Pricing Your Small Work

This can be as much work as creating the marquetry itself. There are lots of formulas that allow you to come up with an asking price, but these are aimed at the professional who is doing this for a living. One such formula takes what you expect to get paid per year divided by the number of hours you plan to work minus vacation time. This is your hourly rate. Next, figure your cost of materials for each piece including any waste. To this add your projected overhead rate (yearly expenses of doing business such as machine purchases, tools and supplies divided by yearly hours worked). With these factors you can come up with an actual cost outlay. Now you must figure in a profit. It is generally calculated at 30%-50%. So multiply your cost by 1.3-1.5 and then you have a selling price. The one problem here is if the piece is sold in a gallery their commission will cost you your profit so you end up working for an hourly wage only.

I have personally avoided the above by selling my marquetry outright and let the buyer add his profit after I’ve left the building. To expediate the pricing of my marquetry, I have simplified it by multiplying the number of square inches by a factor of 1-3 depending on the complexity of the marquetry. For instance, an 8” X 12” picture with moderate detail might be sold for $144.00 (8 X 12=96 X 1.5 = 144). Another example could be a box 5” X 6” X 4” tall with marquetry on 4 sides and the top. 2 sides 5” X 4”= 40, 2 sides 6” X 4”=48 and a top 5” X 6”=30 adding up to 118. Because of the construction of the box, I would use a factor of 3 resulting in a price of $354.00. This system is very flexible with no effort made in keeping track of time or expenses. It has served me well. I have looked for a better system, but to date have not found one.

Finishing Marquetry

Nitrocellulose lacquers seem to be a favorite of those that do a lot of marquetry. It is not the perfect finish because there are trade-offs. First, it has a tendency to yellow over time (acrylic lacquer would be a better choice). The equipment and space needed can increase your overhead. Then you can have problems with blushing, orange peel and fisheye. Often several coats are needed to get an acceptable finish (too many coats can cause problems like crazing). Thinning the lacquer can be an exacting science and did I mention that the fumes are toxic. Having worked in cabinet shops that make furniture I can tell you that lacquer is not only the preferred choice, but the only choice. Time is money and the less you use of both the more competitive you are. This does not, however, translate into quality. Ask a violinmaker what finish he uses and I bet it won’t be lacquer.

Shellac is similar to lacquer in the way it cures. It has stood the test of time and is used still today. It can be applied in a variety of ways to just about anything including food. Shellac is an organic, naturally occurring substance that will not react to other finishes. Applying it underneath or on top of other finishes provides good adhesion. The drawback is that its amber color (even bleached shellac) will darken when too many coats are applied. I have found that 3 coats are enough to protect any marquetry. Anymore than that it will shrink and tint light-colored woods like maple and holly. It also is not waterproof, but can be easily repaired. Recently, I did a piece of marquetry in one weekend including the finish. It had a medium amount of detail with a protective finish. The keyword here is to protect not idolize a piece of furniture.

There are other finishes like varnish, epoxy and rubbing oil that can be used. The time it takes for them to cure can take anywhere from a few days to months. Some can be repaired while others cannot. It is the function of the finish to not only protect the marquetry, but to enhance the texture and grain of the wood. Putting on layers and layers of finish does not bring out the true qualities of marquetry. If the design is well executed, this should be its focal point. It is said that Jean-Charles Spindler uses nothing more than wax to finish his pictorial marquetry. We should take a lesson from him.