Boulle Marquetry

Boulle marquetry or Buhl-work, as it is ofter referred to, is named after the 17th-Century French ebeniste who propagated its use. In simple terms, it is the use of two contrasting veneers which when cut produce 2 inverted patterns of similar design and size. These materials in the past were most often brass, tortoiseshell, pewter, silver and ebony. Today we find brass and wood veneer popular choices in the creation of new work. It is important to note that all brass marquetry, except for brass inlay, is always classified as Boulle. The method by which Boulle marquetry is made is elementary in theory, but complex in execution for those with no prior marquetry experience. A prerequisite to the Boulle technique would be the "classical" or pad method and would provide a practicable foundation on which to build. Because of the number of layers and the hardness of said materials, no other method is possible in creating Boulle marquetry.

In the example below 2 contrasting veneers are used - brass and faux ebony. In selecting the veneers it is advisable to have the harder of the two slightly thinner than the other to make the finishing process easier. To begin the materials must first be prepared. Newsprint is glued (hide glue is preferred) to the face side of the ebony. Our intent is to consolidate the veneer during cutting. The brass is readied by scoring the backside with a toothing plane. In the absence of such a tool a paint scraper with a piece of a hacksaw blade attached will suffice. Stroking the brass diagonally in opposite directions will provide a good surface to glue upon.

Once the veneers are prepared 2 additional waster veneers are needed. The first for the top to which the pattern will be glued and the second for the bottom to absorb burrs created by the sawblade. It is a good idea to place a sheet of wax paper between the brass and the ebony to help lubricate the blade. Since the brass is more rigid than the veneer it is placed below the ebony. All this is assembled in a pad as shown below. The newsprint is left off in the photo to identify the ebony and the waster veneers are replaced by thin posterboard. Compact the pad and tape its sides. If a larger pad is made it is advisable to make the pad oversize and glue or pin the edges.Sawing is to be carried out perpendicular to the sawblade. The blade itself should be a metal-cutting blade (jewelers saw blades are just right) with slightly rounded backs with fine teeth. Blade size is a compromise between how easily the blade breaks and the kerf it produces. As a general rule, as applied to hard materials, use a #1 blade for 1/40" or #4 for 1/28" veneers. These have 51 and 38 teeth per inch respectively.

To begin sawing the pad a hole must be drilled so as to thread the blade. This is usually drilled in a corner or where 2 intersecting lines meet. Use the smallest possible drill that will accept the blade. Numbered drill sets in the #61-80 range are perfect. Sawing is carried out with a fretsaw or power scrollsaw as illustrated. It is useful to lubricate the blade frequently with a stick of beeswax to facilitate radial cutting. It is not uncommon, however, to break a blade here and there. That is just the consequence of the material being cut.

When the pad has been cut separate the various layers. Be careful of fragile pieces. The top and bottom wasters can be discarded. What remain are 2 reversed copies of the original pattern. These are then glued face down upon a piece of kraft paper with rubber cement or wide blue painters tape. Make sure the scored brass is on the back side and the papered ebony on the face side. The idea is to hold the pieces together and yet to allow them to be positioned securely to the substrate when in the press. Voids created by the thinner brass will be displayed on the face side. Glue is prepared to match the color of the ebony by mixing a pinch of black, water soluble aniline dye. It is then glued to the substrate on one side and a counter veneer on the other. After the glue has cured it is removed from the press. Using a scraper the newsprint is removed and the ebony cut down level with the brass.

This is an elementary example of what can be achieved with the Boulle method. More advanced designs can be made by expanding on the above and any combination of materials are possible including those not mentioned such as pearl, faux ivory and bone. If it is available in thin veneer-like sheets, it can be used in Boulle marquetry.

The Singular Advantage of Liquid Hide Glue

When comparing liquid hide glue to hot hide glue, as the former is a derivative from the original, the only advantage is the open time before it sets up. The time it takes for it to fully cure can take 18-24 hours depending on the humidity. This can be a disadvantage when glueing veneer because the veneer has an extended period of time to soak up its moisture and must be clamped until it has dried which means any squeeze thru will have dried too. In certain cases it is the only alternative when glueing large surfaces. There are other cold-set glues that are also available, but this post will deal with hide glue as an organic adhesive. 

