Arts and Crafts Corbel Design for Cue Stick Rack
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I recently bought an arts and crafts style pool table and want to build a cue rack in keeping with the style. In looking for ideas on the internet I came across this antique rack that has elements I might want to incorporate. One of the elements I like in arts and crafts is the diamond shaped elements used to highlight square pegs, through tenons and the like. In the attached picture you can see this element incorporated in the corbels.
Does anyone know if in this case the diamond element has any structural significance? For example, it could be hiding a screw underneath that strengthens the gluing of the corbel to the stile? I’ve seen that done in some mission furniture projeccts, though I don’t know if it’s an authentic element. Alternatively is the diamond just a square block that had a mortise in the corbel, or the corbel and the post?
Likewise what’s going on with the rectangular diamond elements near the top of the rack, as well as the blocks adorning the very top. Are they just glued on for aesthetic reasons? Thanks for any help you can offer.
@Fritzwalker Just my impression of the photo: The large rectangles appear to be applied decorations. I don’t see how to make them be through tenons in that configuration. The same is true of the small diamonds, since there is nothing in the joinery that would be coming through those small corbels. I know a person who built A&C style chairs and didn not use through tenons. Instead, he’d apply decorations that looked like through tenons. Then can be let into a small depression, somewhat like a hinge mortise.
Looking at that rack, what stands out is how much long-grain surface to surface contact there is between the horizontal, flat plates in the cornice and the vertical portion of the cornice. I’d be tempted to try simple butt miters for the vertical portions of the cornice and then relying on the long grain glue joints when the “lid” and the lower plate (that the cues go through) are glued on.
I think the square decorations on the top are meant to look like dentition that was common in classical cornices.
Great information. Thank you Ed!
I agree with Ed — I think what are referred to above as square decorations is properly termed dentil molding, and go back to greek times. Thus, not through tenons, and not applied in themselves, but part of a molding.
The “diamond elements” are pyramidal ends typical of Arts and Crafts design, and don’t in themselves have structural purpose. It was not uncommon to add pyramidal shape to through tenons to add a touch of style, but more common to simply apply the pyramids, both to hide through dowels, screws, nails and just for ornamentation.
More good info. Thanks Edmund!
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