Bellflower Inlay Technique

Mike in Sac: The bellflower inlay was a very popular design element on Hepplewhite tables in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Anyone know how the mortises for the inlays were done? Being so common, I assume there was a quick and dirty technique.

Wiley Horne Glendora, CA: I've developed an interest in the Hepplewhite style also, and am a rank beginner. But I'll tell you what I've come across so far, which may help a little. And also refer you to a forum dedicated just to period furniture.

Robt. Mussey's book, Furniture Masterworks by Robt. and Thomas Seymour, has some information on how the Seymours executed their bellflowers. The Seymours' bellflowers have a simple curve, and can be cut from veneer with one gouge of the right sweep and length. To make the whole strand down the leg of a secretary or table, you need a graduated series of gouges (the exact ones you need is another issue you'll come across).

Anyway—and this is the point—Mussey says that the Seymours used the same gouge to sink the mortise in the work, that was used to cut the flower from the veneer. He doesn't say if they used patternmaker's (incannel) gouges or regular outcannel carving gouges. But even as a total beginner, I've been able to get pretty good results right off the bat using carving gouges.

Here's what happens. You cut the inlay piece from veneer by making one strike of the gouge, which makes a curved slice in the veneer, then turn the gouge around and make a mirror image cut, and a lozenge-shaped piece pops out. Hold the gouge at a bit of an angle toward you so that the lozenge is slightly undercut. Now go to the work, and make the same two cuts, holding the gouge at the same angle. Here's the magic—if you hold your mouth just right and practice a while on scrap, you'll be able to get a lozenge-shaped chip to pop out of the work that is the same depth (or slightly deeper, which is OK) as the veneer thickness—the undercutting of the gouge makes this happen. What you're relying on is the geometry of the gouge. The veneer piece will sit down in that mortise like it was born there, because the undercutting is all at the same angle, and the gouge geometry ensures the shape is right. I'm using about 3⁄32" depth right now.

I am also working on compound-shaped bellflowers, such as those used by Goddard and Townsend—each of these flowers requires a group of gouges to make the various curves, and are probably best done by overlaying a template on the work, as a guide.

I asked a similar question to yours on the forum of the SAPFM (Soc. of American Period Furniture Makers—main page: sapfm.org—forum: SAPFM forum), and got some good answers from people with real experience. You might go there and search under bellflower and pull up the thread. There's some good stuff in there on sand-scorching the inlay pieces also.

Finally, and the reason I'm being so long-winded here, is that this business of making ornament with just gouges and hide glue has tremendous possibilities. You can make very striking banding the same way. For the most part it can be done just with hand and eye, and really minimal setup.