Happy Birthday, Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd.

Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. turns 45-years-old today.



The company was founded on January 13, 1967 by my parents Ann and Johan Wiggers. Just like today that day also happened to be a Friday the 13th.

Although some consider Friday the 13th to be unlucky, I guess it doesn't work that way for everyone.





When I was very small I spent a great deal of time playing on my father's workbench, while he was still working out of the basement of his home.



The first actual workshop wasn't built until 1968. (Notice the Ford Econoline van parked on the side. Years later that was the first vehicle I learned to drive, complete with standard transmission and three-on-the-tree.)




This is the shop today. It is now approx. 12,000 sq. ft. in size, but still has a number of original tools and machines still being used each day.



Although he's now retired my father keeps himself active which, in turn, keeps him young.



This coming year will also mark my 31st year as a full time furniture maker, and I am amazed how quickly the time has flown. (Such a cliche to say too, I know).



My son Kevin is now working with me as well.

Although he's only 21-years-old he's already far more skilled and experienced than I was at the same age. What parent wouldn't be happy to admit that?



It's great having my father around to teach Kevin things like wood turning and marquetry. Kevin is patient and shows great respect listening to his grandfather.

As an interesting historical footnote it was also 45 years ago today that Time Magazine published the following cover:



Times have certainly changed, because in recent years China has transitioned away from being an agrarian Communist society to become what is now a manufacturing juggernaut - becoming so wealthy in the process that it is now the holder of millions of jobs and trillions of dollars formerly held in the West.

This certainly wasn't the playing field that confronted my father and grandfather during their respective eras. Then again, they had Great Depressions and World Wars to deal with. Regardless, I remain hopeful that we as a small business can continue to find ways to navigate forward during these uncertain times.

In the meantime Happy Birthday, Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. !

Honeycomb Cocktail Table

Thanks to a conversation I had in 2005 with a designer by the name of Jill Salisbury, I began looking deeper into ways of incorporating Biomimicry to some of my furniture designs.

What is Biomimicry?

Biomimicry is the examination of Nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems. The term biomimicry and biomimetics come from the Greek words bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate.

The idea of imitating Nature through design was something that holds great interest for me. Before long I was sketching rudimentary table shapes that were comprised of the 6-sided hexagonal walls of a common honeycomb. Several years later this exercise resulted in a working prototype that became known as the Honeycomb Cocktail Table. The example shown here was crafted out of Chestnut Ribbon Sapele.



Measuring 45" x 45" x 16" overall height this table is comprised of 7 individual hexagonal modules, with the center unit being solid and the 6 surrounding ones each having 4 closed sides and 2 open ones, with a single adjustable shelf suspended inside each.

The theory behind this design was that each of the modules would function as individual storage pods, which could also be independently rotated towards the center in order to hide the clutter of whatever was stored inside. In this way the table would have the clean look as shown in the photo, yet conceal the fact that abundant storage capacity was available inside.

While the idea was great in theory, the practical application did not work quite as planned. The biggest problem was that any unevenness in the floor was quickly telegraphed through the pods, creating a highly uneven top surface depending on how and where these pods were placed on the floor. When all was said and done it became quite clear that this design will function best only if the pods can somehow be fastened together as a single monolith.

Another issue was price point. Given the time it took to build and finish this table it was simply not possible to make this design cost effective in a way that would justify a price point at a reasonable perceived value.

Conclusion: Although the design is cool, it`s simply not practical to produce on an ongoing basis. That said, this Honeycomb Cocktail Table is probably destined to remain as a one-off prototype.

Clean Workshop = Oxymoron?

Last week, just before the start of the long weekend, Kevin and I gave the workshop a thorough cleaning.

What started as a simple sweeping of floors and emptying of garbage cans soon snowballed into using the ShopVac to vacuum dust out of all kinds of nooks and crannies.

Three hours later the shop looked magnificent, although in all honesty I don't think we got it clean enough to ever grace the pages of Fine Woodworking magazine.

