the pitch of perfection

Table by Andrew Peklo.

Handmade furnishings exert a magnetic pull that is easy to understand. From spectacular materials to finesse in craftsmanship and design, they exude qualities that have direct appeal. It is natural to succumb. To live with these elegant objects is to enjoy the pleasure of fine art on a daily basis. With a commissioned piece there is an extra layer of satisfaction. A personal connection underscores and amplifies the inherent beauty of the work.

Many view the commissioning process as an adventure. It is a special thrill to work with an artist on a custom piece. The client becomes temporary partner in a collaborative design that has a tangible product as its reward. It makes perfect sense that clients report great satisfaction with pieces they help plan. Below are a couple of suggestions to help this planning process. The goal is to find just the right balance, a sort of perfect pitch for the object and its owner.

Artists often use past forms as a springboard to the present. Historic echoes from the Renaissance, 18th or 20th centuries reverberate in contemporary incarnations. It is useful to ask craftspeople about sources to find out how traditional forms inspire the present. These questions also encourage clients to identify what aspects of the past hold appeal for them. Examining design heritage helps articulate goals for the custom piece.

In spite of the symbolic weight carried by furnishings, they still rest comfortably in our everyday lives. A table remains a humble table. Decorative arts retain complete accessibility via their utilitarian function. Even though objects carry sophisticated expressions of cultural heritage or personal connoisseurship, they can never be divorced from their roots as friendly household objects. When commissioning a piece, one embraces all these multifaceted factors. It provides a richly textured project as seductive as a siren’s song.

Margaret Minnick is a furniture historian and collector.

Directors’ Notes
As Margaret Minnick has indicated, part of the magic of the commissioning process can come in the interaction of client and maker. Each may end up with something neither could anticipate before the process began. Something beyond the ego of either party. And the client is likely to have a product more suited to their needs than those mass produced to please everybody (and therefore no one person in particular).

Commissioning gives the client input on size, materials, and finishes, as well as the advice of a professional about which of these choices is likely to complement their environment. Once they own and live with a piece of furniture, the patron can experience the object as a manifestation of the bit of history which took place between them and the maker. When it works right, this interaction can give a glowing, intangible life to the object. Commissioning is an emotional, financial, and aesthetic investment with both risk and great rewards. We want to encourage as many as possible to make this suspenseful, exciting, and delightful journey.

The Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show will soon produce a detailed guide to commissioning, addressing the fears, responsibilities, and concerns of the collector, and defining the professional standards (documentation, contracts, deadlines, etc.) which the client can expect from the craftsperson.

Bob Ingram and Josh Markel are the founders and directors of the Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show.

private | public | corporate | designing | commissioning | collaborating

general information  | attend 2006 show  | 2005 show | exhibitor information 
shop/exhibitor gallery |  advertise | apprenticeship forum  | the art of collecting 
artisan services |  crafts education  |  internship program | high school design