|
Thomas Neely is one of the lucky few who has been able to do what he loves to make a living.
From the time he was small, Thomas has loved building things out of wood. From soapbox derby racers (as a lad too young to drive them) to odd pieces of furniture made for friends out of carved two-by-fours, he liked the feeling that creating a beautiful, unique piece from simple boards gave him.
He had no professional experience when he called Charles Webb Designer/Woodworker in Somerville, MA, in 1993. He worked there for three years, catching wood at the end of a sanding machine, milling furniture parts, and assembling Charles Webb’s well-made modern furniture. Thomas was an eager student; learning about machine safety, how wood behaves over years of use, and quite a bit about the trade itself. He learned how to make a piece of furniture last, but wanted to produce furniture that others would want to last. He longed to produce furniture of his own design.
In 1998, Thomas Neely opened Future Antiques in the ArtsBuilding at 915 Spring Garden St. in Philadelphia, and since then has been honing the original and graceful style you see on these pages. Thomas Neely produces limited edition hand-made and hand-finished furniture that shows off an individual style without ever ignoring the natural beauty of the wood, be it mahogany, cherry, walnut, or white oak.
Thomas Neely graduated with a BA in English from the University of Virginia. He and his family live in Philadelphia, PA.
|
