Peter Bourke, Little Bay, NSW

Medallion Display Box
Australian red cedar, European beech
105 W x 210 L x 150mm H

Concept:
The medallion display box was made to house an Australia Day Achievement Medallion awarded to a family member on Australia Day 2004 for his contribution and support during the aftermath of the Bali bombings. The display box was made as a surprise gift from his wife.
Materials:
The box is constructed from highly figured Australian red cedar. The timber was milled from a tree on a friend’s farm on the north coast of NSW. The few pieces acquired had lots of defects and/or was eaten away. Small sections where salvaged and resized to make the pieces of the box.
The through tenon wedges and the medallion mounting arms are made of European beech. Glass panels are housed in the front and back. The top corners are dovetailed. All joints are glued using cross-linking PVA. The box is finished with an Organoil hand rubbed oil finish, with a top coat of wax.
The box was designed to semi-permanently enclose its contents, to be easily disassembled when access is necessary. Removing the wedge pins releases the small vertical tenons allowing the top enclosure to be lifted from its base. This concept was inspired by the wedged tenon joint commonly seen in larger furniture projects. The medallion sits snug in grooved tapered arms which protrude vertically from the base.

Photos: Peter Bourke