Bruce Hamilton

Bruce hamilton

Bruce is the third generation of his family to work in the timber trade and he has almost forty years’ experience in the furniture industry. Serving his apprenticeship as a chair maker, Bruce was presented the award of top student in his final year at college. He then went on to work for various companies, gaining sound knowledge of all aspects of furniture construction.
In the autumn of 1990, the company Bruce was working for ceased trading, which gave him the opportunity to realise his long-held ambition: to set up his own business. His first workshop would be his father’s double garage; after attending a government-run business start-up course, Bruce Hamilton Furniture Makers was established in the spring of 1991.
After two years of trading, Bruce’s business had outgrown his initial garage workshop and the need for more space was necessary. Moving to a redundant joiner’s workshop in Johnstone, Bruce gained more space and he acquired his first heavy-duty woodwork machines, which helped him to step up production and tender for larger commissions.
It was during his time in the new workshop in 1994 that he was given two important commissions in Glasgow. Firstly, the dining room furniture for the House for an Art Lover, followed by  the furniture for The Willow Tea Rooms.
Subsequent notable commissions were to follow, including choir stalls for Paisley Abbey, replacement Director’s Room and Board Room chairs for the Glasgow School of Art and the Communion Table for the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh.

In 2014, Bruce Hamilton Furniture Makers relocated to the current workshop in Anniesland, in the West End of Glasgow. He continues to undertake work for private clients, with numerous commissions both at home and abroad.

In 2018, the 150th anniversary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s birth, Bruce supplied a selection of hand-made Mackintosh chairs for the shop at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow. The chairs were available for purchase during the Mackintosh exhibition, ‘Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Making the Glasgow Style’.  Later that year, Bruce had the honour of being asked to create furniture for one of C.R. Mackintosh’s most exquisite buildings, ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’. The commission involved several visits to the Glasgow School of Art, to survey and measure an original chair in the collection. Bruce crafted over thirty chairs, all of which were required to be of the highest standard, and pass scrutiny by the advisory panel to the board of Mackintosh at the Willow. At the official opening, in recognition of his work, and on behalf of the many craft workers and tradespeople involved in the restoration of Mackintosh at the Willow, Bruce was privileged to be formally presented to HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall.

Whether it be panel products, veneered boards, imported or native hardwoods, each piece of timber is selected by hand for grain figure and colour. All the stages of production call on the traditional skills and techniques of the craftsman with each piece being carefully assembled and finished by hand.

history

Testimonials

Hello Bruce, the chair was delivered safely yesterday and we are delighted with it. We think that the quality of your workmanship is outstanding & also appreciated the care you took in ensuring the chair was properly packed so that it arrived without any damage.

DAVE

(UK)
VIEW MORE TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

“We’ve taken delivery this afternoon and they look great. Exactly as we imagined and better than we hoped for. Thank you and should you ever need a reference or photos we’d be happy to oblige.“
Stephen
(Paris)
“You recently made me an Ingram high back chair which was for my wife’s 60th birthday. I would just like to say how pleased I am with it. Not only are we pleased with the chair, but we are both impressed with your skills as a craftsman. Once again thanks for a great job, and thanks for making her birthday so special.“
Trevor
(UK)
“First working day back in Cape Town and I already have my chairs. In two words: ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I am having to rearrange my furniture accordingly to give them all pride of place. The settle I knew and already loved. The two chairs I had only seen in pictures before – truly works of art. Deceptively simple in looks; devilishly complex in detail. Thank you so much – I can see why you were loath to let them go! I love the reddish wood too… Kind regards from a very satisfied customer. What next?!“

Michael

(South Africa)

“I am long overdue in writing to thank you for the beautiful CRM Ladder Back reproduction chair that you managed to get to me in time for Christmas. My husband was absolutely delighted with it. It is a work of art. I am especially grateful that he got it before he went back to Africa as I’m not sure that it would have been the same to show him a picture. It is nice to know that there are still craftsmen such as yourself amidst the world of mass production.“
Jeanette
(Aberdeenshire)
“Well, more than a month has passed since Christmas and I realise that I haven’t dropped you a line to let you know how the ladder back was received…Dave loved it!! His face on Christmas day was a picture…he couldn’t believe that I had bought it and was rendered speechless ( a rare thing!!). He circled it slowly, looked at it from every angle and ran his hands up and down each and every part of it! It has pride of place in his home and I will never regret buying it for him. He is totally impressed with your craftsmanship, as am I. Thank you so much.“
Michaela
(UK)
“Thank you so much for bringing the chair over yesterday. I am sure it will go down well as a christening present – I cant imagine anything better!“
Max
(UK)
“The chairs and table have arrived in perfect condition, and we are very pleased with the result; in particular, the colour/shade of the chairs and fabric perfectly match our existing furniture/floor. It sure was worth waiting! We thank you a lot. P.S. We also have appreciated the efficient design of the crate … the furniture did travel safely.“
Christian and Marie-Antoine
(PARIS)
“Hello Bruce, your work has been much admired. The switch box was a most admirable solution, beautifully made and looks like it has always been there. One would not know that the pews had been altered. I sent a pic of it to Nigel Robb, secy of CARTA ata121. He was most impressed.“

Richard

(Bearsden cross church)

“Hello Bruce, the chair was delivered safely yesterday and we are delighted with it. We think that the quality of your workmanship is outstanding & also appreciated the care you took in ensuring the chair was properly packed so that it arrived without any damage.“
Dave
(UK)