The Art and Practice of Marquetry

WILLIAM ALEXANDER LINCOLN

with 174 illustrations ... :~:;".:..-­~ , .- '- ... " ......

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T & H THAMES AND HUDSON ~9

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Contents

page 7 Acknowledgments

9 I The history of the craft

18 2 The artistic approach

38 3 Veneers - from the log to you

62 4 Adhesives

69 5 The knife and the saw

78 6 The double cut

121 7 Knife cutting methodi

160 8 The groundwork

169 9 Lqying and finishing

209 10 Intarsia and decoration of furniture

240 I I Repair and restoration of veneered furniture

257 12 Restoring the finish

266 Sources of illustrations

267 Appendix A: Veneer and burr selection guide

286 Appendix B: Veneers and burrs grouped by colour

288 Appendix C: Saw-cut cabinet woods

291 Appendix D: 'Cornish Coast' design

295 Index

6

Index Italic figures refer to plate nUmbCTj

ABELE 268, 286 abrasives 177) 178 abura 51, 268, 287 acacia 288 acid sec shading adhesives 62-6

animal glue 62 Araldite 217 Britfix 66 Cascamile 58, 64, 65 casein glue 62 Croid Universal 66, 174 Evo-stik R esin 'W' 66 impact 63, 2 I I

PVA 63 resin 247 Salisbury glue 219,256 Scotch glue 256 size 167 synthetic resin 247

afara 55, 268, 286 afrormosia 24, 40, 47, 62, 138,

175, 268, 286 afzelia 268, 286 agba 44, 268, 286 Alberta, Fra Leandro I I

alder 288 almond 268, 286, 288 arnaranthe 233, 288 amarillo 288 arnboyna 282, 288

burr 286 American pad method see cut~

ting amyris 288

annealing 2 I 8 antiaris 268, 286 apple 268, 286, 288 Araldite 2 I7 arere 54 ash 42, 51, 138, 282, 286, 288

burr 286 European 268 green 288 grey 287 Hungarian 288 Japanese 268, 286, 288 olive 268, 282 , 287 olive burr 287

aspen 51, 128, 1 ~9, 268. 286 assembly 87, 89 avodire 128, 268, 286, 288 ayan 24, 56, 145, 268, 286 ayous 54

BANDINGS, inset of 229

mosaic 227 mosaic inlay 222- 3

bar berry 288 Barton, Thomas 225 bas-relief 2 I I

battenboard 162, 247 battening 245 baywood 288 beech 51,270,286,288 beefwood 288 beeswing figure 32 Berlin-work 225

betula 44 bevel cut see cutting

295

birch 50, 5 I, 128, 288 Canadian 44, 270, 286 flame 44 grey 287 masur 44, 270, 286 Swedish 270, 286

black thorn 288 blackwood 270, 286

Australian 55 blades, double· toothed round·

back 83, 86 jeweller's metal-piercing 147

bleeding 259 blisters 124,143,167,174,175,

250, 259 blockboard 161 , 162, 247 blood wood 288 blooming 259 blushing 259 bodying-up 181 Bombay mosaic 221 - 2 border mounts 175 border veneer'; see veneers Bordewick, George R. 149 Boulle, Andre Charles 14, 78,

21 5. boulle work 17,2 15- 17, 21 boxwood 222, 223, 227, 288 brass 217,220 brazilwood 288 brilliance 24 Britfix 66 British piercing blade technique

see cutting British piercing pad method see

cutting broken joints, repair of 246 bronzing 259 broom 288 bruises, repair and restoration of

249 bubbling 259 bubinga 56, 270, 286 'buhP see boulle work burnishing cream 184

burns 264 burr veneers 43

repair of 251- 2, 255 butternut 24, 288 butt-jointing 131 - 2 , 136, 143-

144 butt veneers 43

CABINET-MAKERS, early 13 cabinet scraper 74 caking 259 camphorwood 49, 288 canalette 288 calamander 288 canarium 270, 286 canarywood 288 canella 50, 270, 286 Caniana bro thers 12 capomo 270, 286 Cascamite 'One-Shot' 58, 64,

