Guest Lecturer: Ron Raiselis, Cooper

Mr. Ron Raiselis began his career as a cooper at Old Sturbridge Village from 1976 to 1985, where he worked under master cooper Lenny Julian.  While at OSV, Mr. Raiselis also trained in the Cabinet Shop.  While at OSV, he also trained others in both the cooper’s and cabinet shops, and completed curatorial department furniture conservation work. Since 1985, he has been the resident cooper at Strawbery Banke Museum and master cooper/sole proprietor of the R. P. Raiselis Cooperage.

Raiselis has produced a wide variety of reproduction (representing forms produced from the 17^th-19^th centuries) barrels, buckets, and other types of specialized containers for museums all over the country, including:

Monticello, Charolottesville,VA

Montpelier, VA

Jamestown Festival Park, Jamestown, VA

Historic St. Mary’s City, MD
Smithsonian American History Museum, Washington, DC

Old Fort Western, Augusta, ME

Colvin Run Mill, Fairfax, VA

Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton, VA

Fort Vancouver, WA

Sutter’s Fort, Sacramento, CA

Fort Ross, CA

Hyde Park, NY (FDR’s home)

Conner Prairie, Indianapolis, IN

Plimoth Plantation, MA
High Desert Museum, Bend OR

Harper’s Ferry National Historic Site, WV

Fort Ontario, Oswego, NY

Fort Snelling, Minn-St. Paul

Church of Latter Day Saints sites at Kirtland, OH and Palmyra, NY

Salem Maritime Museum, Salem MA (also the Friendship, where Ron has not only crafted barrels, but also several Quaker cannons and a repro. ship carpenter’s tool box complete with faux tools).

Mr. Raiselis is listed on the NH Traditional Arts and Folklife directory as a master of a traditional craft.  He has trained two apprentices in coopering (grant funded) through the Arts Council Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants.