Secretary Bookcase

“Separatrix ”

We designed this cabinet for a client that truly appreciated the intersecting inlaid angular elements in our liquor cabinet entitled “Secret Spirits”, but she wanted the angular elements to be three dimensional rather than two dimensional and she wanted them to interconnect the upper and lower cabinet. She also wanted it constructed out of a single species of figured native American wood. We worked her design requirements into our design and artistic impressions to achieve a visually dynamic and highly functional book/display case.

The Story:

We had a number of old stock highly figured walnut boards, which we had milled into 4/4 boards from a downed walnut tree, which we had stored for nearly 20 years. We cut some sample 1/8 veneer from several boards and applied finish to the veneer samples, which our client was thrilled with. So, the stage was set and all that remained was to determine how we would integrate the angular elements into the two cases on their fronts as well as their sides and which custom cut 1/8” figured veneer we were to use. In order to determine what combination of these triangular shaped multi-angular faceted solid walnut element were chosen, we cut numerous variations out of cardboard and laid them onto the surfaces of the cases and doors. Also, we wanted to use traditional joinery such as dovetails and mortice and tenons as well as book-matching veneer applications and a traditional set of proportions in the design and fabrication of the display/bookcase.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Walnut, Juglans regia, which translates in Latin to the “Nut of Jupitar has always been a prized wood for furniture in both America and Europe from the 17th through the 21st century. The walnut nut has been used since 7000 BC for medicinal purposes, has strong spiritual and energy properties, and is associated with intelligence and knowledge.

Separatrix was chosen for the title because it means “something that divides and separates” ,which the muti-faceted angular diagonal elements do by dividing the space. Scientifically it means Boundary between domains with distinct dynamical behavior in a dynamical system.

Materials:

Old stock solid American Black Walnut and 1/8” custom cut figured American Black Walnut, ¾” birch veneer core plywood, glass, 35mm European style door hinges, full extension file drawer slides, and European designer LED cabinet lights, and a moderately low VOC durable coating.

Construction:

The two-piece cabinet is constructed with hand cut dovetails for the drawers and mortice and tenon joints for the upper glazed doors, rabbit and dado joints for the case supplemented with inset splines. The cabinet is meticulously constructed to ensure that it will stand the test of time and perform flawlessly to become a cherished heirloom for generations.