Seven years ago when Ashraf Eldeknawey came to the United States from Egypt, he brought with him the amazing joinery and parquetry skills that he learned from the woodworking masters involved in his father’s furniture business in his homeland.

With two basic knives and a hammer he creates one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture

with intricate, handmade custom inlays

with geometric designs.  His unique work

can be found in prominent places throughout Egypt and in his workshop in Gray  (ashraffurniture.com) and in Camden

at Leslie Curtis’s space.

The late Mark Chabe, husband of Beth

Ackers, designed and produced a

unique spinning wheel before he passed

away in November of 2009.  Ashraf has

agreed to continue making the freehand spinning wheels from cherry and brass.

He plans on decorating them with his

stunning parquetry work.

Ashraf also keeps busy designing the

very distinctive drop spindles that

can be seen on on the right side of this

webpage.