take
note
photograph by CHERYLE ST. ONGE
5
David Lamb
Canterbury, New Hampshire
David Lamb Cabinetmaker
davidlambfurniture.com
➤ “I love speaking different languages of
furniture design,” says furniture maker David
Lamb. “That’s what I thrive on. Working in a
vast array of styles speaks to who I am.”
Lamb was just 14 when he started a
three-year apprenticeship with Alejandro de la
Cruz, a master European cabinetmaker whose
home and shop were down the road from
Canterbury Shaker Village, where Lamb spent
his teenage years while his stepfather oversaw
restoration of the historic New Hampshire site.
While teaching Lamb the nitty-gritty of
handcrafting basic elements such as joints, de
la Cruz imbued him with the idea that “being a
craftsman is a lifelong commitment.”
Those early years provided the foundation
for building a career and a passion for
beautiful wood, perfect joinery, exquisite
carving, and delicate inlays. Lamb’s formal
training continued at Boston University’s
Program in Artisanry, where he honed his skills
and developed his eye for design and detail.
in his workshop, David
Lamb reveals one of his
latest commissioned
pieces: an American
neoclassical chair with
an unconventional twist
of asymmetrical carvings.
