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Some fantastic craftsmanship

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Orcade-Ian:
I've recently rebuilt a couple of wheels for a good friend here in Orkney - actually for a bike his Brother bought new (CD 175) but sadly Colin passed away just before Christmas. Knowing I did a bit of wood butchery now and then he had mentioned that their Father had made Bride's Cogs many years ago and would bring one to show me when he collected the wheels.
Johnny will know all about the Cogs - an Orkney tradition, which are made specially for a couple for their Wedding and filled with a hot concoction of all kinds of strong 'falling down' liquid and each family has their own secret recipe.  This is passed around the guests as a toast to the happy couple and we have been to quite a few weddings where this tradition has been carried on.

This is what Stevie brought along!

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The wood is a combination of ebony and maple and no machines were used - everything done by hand, mostly sitting by the fireside with hand tools with one eye on the telly!  Each stave has contrasting blocks dovetailed into the outer face and the decorations on the handles are hand carved pieces let into the main piece.

I take my hat off Sir!

Ian

martyn916:
They are stunning - what a work of art and level of skill to make those. Makes mechanical engineering seem easy in comparison - just 'bolting' things togeteher  ;D

McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
Stunning woodwork it's an art form that completely evades me.

Never managed a half decent dovetail joint at school.

Johnny4428:
Ian, that is some lovely craftsmanship there! I didn’t know about father Ross’s skills. Never seen tumblers done to match cog before. Mugs as well, lot of work there.

Orcade-Ian:
Hi Johnny,
You know better than anyone that there is a tremendous amount of skill in these Islands.  As a footnote to the Cog story, there was a piece many years ago in our Vintage Club magazine with a story about the visit of the Queen Mother to Orkney, where She expressed an interest in the Cog She had seen.  The late and very talented Harold Esson made one for her! He may have made it specially for the visit, I'm not sure.
Many years later Christine and I had a trip to Caithness with the Vintage Club and visited the Castle of Mey and during our guided tour I noticed a Cog on a shelf in the Equerry's room and remembered the magazine article, so asked the guide if she knew anything about it.  She kindly lifted it down and when she turned it over, there was the stamp 'H.Esson'

Ian

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