Project Information
So a while back I posted some photos of a completed project, a pair of night stands based on a design by Joseph Jeup. I was commissioned by an interior designer to do these, because apparently they were not available in a size that would works for her clients space. I had never heard of Joseph Jeup - or his furniture - before. I was given a photo taken from the internet of a nightstand and asked if I could make that piece to the dimensions provided and I said yes.
It turns out that Joseph Jeup is a very talented and accomplished furniture designer (check his website for some beautiful modern furniture), and that he takes his designs seriously enough to have been offended by their reproduction, an offense I was made aware of this morning. To that end, I have removed the photos and the story behind them from this site, and I will be removing the photos of the pieces from my own website. I have written and phoned Mr. Jeup offering my explanation and apology. The photos I made public were a showing of something I made, not something I designed. Of course, just because that is the way I look at it doesn't mean that is the way everybody else looks at it.
The argument of "based on" or "inspired by" is a long one. There are credible individuals and companies whose bread and butter is making copies of existing pieces of furniture, Maloof rockers, for instance. I personally would not want to create a replica of an existing design just for the experience; that just doesn't interest me. The only reason I did in fact re-create this particular gentleman's design is simple: it was a job, and jobs are too scarce these days. If I had said no to the designer who approached me to do these pieces, she would have found someone else to do them. I bothers me that I have managed to offend a major, noteworthy designer while chasing down the all mighty dollar. And again, to Mr. Jeup, I do apologize.
Regards to all-
-Roger Benton
It turns out that Joseph Jeup is a very talented and accomplished furniture designer (check his website for some beautiful modern furniture), and that he takes his designs seriously enough to have been offended by their reproduction, an offense I was made aware of this morning. To that end, I have removed the photos and the story behind them from this site, and I will be removing the photos of the pieces from my own website. I have written and phoned Mr. Jeup offering my explanation and apology. The photos I made public were a showing of something I made, not something I designed. Of course, just because that is the way I look at it doesn't mean that is the way everybody else looks at it.
The argument of "based on" or "inspired by" is a long one. There are credible individuals and companies whose bread and butter is making copies of existing pieces of furniture, Maloof rockers, for instance. I personally would not want to create a replica of an existing design just for the experience; that just doesn't interest me. The only reason I did in fact re-create this particular gentleman's design is simple: it was a job, and jobs are too scarce these days. If I had said no to the designer who approached me to do these pieces, she would have found someone else to do them. I bothers me that I have managed to offend a major, noteworthy designer while chasing down the all mighty dollar. And again, to Mr. Jeup, I do apologize.
Regards to all-
-Roger Benton