The soft hum of a treadle lathe and the powdery smell of sawdust filled the early childhood of Vincent Chicone. A third generation woodworker he spent his formative years in his family's shop under the watchful eye of his grandfather and father, both finish carpenters. Here Vincent learned to create with his hands. Wood became his medium as he mastered the traditional techniques used by cabinetmakers for centuries.
Vincent is interested in the development of regional furniture forms and the unique style signatures of historic cabinetmakers. He brings his personal interest in historic design, development, and process to all of his projects.
He creates bench-made Windsors in a range of period designs as well as reproduction historic furniture, custom cabinetry, and architectural millwork. His shop, Chicone Cabinetmakers, is located inMontourFalls nestled in the heart of the Finger Lakes-an area that teems with native hardwoods. Vincent takes advantage of this local resource by producing his chairs and benches out of regionally harvested trees.
For the past two years, Vincent has received the highest award as a traditional artisan in Early American Life's Directory of Traditional American Crafts in three different categories-including formal furniture and Windsors. His work has been showcased in The Directory of Traditional American Crafts in Early American Life magazine, a national magazine focusing on architecture, decorative arts, period style, and social history from colonial times through the mid-19th Century.
His handmade historic reproduction furniture is also on display at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate. The furniture can be found in the Griffin Discovery Room of the new Smith Education Center.
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