Festival goers in Edinburgh have a rare opportunity to view the superb craftsmanship of one of Scotland's most exclusive furniture makers.

To experience the work of master craftsman Colin Kerr at first hand, connoisseurs of fine furniture usually need to travel to a remote island community in Orkney.

But with support from Orkney Enterprise, a collection of his remarkable work will be shown during the Edinburgh Festival in August as part of the New Scottish Furniture exhibition organised by the Scottish Furniture Makers' Association.

The show represents a unique chance to view some of Colin's most innovative work away from his Sui Generis workshop and gallery on the outlying island of Eday.

Some have taken as many as five months of painstaking effort to complete and he says he will never part with them.

Those attending the show will be able to commission new pieces from Colin and son Leo, a gifted furniture maker in his own right, who is learning the skills involved by working alongside his craftsman father.

"Their furniture is outstanding, with many of their pieces regarded as works of art," said Louise Swanney, Orkney Enterprise's assistant development manager.

"As a development agency, we are committed to supporting enterprise in our most fragile communities.

"We saw this as an excellent opportunity to help Sui Generis take up an invitation to display their work at a prestigious venue that should attract a discerning clientele interested in investing in high quality furniture."

Sui Generis - Latin for one of a kind - is an apt description for Colin, whose craftsmanship is entirely self taught, and for each individual piece of furniture he lovingly creates by hand in his crofthouse workshop.

A cabinet crafted from English yew and called Death of the Mermaid is perhaps the most remarkable of those to be shown at St John's Church hall, Edinburgh, as part of the exhibition.

"It is almost impossible to get hold of - and about the most difficult wood to work with," Colin said. "I used tiny slivers of yew, carefully selecting them for their colour and texture, to create a vision of a dying mermaid on the front of the cabinet.

"I live and find inspiration for my work in the most wonderful place and this was my personal protest against the terrible damage mankind in general can inflict on the seas around us.

"I hope it helps explain my passion for my work, the way I put all of myself - heart and soul - into everything I create.

"Sometimes when I look at the Death of the Mermaid cabinet, I can hardly believe that I made it myself. That is why, to me, it is completely irreplaceable."

Colin was delighted when Leo wanted to follow in his footsteps in using wood to create one-off items of furniture.

"I hope he will take over from me one day," he added. "Already, at 26, he has far more talent than I had at his age."

Leo will be present for part of the exhibition, which gets underway on Friday, August 6, and runs until Saturday, August 28.

"To be invited to show our work at an exhibition featuring work by Scotland's leading furniture makers and designers was quite an honour," he said.

"We feel privileged to live in such a peaceful place - but this will hopefully be a marvellous opportunity for us to enhance our reputation and find a wider audience for our work."

Rob Elliot, from the Scottish Furniture Makers' Association, added: "This is by far our most prestigious exhibition - with a prime location at the heart of the world's biggest arts festival. We're delighted that Sui Generis are travelling so far to take part."