 Other than the above advantage, it cannot excel in any task that hot hide glue can. Glue joint strength is not any better. It will not bond to itself unless heated. For restoration and multifaceted piece work it is too time consuming and creep resistance is marginal under the wrong circumstances. In glueing marquetry, if the exterior is not taped up you will have squeeze out amoung the joints. These will have to be cleaned up after unclamping. Not a fun chore. That is not to say I do not find it useful in glueing large surfaces. One product I have found superior to others is Franklin Liquid Hide Glue. This was the first that appeared on the market. It comes with an expiration date and I have used it 6 months after it expired with good results. Do not try that with other cold hide glues that are available. 

 In contrast, hot hide glue has a quick tack and good gap filling properties. It will set in a matter of minutes and requires minimal clamping beyond that unless you're apprehensive. Any squeeze out can be scraped off after it has gelled. Has no glue line and the best part is it never gets old. Just heat and reconstitute with water. I've edge veneered marquetry in a matter of minutes. I have even added a mitered border around a marquetry picture using only a straight edge, knife and a 45 degree miter gauge in less than an hour. Fast and perfect miters. I do not claim to have invented the technique, but neither have I seen it ever done by anyone other than myself. And you will not find it in any marquetry book. Sometimes a task becomes easier by using hot hide glue as in the example below.

The circular cross banding was inlayed by such a method. First, the oval border was routed out using a laminate trimmer and a template guide. Tulipwood was used for the cross banding, but to give the appearance of a circular curvature only one inch of veneer was inlayed at a time. Working on one section of the oval while another was setting up with hot glue allowed me to work in an orderly fashion. The whole process took just over an hour saving me several days of clamping time. 

 I have always felt that one should adopt oneself to the medium you are using. There are many more applications where hot hide glue can be useful. It makes a fast wood filler. Veneer can be sized and flattened. Can even be used as a finish. Cabinetmakers and instrument makers use it. I even know a bookbinder who uses nothing else. All that is needed is a glue pot and a brush. Most woodworkers are set in their ways. Once they learn a technique, change is not an option to them. I guess I'm guilty of this because in all the years of creating marquetry using hide glue not one has delaminated. Sometimes the old way of your forefathers is the best way and in my case the only way.

Posting Again

Have not posted on this blog in a number of years and thought of the many visitors seeking information concerning the craft of marquetry. Retirement has kept me busy with my many endeavors, but marquetry remains my favorite pastime. Currently, I am restoring lost images on this blog that, for one reason or another, were lost. Comments were disabled years ago because some people were disrespectful by abusing the service to promote their views. Some of these individuals are no longer around.

During the past few years I have seen a few changes in the craft. One is that it has become more of a mechanical craft and less of a handcraft. Scrollsawers abound with no knowledge of a fretsaw or knife.  Today, learning marquetry in a class or workshop can cost large sums of money and very few will create enough art to recoup their investment. When I was President of the local marquetry group, I taught the craft with hand held tools which I furnished to students for the cost of veneer and a cup of coffee. I always thought that marquetry should be portable and utilized anywhere, anytime. I have been known to execute marquetry while camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with none other than knife, veneer and cutting board. Gone are the days of simplicity.

One thing that has not changed is the perception that you can earn a living at marquetry. I know of no one who does that in this day and age without relying on other forms of woodworking. That's not to say you can't make money at the craft. It's possible as a supplemental income. The determining factors usually come down to how it's made and pricing with specialization a plus. Gallery's are a dubious source for selling by consignment. Art fairs is one option. I know of one craftsman who made a nice income at a renaissance festival, but that's only 2 months of selling with 10 months of crafting.

After 30+ years in marquetry, I only do commissions and those pieces that spark my creativity. Sometimes I see something that looks challenging. My effort displayed in the photo above. This is Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper measuring 15"by 30" using various veneers of domestic origin. Marquetry should be enjoyable and rewarding.

