Recently Callum was asked to design a contemporary looking table with hairpin legs. Surprisingly hairpin legs have actually been around for more than seventy years and were originally invented by Henry P. Glass.

It was while working in New York for industrial designer Russel Wright in the early 1940s that Henry P. Glass crafted his first industrial designed hairpin leg. During WWII materials were scarce so designs that required miminal materials  were in high demand. The hairpin leg is very efficient when it comes to the amount of material used and the amount of waste created during the manufacturing process.

Hairpin leg table crafted by Callum

“Henry P. Glass believed there were seven prerequisites for good design when it came to man-made objects – function, aesthetics, matter, process, ecology, economy and originality.”

This particular table by Callum is made from homegrown solid English oak with a clear satin finish and English hand crafted steel hairpin legs. The more refined hairpin legs and simple top give it a surprisingly elegant feel. The overall effect means the table works well in a small room as well as a larger one.

As a designer, architect, author and inventor, Vienna-born Henry was a man of many skills. During WWII he was sent to Buchenweld, a Nazi concentration camp where his captors soon realised his talents and made him design a cemetery for Nazi officers. Later in the war he was released and immigrated to America where he assisted the United States military by drawing a plan of the camp from memory. Among many other things, he went on to open his own industrial design business in 1946, convinced the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to create an industrial design department where he taught for more than twenty years, and in 1948 was the architect of his own passive solar home which was one of the first of its kind in America. His house still stands on its original site in Northfield, Illinois, USA. He died on 27th August, 2003 at the age of 91.

“Thank you for all your help and advice along the way … our new table has delivered just what we were looking for. Something a little bit different. The modern industrial feel of the legs with your crafted top gives it that additional feel of quality and individuality.” Mark Hart, Romsey, Hampshire

Whether you’re looking to incorporate a design classic like the hairpin leg or searching for something a little offbeat, Callum crafts pieces that deliver striking impact and leave a lasting impression. From start to finish every piece is handmade with care and attention to detail and made to last a lifetime.

If you would like a handmade table, handmade seating or handmade furniture created to your own specifications, please send an enquiry to callum@winchesterfurnitureco.co.uk or call Callum directly on 07808 052828