Broached Commissions Presents Broached Goulder Designed by Jon Goulder.

Driven by research and narrative, Broached Commissions present projects that fuse historical context with contemporary design. With their latest project, they have focused for the first time on the narrative of an individual maker with Broached Goulder, presenting a collection of limited edition pieces by fourth-generation Australian furniture-maker Jon Goulder.

Goulder’s multi-generational family business specialized in restoring Victorian antiques, while his adult aesthetic sensibilities reflect training at the Canberra School of Art under the late George Ingham. Broached Goulder synthesizes technical innovation with traditional technique, combining Goulder’s memories with his current practice and passion for testing the boundaries of hand-crafted form.

Water formed leather and hand-carved timber are two elements that define the bespoke qualities of this collection, interspersed with forward-thinking techniques such as upholstering using coconut fibre and hessian. Woven panels by textile artist Liz Williamson represent the fabrics that hung along the walls of the Goulder family workshop. Maharam leather supplied by Kvadrat features as woven pieces to form the intricate sliding doors of the credenza and the chaise lounge, as a robust water-formed skin backing a standing-mirror and as a laminated structural form in the console.

The collection provided Broached with a unique opportunity to trace the trajectory of Australian furniture manufacturing, through Goulder’s unique intergenerational experience. The Goulder family started supplying furniture in volume to Sydney’s large department stores in the early 20th century. 100 years later, Jon is the sole remaining practitioner; a studio-based artisan, creating bespoke works based on commission.

Goulder’s decision as a teen to branch out from the family workshop led him to invert the original business model down the line, from one based on volume to one based on artisanship. With much of furniture manufacturing now moved offshore, Goulder proves that the romance that surrounds the artisan can also be a pragmatic business decision.

Related:
Broached Monsters by Trent Jansen.
Jon Goulder’s Innate Furniture Collection for Spence & Lyda.

[Images courtesy of Broached Commissions.]