That got me to thinking that having a clean shop and having one that produces actual furniture might be two totally different things. After all, as any woodworker knows you often have to do little more than think about using a woodworking tool in order for it to start making a mess.





Every time the latest issue of Fine Woodworking comes out I find myself feeling just a little inadequate at how the shops featured in the magazine look perfectly organized and pristine to the point of rivalling the surgical cleanliness of an operating room.

I am well aware that these are photos are prepped and staged for marketing purposes but, still, I can't help but wonder why MY shop can't look like this all the time. In practical terms the only way to achieve this would be to never use the tools at all, which defeats the whole purpose of having a workshop in the first place. Hence, the oxymoron.

For now I'll just look forward to walking into a clean shop in the morning, so we can start messing it up all over again.

Testimonials and Referrals

Currently we are in the process of updating the design of our website.

One area I have been looking to expand is the Testimonials and Referrals page. On that note I have been pleasantly surprised at the positive and enthusiastic response we've received from many of our customers.

Some examples are as follows:

“John's work is truly extraordinary! Working through Vivavi we explained the concept of our home, the lighting we had chosen for our bedroom and how much we loved one of the beds that he had designed. He melded these ideas and created a highly contemporary art deco inspired bedroom suite with a very exotic veneer he selected for our project. We were blown away by his final design and the actual pieces were beyond measure in their perfection. There are no words to describe it's beauty or the positive change it brings to our daily life. It inspires us and helps us to come together as a couple. We are blessed by John's work.”

Ara Lucia A. and Michael A.
Greater Chicago area, Illinois

***

"There are maybe a handful of people in the world who can create at the level John does."

J. Wade Beam
VP Sales and Marketing
Brueton Industries, Inc.
New York, New York

***

John:

"Thank you so much for the wonderful desk you made for me. It surpassed my expectations in both beauty and quality. Your customization of the design fits my needs perfectly and it receives daily notice for its seamless lines and gentle but bold curves."

Dr. Sean Boutros, MD, FACS
Houston, Texas

***

"Several years ago we were introduced to John Wiggers through a designer in Chicago and were very happy with several pieces he made to order for us. When we hired a design firm to do our home in Florida we insisted that the designer use Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. for as much of the woodwork as possible. My only mistake is that we did not insist that he do all the wood furniture in the home. The quality, craftsmanship, attention to detail was amazing. You can see and feel the difference between John’s work and the other pieces in our home. Everyone who comes to our home comments on how magnificent John's pieces are and are amazed at not only the appearance but the substance and quality of the woodwork. Our designer could not understand how we could use some one from Canada when he had local craftsman available to do the work. Now he knows better."

Arleen and Ken G.
Chicago, Illinois

***

"I have worked with Wiggers Custom Furniture for over 20 years, and am continually impressed with John's design sensibility, customer service, and attention to detail. John is always sensitive to the goals of the project, and offers continual design improvements through his tremendous experience and creative eye. His pieces are much more than simply furniture - they communicate the joy and commitment to artistic creation that are the vanguard of his work. I am honored to work with Wiggers Custom Furniture on any project, anywhere in the world, as I know the standards will always of the highest caliber."

Bob Halper, LC IESNA
Halper Lighting Solutions
Chagrin Falls, Ohio

***

"John is one of the finest furniture makers around."

Vladimir Kagan
Vladimir Kagan Design Group, Inc.
New York, New York, USA

***

“Wiggers Custom is an excellent source for custom furniture product. They have the best mix of technology, craftsmanship, and finish quality. John takes a personal interest in his customers and stays involved throughout the process. He brings great experience and production knowledge to each project; you can always count on the integrity of whatever his company makes.”

Mark Logan
Vice President
Dakota Jackson Inc.
New York, New York

***

"For over 10 years I had the pleasure of working with Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd.
I found their work to be of exceptional quality and craftsmanship. They always provided expertise in the construction details and manufacturing, thus providing our clients with the most creative furniture available. In my 35 years of experience in the high end American furniture market I never found any manufacturer who produced a
more beautiful finished piece of contemporary furniture than Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd."

