Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)
Yes another Japanese project. Around halfway through making my Japanese Incense chest, check it out here I decided to make a full suite of Incense (Kodo) related woodwork items to go with it. The two main pieces were a writing table – Bundai, and a document box – Ryoshibako . Antique sets of these are seen for sale by Christies, and Bonhams at fabulous prices.To ensure these additional pieces were an obvious set I used the same teak parquetry pattern, with walnut stringing, shell dots and a teak crossbanding boarder.
While the short legs may look odd, one must remember that Japanese people lived at floor level sitting on the floor rather than on chairs. Hence a writing table was for use while sitting on the floor.Apart from the time consuming task of creating the teak parquetry the rest of the table was quite straight forward. Several features of this Bundai are typical of the ones made continuously from the late 1600's to late 1800's.. This table top is veneered plywood, and the typical bracket legs are also teak veneered plywood. A couple of other features are typical of these antique writing tables. The ends of the table top have moulded raised strips, and there are brass etched reinforcing pieces on the corners and on these raised strips. The etched brass was sourced from Israel!
The construction was straight forward using dowels to join the legs and the raised end strips to the table top. Blind holes in the legs and sides of the table top, with through holes in the table top ends so that the dowels could go up into blind holes in the raised end strips. I used a simple dowel jig to ensure all the holes lined up.
As ever thanks for looking. If you missed the Incense chest that prompted me to make this table, then check it out here. I think you will enjoy it.