65 casuarinawood 288 cauling, defective 253 cedar 44, 49, 50, 288

Bermuda 288 Lebanon 270, 286, 288 red 289 Spanish 289 western red 270, 286

cement, rubber 87,88, 95, 123, 124, 125

balsa 147 certomosaic 10

checking 259 cherry 282, 288

African 288 burr 286 fruit 270, 286

chessboard, how to make

230- 1

chestnut 178 horse see horse chestnut sweet 270, 286, 288

chipboard 163-4 Chlorosplenium aeruginosum 226

citronnier 288 cleaning 135-7 clouds 28 cocobola 288 cocuswood 288 'coffin oak' 44 colour, qualities of 24 colour wheel 23- 4, 28- 9 Conti-board 164 continental muslin method 167 copper 220 coralwood 288 coromandel 288 costume 32 counter-veneers see sub-veneers courbaril 270, 286, 287, 288 crazing 259 creeping 259 Cresscent, Charles 14 Croid Universal see adhesives cross-banding, repair of 254 crotches 43 curl veneers (crotches) 43, 45 cutting, American pad method

90 - 3 bevel 81, 135, 148, 149 British piercing blade tech­

nique 147-9 British piercing pad method

93-4 Canadian method 94- 5 double 78.ff hints on 134- 5 order of 134 overlap template method 121 window method 125jf., 150-

15 1 ,290-3 cutting gauge 175 cyprus 288

green 282, 287

DAMAGE, by heat 263- 4 Damiano da Bergamo, Fra I I)

8 damson 288

daniellia 272, 286 delamination 249 deodar 288 design 18- I 9

commercial 22 reversing 126- 7 see also working drawing

dividers, as cutting tool 229 dogwood 288 donkey 14, 83, 74 doors, veneered, repairs of 254 double cut 78jf. double knife 71 - 2, 227- 8 Douglas fir 272, 286 drapery 31 drawing, progressive 132, ISO

dyeing see staining

EAGLEWOOD 288 ebony 39, 70, 139, 145, 220,

221,222,223,288

Gaboon 39 green 288 Macassar 24, 272, 287, 288 red 289

Eck, Adam 2 I I

edges 164- 5 worn 262

edge-to-edge see butt-jointing Edlin, Herbert L. 53 elder 288 elm 30, 42, 138,272,282, 286,

288 burr 286 red 289

English mosaic see Tunbridge Ware

Ephrat, Alexander 32- 3, 56, 67

eucalyptus 272, 282, 286 burr 286

Exhibition, the Great 225

FADDING 181- 2 fiddleback marking 29

figure (of veneer) 48 beeswing 32 burry butt 45, 48 fiddl eback 29 lace 41 ,5 1 raindrop 41 swirl 32

figure studies 3 I filler 88, 181 fillet border 139

mounts 175 fillet strip 124 fini sh 257

defects in 259-60 high-gloss 184 identification of 257 restoration of 2S7if. satin matt 183

finishing, methods of 16gff. fixative coat 178-9 fixing (of drawing) 22 !laking 260 !latting down 183 !latting process 57- 9 foliage 30 Fontainebleau, Palace of 216

Formica 236 Fourdunois 212

fragmentation 145- 6, 36, 38, 52

French horse see donkey frctsaw 12 , 59, 78jJ., 149, 59,

66,69 blades 75, 81 see also power fretsaw

Furniglas Hardset 177 furniture, decoration of 10-1 I,

16 repair and restoration of 240jJ.

furse 288 fustet 288 fustic 288

GABOON 44, 70, 272, 286 gauges 75

Giovanni da Verona, Fra I I, 6 glue see adhesives Glu-film 63- 4 grain direction, importance of

80-1 grain-filling 180 grain (of veneer) 47- 8 greenheart 70 greening see bronzing green tulip burr 24 greywood, Indian silver 55,

272, 286 groundwork 160J!.

solid 241-2 warped 242- 3

guatea 272, 286 gumwood 288

HACKSAW BLADE, converSIon to

knife 71 hair-lining see crazing Handi-board 164 hardboard 164 harewood 128, 272

dark 287 silver 30, 35, 52, 226, 287 slate 257

haut-relief 21 I

hawthorn 288 hazel 288 heelbaU 87 hickory 288 hoUy 39, 70, 223, 288 horn beam 51 , 272, 286, 288 horse chestnut 35,4'2,5 1, 1'28,

135, 139, 270, 286, 288

IDIGBO 272, 286 inlay 17, 209- 1 I

brass repairs to 255- 6 broken 254 engraved tin 213-14 engraved veneer 213 Indian metal 220 ivory 236

Inlay-collt. layer relief 212- 13 metal 217- 19 mother-of-pearl 235 overlaid metal 22 r repair of 255 wirework 220- 1

intarsia, intarsiatori 10,11,81, 213

definition of 16- 17 relief 211 - 12

Intarsia and M arquetry (Jackson) 52

iroko 272, 286 iron wood 55, 288 ivory 221

j AC KSON, F. Hamilton 52 jackwood 288 jarrah 272, 287 juniper 2g8

KEVASINGO 44 kingwood 70, 272, 287, 288 knife cutting 12I.ff. , 129- 30 knots, repair and restoration of