Intarsia

No other word in the marquetry lexicon causes more confusion than that of "intarsia" and in some parts of the world it is a misnomer. Although the two share common characteristics they are dissimilar. The root of the problem is attribution. Intarsia created during the Renaissance is not the same as that made today in so far as surface treatment is concerned. Today, intarsia has a sculptured surface where quattrocento intarsia is flat. And marquetry is synonymous in this respect. In fact, to further blur its meaning marquetry is still called intarsia from Italy and Poland to Denmark because there is no distinction between marquetry and inlay work (intarsia) while in France, for example, marqueterie describes both techniques.

To understand older intarsia is to know that from a technical point it is inlayed into a solid substrate while marquetry is layed upon the surface. It was not until the 17th-Century that true marquetry came into being with the advent of sawn veneers. The photo below illustrates how this was done in a self portrait by Antonio Barili in 1502. A shoulder-knife is used alongside a chisel. The original in Vienna was destroyed during World War II.

The intarsiatori was often a woodcarver who expanded his repertoire by doing intarsia as both required the same tools and skills. An added benefit was those who were learned in the architectural arts to take advantage of executing work in perspective.

In the modern era intarsia is made using solid wood whereas marquetry uses veneer. In most instances the intarsia is not inlayed anymore. It is merely glued to a wood backing as an appliqué after it has been sculptured thus creating a 3D effect.

Below is an example in my collection of objet d'arts which originated in Eastern Europe. It is an intarsia representation of a Greek icon entitled 'Mater de Perpetuo Succursu' or 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help' now residing in a church in Rome and has since the Renaissance.

In this case, the main figure is inlayed while the angels and name plate are glued to the surface. The Madonna and Child vary in thickness from 1/4" - 1/2". Overall it measures 15" × 21" inches - nearly identical to the original. The name plate says 'Ave Maria'. 

It is a curious matter that most people do not know the difference between intarsia and marquetry let alone what the two words mean. Once a year, where I live, there is a juried competition of crafts which draws thousands of spectators. They are exposed to this ignorance by grouping marquetry and intarsia into the same class. After hearing of this injustice, I approached the judges with the intent of educating them. As a result there are now 2 distinct classes. I do not believe this was an isolated case. I can only hope others will take a proactive lead wherever possible.

Banned Materials

In August, Gibson Guitar Company was fined for illegally importing exotic wood. These were ebony from Madagascar and India, as well as rosewood from India reported to be worth $262,000 and confiscated by the government along with several guitars. A $300,000 fine was imposed. This is the same company that offered me a commission to produce marquetry for a line of banjos they were producing a few years ago. As it turned out I turned the offer down because I abhor production work. In reality they most likely resorted to harsh laser marquetry. Sometimes fate leads you into the right direction.

To understand the underlining problem it is best to remember that export and import of exotic timber and veneer comes under a collective agreement between member countries of CITES or Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species. In some cases the finished product is illegal if taken across international borders. In the U.S. enforcement is extended through the Lacey Act. Banned veneer is not problematic, however, for the individual craftsman if they were harvested or acquired before 1973, but exporting requires documentation and an export license. Brazilian rosewood is a good example. Some craftsmen, including myself, have this veneer in a small flitch which was obtained before 1992 when it was banned. In marquetry a little bit goes a long way. As long as I don't export any of it in a raw or finished product I am free of illegal trading.


Other banned materials of interest to those involved in marquetry are Tortoiseshell, Ivory and Mother of Pearl with the last less restricted in the raw form. Tortoiseshell has been banned since 1973 and is only available, if you can find it, from antique sources. Ivory, on the other hand, is generally prohibited especially Elephant ivory from Africa. An adult Elephant can yield about 100 pounds of Ivory. Small amounts of ivory can be obtained from reclamation dealers, but of little use in marquetry except for the smallest detail. I have a few pieces of ivory obtained from a Victorian piano, one of which is pictured below. Although these were given to me some time ago, I have yet to find a use for them.  Maybe I'll make a set of pens out of them.

