A few photos from England tonight. First is a panel from a building in Essex – this really is a standard motif, with a seemingly endless variety of shapes within the basic layout.
This one reminds me of the carved sides of the Pope cabinet made in Salem, MA c. 1680. Here is one of my copies of that carving.
Back to England, the next view is of a box sent in by the same reader as the panel above – it really is quite nice. This was sent in response to the carved oak I posted the other night… you will see a relationship in that the shapes are outlined by the curves of the gouges; little or no V-tool work. I find this type of carving slower than outlining wth the V-tool; but it’s got a real nice look to it. [clicking the photo of the box will bring it up englarged…]
This type of carving reminds me of some shown to me by Victor Chinnery on my first visit to England, now 10 years ago… here are some not-so-hot slides from a little church in Durrington, Wiltshire. Most of this 17th-century carving in this church has been re-fitted this way & that; but the patterns are too good to pass up. so much variety…
It goes on & on. Great stuff. These are all crazy-sawn wood, none of that perfect quartered stock for these. I remember making several boxes with these patterns when I got back from that first England trip. yesterday I just carved a couple pieces of it again. Fun to revisit that material.
Thanks to Michael for sending the recent shots. I’ll put more up after the weekend. I appreciate it when readers send photos of period oak . If you have photos, feel free to email them to me. Folks enjoy seeing this work. Over here, we have such a relatively small pool of 17th-century oak to study…
PETER FOLLANSBEE: JOINER’S NOTES 
Have been reviewing images of seventeenth century embroidery from British museums, visited on the recent Embroidered Jacket Tour, and it certainly influenced designs applied to wearing apparel.
The English box is interesting Peter. The rosettes seem to be a little out of place. They remind me of carvings on much later pieces. Have you seen this type of rosette on other 17th century work?
Hi Peter
Here are some pics I took last year of a piece of furniture in my friends daughters play room.
Joe
Your bone looks like the wishbone of a Canada goose, came across a pile of goose bones by the Bowscale Tarn in Molesworth Station (ranch) last summer. I didn’t get any pics but the shape is perfect and scale would be about right. They’re a pest here and there are annual culls hence the pile.