I saw a few pictures on the internet, through a mailing list I am on, showing medieval writing desks, that illuminators used to get their work at an appropriate angle. I was so inspired I asked my father to make the first of the desks on
this page (now hosted by Reocities) for me. The layout of that portable desk (now hosted by Reocities) shows changed details in the side-panels compared to the illumination that inspired it, but I wanted the early look, so I have gone with the arches as the illumination shows.
Working with my father at the computer doing the drawing in autocad I described what I wanted and he made sure it was doable. In the end we got a very nice looking little portable, stackable scribal desk planned (pictured here).
An added feature of it is that I can pick it together into three heights. Either just the top part with the writing surface at an angle, or with the surface plus the bottom piece, or lastly all three sections put together in a tall desk that I fit underneath for sitting in a chair at events. The first option I wanted so I could use it on a table to get the optimal angle. The wood used to make this is beech. It has a very nice lustre to it.
Some pictures of the as yet -very- rough and unfinished desk:
Some more pictures of the desk nearing completion. Final polish and waxing still left to do:
- Side view, full height
- Front/side, full height (pictured here)
- Front/side, 2 piece
- Front, 2 piece, with parts scattered over it. The small shelf for the top piece is resting on the lower brace
- Carpenter and desk
Pictures of the desk with a first buffing of the wax:
Pictures of the pieces and finished item:
- All pieces laid out
- Side pieces, brace and shelf
- Close up of top and middle side pieces
- Writing area and guard
- All pieces, stacked neatly
- All pieces, stacked neatly, other view
- The desk in use as a scribal tool
- Another view of the desk in use (pictured here)
From Desk To Table
In order to get maximum use of this portable scribal desk I thought to myself, would it not be beyond cunning to be able to have the writing surface lay flat and use it as a table? It would be, and I shared my thoughts with my carpenter who planned the piece needed for the writing surface to rest on horizontally. Thus, with the change-out of the top side-pieces a writing slant can be transformed into the perfect table for SCA camp life. It even comes with carrier bag already designed and made.
- Technical drawing
- Table-top
- From the right
- From the left (pictured here)
- Sitting on the chair, for height perception
- Table and chair, together
The Carrier bag
Making the desk portable makes it very very cunning. But even more cunning is to make a custom-made carrier for it. So I went out and got some canvas for the project. I had made the plans so I knew it needed about a metre and a half to make. And indeed, we had just enough over when cutting out the pieces.
- Be vewwy, vewwy caweful with Mother's sewing machine and about eight layers of canvas.
- Finished minus carrying straps
- All done, minus buttons (pictured here)
The Chair
To go with this fabulous table I of course needed a chair, so, my father fashioned one in the simplest of all shapes, the folding X-chair. The materials for this one is again beech for the legs, and the dowel to support the seat is oak - the garage had a length of it in the right diameter and since it does not really show on the piece it worked just fine.
- Still in the garage
- Dad demonstrating the dry fitted chair
- The pieces, waiting for the seat
- The finished chair, leather seat (pictured here)