Student Brian London, originally from North Carolina, has designed and made a Queen Anne-inspired table that will be a gift to his daughter.

Brian, who now lives near Niort in France, had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement for the US government – underlining how fine woodworking is a skill that can be learned at any age.

His beautiful table, with cabriole legs, has hand-carved finger joints and a perfectly-executed rule joint, which allows each side of the round table to fold down.

He chose the design because a round table of this design is better suited for smaller apartments.  It can be pushed against a wall as a console table or opened out as a dining table.

Brian’s career was mostly spent as a Treasury agent and, later, in Homeland Security. For a time he was also attached to the White House, and then to Interpol in France.

Brian’s grandfather was a carpenter, and his father took up woodworking in retirement, so maybe there’s more than a little sawdust in his blood.

His next project is a Queen Anne-style cabinet, and Brian is pictured with a drawing of what he will be making.