I hadn’t spoken to Mike in…32 years!! I can’t remember how or when we lost touch. But now we were discovering a shared interest in fine cigars. That’s social media for you. Not long after we’d reconected he texted me a picture: a hunk of rustic walnut with a bit of a hollow and a cigar resting on it…a wood cigar ashtray? Could I make something like this? Would I make something like this? Sure! And, so I have added my own contribution to the world of cigar accessories. Now, it’s become a small series. No two pieces the same. Fitted with a simple tempered glass insert to protect the finish and easy cleaning.

Bird’s-eye Maple.

I would hope that every woodworker goes through a phase where the appreciation of George Nakashima’s work is so deep it is hard to remember what was inspirational prior to the discovery. And, I kind of think most do…at least this makes me feel less embarrassed about my own fandom. I am fortunate to live near both the enduring Nakashima Woodworker shop and a few auction houses where his work regularly turns up. As often as George Nakashima’s work is copied, his work is immediately recognizable and distinct from the copies. His “live-edge” slabs were indeed a signature stroke, but it is the furniture’s overall, perfect proportions from which the trained eye cannot tear free. Paying homage to another without directly copying is its own complicated challenge.

Hard maple top and walnut legs. Open cubby sized specifically to hold Marlene’s and Arnan’s reading material.

One board, one table. Folded and mitered at each corner.

Hard maple, walnut butterfly-keys.