Arthur Bradbury Dover, Southern NH, Carpenter, Woodworker

"Our goal was to install an undercounter microwave where a pots and pans drawer had been. The challenge was that the stained cherry cabinet opening was too wide and too short. We asked Arthur to give us his thoughts. He analyzed the challenge, considered creative solutions, took careful measurements, and implemented a beautiful solution, matching color and shape. Arthur is a creative problem solver and, in my opinion, a cabinetry artist. He didn’t seek the easy way, he sought the right way. The result was that it now looks like it was always designed for the microwave. We couldn’t be happier with working with Arthur.”

John in Dover, NH - 01/13/21

"Arthur does furniture repairs as well as creating larger custom pieces. I asked him to fix some loose desk drawer knobs as well as reattach hinges on an antique desk. Arthur did a fine job and finished the work promptly for what I considered to be a fair price.

He also removed abrasions on the piece for no additional charge. Arthur not only does repairs but he also creates larger custom pieces. I would highly recommend him!”

Diane in NH - 08/02/18

"Arthur has completed excellent finish carpentry, and cabinets in our home."

Cam in NH - 02/07/15

"I purchased a set of these handcrafted Bradbury Benches from Arthur this spring and they are beautiful!
Great workmanship and attention to detail. They make any firepit or backyard a work of ART.
Get your order in early.... And you better have a friend around to help ya move them. I have gotten many comments on "The Bradbury Benches".

A Happy Bradbury Benches Owner - 10/05/10

Our Trestle Table
  A puzzle and a conundrum.
We had just had a beautiful little dining nook added to our house, and upon completion, realized we had managed to create a space with built-in seating, for which a table of the right dimensions did not exist.

  I had spotted a gorgeous old narrow antique tavern table in a house filled with antiques a few months earlier, and thought it might fit. The owner kindly allowed me to take pictures of it, measure it, and appreciate it. But she would not part with it.

  So, Arthur.
Arthur, who had done some beautiful work on our kitchen island following a power outage that required removal of our oven. He took a plain maple top and completed it with gorgeous cherry breadboard ends, turning a basic work space into a warm and appealing gathering spot.

  He had mentioned that if we ever needed any furniture, to let him know. So I sent the pictures of the antique tavern table to Arthur.
Arthur understood the problem. He came to our house, measured, and sat with me in the nook while we talked about the table. He looked at old copper light fixtures with me, just for fun. We talked about sailing. He petted our dogs, and didn’t seem to mind when they jumped on him.

  We went through multiple revisions of feet and legs and accommodations for elderly guests with knee problems and the height of the arms on chairs and how to keep the leaves up without bothering people under the table with too much clutter and could we put the leaves down and move the table against the wall and would the feet tuck neatly under the baseboard heat? And would a bit of cherry and tiger maple and regular maple and a natural finish - gorgeous and pale and smooth and exquisite - be too much to ask?

  Arthur patiently listened and suggested and drew and recommended and gently guided us, and finally – voila!
He called on a sunny November day to say that It Was Done. A few minutes later, he appeared on our porch and I followed him out to his truck so we could carry the table into the house.

  He had a twinkle in his eye that said it all. “It’s really nice, isn’t it.” That’s what the twinkle was saying. “You’ll like the way it turned out.” There was no need to say it. The table was gorgeous.

  We were delighted to see a burnt insignia on the underside of the table, marking it an Arthur Bradbury original.

  One footnote to take under advisement. This isn’t Furniture Express. Our conversations and visits spanned months, and sometimes we exchanged emails in which Arthur would just say “I’m thinking.” I was grateful that he was thinking about our table.

  It is home now, and beautiful, and we look forward to many games of Parcheesi, Thanksgiving dinners, homework sessions, glasses of wine, and breakfasts overlooking our garden, at what is known at our house as King Arthur’s Table.

  The only sad part about finally having a piece of furniture come home from Arthur’s workshop is that it means no more visits from Arthur. So we’re already thinking about what we need next.

M and T in NH - 12/05/12

"Dear Arthur: We are ecstatic with the footboard – the workmanship, details, paint replication, everything. I will take a couple of pictures and send them to you one of these days. Here is a write up regarding the project:

  Somehow, during a move, the footboard to my daughter’s bedroom set went missing. It wasn’t just any bedroom set; it had been in the family for three generations and was well over 100 years old. Originally purchased in Louisville, Kentucky and made of a mixture of North American woods, the set is truly unique and, more importantly, cherished as a family heirloom.

  Naturally all of our hearts were broken when the footboard failed to show up. How does an entire footboard go missing? Anyway, to make an unnecessarily long story just a tad bit shorter, we needed to find somebody in the Seacoast [NH] area skilled in woodworking and carpentry to reproduce the style, turnings, moldings and hardware of the original while at the same time paint it to match the rest of the set.

  I called around, sent emails, and chatted with several craftsmen, but it took only one conversation with Arthur Bradbury to convince me that he was the man with whom we could trust our family’s memories. There was something in his tone that assured me that he understood what was at stake and that he viewed the work as far more than simply recreating a missing piece of furniture but rather as a way to maintain a tenuous tie to bygone times and generations. With the footboard missing the set was incomplete and the bed unusable.

  Sensitive to our needs, Arthur came out to our home, took photos of the remaining furniture pieces and then, with just the headboard, and a single old photograph that we had picturing the original footboard as his guides, he set off to reproduce the missing footboard.

  The result is a work of art. The footboard matches the headboard and the rest of the set perfectly! We could not be happier!

