The Company were delighted to be visited recently by professional turner and Liveryman Nick Agar over from the USA along with Brad Davis, Liveryman Shaun Stacey, Freeman and RPT Chair Emma Cook and Liveryman Derek Edwards. Master Christopher Scott was delighted to receive the wonderful platter on behalf of the Company.
Nick tells the story of his Viking Ship platter:
“Timber for this platter is very special. It came from the collection of the late Dale Nish, who I stayed with many times when I was demonstrating / lecturing in Provo Utah.
Dale was the founder of Craft Supplies USA and after visiting my studio and Gallery in Dartington, Devon and then talking with Ray Key and Bert Marsh was certainly one of the voices that got me invited across to the USA.
Dale has a huge collection of Woodturning from around the world and I am proud that some of my work is in that collection to this day although now with family mostly out of public view .
The timber for this platter is ambrosia maple. It is highly figured and can be described as either rippled or quilted. The ambrosia beetle has a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that lives on the beetle . When the beetle boors into the wood the colour is caused by the fungus carried by the beetle somewhat similar to spalting.
The colour is only contained where the beetle entrance and exit holes are and careful planning with this platter meant that there are no holes visible on the face of the piece but if you examine the piece carefully there are two small holes visible in the decoration on the underside of the platter carefully hidden but intentionally visible as I feel it’s an important part of the knowledge of how the colour is caused in the figuring.
The main body of the platter was turned, left to stabilize, and then returned to final form, ready for decoration. The centerpiece with the carved Viking Ship is made from a separate piece of Birdseye maple also obtained from the Nish collection of specialist timber.
This disk was then set into the center after completion of colouring and guilding.
The main body of the platter was decorated with various techniques, including engraving wood burning,(pyrography), leather punches, homemade punches, knurling tools, micro motor driven ruby, cutters, and micro sanders. All leaving a surface that when gilded with the silver pewter application, leave a metallic look that is familiar in some of my works. The renowned Viking Sunset bowl the Turners Company has in their collection being an example of this technique. It has been one of my most copied, and successful effects that students and other makers have enjoyed using this application or at least try to emulate on their own work”. Nick Agar
