Welcome
to my shaker shop. Here you will find a select range of exclusive shaker furniture
and Shaker style woodenware including iconic peg rails and
boxes. Every Item is completely hand made, here in my own workshop, using only
locally grown timber. The Shaker style pegs for my peg rails are
individually hand turned, one at a time on a lathe. They are then threaded to screw full
depth into the coat rails. Dimensions, form and threading style are careful replications
of know original pegs. I believe my Shaker shop is the only place you will find this
authentic Shaker detail. As you would imagine this makes a substantially stronger peg
rail.
Now take a close look
at my faithful interpretation of the distinctive swallowtail fingers of my shaker boxes.
These are all hand carved with a knife, the angle of the bevel changing along the length
of the finger. An important and authentic detail sometimes overlooked. These are just two
of the reasons that allow me to say, that my work is uniquely handmade. I hope you will
value my work as an art form, while you are enjoying its usefullness
This intimacy with
all my work makes it easy for me to place a full lifetime guarantee (mine, not yours) on
all your purchases, sorry, couldn’t resist the humour there. Never the less this is a
serious undertaking for me. The peg rails, oval boxes and other items featured in my
online shop are not looked upon, just as accessories. Rather, they are treated as smaller
pieces of furniture in their own right and as such are made and finished to t he same high
standard. Not down to a price. All my products large and small recive a final hand applied
burnish with Renaissance
Wax
Shaker bedroom, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky,
note the use of peg
rails (courtesy:Tom Allen wikipedia)
Shaker Peg
Rails for the Shakers, were not simply coat rails, they were indeed useful for hanging
hats and coats, however they also served other important functions. The Shakers fixed peg rails to every wall, much
in the same way as the Victorians fixed picture rails. This served as an important
architectural feature that broke-up otherwise plain walls into pleasing dimensional
sections. This feature became iconic and is one that instantly denotes the Shaker Style of
decoration. The Peg rails also
proved useful for hanging candle sconces, small cupboards and specially adapted hanging
shelves; in addition when cleaning, they proved a useful place for hanging up chairs. This
left the floors clear and cleaning more efficient. Depending on which room they were
situated, the peg rails had
different finishes and colours applied, in accordance with the millennial laws.
Employing peg rails in
the same way that the Shakers did, is an ideal way to create a Shaker theme. Our Peg Rail Kits are
especially suited for a project like this, as the edges at the end of each rail are left
sharp to ensure a crisp joint, when several are butted together. Even if it's not possible
to place peg rails on every wall, used
singularly they still evoke a strong design statement and add the right accent to your
theme; especially when teamed with our Shaker Coat Hangers.
I
know, like me, you are probably increasingly concerned about our environment, so it’s
reassuring to know that all the timber that I use is not only grown within a few
kilometres of my workshop, but also in properly managed and sustainable forests.
(Please ask for details if you would like to promote and support forest care yourself)
Also my fine hand rubbed finishes and polishes, are as far as possible, natural products,
many of them I prepare myself. Glue, used on my furniture is also organic. The
old-fashioned scotch type, heated in a double boiler. This may not be of immediate
benefit to you but a restorer, perhaps working for one of your descendents, will be
extremely grateful for it.
I
devote an exceptional amount of time and effort to the quality of the final finish and
detail, making sure that your purchase will not only immediately delight you; it will
continue to give you pleasure for many happy years to come. The problem is how
can you judge this quality for yourself? The convenience of internet technology can
let you look into my workshop but it can’t let you experience the sensual feel of
hand worked timber or smell the rich scent of different woods and polishes. I know
and understand how very important it is for you to use all your senses when judging the
quality of something, especially craft work. It can be difficult, worrying and
perhaps even stressful making choices when you can’t. I don’t pretend to
have a satisfactory solution to this dilemma and know it will be a long time before anyone
does. In the meantime, maybe the next best thing to you experiencing these
sensations for yourself would be to hear from someone who has. So for your
reassurance I’ve printed some testimonials at the bottom of this page. Just
scroll down.
Here You Can See What Some of Our Customers Have Said!!........
"My package arrived yesterday, and I am thrilled with my
Shaker box! What beautiful workmanship! Thank you for the extra care taken in
packing to avoid damage in shipment. I purchased the box as a Christmas present
for my best friend and I can't wait to see her expression. Thank you again for all
your help."
"My
beautiful basket arrived today. I know that the beauty of the woodwork will add greatly to
my needlework piece."
"The boxes arrived only a few
moments ago. I derive some small pleasure out of knowing that there are still people in
the world who possess the patience and perseverance to create such works of lasting beauty
and value. Please tell Barry how delighted we are with his work."
“I don't recall if I contacted
you and told you how much we love the peg rails that Barry made for us. They are
beautiful! They look great on our walls. Thanks again.”
“We got it………and
it’s perfect. Thank you”
“The peg-rail arrived this
morning,……………. It looks really smart I am glad I made the effort
to find someone who make nice oak ones………………..”
“The boxes arrived just in time
for my wife’s birthday (it is her present) – perfect. They are absolutely
wonderful. As an amateur carpenter myself I truly appreciate the skill and care that
goes into these beauties. What is more important is that
……………… (my wife) is really thrilled. She teaches
interior design and therefore knows a lot about the history of the Shakers and their
talents – her comment was “Those Shakers would have been proud of these”,
so need I say more.”
