Terry Facey Painstakingly Replicates a 17th-Century Marquetry Table at 1:8 Scale

"Facey works out of his shed, set up much the same as any other wood shop, except that everything is optimized for making scale miniatures. Recently, the V&A commissioned him to replicate an ornate, 17th-century table in its permanent collection at 1:8 scale. "It's a piece that I've always loved," Facey says. "It's got the most wonderful barley twist legs, lovely inlay top with olive wood on six-sided pieces. It's quite unique. I don't usually see pieces with that configuration of veneer.""

"He then forages for twigs straight enough for carving an itty bitty version, and salvages 300-year-old oak from an old drawer because the old-growth wood has a grain that's tighter, sturdier, and easier to work with than the modern oak one can buy at a home store, for example. "The old oak in this (drawer) is so fantastic," Facey says. "To be able to use this as opposed to modern oak is just chalk and cheese.""

Terry Facey began repairing historical furniture, concentrating on 17th-century pieces and developing admiration for their precise craftsmanship. Facey operates from a shed workshop optimized for making scale miniatures. The V&A commissioned a 1:8-scale replica of a c.1674 marquetry table featuring barley-twist legs and six-sided olive-wood veneer. Facey measures the original, forages straight twigs for tabletop slices, and salvages 300-year-old oak for its tight grain. He uses very fine chisels, saws, and a tiny lathe to cut dovetails, carve twisted legs, and slice heartwood to recreate intricate veneer patterns at miniature scale. The process demonstrates the complexity of elaborate veneer and traditional furniture construction.

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