The Fight

This is the second "older" piece Dad gave me many years ago. AT the time it had some damage in the lower left hand corner, and that is still there. I can't seem to repair it, no matter how much I try - probably need to consult the experts! This piece has the remnant of a sales tag on the back, but the price is missing. However, I recognize the tag because Steve (I think) and I would play with them over in the shop. This also has the Russell Blood, Western Woodcraft, Garland, Wyoming stamp on the back.

An Early Piece

There is no date on this piece and there is a little damage on the left side. One day when I was spending a little time with Dad in his shop in Tumwater, WA., he pulled out a couple of the old pieces he had done years ago, and asked if I would like them. I suspect he never quite knew how important each of his marquetry pieces were to each of us, no matter how old or what little flaw he may have seen in a piece. Whenever I look at this piece I am reminded of two things - first, the event that is depicted in this silhoutte and the sacrifices that were made in the early years of our country, and second, the time frame in which these were made. On another piece I will post, there is still the remnant of a price tag, back in the days when Mother and Dad were selling these pieces for a minimal amount of money, in hopes of putting a little money in the survival fund.

One of my favorite pictures

Dad completed this picture in 1983, according to his signature on the back.
Here's wha'cha do. Use a tripod and use the timer on your camera. I did make the white box, so the picture stands inside the white box. It isn't hard to do - just a little foam board, or cardboard painted white, lots of white duct tape, and two little lights angled just right to keep the glare off the picture. I did not use a flash, and had the inside lights off, so the only light was from the two little lights. They were set so the light bounced off the sides of the white box, but did not create a glare on the picture (almost - I have just one glare spot on this picture). It was tricky to get the picture level, but with a little measuring and watching the angle of the camera, that issue was solved. Have white box, will travel.

Russell Blood Marquetry

I'm not sure why I have the photo of this picture in my files, but here it is. I think this was at my house for awhile, but it lives at Elizabeth and Ron's house. History?

Old Rancher Revisited

While laying out the OLD RANCHER to make a couple of cupboard doors I thought that I noticed something different in the pattern that I was using.  I went to the files and dug out the original pattern and here is what I found.  Father had doodled on the pattern, trying to decide how he should sign his name as any young artist would.  More importantly on the bottom he wrote "1937," was this the year he introduced the rancher to Molesworth?  That would be my guess.  You'll probably have to blow it up to get the details.
By the way my pattern was slightly different for some reason so I dug deeper into the files and found several copies that Mother had dittoed off, probably at the church.

Russell at work on another project

If I am not mistaken this is the old scroll saw Dad used from the very beginning . Steve, please correct me if I am wrong.