Having an embargo on endangered woods and animals is a good thing. The down side is that poachers can ask and get higher prices for their efforts. And this in spite of the fact that there are substitutes for the above named materials that are less expensive. I can't help but wonder where all that ebony and rosewood from Gibson will end up. Will it be reduced to tinder (unlikely) or will it be exported by the government to another country like China which has a huge demand for it.

Enhancing Marquetry

Marquetry is often referred to "painting with wood" and to that end many craftsmen, since earliest times, have strived to emulate classical painting. This is done in such a way as to change the appearance of the veneer so it has the effect of adding form to shape.

At the most basic level is the application of oil to the unfinished marquetry to bring out the tone and highlights of the wood. The best oil for this is poppy oil. This is a clear oil used by artists. Rub a light coat briskly into the wood. Apply a wash coat of Shellac afterwards and then apply the top coat of your choice.

By far the most popular method for enhancing parquetry is "sandburning" or sand shading. In this the veneer is submerged into fine hot sand. It only takes a second to effect a change and a little practice goes a long way. In many instances, I believe, it is overused. A subtle effect is ideal as in the piece below of Mont Saint-Michel by Franck Debouverie.

 

Another ancient solution was the use of acid. This was usually nitric acid in its many forms and often diluted to useful levels that were less dangerous. Not used anymore except in antique restoration where new wood is treated to match the patina of old wood.

Pyrography and marquetry can be combined to produce spectacular results in the hands of a seasoned craftsman. The problem is that it can easily overshadow the marquetry to the point of obscuring it all together. As it is applied to the veneer after glue up, a heat resistant adhesive must be used. This method cannot be undone. It appears this method is underused.

Engraving has been around as long as sand shading and is little used except in restoration. It was heavily used to highlight tortoiseshell, brass and silver in centuries past. The knife is most often used today in this procedure after lines are drawn on the sealed marquetry. Black wax is rubbed into the cavity afterwards.

Finally there is penwork. This is the application of ink upon the marquetry to illuminate it with detail. A pen is used with a nib of the desired thickness. This is applied after the parquetry has been sealed and sanded. A level surface is required. Black India ink is best. Most ink contains alcohol to speed drying so a top coat of Shellac will result in bleeding. An oil based varnish is a better choice. Used mostly in Far East countries to enhance unanimated marquety as shown below.

Even among purists, there is an attitude that most of these techniques are unacceptable. In some juried competitions they are outright prohibited. The consensus is that the selection of veneer for its grain, tone and contrast should preeminently determine a persons ability as an artist. I agree, but it can be an asset to display a little form on an otherwise flat surface.

Segmentation

In the pursuit of marquetry it is often, either more or less, about solving problems during its execution. One technique I used when I started marquetry was segmentation which is illustrated below. The scenario for this method, in my case, goes something like this. Using a small handheld fretsaw with a 11.5" capacity I would create marquetry that exceeded its range. I have a similar fretsaw measuring 24" that I made for such cutting. To cut the entire marquetry using the latter saw would be laborious. To reduce the amount of time spent using the larger saw the project was quartered. Each quarter would have one or more sections cut independently of the other with the smaller saw and added latter using the larger saw. Sometimes for the sake of ease they would be cut in with a knife.

In the photo above three quarters have been joined. The top has had a border element partially added. To the left are two sections that will be appended to the fourth quarter. To do this a waster veneer is cut in to receive these as shown below.

To add the first of these elements the marquetry is placed face down. The piece to be cut in is positioned by the use of a transparent reverse pattern. A line is drawn using carbon paper around this piece in an area where a border veneer will be placed. The cutting is done on the backside and glued in place. Below is the result.

For the sake of variety the right motif (below) is let in using the window method with a knife. This is done from the front side. It is positioned from the face side using the same pattern flipped right-side up. Other elements can be made and added at this stage. When all the segments have been added the border pieces are cut in.

What has been achieved by the use of this technique is that I have eliminated the cutting done with the larger saw by 1/3 to 1/2. With the proliferation of large scrollsaws this technique is rather unneeded. Having used it, however, as a beginner without a scrollsaw, I am happy to have added this to my arsenal of techniques. Knowledge is enduring.