Kindest regards,
Michael in NH - 05/08/12

"I just received the [fish salad] fork...it is amazing...it is actually better than the original (spoon) ...it's perfect. Great work and craftsmanship. Thank you."
Jamie in NH - 10/01/11

"Arthur created a custom treadle sewing machine table top to hold my modern sewing machine. This required precise orientation of the machine in the top in relation to the treadle legs. The machine fits and operates perfectly. The craftsmanship, and final appearance using different woods is excellent. Thanks!"
Laurie in NH - 08/31/11

"Arthur Bradbury is an exceptional artisan. His attention to the smallest detail makes his work stand apart. An incredible eye and an obvious love for his craft is what keep us coming back."
Christine, Dover, NH - 08/11

Arthur... I can't begin to express my deepest most sincere gratitude for your talent, your skills, your understanding, and patience. You did such a remarkable job our family will be so blessed to see the work of art, and time you took to take on such a formidable project. With much gratitude,
Debbie and Jamie, Barrington, NH - 06/11

Arthur...you may or may not remember that Sam's quilt was red, white and blue so his room was painted red and blue with white trim (not the trim you put on - but the window trim). And so I decided not to paint it myself. The improvement you did was just too nice for my skill level of painting (or lack thereof).
People continue to tell me how wonderful they think [the renovation] is. When the kids are looking for me, they often find me sitting in Sam's chair or on his bed and just looking around at his room. It finally feels like a "normal" room! Thank you Arthur!
JR, Barrington, NH - 04/10

  We had a monolithic kitchen island with no room for sitting. Our maple countertop was stained and split in places; old and tired and we thought it could use some sprucing up.
  By reconfiguring the cabinets, manufacturing new end panels and refinishing the top, Arthur transformed the island into a comfortable, functional and lighter place in our house. Best of all, with new cherry breadboard ends and refinished maple surface, it was truly beautiful.
  It's a pleasure to work with Arthur. His dry Yankee humor, gentle suggestions, and personal modesty make the experience a delight. It is rare to come across someone whose work exceeds your expectations; who cares about beauty and doing things well - instead of quickly - as much as Arthur does.
  Thanks to his wonderful eye and dedication to perfection, our kitchen is a work of art. Hey - that's a pun! Truly, a Work of Art!
Ted & Morgan, Durham, NH - 03/10

Arthur Bradbury produces remarkable woodworking products of which I am a proud owner. Arthur made us an audio cabinet with doors and storage underneath along with a matching bench. The quality was exceptional and the price was reasonable. The pieces are now a central part of our home that we wonder daily how we did without. Arthur is very knowledgeable from conceptual planning to the final product. His furniture work is the stuff of heirloom quality and I look forward to our next project(s) together.
Jim, Dover, NH - 12/09

  I was looking for a skilled cabinet maker that could modify a 20 year old cabinet to allow me to install a microwave above our range. I had contacted other cabinet makers and many told me that it was unlikely that they could match the cabinet. I found Arthur's website http://www.rabradbury.com/ during a web search and I sent Arthur some pictures in an email.
  Arthur responded and after looking at the pictures, believed he could make something that would work for me. I met with Arthur and I was immediately impressed just by talking to him. I left my cabinet with him and told him to do whatever he thought would look good. When I picked up the cabinet I could not believe what I saw. The cabinet far exceeded what I expected. I figured I would have to settle with something that was "acceptable" since this was a major change to a 20 year old cabinet, however what I received was a perfect match to the existing cabinets! My wife and I could not be any happier with the results and to be honest I am a hard one to please when it comes to details. To top all this off the price was extremely reasonable for the amount of work that was done. Arthur is a true master craftsman that understands the importance of details. I feel very lucky to have found Arthur's website and will be requesting his service for other projects in the future. I have no reservations recommending Arthur.
  Top qualities: Great Results, Good Value, Creative
Bill, Dover, NH - 07/09

Guests are always surprised to learn that our built-in shelves and desk were not part of the original house architecture. We live in a 250 year-old house, so that says a lot about Arthur's artistry, high level of craftsmanship, and his care about what he does!
S & K, Lee, NH - 07/09

I met Arthur 23 years ago when I was building a new home. Arthur fabricated and installed a multitude of exceptionally fine cabinets and bookcases for the library, interior mahogany doors, mantle pieces, and detail on the stairway. Some photos are on his website. A few years ago my wife and I decided to have an entertainment center and an accordion display case for our accordions made. Knowing how Arthur is a stickler for detail and perfection we asked Arthur to do the job for us. As expected the entertainment center and the display case came out perfect. When we have guests over we are always complimented on the design and detail of these beautiful pieces of furniture. Arthur is a true craftsman and we highly recommend him to anybody. P & L, Dover, NH - 07/09

We selected Arthur for a remodeling project. He listened carefully to our needs and made suggestions based on his experience. His suggestions improved the outcome. Arthur engaged a plumber and an electrician as needed. Throughout, he maintained attention to the project details. His quality work was completed on time at a fair price.
J & B, Lee, NH - 06/09

This page has been updated as of April 2021. I will be adding others as projects are finished - and if I remember them all. Also if you hear of anyone inquiring for a master carpenter, quality wood worker, cabinet maker, please pass my name and web address along to them. Many thanks.

Please also visit the rest of my site.
arthur bradbury, carpenter, cabinet maker, lee, new hampshire

arthur bradbury, carpenter, cabinet maker, lee, new hampshire

R. Arthur Bradbury
Prop.
Dover, New Hampshire
603-659-2747