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Hand Carved Church Pew - Complete
Hand Carved Church Pew

About this pew:

This pew tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion in three scenes. On the left is the town of Jerusalem where His trail took place. A path winds down to Golgotha and shows Christ and the two thieves on the crosses while mourners weep. On the right is the empty tomb which signifies His resurrection.

I found this pew in Reynolds Nebraska at a consignment auction with 2 others. Original price was $20. I had the pew for about 4 years until I started carving the first week of January 2014. I worked through the winter and finished it just in time for Easter in the 3rd week of April 2014. Here is a blog post on my website that shows the progress from start to finish.

I can’t count the hours that I have put into the carving, but an estimate would be at about 700 to 800. I used hand chisels for a majority of the carving, and used a Dremel tool to carve some detail in the bushes and hair and the text on the seat. I found that the oak was too hard on the carbide tipped Dremel bits and they wore out quickly!

The text on the seat of the bench reads from Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do“. These are the first words the Christ spoke upon the cross and they are powerful words of forgiveness.

I also built the stained glass panel using a variety of glass that was on hand in my studio. This is the largest piece I had made to date.

The lightbox at the back of the pew contains a double fluorescent light unit that can be easily accessed by undoing the hatches and lowering the hinged lightbox to the floor.

I documented the progress as I worked through this project, which you can view here.

Specifications:

  • Length: 85-1/2″
  • Height:: 38-1/2″
  • Depth: 22″
  • Weight: TBD
  • Material: Oak (white oak pew, red oak lightbox), handcrafted stained glass Lighting: 2 x T830 fluorescent bulbs in hinged lightbox, small bulbs for tomb and city lights.
  • Completed April 2014.

Pricing:

Viewing of the pew is currently by appointment only in Chester NE – call 402-200-1225

Price of $17,000 includes pew, with the rope barrier and stands available as an option.

Buyer will also get a certificate of authenticity and receipt that can be used for insurance.

In the News:

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Here is a gallery of two other pews which I have carved (sold). You can contact me to commission a carving and get a custom length pew to fit your needs.