Dale Leland Mardiros
Pacific Showrooms West
San Francisco, California

***

"In my experience as a designer of high end residential, it is imperative to find great artisans to partner with.

John Wiggers raises the bar in every aspect of the custom design process.

It is a pleasure to work with his team and the level of client services his company delivers time after time is tops in the industry."

Olga Markoff
Olga Markoff Design
Chicago, Illinois

***

"This is a short note to thank you for producing the beautiful, oval, black walnut boxes for presentation to the recipients of the Women's Health Research Awards, 2004 - and to thank you for making them under such a tight deadline!

The boxes were presented at a reception to honour the women and men who are leading the way in women's health research in Ontario, and we were delighted to be able to give the beautiful work of an Ontario artist to each of them.

Several recipients have contacted us since the reception to tell us how much they admired the box. It turned out to be the perfect way to acknowledge all of the work they are doing on behalf of Ontario women.

Thank you again for your wonderful work."

Marnie MacKinnon
Chief Operating Officer
Ontario Women's Health Council
Toronto, Ontario

***

Dear John,

"It was a pleasure dealing with you for our order of 16 pieces from your beautiful selection. Whatever custom detail we could dream up, you found a way to put it in reality.

When the U.S. government formally put formaldehyde on the list of known carcinogens on June 10, 2011 (finally!), you must have smiled - and so did we. You have been so much ahead of your time. Thanks to your foresight and care, we could enjoy your pieces from day one without headaches from outgassing and knowing that we purchased truly “healthy” furniture.

Whether it is the wonderful sunburst design of our two Ellipse tables; the fact they are made from sustainable bamboo; the brilliantly manufactured Inamorata nightstands. dresser and boxer chest; the elegant Irenic beds including the clever height adjustment you came up with; the versatility of the Island Tables - it’s more than just excellent workmanship - these are pieces of art made for practical use.

And, not to forget, this furniture comes with a “soul” created by all the spiritual details you put in your work: the Amboyna inlays from the Solomon Islands or the sacred stone in the beds’ headboards, just to name a few.

Thanks again for all your assistance from the planning stages up to the day you personally delivered the beauties into our home."

Kind regards,
H. Meissner
Florida

***

“I have had the privilege of working with John Wiggers, whose passion for high quality craftsmanship and sustainability are contagious. We have shared many inspirational conversations that have resulted in a trust that is unshakeable. John has beautifully crafted my challenging furniture designs with every infinite detail mastered and an environmental integrity that is unmatched by any other.”

Jill Salisbury
el: Environmental Language
Chicago, Illinois

***

"We just finished building a custom home and had been searching for the "perfect" desk for our new home office. We wanted something that was original in style, made to last a lifetime and not too large. It was impossible to find something ready-made that fit all of our criteria. We contacted John and within a few days he had prepared detailed drawings for us to consider. After some fine tuning, we quickly settled on our perfect desk. The desk is flawless and looks exactly as drawn, down to the last detail."

Barry S.
Toronto, Ontario

***

John:

"We wanted you to know how appreciative we are of all the assistance you have provided for us in the manufacturing of our furniture line. Your expertise and knowledge of construction methods, the properties of various wood species, and the techniques available for intricate and complex finishes has been an invaluable asset to our (Shaver/Melahn) furniture division.

Your work goes well beyond the often-difficult task of manufacturing. You have always been there to guide us through design alternatives, providing solutions to design problems and corrections to flaws in concept. As we were designing in the United States you were able to see flaws in prototype and send out red flags warning us of possible problems.

You also kept our price points in mind always trying to deliver product at a level commensurate with the quality and high standards our furniture line demanded. Should you ever need a reference please know that we would be honored to pass on our recommendation of your excellent work."

