Thomas Molesworth was a manufacturer and pioneer of western design
furniture in Cody Wyoming from about 1933 to about 1955? The name of
his furniture company was "The Shoshone Furniture Company". His
furniture was influenced by Native American and Western motifs. His
early ideas came from time he spent at Rowe Furniture Company. He
furnished many hotels and ranches in Wyoming. Many of Molesworths
chairs incorperated Chimayo weavings from New Mexico. Split burl 
chairs and couches became his trademark.

I am looking for original measured shop drawings and design
descriptions of Molesworth Furniture. You must furnish at least 10
drawings to include: two different Club Chairs, a two and three
cushion sofa, a keyhole chair, a foot stool, a dresser,a cabinet and
any two other items.

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Request for Question Clarification by silviares-ga on 05 Sep 2006 15:25 PDT

Hello crystal4l-ga

do I understand correctly that you are you looking to find a source
where to purchase the drawings ?

silviares

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Clarification of Question by crystal4l-ga on 05 Sep 2006 20:09 PDT

Thank you, a source is not what I had in mind. However I'm would
consider a source as apposed to actual measured shop drawings of the
items mentioned. I would consider the question answered if you could
find a soure where I could purchase the info I asked for for $100.00
or less. If it would be more than that I would like to know the cost
first.

Brian

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Request for Question Clarification by silviares-ga on 06 Sep 2006 10:56 PDT

Hello Crystal

I contacted Terry Winchell with your request of drawings but his reply
is quite discouraging .... When I told him we were looking for
drawings he replied

"Aren't we all...they don't exist.  The only known rendering is in my book.
Thank you for your interest.
Terry"

I will keep searching though ... 
silviares

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Clarification of Question by crystal4l-ga on 06 Sep 2006 12:05 PDT

silviares,

Well my intent is to make a few pieces for myself. I guess I was
dreaming. If you find drawings that aren't original that would be the
next best thing. However I would expect them to be from someone who
has extensive experiance with repro's.

Thank you

This is just a free comment, not an "answer" to your question.
Maybe this book can be a start (two sources and descriptions):
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1586855085?v=glance
http://www.schwartzbooks.com/cgi-bin/item/1586855085

Crystal, if you already know the book can't help, let us know.
It would also help if you could tell where you have already searched,
avoiding wasted effort and time-consuming clarifications. (The email
notification system is not working, so you and a Researcher will have
to actively follow the question.)

For example:  have you contacted design museums, schools of design?
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (Smithsonian)
Rhode Island School of Design
Vitra Design Museum
Getty Museum
LA County Museum
Moma, department of architecture and furniture

I assume that you are much closer to the subject than a Researcher
(blue user name) will be.  Any information you can give could be of
help.

Good luck!

Thank you for your suggestion on the book. Yes, I do have Terry Winchells book.
The book is great. However it is a book with great photos and info on
the history of Molesworth furniture, not a book on building
reproduction pieces.

I have had an appreciation for this furniture for some time. I
recently visited Cody Wy and Jackson Hole Wy. Jackson Hole is where
Terry Winchell owns a store that sells many old pieces of Molesworth
in his store Fighting Bear Antiques.

I know Molesworth had key employess who also started furniture
companies make very similar designs. One person was Paul Hindman who
started Wyoming Furniture. Paul had a brother Don who also had a "Cody
Style" furniture company. Don made this type of furniture until 1994
according to a reference in Terry's book.

I would like to build a few pieces of furniture for my own enjoyment.
I know there are a number of books available on building furniture,
including books on building log furniture and older style pieces.
However I am hoping to find some measured drawings and design
descriptions of Molesworth pieces so that I might better replicate the
style.

If you could find a piece of Molesworth furniture it would sell for
many thousands of dollars if not tens of thousands. So it's not like
they're available to pick up and study.

To answer your question about contacting the other places you
mentioned, no I have not.

I know Molesworth attended the Art Institute of Chicago in 1908 to
study painting, however I have not contacted them either. Some of the
crfts people Molesworth worked with were Doug Skillikorn, Ruth Taggart
Blair, Marshall Woods, Ed Grigware, Russel Blood,as weel as the
Hindman brother I mentioned earlier.

I do know there are at least a half dozen companies in Cody Wy making
this type of furniture. I have not asked them for any designs, as I
have assumed them to likely be trade secerets. The companies making
Moleswoth furniture in Cody can be easily located with a Google
search.

Thank You
Crystal