This may be the most impressive woodworking feat I’ve ever seen. The photo above was made in the mid-1800s by a Mason named Henry O. Studley, a piano maker and carpenter. Materials include mahogany, rosewood, walnut, ebony, and mother-of-pearl, so finely crafted that each tool clicks snugly into place and remains when the wall-mounted box is vertical, even though there are no built-in locks. Two layers on one side and three on the other are enough to store around three hundred tools in 39″ x 20″ x 9″.
It takes a Toolmonger with a heart of stone to avoid falling in love with this remarkable chest. An expert craftsman with a lifetime’s experience in a demanding trade made this practical and fantastically beautiful box from scraps, and was probably the kind to use it every day. If this were your work, imagine the little twinge of satisfaction every time you reached for a tool. Mr. Studley’s work is a practical, gorgeous display of his incredible skill, and he’d undoubtedly be proud to see his work on display at its current home in the Smithsonian.
The H.O. Studley tool chest [Fine Woodworking]
Henry O. Studley [Wikipedia]
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
10 Responses to It’s Just Cool: The Studley Tool Chest
Leave a Reply
TM on Flickr
![RICH-CON No. 2 [shows Logo on side of plane]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7236/7230831382_240f44f2f4_s.jpg)
Recent Comments
{ If you need an old vice, there are many on ebay! } – May 19, 6:08 PM
{ I have had little experience with Honda although people I know who own them swear by them. I have owned and used B&S powered lawn... } – May 19, 3:53 PM
{ Not having a starter on my Tiller is BS! I have one on my Snow blower and it works like a champ! No battery just... } – May 19, 2:37 PM
{ I have that same Sears vice and beat the crap out of it, and it just keeps coming back for more, for about 1/10th the... } – May 19, 9:32 AM
{ Where do I get these? } – May 18, 7:48 PM
If I remember correctly, you posted this some time ago. No matter, great workmanship and a wonderful reminder of true craftsmanship.
If it’s a repost, it’s one I hadn’t seen before. That’s absolutely gorgeous work.
I was under the impression that this was no longer in the Smithsonian, but was in a collector’s private collection. Is it still on display somewhere?
Just beautiful. And there’s even some room for a laser.
The chest is currently owned by a private collector (lucky sod) who loans it to the Smithsonian from time to time. Nice to know he isn’t hogging one of the most impressive artifacts I’ve ever seen.
I have to have one. guess I’d better start looking for appropriate wood- maybe some teak?
Norm had this on his show about building a wall mounted tool chest. I built Norm’s version but lusted after this sucker. Nice post.
Henry Studley would probably be disappointed to see it sitting in a museum rather than being used. After all, he almost certainly made it to be used.
[...] The Toolmonger blog has a great post on an amazing piece of vintage tool-geekery; The Studley Tool Chest [...]
I can only grovel in the sight of this. I am not worthy, I am so not worthy…
Mr. Studley, your work lives up to your name.