John and Jay Leake hand make period reproduction furniture in the styles of William and Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. Using all solid wood, each piece is made to order using the finest mahogany, cherry, walnut and maple available. Not only is the wood of the finest quality but also our hardware and brass. Customers who identify quality and craftsmanship will especially appreciate our furniture. John Leake and son Jay build fifteen to eighteen major pieces per year in their York, South Carolina shop, each with craftsmanship featuring hand carving, dovetailing, and pinned mortise and tenon joinery.
It begins in the early 1950's. John Howard Leake, Sr. began trading in antiques from his home on a farm just south of York. Howard came home one day with a walnut sideboard tied down on top of the bags of grain loaded on his truck. Routine farm chores sent him throughout the countryside where he often encountered antiques that he bought out of the homes he called on. The antique business had begun, and continued from his home for several more years. About 1955, John Howard Leake, Jr. (Buddy) bought property 3 miles north of York, our present location.
Now that,,, is a chest back.... 1/2” solid poplar, ship lapped. Too bad nobody ever sees it.
Cutting out drawer fronts for the bow front chest. It takes 16/4 (4” thick” ) mahogany.. measure twice, maybe even 3 times, cut once... would be an expensive mess up if wrong.. thankfully, the measurements were right🤑
It’s a bow front chest. Come on down!!
