It is no surprise we, at LKW, admire the Shakers for their furniture design and construction. Their designs, while simple, provide some of the most aesthetically pleasing pieces of furniture we have ever enjoyed and are certainly no less functional. Beyond that, the durability of this furniture falls back on what should be the weakest part of the piece…the joint.
It is here we see the Shakers’ true talents come to light. As seen in the above photo (taken at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co. Ky) the craftsmen who worked diligently to provide their brothers and sisters with durable furniture realized the importance of the joint, in this case a dovetail.
The dovetail is thought to be one of the strongest joints in woodworking. The two pieces are locked together with tails and pins (and adjoining tail sockets/pin sockets) to form a joint both beautiful and structural. In the above example you can see both of these attributes come to fruition. What a beautiful piece and example to learn from.
