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Iconic - Holy Moly

Started by jellison, March 18, 2011, 16:04:23

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shep

Anyone can build any kind of desk they like for their own use and pleasure. Where it all goes wrong, is when selective amnesia sets in when their home made desk hits the auction room. Such is our crazy world that an assembly of desk parts which cost 100 pounds is suddenly worth 1000 pounds because it has some ancient maker's signature inside the bottom left drawer. I believe that money spoils the game, and too many people are owning desks for the wrong reasons. I love my desks whatever they are worth. I use them all the time and enjoy every moment. All credit to contemporary desk makers both hobbyists and professional, but please don't try to pass them off as "originals" or having any value greater than the sum of the parts. As a final thought, pity those who converted early 70's desks by shortening the frames and replacing the tops. The originals are worth 6 figures, but the conversions only the same as flat pack Ikeas!

TLegate

And pity us poor folk who can barely afford to run a Continuation Desk!

Gus Meyjes

Continuation or real desk... who gives a crap. so many people owning a real desk look down on the guys with the continuation desk, while all they have is the money to buy the real desk, but otherwise no knowledge or passion for desks in general. at the other hand I know plenty folks who own both, and they love their continuation desks, their "replica"desks and their originals equally... BTW, Trevor, who makes Shelby's aluminum continuation cars nowadays? I see an advert in Octane from some UK outfit claiming they supply them. Did Kirkham finally have enough of dealing with Shelby?

shep

Oh for the gift of foresight. When the factory had overstocked their warehouse in the late 70's and their desks had fallen from fashion due to the ink crisis, we could have snapped up half a dozen for the price of a pint of shandy! For the record, I think Continuation Desks are fabulous as they remain true to the spirit of the original, and whether they are in some dusty register or not, who cares? They can stand proudly on their own merits, exactly as they are.

nikbj68

This thread has become worth more than the sum of it`s parts!
   Bravo all!
   
   Although not strictly a desk, Fletcher Capstan tables are stunning!
   
   

   Click pic to go to website, then view 'in action'!

Gus Meyjes

quote:
Originally posted by shep
   
Oh for the gift of foresight. When the factory had overstocked their warehouse in the late 70's and their desks had fallen from fashion due to the ink crisis, we could have snapped up half a dozen for the price of a pint of shandy! For the record, I think Continuation Desks are fabulous as they remain true to the spirit of the original, and whether they are in some dusty register or not, who cares? They can stand proudly on their own merits, exactly as they are.
   

   
   As spoken by a man with a clear understanding of the true meaning and value of desks...

TLegate

I bet shep has a desk like no other - handcrafted handles an' all, plus some billet dovetails no doubt, crafted by elves. Ah, a boy can but dream....
   
   Foul blow young Nik, introducing a table that lacks any FIA pedigree. Let them get their own one-make series!! (But I recall seeing those on the Televisual apparatus many moons back when I were but a lad - are they still in production? Dashed clever though)

shep

Trevor, you're dead right, but I firmly believe that form follows function. The desk and chair become one, balanced, light, nimble unit, which is beautiful because it works perfectly. Every detail is designed to improve the whole, and nothing is superfluous. The trick is then to distribute the desk's weight equally between all 4 casters for as long as possible. Am I teaching my Grand Mother to suck eggs?

jellison

Whooa I forgot all about this thread I started!
   
   Some stroong thoughts here!
   
   The engine is something else though - 800+bhp from a Windsor "based" lump!

TLegate

Eight hundred? Now that's what I call a desk....

cobham cobra

I know the accepted wisdom when it comes to horsepower is "enough is never enough", but seriously 800 horses ?
   It's crazy. After a few hundred miles you wouldn't be able to open or close the draws and then the whole integrity of the monocoque would be compromised.
   It might be good in a straight line, say for a quarter of a mile, but the in and out trays would be useless.[:)]

shep

Not to mention smoking out the office when you drop the clutch!

Classicus

Are these desks self propelled ?

TLegate


nikbj68

quote:
Originally posted by shep...Not to mention smoking out the office when you drop the clutch!
But of course, now smoking in the workplace is banned...and nobody likes it when you drop the clutch in the office, or much less, a lift!
   
   

   (Click pic!)