Why was Sir Francis Drake Cool? Inspiration behind the Anchor Table Legs.
Inspiration behind the Anchor Table Legs
Why was Sir Francis Drake so cool and what was the inspiration behind the anchor legs?First of all, twelve generations back, Sir Francis Drake was my father. I was always told this as a kid, as well as being told "YOU ARE NORWEGIAN!"
I wondered if this was all really true. I also wondered why this was pounded into our heads, my brother's and I? ARE WE THE CHOSEN ONES?
How could it be? I never saw any proof. It was like my brothers and I were royalty (but without any fancy castles, a fleet of ships, plunder, or servants).
Back in 2017 we had an extended family member named Markus look up The Drake lineage of the family at The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Sure enough, we found all the past names, dates of their lives, and where they were from all the way back to the 1500's and beyond. DNA from a famous Pirate runs through our veins!
What made him cool?
Sir Francis Drake was considered cool for several reasons:
A year or two ago, I took a 23 & ME DNA test that my wife had given me as a gift. I spit in a vial, sent the tube off to the company, and a month later I received the results.
I am exactly 50% Norwegian, 48% English, A hint of Irish, Welsh, & Czech.
Makes sense, both of Grandfather's (who both served in WWII Navy) families were from Southern Norway. The test actually showed me that my DNA is linked to a town names LUND, NORWAY. Hmm, that's my last name... And well you get the English side, Drake is my middle name.
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION OF THE ANCHOR?
As a kid we grew up on a lake in Wisconsin. We went to saving school, & sailed competitively for several years. It was a big part of our summers. Eight hours a day in class, or racing our X Scow Sail Boats. If we weren't sailing, we were water skiing, swimming, diving for old bottles, fishing, dying leaps off the dock, or running around in our powerboats. It was the best part of our lives, for my brother's and myself. I think my parents too. My love of the lake grew thick on me.
Years later after growing up and moving away, those thoughts were the reason I came up with the anchor leg idea. I missed those days badly. I wanted to bring it back in a way that could be used in the house.
I didn't know if anyone would buy them, but took a risk. Making a mold, and actually doing a run of many legs costs a lot of money (especially when you don't have much of it). Everytime I do another design, it's like gambling. I've hit big before, and more than once. But, I've also had flops. When you have a flop, you feel it. Goodbye 25K.. and over a year of painstaking design work. Sometimes they just don't sell. But sometimes they do and you sell a lot of them!
I like the Anchor because it has symbolism. There is meaning to it. It's biblical, there is a cross built into the design. It's nautical, It's a symbol of hope, steadfastness, calm and composure. It is also a symbol of death, (PIRATES) and fortune.
I think everyone can relate to the anchor. I do. Maybe we want to be part Pirate like Sir Francis Drake was. Fearless.
Whether it's just from fishing off the boat with grandpa or your father, general love of water, the quest for gold doubloons, Christianity, or just sweet nostalgia.. The Anchor is a special symbol AND A VERY STURDY TABLE BASE. The design is also protected by copyright (it cannot be reproduced in America). I had to do this because I have been knocked off in the past. It's been a winner for benches, coffee tables, and dining tables.
- C.D.L.
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