Commissions
If you would like to commission a piece please feel free to contact me to discuss your requirements. The following information is provided for your guidance.
Although I make boxes for the storage of jewellery they can also can be made for other purposes and to any style, size and choice of wood/veneer (subject to availability), lining and finish to suit your own individual storage (or display) requirements and tastes.
My Boxes page contains various designs with approximate dimensions and guide prices. As no two pieces of wood are the same so no two boxes will ever be exactly identical, especially where spalted or figured wood/veneer is used. Many of the boxes you see here can be made to order at, or about, the guide price shown and require a lead time of 3-4 weeks to make (to be advised depending on workload). Additionally, changes can be made to the dimensions, choice of wood/veneers used, internal lining or finish used although this may incur additional material or labour costs (minor changes may not incur additional cost at my discretion).
If you would like to order a jewellery box seen here, or to commission a unique design please contact me to discuss your requirements. Once a commission is approved I require a 40% non-refundable deposit before commencing work and will keep you updated on progress towards a mutually agreed completion date. For clients within a thirty mile radius I can personally deliver any commission and for greater distances they will be delivered via courier at cost to the client.
Box Construction
Boxes can be constructed from either solid timber or can be entirely veneered, in which case the substrate would generally be constructed from a more stable product such as plywood or mdf. Many of my boxes combine both solid timber for their sides with a lid that is decorated with a contrasting (or patterned) veneer and inlay banding which is laid onto a plywood/mdf core. This is done for practical reasons as it confers greater stability than solid timber, which is more prone to movement and distortion in thin sections.
Whilst sometimes erroneously associated with low-quality, veneer has long been used in the construction and decoration of wooden furniture. This form of utilisation is often done to avoid unnecessary waste of high value (or low availability) wood. Many of the visually interesting features found in wood are a result of growth defects and such wood is typically very unstable in solid form but very usable in veneer form, common examples being; birds-eye (as seen in maples), fiddleback (sycamore) and burrs/burls (eg oak, walnut.
Many woods are sourced from tropical climates and whilst there is concern about preventing their exploitation it should be borne in mind that it is possible to both utilise these resources and sustain their supply indefinitely.