Stickley, the historic furniture maker based in Manlius, NY, is pleased to announce the completion of a new coat of arms for the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse, Douglas J. Lucia. The coat of arms was installed in the cathedra (bishop’s chair) the morning of August 8 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse. Stickley Engineering Manager Jim Rider Jr. adapted the design of Bishop Lucia’s coat of arms using a variety of woods and mother of pearl inlay. Craftspeople at the Stickley-owned factory in Vietnam laser-cut the wood and assembled the veneer facing. At the Manlius factory, Cabinet Maker Dung Tran facilitated final machining of the piece. Tran also built the cathedra, which was gifted to the diocese ahead of the Cathedral’s rededication in September 2017. The presider’s chairs, deacon’s chairs, ambo, and cantor’s stands were also constructed by Stickley. The coat of arms includes makore wood oriented in two different directions to create contrast. The perimeter of the shield and the Celtic cross are constructed of black dyed wood to simulate ebony. Additional crosses were made from magnolia, with filigree and flowers crafted from cherry. Bird’s Eye maple, sycamore, and oak round out the stunning piece. The mother of pearl inlay was hand-cut with a tiny saw.
“On behalf of everyone at Stickley, I am very excited to present the coat of arms to the new bishop. It was wonderful to be involved in the creation of such an exquisite piece,” said Mrs. Aminy I. Audi, Stickley CEO and Chairman of the Board.The coat of arms was presented as a gift from the Audi family and Stickley. Mrs. Audi and Mr. Edward Audi, President, presented the coat of arms during a special August 1 visit to Stickley by Bishop Lucia and representatives of the diocese. Following the presentation, Bishop Lucia enjoyed a tour of the factory. The tour concluded with a visit to the cafeteria where flags representing the thirty-eight nations of Stickley craftspeople are proudly displayed. To view project photos, click here.
