Rabbet Plane
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, gouache, heightening, pen and ink, andcolored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 35.6 cm (11 x 14 in.) Original IAD Object: 11 1/16" long, 7" high; 1 1/2" thick
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8081
Art Historical Context
**Rabbet Plane** by Samuel Faigin, created around 1938, captures the humble yet essential woodworking tool known as a rabbet plane—a specialized implement for cutting grooves or "rabbets" into edges, vital for joinery in furniture andry. Rendered at 27.9 x 35.6 cm (11 x 14 in.), this detailed study showcases the tool's classic form: 11 1/16 inches long, 7 inches high, and 1 1/2 inches thick, highlighting its sturdy iron body, wooden handles, and adjustable blade with precision and affection. As part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from the Gre...