Peacock Keepsake Box Indian Rosewood Inlay In Brass
Thao (my eldest son who passed away in 2012) and I used to work in my shop a lot. He was just getting to a point where I could teach him to use different tools. He and I worked this piece of cherry down to this radius. I still have the shavings. Over the last year and a half I couldn't touch this box because I couldn't find the right purpose for it. I know now and pardon the lack of fine woodworking tact, these markings aren't getting sanded out.
Not only did Thao want chickens but he wanted goats and peacocks. I'm not really sure how to integrate goats into my work so naturally I moved towards peacocks.
The peacock in this piece is Indian Rosewood inlaid into brass. This process is know as Boulle marquetry. It was popularized over 300 years ago from a man, André Charles Boulle, cabinetmaker to Louis XIV of France.
- Hand-hewn radius in a piece of figured cherry
- Light dye stain to accentuate the body and flare of the wood but not take away from clarity
- Indian Rosewood veneer inlaid into brass
- Interior lined with velvet to add to the elegance
- Finished with Conversion Varnish to provide a clean smooth look and feel and also to give it protection against daily handling.