Some inspiration for anyone into timber framing and carving

[AndyT]

Some regulars on here may know that I volunteer at a local charity bookshop. We get all sorts of interesting and obscure donations, but not many relating to woodwork. Some time ago, we were given a copy of a little paperback, complete but unfortunately shedding its pages. I bought it nevertheless. I didn't even mind that it was in Romanian, since it was mostly a collection of delightful, intriguing pictures. I was reminded of it by the recent discussions about carving and thought I'd photograph a few pages to share.

Many of the pictures are of garden gates, designed to impress the passer by and mark out each property in a distinctive, memorable way. Some have simple, chip-carved motifs.



Others have foliage, reminiscent of a Tree of Jesse, perhaps?



Others even have figures - but I don't know why this gentleman's head has been detached:



The book has full details of how the timber framing is constructed and of the kit of tools needed:





There's much to enjoy, especially for anyone with a big garden, a stash of oak and a new enthusiasm for carving . But why am I urging you to read an obscure ethnographic study, compiled in the 1940s in Northern Transylvania? It's not really worth wandering into your local charity shop and asking if they have a copy...

But there's no need. Before I got the camera out, I did a quick search and the good news is that you can read the whole text online, in good quality scans, at the Hungaricana Cultural Heritage portal

Just start at this link and see what else you can find

https://library.hungaricana.hu/hu/view/ ... 0&layout=s

 

[Tiresias]

]

Others even have figures - but I don't know why this gentleman's head has been detached:

John the Baptist?

 

[AndyT]

]

Others even have figures - but I don't know why this gentleman's head has been detached:

John the Baptist?

That would make sense. That's a platter that it's on isn't it, not just a decoration.

 

[Mike G]

Interesting. Quite different styles from Western Europe and Britain in particular.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Nice find mate, and I like the drawing style.

 

[Windows]

Very interesting Hungarian book. Thanks Andy. “New gate” just went on my future project list.

 

[AndyT]

Apologies to all - the book indeed is in Hungarian, not Romanian. The area where the carvings were recorded is described in the book as being in "today's Rumania."

(I mostly just looked at the pictures and the English summary at the end.)

 

[Tiresias]

]

Others even have figures - but I don't know why this gentleman's head has been detached:

John the Baptist?

That would make sense. That's a platter that it's on isn't it, not just a decoration.

The inscription directly under the figure is' herodes kiraj keresztolo janosnak fejet vete'. Or KIng Herod beheaded John the Baptist.

According to google. I don't speak Hungarian. But I only looked it up once I decided it was a plate his head was on. I do love saints and their attributes/way they should be depicted. Hours of fun in cathedrals.

 

[AndyT]

I do love saints and their attributes/way they should be depicted. Hours of fun in cathedrals.

Ah yes indeed. Why has that woman got a pair of eyes on a plate? Why has that old man got a pet lion in his study with him? What's that strange wheel with knives around the rim?

 

[Tiresias]

I do love saints and their attributes/way they should be depicted. Hours of fun in cathedrals.

Ah yes indeed. Why has that woman got a pair of eyes on a plate? Why has that old man got a pet lion in his study with him? What's that strange wheel with knives around the rim?

Well, the first is St Lucy or Lucia (as she is known in Sweden. Apart from nice pastries there is normally a ceremony involving a young girl with a crown of burning candles. Health and safety must have kittens on that day). The last is St Catherine – my brother’s college, and their emblem.

The middle one escapes me.

St Thomas is normally shown with wood-working tools. There are a couple of others with squares and saws.

Now, I have never looked this up but Sebastian Flyte refers to St Nichodemus of Thyatira, martyred by having a goat’s skin nailed to his pate, and is hence is the patron saint of bald men. I don’t really want to know if it is not true. It’s too nice an image.

I seem to have drifted a bit from the topic. Sorry.

 

[AndyT]

The Lion is often cuddling St Jerome's feet.

I think young Sebastian may have found imagination easier than studying - but we should cut him some slack, as he was unused to wine...

 

[Rezi]

Very interesting, I recognised the descriptions as being Hungarian although it translates to 'street door' rather than gate but the locations are in modern day Romania, post Austro-Hungarian empire.
I've never seen anything like this myself although I live in the west of Hungary so the style may not have made it this far or has died out. One of my neighbours has built a very chunky fence and gate which has similarities to this style but without the carving. He has also modernised it with an electric opener.

 

[Rezi]

Out of interest I picked one of the more robust looking gates from the website link and googled the village. I looked on the google camera images to see if it might still exist and, although I didn't find the same gate, I did find one that looked very similar. Other houses in the village also had modern versions of this style of gate but without the ornate carving.

 

[AndyT]

Rezi, that's brilliant. Local knowledge plus tech. Many thanks!

 

[Mike G]

Great stuff Rezi.

That would look so much better with a tiled roof, rather than rusty old bits of flat steel sheet.

 

[Rezi]

Mike, according to the link that AndyT provided most of them either had wooden or tiled roofs and I expect this was installed as a cheaper and longer lasting method of preservation.

 

[Cabinetman]

Again, I’m astounded, it seems there is very little that can’t be answered on here.
Nice work all.