Yes another Japanese project, and another part of my Japanese Kodo suite. You can check out the other items - the Incense chest here the its writing box Ryoshibakohere, and the small Kodansu chest here.
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. The table top is teak parquetry 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 front and back edges of the table top, with through holes in the table ends so that the dowels could go up into more blind holes in the raised strips. I used a simple dowel jig to ensure all the holes lined up.
The whole table is finished with 8 or 9 coats of polyurethane varnish, sanded down with mirco mesh through to 4000 grit, and then wax polished.
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.
