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I was commissioned by a client to build a box for her daughter as a Christmas gift. Her daughter is really into horses, and she came back from a recent trip to Kentucky with an ornamental horse motif that she really loved. My client asked if I could incorporate this motif into the design, and this is what I came up with.

Dimensions are based on the golden ratio: 10×6 x 3.75". The sides of the box are made from a single board of locally harvested urban black walnut, re-sawn to about .375" thick with perfect grain match at all four mitered corners. Hot hide glue used throughout. The hinge is Shipwright's design and the client was very impressed with how nicely it works. Thanks for the blog on this Paul!

The outside lid features Boulle marquetry of the horse motif cut in walnut veneer on a field of maple burl, and the daughters initials cut in maple and walnut veneer on the inside. A single sliding tray is inside, and both the tray and the box bottom are lined with black leather which imparts a wonderfully luxuriant aroma upon opening.

Finish is traditional french polish which I built to a high gloss.

I got this done just in time for Christmas delivery, and both the client and her daughter were very happy!

Thanks for looking!

Gallery

Comments

· Registered
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135 Posts
Great Job. I like the simple outline of the horse. I am impressed with the letters. I find them much harder to get to look right than a design. Any tricks you have on the lettering?
 

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20,030 Posts
Very beautiful. Great job on the hinge.
 

· In Loving Memory
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8,391 Posts
Beautiful work Mathew. I like that horse head a lot. It is quite striking as a marquetry motif.
 

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5,279 Posts
Well done Mat.
The cuts look really good and the lettering just about … well , perfect.
Good choices on the veneer and polish as well and the hinge is just right.

Simple and elegant.
 

· In Loving Memory
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10,077 Posts
That is an awesome box. The woods work so well together, the finish is flawless, the marquetry so accurate, and of course the HINGES! Great job and I'll promise you made some horse crazy girl very happy.
 

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Mat,

What an awesome piece of woodworking skill. Attention to detail is perfection.

Thanks for sharing.
 

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Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone.

John I spent a long time looking through fonts trying to find one that I felt confident I could cut, and in the end came back to plain old Times Roman. I cut the initials using Boulle method on the chevalet, and the only advice I can give is take it slow and keep it straight :)

I need a lot more practice cutting lettering, but I am getting better.
 

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413 Posts
Wow Mathew!! That is a most beautiful keepsake for your client's daughter. The simplified lines in the Marquetry motif enhance its elegance. Stunning!!
 
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