One afternoon at the Marquetry class in San Diego, Patrick called us over to meet a former student, Aaron Radelow. The story he told was amazing; in short he created a perfect reproduction of this reading/writing table that had been built for Louis IV around 1760. The original is in the Getty museum, and Aaron was able to get access to the original to measure it.
Marquetry table, reproduction of an original Louis IV piece
When he was done he had a perfect replica, and a perfect inverse copy as well. Because this was made with the Boulle method to saw the marquetry parts, the packets that were prepared for each panel had layers of both blue horn and ivory. The resulting parts could then be assembled blue-int0-white and white-into0blue.
The link below has more details. Regardless of the style of furniture you like, this is an amazing piece in terms of technical complexity, fine details and masterful execution.
Those tables are over the top. I think I would have to be committed to an insane asylum if I ever attempted somethng like that.
You and me both Ralph.
When Aaron was talking about the process of re-creating the tables he said his first attempt failed because of a problem with the blue paint and silver leaf on the back of the horn — after he’d cut and assembled a bunch of the marquetry.