Best of Show

seen at the San Diego County Fair held on Del Mar Fairgrounds.

This Tambour Desk is a replica of a Federal Period Desk in a museum in Maryland.  Made by Robert Stevenson from Spanish Mahogany, Holly, and Pine wood.  
There are 23 categories of woodworking that an exhibitor may select for his entry.  This one was in Traditional Woodworking Furniture because Robert only used hand tools to create this mah-velous desk.
It took him three months to complete.
There is inlay in many places along the front and legs, but please notice the articulated sliding doors.  They are made from small pine slats glued to a backing cloth. He carefully gouges out the leaf design then inlays EACH leaf with a 1/16 inch thick, cut to shape, piece of white holly. The inlay wood must be this thick to survive future shaping.
After completing the inlay work he then uses a razor sharp knife to cut each pine slat vertically in half without cutting the backing cloth. After this is finished he uses a specially shaped tool to trim the squareness of the Pine slat pieces and the inlayed Holly to a half round "reed". WOW! That's patient!
The two doors separate and roll into a recess in the back of the desk. Inside, on each side are two inner drawers, one above the other and three cubbyholes above them.
The bottom drawer on each side has a "secret" panel, false bottom to hid documents.  Back in the late 1700's to early 1800's, there were no safes to secure important papers, so secret panels and drawers were the solution.
The two doors have offset metal loops that meet in the center wood strip. Using a key in the keyhole (hidden in this closed position by the edge of the folded desk writing surface) moves a "locking" metal rod into the loops, preventing unauthorized access to the desk contents. This same key also locks the lower outside drawers.
There is a barely visible very thin section of the aqua colored woven felt piece that is covering the desk surface. That blue color was typical of the period.  Woven felt is used to make it less likely to crack from constant folding and unfolding as writing surface is opened and closed.
The two small pulls on the sides of the outside drawers are pulled out to support the surface of the writing desk.
The docent talking about this piece told much more, but I've related all I could remember.
It really is a beautiful, beautiful piece.  Robert's asking price is  $24,500.

Fine Woodworking Magazine (based in Connecticut) comes out to the fair every year and from the winners of the 23 categories picks their choice as "Best of Show".  Not only did Robert receive this award, but he also acquired awards/ribbons from other sponsors. 
FIVE in all.
You can see them below the desk. From left to right:
Winner 
Society of American Period Furniture Makers 
Recognition Award 
w accompanying Donated Award yellow ribbon

Apollo Sprayers, Inc. 
Excellence in Finishing Award for Best Finish
in Traditional Woodworking Furniture
w accompanying Donated Award yellow ribbon

Fine Woodworking Magazine (CN) "Best of Show" 
w accompanying red, blue, yellow colored ribbon

San Diego County Fair 
Traditional Woodworking Furniture 
w accompanying 1st Place blue ribbon

Special Award (Acrylic Trophy)
San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association
San Diego County Fair
2017
Design in Wood Exhibition
President's  Award
Continuing Excellence
Bob Stevenson
1st Place
w accompanying yellow ribbon