Rick Shaver and Lee Melahn
Pleasant Living
Madison, Wisconsin

***

"I recently had been retained by one of my Los Angeles clients to do the interior of their home in Toronto. I initially thought I would have to make all the furniture in Los Angeles by my cabinetmakers and finishers and have them shipped and installed in the Toronto location. Through a very good reference, I was given the name of John Wiggers of Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. I sent him our plans for many built-ins and furniture pieces, mainly done in exotic and rare woods, and requiring either a low-VOC high-polished or polyurethane finish, which is very difficult to find a manufacturer that is able to do it.

I contracted with John to make and install all of the pieces that I required. During the process, I went to his shop and saw how beautiful he was set up and how clean and organized it was, and knew at that time I was going to receive, from John, quality of the highest level for all cabinetwork and finishing.

When the furniture and cabinets were completed, his workmanship excelled my greatest expectations and my clients were extremely pleased. I wish John would open a shop in Los Angeles, because of the quality of his work, and how pleasant he is to deal with."

Stephen Tomar, ASID, CCIDC
Tomar Lampert Associates
Los Angeles, California

***

"On a recent project I chose Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. because I knew their quality and expertise was to the high standard my client required. I have to say their ability went way beyond my expectation. I was able to customize each piece - choose from their extensive range of woods and veneers, stains/finishes and hardware.

John's knowledge of his profession and his company's customer service is an asset to the clients who want the very best - his concern for a green approach and his thinking behind some of his designs - like the Solomon's Desk, is awesome.

The finished pieces are exquisite and to top it off the packaging, which was for overseas, was of the same standard. Each piece will be enjoyed for many, many years.

Thank you for making it such a pleasure to work with your company and know that we will always receive furniture that is perfect."

Heather Tomei
Tomei & Tomei Creative Consultants Limited
Maui, Hawaii

***

"John Wiggers is one of the best furniture makers I have ever met. He is one of only a few that I truly trust with our designs. His dedication to quality construction, material selection, fine finishes, and his sensitivity to design and detail is unmatched in the high-end custom furniture industry. His finished pieces are of an heirloom quality, so rare with today's "throw-away" attitudes. Very, very impressive."

Lee Weitzman
Lee Weitzman Furniture
Chicago, Illinois

***

"My husband and I decided to upgrade from a double to a queen sized bed, but were discouraged by the poor quality and questionable materials of today’s mass-produced furniture. Thus, we decided to have a new bed built that matched our current suite, with the additional criteria of sustainable and nontoxic practices. John Wiggers exceeded our expectations on all counts. John worked closely with us, providing detailed design drawings and photos by email. The Irenic Bed design was adjusted to our exact specifications, and was beautifully constructed such that the grain of the oak veneer radiates in an arc, providing a visually spectacular head and footboard. The materials used are FSC certified, the plywood core and glue are urea formaldehyde free, and the wood was darkened naturally with a vinegar/iron process. John and his son delivered our bed and assisted with its setup. We couldn’t be more pleased with the ease of the process and the final result. We highly recommend commissioning custom furniture from this talented, environmentally conscious, and service oriented craftsman!"

Kimberly and Mark Z.
Peterborough, Ontario

Irenic Bed - The Story Behind its Creation

Shortly after relocating our shop in 2001 I began to consider some new furniture design ideas. I was particularly intrigued with the idea of making a custom bed that could be an amalgamation all of the holistic and ecological principles I was experimenting with at the time. This ultimately manifested in the design of the Irenic Bed.

The word irenic is Greek and means: “fitted or designed to promote peace; pacific; conciliatory; peaceful.” This seemed highly appropriate considering my underlying intent to weave together many divergent elements into a holistically balanced and restful whole.

For most of us the bedroom is the most important room in the home, with the bed being the focal point of this sacred space. Our bed is the place we turn to for comfort and refuge, and it is also here that we can find the time to think and reflect.

Our bed is the place we can be vulnerable and share intimate moments with those we love. Our bed also offers protection, and is the place we go to when we need to heal.

