Coat of Arms carved under
the seat of a chair.
Provenance and Posterity
Each piece of furniture leaving our workshop has been created with a great deal of care and skilled craftsmanship in order that it matures with age and use into a much loved family heirloom. Indeed, it is likely that when you are no longer able to enjoy your special piece that it will be passed on to the next generation. With this in mind we try and give each piece a special mark to denote its origins.
Provenance Documents
With each Mendlesham Chair we offer a provenance booklet
as a record of its origins. This is printed in colour and combines pictures taken
in the workshop during construction with text about the history of Mendlesham
chairs. The centre pages show a stunning picture of HM Queen Elizabeth II and
the Duke of Edinburgh at the Jubilee celebrations in Bury St Edmunds seated in
Mendleshams made by us especially for the occasion. The last page is your certificate
of provenance and authenticity which can bear the number of your chair, its series
and your name and town/village. All this is authenticated with our signature and
a date. In addition we make every effort to make it possible for customers to
visit our workshop during the making of their chair to record on film for themselves
some of the work. If distant customers are unable to visit but can provide a simple
camera, our craftsmen will record the significant construction stages as the
chair takes shape.
Notable Marks
As most pieces are a personal choice to mark an occasion we offer a range of customizing
options.
Pyrography A simple option is to set into the piece a 3 inch
diameter disc of Sycamore bearing a pyrographic design of your choice. This
could include names, dates or a small picture.
Carving Another option is to have
letters and numbers carved by hand conveying ownership and the date of the occasion.
For a really special finishing touch you can have a picture of your choice
hand carved into the piece. These carvings are often of a bird or animal, reminders
of a hobby, career or profession, or of a family crest or Coat of Arms.
The choice really is yours.
Finishes and Aftercare
Most of our pieces are polished by hand using natural materials such as shellac and
then waxed. This method always brings out the inherent beauty of a
piece of wood, emphasizing the grain patterns whilst providing a warm glow and
silky feel to the touch. We are equally able to tailor the finish to a customer's
choice and often match to a colour sample provided by the customer. Maintenance
of the French Polished surface is minimal and may only require an annual polish
with a traditional clear or coloured furniture wax - in
addition to the routine dusting!