State of Craft: A Visit to Dorset Custom Furniture

This spring Dan Mosheim celebrated thirty-five years in the studio furniture business. At such a benchmark, his portfolio is extensive, award-winning and happily installed in public and private spaces across the country.

Dan�s blog A Woodworkers Photo Journal chronicles the work at Dorset Custom Furniture. And as a reader of the blog could expect, there was lots to see, learn and take in when we visited last month.



Since Dan�s furniture catalog is deep in volume and stylistically diverse, it was really difficult to choose a finished piece or two to feature here. We settled on �Bridges,� for its aesthetic and design story. The bench was Dorset Custom Furniture�s contribution to the Bennington Museum exhibition �State of Craft� a few years back.

The bench design was partly inspired by Dan�s grandfather, Irvin Seeders, a bridge riveter for Bethlehem Steel for 52 years.  And the design and fabrication was a collaborative effort between Dan (b. 1947)  and his two sons, Sam and Will. �Sam did the steel work and green paint, Will did the burning and finishing, and I roughed out the recycled oak wood, worked on assembly and the conceptual stuff.� Typical Dorset Custom Furniture, dividing the jobs up according to specialty, resulting in a piece that�s totally unique, with a measurable WOW factor. Since then, a really cool line of Bethlehem Steel studio pieces has emerged.
The DCF Family is five. Or six. Five guys making furniture. And one guy making instruments. Trevor�s been with Dan since 2006 and he�s the resident CNC master. Check out his work. Chris is the newest to join the group, a very competent woodworker (recent project here) who�s worked on his own, and also with Guild Member Bill Laberge who has a shop down the street.



And Jim Parsons (a.k.a Mr Lucky) we didn�t get to meet. Dan says he�s the Vice President of �lightness and humor� in the shop. A talented woodworker and glass blower, the two have worked together on an off for many years. Jim rounds out the DCF crew.
 There were a few projects underway when we visited, and some ready to ship. Will was working out a neck for a five string open back banjo. �It�s all Vermont native wood � cherry and hardhack � and themed inlays,� he told us. A few years ago, Will had been working in the furniture shop and making instruments on the side. As an accomplished player (see Gold Town) it was a natural fit and after a blush of first orders, he shifted his title to full-time luthier.