Because we spend about 1/3 of our lives in bed (based on the assumption of 8 hours sleep per night) it can be argued that a bed is the most important piece of furniture in the home.

An initial prototype was made in 2002 out of a dark wood called Wenge, and upon completion it was sent to Chicago for display at the Lee Weitzman showroom.



Although much positive feedback resulted in the ensuing months, it languished in the showroom for a while before finally being sold. For the next few years I toyed with the idea of making a second version of the bed, but refrained from doing so largely because it was a difficult piece to display due of the large area of floor space it covers.

And, so, the idea stalled - but I never gave up on it entirely.

Then one day in 2005 I was discussing sustainable furniture ideas with an eco-designer by the name of Jill Salisbury, and she began telling me about this amazing bed she had seen in Chicago a few years earlier. It didn't take long to figure out it was the Irenic Bed she was talking about, even though at the time she had no idea who made the piece. I was fascinated by how much the finest details of the design ended up resonating so powerfully with her. Inspired by that discussion I decided to make another version of the bed.



The second incarnation of the bed was done in natural flat cut Cherry. Slight angles were added to create a radiating sunburst effect on the head and footboards, which was meant to emulate the image of a setting and rising Sun. Beaded corner details were also set into the edges to give a gentle softening effect to the design.



The head and footboards were each constructed as heavy monolithic slabs, with the bed sides being suspended between each by way of mortised steel bed hooks that were discretely inlaid at the intersections. As an added convenience: no tools are required for assembly, and once it's together it is absolutely rigid and thoroughly grounded in place.



All wood used in the making of the Irenic Bed is FSC certified for using wood that has been sustainably harvested from well managed sources. This is verified by independent third party audit under Smartwood certificate #SW-COC-000055. In addition to being FSC certified the plywood core material is also NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) which, in turn, makes it CARB2 (California Air Resources Board) compliant.

The glue used in our own lamination process is a Titebond product that is non-UF (non-urea formaldehyde), while the water based finish is a low-VOC (low-volatile organic compound) water based urethane from AFM that is so ecologically sound that it is doctor recommended even for those with chemical sensitivities.

It is for these reasons that the Irenic Bed is Greenspec listed at http://www.buildinggreen.com/
The Irenic Bed is also consistent with the sustainability standards set out by the U.S. Green Building Council’s stringent LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program, namely the MR-7 Credit for certified wood use; the EQ Credit 4.1 for Low Emitting Solvents and Materials; and the EQ Credit 4.2 for Low Emitting Materials, Paints and Coatings.

The bed as shown in these photographs was displayed with Hastens boxspring, mattress and bedding. Many consider Hastens to make the finest beds on the planet, with the bonus being that their focus on green and ecologically sound principles is consistent with our own.



As a finishing touch the back of the headboard is also fully finished. Inlaid into the back of the headboard (just below the top) is a small convex detail of wood that carries a special provenance in the world of sustainable forest management. This wood is known as Narra and it comes from the last remaining board known to exist of the very first wood to be sustainably harvest on the Solomon islands in the early to mid 1990s. This wood made its way into North America by way of Eco-Timber in California.



Inlaid into the face of the headboard (and located discretely behind the pillows) is a small ovoid shaped stone known as a Narmadeshvara Shiva Lingam. This is a Hindu sacred stone that has been ceremoniously gathered once a year from the muddy banks of the Narmada River, one of the 7 sacred holy places of pilgrimage in India.

It is an Indian belief that millions of years ago a meteorite collided with the earth at what is now the source of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, a mountainous province some 300 miles northeast of Bombay, India.

The tremendous heat of the collision caused a fusion of the ambient rock and the meteoric material. Over the ages a river began to flow through this area and the combination of these factors produced the unique condition in which pieces of the fused matter, revolving in the river bed over thousands of years, take on a distinct ovoid form. The oval form is markedly different from the flatter, thinner rocks normally appearing in the riverbed.

