Master for nearly 50 years of one of Orange’s great stately homes, Ian Vennard is also a lifelong master craftsman in the fine art of wood-working.

From his furniture repair shop out the back of the iconic 'Ammerdown' historic homestead on Orange’s northern edge, he works creating, building, and renewing everything from exquisite full-sized snooker tables to antique chairs.

In short, anything you want worked in wood, Ian’s your man…

“It all stems from when I started in the building trade as a carpenter and joiner in the billiard table business back in Sydney with Girvan Brothers in the 1960s,” he explained.

“We moved up here in November 1979, and we ran our own business in Peisley Street for 36 years, so that means I’ve now been working in the trade for 65 years,” Ian added.

He says that the great thing with working in wood — in contrast to other manufactured and synthetic building and craft materials — is that it’s made for the long haul.

“I can’t comprehend the marketplace where you will get more for a 1950s Namco Laminex 1950s table, than an 1850s mahogany antique. When you use timber for furniture, though, the thing is that it can be built to last more than a lifetime.”

His unique set of craft skills ensures Ian has plenty of work not just locally but outside the region for specialist woodworking assignments.

“I’ve done a lot of church work, pews and other detailed projects for various churches such as St Mary’s at Dubbo and St Brigid’s in Sydney, and architects often come up for specialist jobs.

“As well as classic billiard tables, I also get runs of chairs, sometimes 40 a month, as well as chests of draws, side tables, and dining room tables,” Ian said.

He is also often asked to renew and restore items that most modern Australians would be hard-placed to identify.

“I do get some unusual jobs for furniture that was made for a particular job in the past, and people wonder why it was made. You get things like a ’dumb waiter’ (a pulley-operated mini-lift for food and other items); there’s actually one here in the house as well,” Ian revealed.

The grand old residence itself has been the beneficiary of decades of Ian’s meticulous and loving restoration work, starting with solid hardwood panel doors between the dining room and hall.

“When we moved in, these doors were white, and the only thing that would make shellack that colour, is dampness. This place had been built into the hill on a plateau, after we did the drains, there was lot of work to restore it all,” he said looking around at the meticulous woodwork within.

When it comes to timber, Ian likes to be able to complete the job from go to whoa, giving each project the absolute personal touch, including a magnificent dining room table that takes pride of place in the main entertainment area.

"I work in everything, ‘Pulley Spirit’ (denatured alcohol), French polishing, shellacking, I like to be in a situation, where I can complete the whole job,” Ian said proudly. I made the dining room table after the wife went and bought 16 chairs, and we didn’t have anything to fit them around!”

To contact Ian at his Furniture Repair Shop, call 0407 622 098.