246- 7 korina 55

LABURNUM 39, 288 4 1, 51 lace figure

lacewood 30, 45, 51 , 274, 282 , 286

burr 287 grey 287

lacq uers 2 14 polyurethane 2 I 4

lam inboard 16o, 162, 247 landscapes 27- 9 Lapis Infernalis see shading larch 274, 286, 288 laurel 274, 287 laying 88

preparation for 142 methods of 169Jf.

levelling 88 light, effects of, on veneers 35,

36 reflection 156- 8 stammg 64

light and shade 31 lighting 70 lignum vitae 39, 70, 288 lilac 288 lime 24, 274, 286, 288 lines 227 lipping 164 locust 288 logwood 288 Louis XIV 13 , 21 ' Lubrisil ' paper 177, 183 lustre (of veneer) 49

MACLEOD, Norman 145,38, 52 madiera 288 madrona 282

burr 287 magnolia 24, 288 mahogany 49, 62, 138

African 24, 164, 274, 287, 288

Honduras 24, 161 , 274, 286, 288

Indian white 272, 286 Spanish 288

maidu burr 50, 282 , 287 Maitres IVlenuisiers et Ebenistes 13 makore 274, 287 manchineel 288 manila wood 288 mansonia 49,50, 274, 287

dark 24 maple 35, 42, 50, SI , 135,274,

282 , 286 bird's-eye 44, 270, 286, 288 burr 286 grey 287 Queensland 274, 287 weathered 286

Marie Antoinette 14

299

marquetry, history of 9-16 definition of 16- 17 coun terchange 2 I 5

lmarquetry licence' 19 marquetry set method 121- 4 Marquetry Society, The 52,

125, 127 marquetry transfers 16 masking see shading Maybach, Heinrich 212 mineral stains 50 mitres, repair of 251

mora 288 mosaic banding 139

wood 238 mosaic decoration 237-9 mosaic parquetry 10

mother of pearl 211,221 inlays of 235

motifs, decorative, for furniture

90

inlay 223 moulding, repair of 254 movingui 35 mulberry 288 Multicraft tools 72 muninga 274, 287 musical instruments, decoration

of 22 3 myrtle 24, 282

burr 287

NARRA 288 niello 2 I I

nomenclature 54- 6 Anglo-American differences in

56

OAK 47, 49,62,138,161,175, 274, 282, 286, 288

bog 288 Botany Bay 288 brown 274, 287 burr 286 green silky

300

226, 288 45, 274, 287

obeche 44,48,54,62,128, 161, 164,175,178,276,286

blue 24 odour (of veneer) 49 Oeben, Jean Franryois 14, 21,

30 okpo 54 Olivetans, order of 10

olivewood 288 olivillo 276, 286 olon 276, 286 opepe 24, 276, 286 orange, bitter 288 orangewood 288 overlap technique 121

overlays, solid 2 I I

PADAUK 24,35, 50, 178, 288 African 276, 287 Andaman 276, 287 Burma 276, 287

paldeo 276, 286 palissander 288 palmyra 288 palmyrawood 288 pantograph 19 parinari 276, 286 parquetry 229./!·

diamond 231 - 2

illusion 233 line and dot 234, 25 Louis 233-4 oyster 234- 5, 14, 15 trellis 234

partridgcwood 288 patina 240, 241 , 249, 258 pau rosa 276, 286 pear 51, 179,286; 288

black 223 pearwood 276 perinari 286 peroba, rosa 24, 35, 178, 276,

286 white 276, 286

perspective 25- 6, 6- 8, 70

Pi, Ira Dura 236-7 pine 49, 161, 286

Swedish 276, 286 pinholing 260 pique see Bombay Mosaic plane 288 plastics 214 plug holes, repair and restora­

tion of 246-7 plum 288 plywood 162-3, 247

faults in 247- 8 pokercraft 152 polishes 176-7 polishing 176, 178- 9 Polycell 58 Polyfilla 238 pommelle 145, 278, 287 poplar 288

American 288 black Italian 55 yellow 278, 287

porcupinewood 288 portraiture 32- 4,39,58, 6I, 67 pounce 84 power-saw equipment 220 'Prague work' 212

press, construction of 57- 8, 60-1

prima vera .2 78, 286 princewood 288 printing 260 purfling 223 purpleheart 24, 35, 278, 287,

