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Galleries, too, can put you in touch with the work of top-level makers and can provide a good setting for making first contact with the kind of work you wish to own. But high-level shows do something more. They put you face to face with the maker of that work.

Go to the shows. Talk to the craftsmen. And of course, look at the work itself. Is the primary wood (the wood visible on the outside of the piece) of good quality? Is it authentic (mahogany, walnut, or cherry, rather than some other wood stained or dyed to look like one of these)?

Has the maker paid attention to the wood's figure in the construction process? The grain doesn't have to all run in the same direction, but a top-level maker will arrange the figure so that it makes good visual sense by, for example, book-matching joined sheets of veneer or choosing similarly figured material for all the back slats on an individual chair.

Run your hands over the surfaces. Any roughness (or inconsistently reflected light) is evidence of a finish that was not applied well. Pull out the drawers. Do they work smoothly? Is the fit consistent along the entire length of the drawer's extension?

Talk to the craftsman about joinery. Is it cut by hand or by machine? Some good craftsmen will use machines to cut their joinery, but many top-level craftsmen cut their joinery by hand.

And of course, look at the overall design. Has the maker achieved a consistent and balanced statement with his or her handling of shapes, lines, color, texture, and figure? In other words, do you like the way the whole thing looks?

Getting Down to Business

Certainly, in many cases, it isn't possible to visit the maker's shop, but if the driving distances aren't excessive, consider making the trip. You'll get a better sense of the kind of work done by an individual maker by visiting that person in his or her own work space, particularly if you have the opportunity to see work in progress.

The creation of good custom furniture requires good communication. It is a collaborative effort in which the needs and tastes of the client come together with the experience and tastes of the craftsman to produce furniture that couldn't have existed if either party had been absent from the process. So don't be reluctant to contribute. You should be as clear as possible about your expectations.

Share the fruits of your research. Show the maker any sketches, photos, or descriptions that will help you articulate what you feel the piece should be both in terms of function and design. Then listen to the craftsman. Furniture design is his or her area of expertise, so that craftsman will be able to offer insights into the design process that can forestall problems before they occur.

At some point, as your thinking about the proposed furniture becomes clearer, the craftsman will develop drawings. These drawings, along with verbal descriptions, will become the plans from which the craftsman develops a price and, if you approve that price, the finished piece.

It is therefore imperative that you study these drawings and pay attention to the descriptions so that you understand exactly what it is you are buying. Here are a few examples.

Art Deco, California Style

Peter Robert Presnell acknowledges his debt to turn-of-the-century designers/ craftsmen like Gustav Stickley, William Morris, and Greene and Greene. But although his work is rooted in that rich soil, Presnell has created his own style, which he refers to as High Western Deco.

He seeks to design pieces with presence rather than ego; in other words, furniture that can coexist peacefully with other furnishings in clients' homes, standing shoulder to shoulder with those furnishings without evoking a spirit of competition.

Presnell's approach to the engineering of his award-winning work follows traditional models. He favors mortise-and-tenon joinery for his casework, frame-and-panel door construction, and dovetails at the front and back of each drawer. When faced with a construction problem, he searches for what he identifies as the "elegant solution."

Style Plus Sustainability

Craig Vandall Stevensstrives to create work that is, in his words, "aesthetically pleasing, while adhering to my artistic values, attention to detail, and sense of quality."

He works closely with his clients to develop original designs and concentrates on only one piece at a time. This approach reflects the instruction of Stevens's teacher, James Krenov, the lead instructor of The College of the Redwoods.

Working alone, Stevens produces his furniture from resawn veneers and air-dried solid wood using traditional joinery. He favors unusual, underused species, particularly those taken from tree farms practicing sustainable harvests.

A Look Back 200 Years

Robert G. Stevenson doesn't want to just build in the manner of his 18th-century predecessors, he wants to actually live in that period. This desire was inspired by a childhood spent on the North Shore of Massachusetts surrounded by beautiful antique furniture.

Later, his interest in 18th-century life and work was reignited when he inherited a collection of hand tools from his great-uncle and his great-grandfather. After Stevenson retired from the navy, it was logical for him to put these tools to work in the reproduction of classic furniture.

Working alone, he produces a line of reproduction furniture firmly rooted in 18th-century New England. To make his work as faithful as possible to the originals, Stevenson has wood shipped to his California shop from New England. He also stays true to 18th-century construction methods by using mostly hand techniques and animal hide glue.

When working with any of these craftsmen, it's important to be patient. Allow the process to unfold. Trust the judgement you displayed in selecting that craftsman. Although waiting can be difficult, the potential rewards are enormous.

Kerry Pierce is a furniture maker and author of seven woodworking books, including The Art of Chair-Making. He is also contributing editor of Woodwork magazine.

This article is excerpted from Custom Furniture Source Book: A Guide to 125 Craftsmen copyright © 2001. You can order the book from the publisher online at The Taunton Press or by phone at 800-888-8286. It is also available at Amazon.com.

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A fall-front desk by furniture maker Peter Robert Presnell. The desk is of mahogany, bird's-eye maple, rosewood, and leather. Photo: Philip M. Dresser Detail of a fall-front desk by Presnell. Photo: Philip M. Dresser A cabinet by Craig Vandall Stevens, of granadillo, fiddleback maple, spalted maple, spalted Swiss pear, bubinga, and brass. Photo: Stephen Webster Cabinet by Stevens in the open position. Photo: Stephen Webster A Federal-period game table by Robert G. Stevenson of mahogany, primavera, satinwood, ebony, holly, and pine. Photo: Craig Carlson Detail of the game table by Stevenson. Photo: Craig Carlson Custom Furniture Source Book is an illustrated directory of 125 of the best American furniture makers. Image: The Taunton Press   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.