Diderot) with four spoked wheel in red or white oak 3/4″ sides
Walnut folding officers bedstead in single or double width complete with bed curtains, mattress, and storage chest
Walnut officers grade Chippendale style folding table with matching upholstered stool including custom canvas case
Walnut or maple Georgian period folding chair upholstered in leather
The best wooden handled table top brazier made
Officer grade Mess Kit Canteen
Wine crates with or without blown bottles
Wine chest with blown bottles and glasses of officer grade in iron clasped walnut and with hand made lock
Sundry small items such as lidded pine Tavern Tankards, Tape Looms, and curly maple Lanterns

Posted in 18th Century Bedding, 18th Century Clothing, 18th Century Furniture, 18th Century Kitchenware, 18th Century Tools, 19th Century Tools, Carts, Chairs, Chests, Lathes, Mess Kit, Scale Models, Tables, Thoughts, Wheelbarrows

Portfolio

Published February 4, 2012 | By Administrator

The Princeton homestead named Rockingham served as General George Washington’s final headquarters during the American Revolution. It was here he awaited the Treaty of Paris, the official paperwork that would end the war and grant America formal sovereignty.

Furnishings below are part of the extensive collection of Washington’s field furnishings created for Rockingham Historic Site in 2005-2006. The State of New Jersey commissioned the Living History Shop, in cooperation with the Smithsonian and Mt. Vernon, to reproduce many of Washington’s personal campaign furnishings for Rockingham.

Washington Mess Kit (canteen) duplicated from original in the Smithsonian. Intricate and detailed construction including hand-blocked wallpaper, green felt lining, and intricate system of precisely fitted compartments.

Washinton’s four nested cooking pots with detachable handles. Mess kit (canteen) tinware by tinsmith, Carl Giordano.

George Washington’s folding gridiron with telescoping handle. Forge work by blacksmith, Jeff Miller.

Mid 18th Century Delaware Valley design “Sawbuck” table. Dovetailed center drawer. Sturdy construction, featuring 1.25″ thick pine top and poplar legs.

Washington’s travel trunk in black leather duplicated by Steve Freede from original at Mt. Vernon with brass cartouche engraved “Genl Washington No.3″.

Geo Washington large faux grain shipping chest from original at Mt. Vernon. Wood joints and assembly are individually fitted. Fit and finish are appropriate to the piece and its use today. Jackplane smoothing marks and scribe lines are visible on exposed surfaces. Hand-forged iron fastenings and handles are used. Authenticated period colors cover painted pieces.

One of two walnut Chippendale Side Chairs duplicated from original set of four at Rockingham site.

Plunket Fleeson of Philadelphia supplied Washington with 18 walnut camp stools as part of a large order, including his tentage, in 1776. Duplicated from original in the Smithsonian.

George Washington’s folding field bedstead in walnut wood, with hand sewn hemp canvas foundation, interpreted from multiple researched sources including observation of the original at Mt. Vernon.

Shaving Box used by George Washington that carried seven daily straight razors in mahogany wood, silk lined. Duplicated from original in Mt. Vernon.

The FINAL HEADQUARTERS: ROCKINGHAM project by the LIVING HISTORY SHOP, 2006, installed at Rockingham in Kingston New Jersey, was made possible by the Public Buildings Arts Inclusion Act of 1978. The Arts Inclusion program is administered by the NEW JERSEY STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS. Funding for this project was provided by the NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION and administered by the NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSTRUCTION.

Organizations:

Rockingham Historic Site
Smithsonian
Mt. Vernon

Artisans:

Carl Giordano, Tinsmith
Steve & Katie Freede, The Trunk Shoppe
Jeff Miller, Flintlock Forge
John Pierce & Dave Byerly, P&B Glassworks
Frank Willis
Tricia & Rick Toone, Fine Art & Photography

Posted in 18th Century Furniture, 18th Century Kitchenware, Chairs, Chests, Links We Like, Tables

18TH CENTURY FOLDING BEDSTEAD

Published October 21, 2011 | By Administrator

18th century design folding bedstead with bedding (tic) contained in a hide covered trunk. The idea to build this piece came from reinactor Jose Lopez Reyes who saw an original in a museum in Madrid, Spain.

George Washington had one that is now at The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan. This one utilizes a wooden frame, however, Washington’s frame was metal.

The bed measures 32 inches wide by 73 inches long. Heavy linen sailcloth laced with hemp cordage provided by Frank Rodrigues. All hardware is hand forged period correct, blacksmithed by Jeff Miller. More than 500 cast brass nails (tacks) secure and decorate the oiled goat raw hide covering. These are the same tacks used Steve Freede of The Trunk Shoppe. The case is lined with green wool baize and fully finished.

This unique piece was shown at the Pennsylvania Fine Folk Art and Arms Show, October 28, 29, 2011 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Display at the Pennsylvania Fine Folk Art & Arms Show

Bedstead set up with curtains in raised position to provide more breeze.

View of interior space at six foot one length and spacious thirty-two inches wide and double-layer custom mattress.

Posted in 18th Century Bedding, 18th Century Furniture, Chests

18TH CENTURY LIQUOR CHEST

Published February 25, 2009 | By Administrator

Reproduction of Gen. Washington’s Campaign Liquor chest. Features hand blown decanters with hand etched folk tulip design and fancy hand blown glasses. The liquor chest lock was completely hand made from scratch.

The original chest is the property of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and the reproduction is on display in the visitors center at the Colonial National Historic Park at Yorktown, VA.