288 pyrography 152

QUILLWORK see shading

RAINDROP FIGURE 41 ramm 164 rauli 287 Record Memorial Collection

53 refinishing 264- 5

reliefwork 211-12

resin 57, 247 epoxy 64,217,219 polyurethane 177 synthetic 176 urea-formaldehyde 177

Riesener, Jean Henri 14 Roentgen, David 14-15, 28 rosewood 13 8, 145, 178, 220,

23 1,233 African 56 Brazilian 41 , 278,289 Indian 24, 25, 278, 287, 289 Madagascar 278, 286, 289 Rio 24,287

rose zebrano .2 78, 286 rowan 289 rubber 7' rubbing '30 rubbing down 182- 3 rubywood 289 fuler, Maun non-slip safety 72 runs 260

SABICU 289 sal 289 samba 54 sandalwood 22 I I 289 sanding 178 santal 289 sapanwood 289 sapele 39, 4°,44, 138,23 1,278,

287 satine rouge 289 satinwood 278, 286

African 288 East Indian 289 Nigerian 56 West Indian 289

savannawood 289 sawblades 93

metal-piercing 94 sawing 93 scraper 143, 178 sera tch stack 227

gOl

scratches, repair of surface 260- 1

sealer, sanding 180, 181 seacapes 29- 30 sgraffito see inlays, layer relief shading 151- 2

acids 155 Lapis Infernalis 155- 6 masking 155 quillwork 155 sand 153- 4, 25, 29, 63 sulphate of iron 155 see also staining

shellac 161 - 2 shoulder-knife 10, 7 J , 2 I 3 silver 220 silver nitrate see Lapis Infernalis

sissoo 289 slzmg 58 snakewood 289 Sorrento ware 15- 16,224

mosaic 226 spindle 289 splits, repair of 246 squaring 139 stain, bichromate of potash 256 staining 11-12, 14, 37, 51- 2,

151-2, 156,256 stains, water 262

and milk spots 263 beer and spirit 263 ink 263

Stanley Slim knife 72 still-life 26-7 stinkwood 289 Stoevesandt Karlsruhe 212 stopping, wood 80, 136-7, 261 stringer 139 stringings 227 style 37 sub-veneers 166-7 sulphate of iron see shading surface, repair of cracked 261-2

repair of curved 253 repair of cylindrical 253

302

Swann-Morton craft kmfe 72 swingsaw 83 swirl figure 32

sycamore 35, 42, 49,50,51,57, 128, 135, 138,1 39,178,223, 278, 286, 289

black 179 weathered 286 white 128

TABLE TOP, repair and restora-

tion of 243- 5 tannin 47, 48, 50, 175 tchitola 278, 286

teak 40, 42, 138, 278, 286, 289 tesserae 237-9 texture (of veneer) 49 thuya 282, 289

burr 286 tiama 44 timber, types of 52- 3 time, effects of, on veneers 34- 6 tin 214, 220, 22 I

tola 138, 278, 287 tonal value 24

scale 20, 29 tools 71ff. toothing plane 72, 143 tortoiseshell 215, 2 I 7 tulipwood 39, 231 , 233, 280,

286, 289 Tunbridge ware 224-6, 3I

UNDER-VENEERS see sub-veneers

utile 44, 280, 287

V AN DYKE CRYSTALS

Vandyke patterns vavona 284

burr 287 veneer hammer 73-4, 170, 175 veneering tape 59, 62, 127,

128, 130,13 1, 142

veneers 38ff., 43jJ., .49 border 1.4, 137ff., 170, 175 defects in 49-50 dyed 50-1, 179 in mosiac work 239 oyster 289 plastic .36 repairs to 250-1) 254- 5 saw-cut 39-40, 69-70, 136-

137, .48-9 thickness of 40- I J 69 see also burr, butt, curl

veneer saw 74 violetwood 289

WALNUT 41,45, 128, 138, 139, .84, .89

African 138, .80, .86 American 280, 284, 287 American black .87 American burr .2 8 7 Australian 280

burr, sappy .86 Circassian 280, 284 Circassian burr 286 English .86

European 280 European burr 286 French .86 New Guinea 280, 286

waste veneer, preparation of 1.8

water effects 30 wawa 54 wenge 138, 145, 280, 287 'wet-backing' J 81 What Wood is That? (Edlin) 53 whitebeam 28g whitewood, African 54

American 161 willow .80, .86, .89 window method see cutting working drawing 19 - 20, 24-5,

83 fixing of 22

YEW .80, .86,.89

ZEBRANO 50, 280, 287 zebra wood .89 zinc 220