WOOD GARDEN GATES #52

This Garden Gate is Base Price + 16%
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The wider grid dividers of the #52 wood gate design create a more muscular aesthetic.

We’ll start with Rodney’s initial reaction to his neighbor’s new Prowell Double Gates

Los Altos, CA

Site photo of the wood gate design #52 in Los Altos, California, with accompanying flanking fence panels.
Photographed in July of 2017

Seen with Fence #2. And a pair of early Prowell Postcaps. The gate latch shown was discontinued in 2008. That year Rocky Mountain finally gave in to Charles’ endless pleadings and came out with their own line of latches.

Los Altos, CA

Creating a separation between the driveway and the backyard.

Key West, Florida
(No open squares in the mid-rail and no Pattern Blocks in the lower pickets)

The lush environs of a Key West, Florida property where the more vertical proportions of the gate design is complimented by a third-party bamboo fence-line.
One of those photos sent in that delivers a dreamy composition.

Key West, Florida

Key West has it’s own inimitable history, from Hemingway to Jimmy Buffet.

Of the more interesting, however, is this fact: Only two presidents served their first terms without leaving Washington. Lincoln, who frequently walked to the formerly unused Soldier’s Home along the Potomac to spend weekends alone or with one of his sons.

And Truman, who literally slept every night of his first term in the White House. But with the surprising re-election of his second term he and Bess discovered Key West, where they went frequently, Harry donning his open collar island shirt and bare feet, enjoying the company of normal folk.

We’ve since enjoyed a number of commissions from Key West. A recent patron mentioned the Key West economy of today is driven by three factors: Hotels, Boating, and lawyers.

**And we’ll add that within the Prowell Club of Key West, the #52-2 does indeed occupy our southernmost commission–of both Key West and the contiguous 48 states. Of this, our #52-2 patron seemed particularly keen on .

San Anselmo, CA

Prowell’s original wood gate design #52 and adjoining fence panels, in San Anselmo, CA, created for the long-time manager of the Grateful Dead.

(Mortised squares and Pattern Blocks)

A relatively short gate results in a modified grid proportion.

San Anselmo, CA

The wood gate design 52-2 is on the far right, with a matching panel on the far left, centered by Driveway Gate #16

No open squares in the mid-rail.
Lower solid panel with open slots

As a fairly narrow double gate design with a solid lower panel. Approximately 27″ net width each gate. No open square mortises. Lower solid panel.

Our semi-reclusive founder.

Highland, NY

Double wood gate design #52-6 in Highland, New York shown with a pair of flanking Lighted Columns style #10 and a total of 15 fence panels style #2

A series of 2018 winter photos sent in a little over ten years after the 2009 installation. The learning curve never ends; we revisit patrons from years, even decades past, in a never-ending process of searching out flaws to help improve the products going forward.  Here we learned the column lighting had malfunctioned a few years before this photo.  The cause?  Rats. Rats in New York. Rats who were seemingly hungry enough through the long winters to feed on 120-volt wires. Stupid. Stupid rats. We’re still considering preventative measures.

Highland, NY

So why the long delay in receiving the photos? Well, it began with the following entreaty in March 2018.

March 6, 2018
Greetings Charles and Ben— We are proud owners of your beautiful cedar fencing and would like to care for it as best as possible. It was installed about ten years ago and had a light sealant applied at that time. It looks like it could now benefit from a bit of cleaning and possibly another coating of sealant but I wanted to check in with you before proceeding to see if you recommended any specific products or processes—or perhaps nothing at all. The fence is installed at our home in upstate NY where weather conditions can be pretty extreme. Photo attached. Thank you in advance for your thoughts. And thank you for your very beautiful, high quality woodwork. We feel so fortunate to have found you!
All the best, Maria

Charles replies
Hi Maria, I had to look you up. Normally I remember everyone, but it seems that this one was managed through Russell Yess in 2009. We’ve done a few projects through him, but we haven’t actually heard from his quarter in quite some time. I assume he’s doing fine.

About the time of your projects we were field testing a new finish called WoodRX that we’ve been defaulting to for the past 7-8 years for all of our pre-finishes, as well as those like yours that have grayed out. You can read about it here

Two favors I’d like to ask: One, because we never received any photos of the original installation, perhaps you would be willing to send along a few hi-res pics once you’ve applied the WoodRX. But also, we’d love something now, in the midst of this 3rd storm you’re being hit with. So much snow. It would make for a wonderful photo of the fence even though most of it is likely covered in snowdrifts.

Lake Tahoe, Olympic Village

Gate design #52-5 as part of an extensive project at Lake Tahoe’s Olympic Village. Here we see the gate flanked by the fence style #2. There were, in all, 87 panels and 6 gates.

Lake Tahoe, Olympic Village

Charles paying a belated visit to the site some five years after installation. Showing gate design #52 as a 10-ft opening.

Lake Tahoe, Olympic Village

One of several wood garden gates within 450-ft of fence-line. This side gate gives access to a delightful swimming hole in the Truckee River.