# Marquetry



## LDO2802 (Mar 22, 2017)

Opinion time gentlemen (for those skilled in marquetry). What is the best book on the subject?


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

That would depend on the kind of marquetry you want to do. 
Knife cut?
Double bevel scroll saw?
Classic English? 
Classic French?

My preferred style is classic French. The best books on the subject are all by Pierre Ramond.
-Marquetry
-Masterpieces of Marquetry (three book set)
- Andre Charles Boulle (so far only in French)

If you are into double bevel style with scrollsaw look for A Marquetry Odessey by Silas Kopf

For classic English marquetry try Jack Metcalf
-Chippendale's Classic Marquetry Revealed
-The Classic Marquetry Course

Someone will chip in with knife method books. Knife cutting isn't my thing but fellow LJ Dusan Rakic is a master.


----------



## LDO2802 (Mar 22, 2017)

I am interested in the period pieces from the empire (classical) period? That is what I am looking into doing. The French style seems to be a big to 'busy' for me from what I have seen.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Classic French and English styles of cutting as well as more modern power tool oriented styles are all applicable to any furniture style. What varies most is the tools and techniques.
I find the chevalet gives me the best quality of cut, certainly far better than I can achieve with a scroll saw. That is my main reason for preferring the French tools and techniques. I cut all different kinds of marquetry but I do it all with my chevalets.


----------



## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Here is an example of classic marquetry combined with relief. The marquetry was done by a young Italian that I met in Todi, Umbria in 2003. He asked me to carved the lizards crawling over the objects on the desk. The piece is based on "Reptiles," a lithograph of M.C. Escher in 1943.


----------



## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

Phil - that's really cool.


----------



## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Here's another piece of marquetry by the young Italian I met in Todi - 24" x 30" This caught my eye in a shop window and led to the collaboration on Escher's "Reptiles." This one is called "Belvedere" and is an impossible structure. 
Impossible? Trace the columns from bottom to top.


----------

