Virtuoso: The Tool Cabinet and Workbench of Henry O. Studley (book)

In a space of just 10" x 39" x 19-1/2", H.O. Studley managed to arrange, with perfection, more than 250 of his tools into a dovetailed mahogany cabinet that has captivated tens of thousands of woodworkers since it was first unveiled in 1988 on the back cover of Fine Woodworking with a single shocking photograph. After a brief stay at the Smithsonian, the cabinet was sold to a private collector. Studley's workbench has never been on public view.

For four years, Donald Williams and a team of supporting characters researched, documented and photographed both the cabinet and Studley's equally amazing workbench. This book is the first in-depth examination of one of the most beautiful woodworking tool chests ever constructed and presents the first-ever biography of Studley (1838-1925), a piano and organ builder in Quincy, Mass. Williams uses original research to answer the questions that flash through the minds of everyone who views the cabinet: How did he build it? How does it work? And why would anyone construct such a monument to his tools?

In this book you will find measurements, details and photographs of all the tools in the cabinet. Every swinging frame, hinged panel and nook has been analyzed so you can understand how it folds in on itself like a giant piece of mahogany origami. You will also meet H.O. Studley himself and get a glimpse into the trade of high-end organ and piano makers in 19th- and 20th-century New England.

216 pages on heavy coated matte paper, sewn signatures reinforced with cloth tape, cloth-covered boards with a super-matte dust jacket. Published by Lost Art Press and printed in the United States.