Leo64

Hi,

After a long search period i want too build a desk ( see picture )
I descovered it is a Stickley Brothers design 1906 - 1912

There are a few books on the market too learn more about the brothers, problem is : i do not know in witch book is de drop front desk from the foto. A plan wood be perfect offcourse

Surprise, i found this on a stickley cabinet, it is in dutch ? It means "if i can" , strange ?

Hope someone helps me out

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Mike Gager

the desk is a model 664 if that helps at all

als ik kan was gustav stickleys motto and he the emblem you see in the picture is how he signed all of his work

ive seen "als ik kan" translated many different ways

as best i can
to the best of my ability
if i can
all i can

its origin is flemish

Leo64

Hi Mike,
Your information about the model ( 664 ) seems to be correct, when i use google a picture of the desk comes out. May i ask , where do you get your knowledge from, book ?

For me the tekst on his logo is strange becaus it is in my mother language ( flemisch ) and i ask myself why ?

I try to send a mail too the stickley museum, maybe they can help me out.

Thanks for the reaction

Mike Gager

hi leo, in the middle ages craftsman would adopt a device or legend that would he would display on every piece of his work to identify that the piece was genuinely his. sort of like a modern trademark. the "Als ich kanne" motto was originally used by a 14th century flemish painter Ian Eyck to identify his work. Several hundred years later william morris used the term but in french, "Si je puis", to identify his products. morris as you may or may not know was a very importamnt figure in english arts and crafts movement. The Morris Chair of american arts and crafts fame gets its name from his company was the original producer of such chairs in the 1860s.
Gustav Stickley is the founder of the american arts and crafts movement. He took many key pieces from the english movement and made them his own. As such he adopted the motto, in modern flemish (dutch as you mentioned) "als ik kan" along with the joiners compass and his signature to identify his work

if you have a local library near you i suggest seeing if they have any books on gustav stickley or the american arts and craft style. my library has several great books along with a dozen or so "how to build" type books with plans. they also have books of old stickley catalogs with pictures of a lot of his work, which is neat to see

also try searching the google for gustav stickley, thats actually how i identified the piece you posted, i just came about it on a google search

Leo64

Hi ,
I realy love history , and ofcourse i know Morris and Jan Van Eyck.
Do I understand correct that you have books from this specific model . On ebay there are a few on sale, but they are not specific about dimensions. I buy them both ( 20$ ) to learn more about the history of furniture. At the moment i am study the hinges from the model 664. They are realy ingenious, simple and effective.
One thing disturbs me a little bit :
Quote : He took many key pieces from the english movement and made them his own. As such he adopted the motto, in modern flemish (dutch as you mentioned) "als ik kan" along with the joiners compass and his signature to identify his work
But after all this years it is forgiven
Thanks for the intrest in this subject, if you come across information on the 664 model, do not doubt to contact me.

Mike Gager

when i said pieces i didnt mean actually pieces of furniture. i probably used the worng word. i meant pieces as in ideas/concepts and then by making them his own i meant he made his own additions to those ideas in affect making something entirely different of his own creation. sorry if that was confusing


i will do some searching and see what i can find for books with the 664 or similar models. ill post back here if i find anything

Leo64

my fault, please forgive me, Englisch is not my mother language, i do my best, somethimes i make a mistake and understand things different.It would suprise me if copy exists in those days.He just took ideas and there is nothing wrong with.
I have send a mail too the stickley museum, i post the information that they provide, if they answer...

Mike Gager

out of curiousity have you seen this page?

http://www.voorheescraftsman.com/rd/...1906-1912.html

it appears to be the same desk you posted, with additional pictures however i dont see the stickley logo shown on this desk as it was made by the L.&J.G. Stickley company (gustavs brothers)

Leo64

Indeed thats where my quest started
I've chequed my local library, they got nothing on the subject.
Now i am searching for software that alow measurment from pictures, so i can measure the proportions. Then i calibrate on the desk front height...

Peter Benders

Very good design... looks very elegant

Leo64

It is indeed a very elegant disign. I have software now to determine the dimensions (Iphotomeasure ). It works nice on 2D, in 3D it is not so acurate, i am experimenting with it.
The dimensions are : 36 x 19 x 47" in metric 90 x 47 x 117 the drop front itself is 12 1/2" . The height of the front = 30" ( is nice even with todays standards )
Now comes the challenge : i like to make it wider from 36 to 44" when i change this and change the other dimensions , proportional, the front comes to high...it is a dilema