Once a year, after the long dry season and just before the monsoon, when the river is at its lowest, the villagers, working with oxen and rope, go out into the riverbed and pull the stones from the water. The stones are then hand-polished, a large one taking several months to complete. About twenty to thirty large pieces are taken from the river each year.

Down through the ages these stones have been carefully selected from this energy centre during the dry season by a few families, trained in the art of collecting, shaping and polishing the stones to bring out the natural markings called the "yoni". The lingams are handled in accordance with ancient Vedic tradition, and are thus highly blessed.

They have been allowed to come out of India at this time because of the desperate state of the planet. The Lingams are energy generators of balance, of Soul consciousness, and healing. It is believed they are impregnated with spiritual light resonating with the fifth Chakra, or Heart Chakra; thus their particular job in healing the planet is through opening the heart, healing the pain in the heart that obscures the harmony and knowingness of the soul residing within.

It is said according to the Vedic knowledge that the Lingam represents the inner being, the energy shape of the soul, or the essence of a human being. The upright egg shape represents the divine masculine energy, the power of Shiva. The marking, called the yoni, represent the divine female energy. Here is a balance of male/female, Yin/Yang, dark/light, knowledge/wisdom, the positive/negative energies unified - the wholeness of the soul, which is neither male nor female.

It is also said that by destiny everyone has their own Lingam. It is as if the signature of one's soul has been alchemically embedded in the stone down from the millenia of its making in the embrace of Mother Earth, and finally in the hands of an esoteric craftsperson. The Lingam draws out our soul qualities. As a result, it is a potent force for healing and meditation.

Typically the Irenic Bed is available in either King or Queen size, but it can be easily customized to accomodate various thicknesses and styles of boxsprings and/or mattresses. In addition we are always more than pleased to custom tailor our design to suit the needs of each individual client. The photo below shows a recently made custom version of this design which was made from a combination of stainless steel and a rare sampling of wood known as East Indian Laurel.



For this project the clients were also interested in having a matching dresser, chest of drawers and pair of night stands made to complement the Irenic Bed design. This invariably led to the creation of the Diego series of bedroom casegoods - which will be featured in the next post.





Sustainable, Environmental, Eco Lifestyles, Healthy, All Natural, Home and Garden, Interior Design, Eco Friendly, Green Furniture, Green Furnishings, Green Designs, FSC Certified, Reclaimed Materials. Organic, LEED compliant, NAUF. CARB2, Bamboo, Natural Fibers. Non-Toxic, low-VOC, Non VOC, Natural Finishes.

Ellipse II Table - The Story Behind its Creation

In 2002 I began to experiment with ideas on how to bend wood across complex three dimensional planes. In the course of doing this I inadvertently created a tapered elliptical cone shape that, at first glance, looked ideal for a dining table base.

After building a prototype of the cone my next challenge was making the top. After heeding advice to "keep it simple" I settled on a pure elliptical oval shape with bookmatched grain and flat edge apron. A 1" high stainless steel plinth was added to the underside of the base. The resulting table was finished in Tobacco Mahogany, and named the Ellipse Dining Table.



Although the resulting table looked OK, there was something about it that was just plain missing. What bothered me most was the finish - which was a basic chocolate/mocha/expresso brown. At the time this was a safe finish to use, because just about every professional in the interior design industry was using it in one form or another since it "went with everything".

One could probably credit Holly Hunt and Christian Liaigre with first introducing this look to the high end of the market in the 1990s. By the early 2000s, however, the finish was everywhere and I soon realized that to be the main problem. Namely, because of the finish this table was looking like everything else out there - even the cheap dross knock-offs that were now beginning to flood the market by the containerload from offshore.

By 2006 I decided to refine the design with some subtle changes. I began by using a wood called Nero Chaquiro, which is a lesser known species that comes from an FSC certified forest in Brazil. In addition to being certified as sustainably harvested the use of this wood also helps support an indigenous community living along the banks of the Amazon River by providing a tangible incentive for the peoples living there to manage their surrounding forest responsibly.

