My name is Dean Mosey and I am a 5th generation cabinetmaker and furniture restoration specialist. Whereas most 5th generation professional's backgrounds would stem from their father, his father, his father's father etc., I come by my trade from my mother and her ancestors. My family's cabinetry roots date to the late 1800's in England before coming to the States shortly after World War I. The earliest origins of my family show them to be predominantly coffin makers. Though rather dreary in nature, one could safely state that there is really no cabinetry need more basic than the coffin. Upon arrival in this country in the early 1900's, my ancestor's cabinetry focus began to shift from one of construction to one of refinishing and restoration work. The actual craft of furniture construction skipped over several generations until taking root once again with myself.
Despite the fact that I was raised around the restoration shop and picked up a certain amount of my "education" vicariously, it wasn't until the early 1970's that I acquired my taste for the woodworking end of the business. While attending college, I worked in a theatre set shop off and on for three years. When the people in charge learned of my background, I was often tasked with certain jobs that required woodworking skills that were assumed I had. Actually, nothing could have been further from the truth at that time. But being of an age where losing face was clearly not an option, I plunged in and learned by simply "doing" with a bit fakery thrown in for good measure. Upon graduation with a BS in English Literature in hand and no real desire to teach (and what else do you use a B.S. in Eng. Lit. for?) I returned home to a depressed economy to work three jobs to make ends meet. One of those jobs was in the family business where working "temporarily" has now become over 30 years. Though I never saw myself in the role of working in the family's line of work, I discovered that I truly had an affinity for it and it grew to be a genuine desire to continue and flourish.
In as much as a major portion of my business still deals with restoration work, today I have taken my skills and craft and returned to my family's original heritage. My work in the restoration field has further enhanced my cabinetry skills, as it has truly been an ongoing education in studying the many facets of furniture construction through the years. My work has been a labor of love, and, for better or worse, my study subjects have always afforded me an opportunity to broaden my scope and hone my skills while providing bread for the table.
Over the years, my work has retained a focus of simplicity. I have always had an admiration for design that boasts clean lines and attention to details. It is these two elements that are the prominent backbone of the furniture I construct. They are also the common ties between the various styles I build. Hence, my furniture falls into Early American Primitives, Shaker, Mission and Arts & Crafts, Contemporary, and Original designs. Though these styles span a wide period of history, the clean design element remains at work in all of them and provides a unifying factor despite the distinct and unmistakable style aspects of each genre. Each of these genres' is often occupied by several distinct characteristics.
Probably the most obvious characteristic of each of these styles is the type/s of woods used. Certain species of wood are commonly associated with different styles of furniture. Sometimes this had to do with local availability, and sometimes it was a matter of popular choice.Early American Primitives often used wide-plank pine or poplar as the predominant material because it was both readily available and because tools weren't particularly "high-tech". Therefore the bigger or wider the board, the less prep work was required to efficiently construct a solid and durable piece of furniture.
The Shakers were also practitioners of clean and efficient design. Their lifestyle was based upon simplicity and function. Maple and cherry woods were commonly the woods of choice in their furniture.
Mission and Arts & Crafts style furniture were most commonly constructed of quarter-sawn white oak and often contained many evenly spaced slats and through-mortised joints. Mahogany was often popular as well.
Contemporary and Original design pieces often run the gamut in their use of fine hardwoods. Often several contrasting species will be used in the same piece for dramatic effect. Original design pieces will often be works of mixed media as well to incorporate such elements as metal, stone, glass or ceramics for distinction.
As a rule, my furniture is constructed with a wood species most appropriate to an individual style, though that does not have to be a hard and fast rule. I will blend woods where requested if a certain "look" is sought or if something existing is being matched. Pieces may also be constructed with various assembly techniques depending on use or application. For example: often a client will request a dining table with traditional mortise and tenon leg/apron joinery. This is readily available, though a more common approach is to construct the leg as a detachable piece that is mounted into a well-executed corner-mounting block. Though this is somewhat less "traditional," it has several distinct advantages: i.e. the ability to tighten legs periodically with simple hand tools to compensate for seasonal humidity variations, and to easily remove legs for shipping or moving, thus reducing the risk of damage. Either construction style is acceptable and available and will have no bearing on the final appearance or durability of the piece.
My primary goal in furniture construction is to build a piece that is both visually appealing and structurally sound as to provide years of enjoyment and service.
| As mentioned earlier, my background has been strong in the finishing and restoration end of the business. As a result of this, my pieces receive particular attention paid to the end result. How my furniture is finished is not a "left 'til last" detail that receives short shrift upon the completion of assembly. My finish work IS part of the construction process, and ultimately receives attention equal to that of the rest of the process. Though color options are available, most wood tone pieces are offered in shades that will most enhance the natural grain and figure of the wood species. Painted pieces can obviously run the color spectrum, though I generally run towards muted and subtle shadings. All pieces are final-coated with a high-solids, commercial grade lacquer finish that is hand rubbed upon completion. This finish is both pleasant to the eye and touch, and is extremely serviceable with a high degree of repairability. Dining table tops may be top-coated with a catalytic lacquer as an option. Catalytics offer the same appearance, feel, and service with and added measure of durability for high-use applications. Most pieces can be finished to client's specifications. |
