I wrote glowingly about the Utrecht easel that I purchased. I said that it was a great bargain–an under-$300 medium-duty easel. But soon a support broke and the mechanism to lower and raise the tray support was frustratingly difficult to use. My praise transformed to scorn.
I repaired the broken support with glue and a clamp, as you can see.
But I’ve used the easel for a number of years and it’s still working. It handles the medium format paintings, typically 40″ x 50″, well enough. By keeping it oiled and replacing fasteners as they’ve fallen off, I’ve kept it serviceable.
One feature that I didn’t care about when I bought it has since transformed my opinion. The easel can be lowered horizontally to form table-like support. It’s a terrific feature that significantly increases its usability.
Here I am using it horizontally to apply a ground:
I might buy another of these Utrecht easels if they go on sale. This is a far cry from my earlier opinion, which was that you couldn’t give me one even if you paid me.