The main structure of the table was crafted out of FSC certified ply, which was also NAUF and CARB2 compliant due to the fact that there were no added urea formaldehydes in the glues and binders. To minimize the heaviness of the top the grain pattern was changed to sunburst and the edge profile became a deep undercut bevel. The stainless steel plinth was removed in lieu of a small convex inlay of Narra being added as a subtle detail. The resulting table was finished in a low-VOC water based urethane, and renamed the Ellipse II Table.





Taken together these changes created a more sculptural look to the design, and the response from the design community was tremendously positive. Our ability to custom tailor this design to meet the requirements of each individual client has since resulted in the Ellipse II Table becoming one of our most popular offerings today.

In October 2008 a custom commission of this table for interior designer Wendy Blount was even published in an issue of Metropolitan Home magazine.





Thanks to the positive response this article received, the table photo was subsequently republished in the book "Glamour: Making it Modern" by Michael Lassell.





Sustainable, Environmental, Eco Lifestyles, Healthy, All Natural, Home and Garden, Interior Design, Eco Friendly, Green Furniture, Green Furnishings, Green Designs, FSC Certified, Reclaimed Materials. Organic, LEED compliant, NAUF. CARB2, Bamboo, Natural Fibers. Non-Toxic, low-VOC, Non VOC, Natural Finishes.

Custom Commission - Kidney Shaped Desk

What follows is a series of photos of a recently completed custom commission for a Kidney Shaped Desk. These images will form the basis for a series of blog posts that will explain this desk in great detail, explaining not only the various holistic woods used but also the process for making the gold, copper and silver inlays that have been fitted into the pencil drawer.




This is the initial walnut blank with recesses cut to receive the gold, copper and silver inlays. After the inlay work is complete this piece will become the lid of the box located inside the pencil drawer.




The gold and silver inlays were cast using a lost wax process. This image shows the mold and wax casting for the silver Turtle inlay.




The mold and wax casting for the Eagle inlay, which ended up being made of gold.




Benchwork on the Turtle inlay.




Benchwork on Eagle inlay.




Cleaning the casting of the Eagle inlay.




Polishing the Eagle inlay.




Handscraping the copper Tree inlay. Since it is not practical to cast copper, this inlay was made of bar stock that was seamlessly soldered together.




Preparing to fit the inlay into the wood.




After much polishing and finessing by hand, the final fit is achieved.




The wood lid can now be sanded in preparation for gluing the inlay into place.




A protective Lanolin finish is carefully applied by hand to the Black Walnut lid and sculpted inlay pieces that will function as finger pulls under the drawers. It is highly relevant that these pieces are all located in areas that will be frequently touched, since this will allow the active holistic molecules of the Black Walnut wood to come into direct contact with the skin of the person using the desk.




The finished lid and finger pulls, ready to be fitted into desk.




Front view of the completed desk.




A closer view of the end detail of the desk.




Detail view of top, showing Macassar Ebony top apron and inset of black Tuscany leather.




Detail view of side drawer.




Pencil drawer - closed.




Pencil drawer - open.




Interior of pencil drawer, showing inlaid lid of Black Walnut. The trays on either side are made of Sassafras, which is a holistic wood known for its aromatherapeutic properties. The box portion below the inlaid lid has been crafted from a wood called Hawthorn, which is also known for its aromatherapeutic and Ayurvedic properties.




Detail view of inlaid finger pull below one of the side drawers. The finger pulls are made of a special cutting of Black Walnut wood, which has traditionally been used by Native American medicine women for its holistic properties.

The properties of all of the holistic woods, and the story behind the gold, copper and silver inlays in the lid, will be explained in greater detail in a subsequent post.

Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. - Company History

Our website is long overdue for an update. One of the reasons for the delay is because we are looking for a design that can also interface with this blog, as well as my Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook pages.

Because our company's history and furniture making process is going to be an integral part of the updated design, I am going to use this blog post as a rudimentary storyboard to rough out some text and photo images that will likely be integrated into the revised website.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To appreciate the history of furniture making in the Wiggers family it is important to understand the broader historical context of our ancestry.

My family traces its roots back to the small village of Groenlo, Holland which is located in the eastern part of the Netherlands - close to the German border.

Groen translates as green, and Lo means forest, so Groenlo actually means "green forest".

Centuries ago this village was a fortressed settlement known as Grolle, or Grol. The family name Wiggers is indigenous to the area, and it loosely translates as "one who battles".



There is a long tradition of fine furniture making in our family, and one example of a desk made by H.H. Wiggers in the 1800s was even featured on an episode of the "Antiques Roadshow" television program.




This photo shows my grandfather's original workshop in Groenlo, which has since been designated as a protected historical site. My grandfather made both furniture and wooden shoes out of this location.

During the Second World War he was also involved with the Dutch Underground, and amongst other things his shop was used as a secret transfer point to help smuggle shot down Allied pilots back to England.



Wooden shoe making was originally done by hand. However, in the 1920s with the introduction of electricity to the area, my grandfather played an instrumental role with the invention of the first machine to automate the wooden shoe making process. The original machine is shown in the photo above.


After the war there was a tremendous period of rebuilding and growth, which fueled a considerable demand for furniture. My grandfather then went into partnership with his brother-in-law to form a furniture company known as Thesseling-Wiggers-Groenlo.



By the 1950s he began to wind this facility down to move his family overseas to better opportunities in North America. The photo to the right shows my father Johan, who was then aged 19 and trained as a cabinet-maker. He arrived in Canada with little more than a box of tools and $40 in his pocket.

With no money to go into business on his own my father worked as a foreman at a local factory. In his spare time he made furniture in his basement workshop.

The photo shown here was taken in 1961, and it shows me at the age of 2, as I begin my informal apprenticeship with my father.

By 1967 it was time to go out on his own, and it was then that my father founded Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd.





Initially he worked out of the back of a rented barn, but before long word of his work began to spread and he was able to build his own workshop.

One of Johan's first employees was a brilliant wood finisher by the name of Art Welton, who had recently emigrated from England. Art soon earned the nickname of "Picasso" for his ability to match stains and toners with exceptional clarity.


In the wood shop Johan worked for many years alongside a diligent craftsman by the name of Karl-Heinz Federmann.

By the 1980s the company was enjoying steady growth, and in the process was able to purchase a wide array of precision woodworking equipment. These machines made it possible to produce ever finer and ever more meticulous pieces of furniture.

In 1982 a visitor from the United States happened to see an example of our work, and referrals soon led to work with interior designers and architects in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami and New York. Although this created opportunity for massive expansion and growth a conscious decision was made to keep the company small to maintain firm control over quality with a keen eye for detail.

Today Wiggers Custom Furniture Ltd. works out of a well equipped 12,000 sq. ft. shop with a small crew of highly skilled artisans crafting high quality furniture and built-in cabinetry that gets shipped as far away as Kuwait, Russia and Japan.

As a throwback to a largely bygone era there are no assembly lines to be found anywhere in this facility. In the tradition of the Old World craftsman each piece continues to be individually crafted by hand on a bench to exacting standards of quality.

Although he's now retired, company founder Johan continues to play an active role teaching his grandson Kevin some of the finer points of veneer and inlay work.

Final sanding and prep work for finishing continues to be done by hand so that all details can be fully inspect in a manner that will best enhance the grain of the wood.

A variety of fine finishes can be applied to our furniture, ranging from lacquers to high gloss polyurethanes and other low-VOC options including water based finishes. Specialty work including gold and silver leaf and inlays such as mother-of-pearl are also available.

Fine quality craftsmanship and personal attention to detail are not marketing buzzwords in our shop; it is the tradition way in which we have always worked in our shop.

As a small family run woodworking business we welcome any inquiries you might have for fine quality custom furniture and built-ins.