Mathieu Vath

Transitional dresser

Mathieu VathVacuum bonding, convenient, conservation, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, polite, restoration, furniture restoration, Transitional style
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Here is a very simple commode from eastern France, probably dating from the late 18th century. Its front is slightly curved and its uprights are chamfered. The bronze mounts are probably not original. The frame is made of solid softwood, the uprights of oak. The drawer bottoms are set in a rebate and slide on the drawer fronts, which is typical of provincial work. A small unusual feature: the commode has no top panel; the marble slab rests directly on the frame. At the level of […]

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Louis XVI commode stamped JA BRUNS

Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Bronzes, oak, Vacuum bonding, convenient, graft, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, furniture restoration, Louis XVI style, French polish
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

This week marks the completion of the restoration of a Louis XVI commode stamped JA BRUNS. Its frame is oak, except for the side panels, backs, drawer fronts, and two drawer bottoms, which are made of softwood. It is veneered with rosewood in a butterfly pattern and amaranth for the edges. The false fluting is in boxwood and ebony. A green-stained maple fillet outlines the Greek key corners. A few satinwood additions from previous restorations are visible. The marble top is Sainte-Anne gray. This commode […]

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Secretary stamped P.ROUSSEL JME

Mathieu Vathamaranth, rosewood, Vacuum bonding, stamp, Louis XV, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, secretary, French polish
Ebénisterie Matheu VATH

Here are some images of the restoration of a secretary desk stamped by Pierre Roussel (1723-1782). Having become a master cabinetmaker in 1745, Pierre Roussel set up shop on Rue de Charenton, in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, under the sign "L'Image de Saint Pierre" (The Image of Saint Peter). Thanks to his skills as a cabinetmaker and especially as an exceptional marquetry artist, he quickly gained a great reputation. In 1762, he became a sworn member of his guild. By 1767, he was considered one of the best cabinetmakers of his time. Highly regarded by his colleagues, he became a representative of the cabinetmakers' guild in 1777 and then syndic two […]

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Mazarine Chest of Drawers

Mathieu Vathconvenient, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, Louis XVI style, French polish
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Here is a charming Louis XIV period Mazarine commode. With a serpentine front, it opens with three drawers in three rows. Furthermore, a marquetry top featuring a compass rose on an end-grain wood background crowns it. Its fir frame is also veneered with a very fine olive wood veneer, both end-grain and straight-grain, and rosewood. The sides are made of ash, while the stringing and compass rose are boxwood. Finally, the rails are joined with straight dovetail joints on the sides, which has […]

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Louis XVI style table

Mathieu Vathmahogany, rosewood, graft, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, Louis XVI style
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Here is a Louis XVI style table, which is probably an early 20th-century piece. It was likely made in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, or perhaps at the École Boulle. I have seen apprentice furniture of this quality made by students during their training. Its frame is oak, while the veneer is rosewood and mahogany with a black inlay. The restoration was straightforward, apart from a lack of rosewood in the marquetry […]

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Corner cabinet in Boulle marquetry from the Napoleon III period

Mathieu VathBronzes, Vacuum bonding, corner, graft, Brass, Boulle marquetry, Napoleon III, Uncategorized, furniture restoration, French polish
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

A classic restoration of Boulle marquetry: rehydration of the old glue by infiltration, creation and gluing of the missing brass fittings, and reconstruction of the base, which was in poor condition but not beyond repair. Finally, the bronzes were cleaned and a clear French polish was applied. Proof that appearances can be deceiving: even a badly damaged piece of furniture can regain its former beauty.

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Commode returning from Egypt

Mathieu Vathmahogany, Bronzes, convenient, graft, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, return from Egypt, 19th century
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

During the turbulent period of the French Revolution, furniture production declined sharply, and most artisans faced very difficult times. Overall, from the Directory to the Consulate, furniture and seating had little time to evolve. Some Egyptian-inspired motifs had already appeared, but it was with the Egyptian expedition (1798-1801) that they formed a distinct style. However, the "Return from Egypt" style lasted only about ten years at most: it was quickly replaced by the Empire style, imposed by Napoleon. This commode features all of these elements…

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Secretary stamped Martin Ohneberg

Mathieu VathLeather, stamp, graft, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, secretary, Louis XVI style, French polish
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

This week marks the completion of the restoration of a Louis XVI period secretary. Martin Ohneberg (master craftsman in 1773), who created this piece, was an excellent marquetry craftsman. Indeed, he used very high-quality rosewood. Furthermore, he produced numerous pieces of furniture with very simple lines but exquisite marquetry, including an infinite variety of drop-front secretaries. This particular one is veneered in rosewood and amaranth, with a mosaic marquetry of maple florets on a red satinwood ground. Moreover, the framing bands are made of […]

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Louis XIII style desk

Mathieu VathLouis XIII, Marquetry, Uncategorized, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

A look back at the restoration of a 17th-century Louis XIII table. It's made of solid walnut, veneered with walnut, ebony, ivory, and boxwood. It had spent a long time in an attic, and its top unfortunately suffered considerably. Much of the veneer was missing. I first removed what little veneer remained. It was very easy: it was completely detached. All I had to do was lift it with a thin blade and it would come right off. I then re-glued the top, adding material where the […]

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Pedestal table with cube marquetry

Mathieu Vathpedestal table, Veneering - Marquetry
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

This week, I restored a lovely pedestal table, made locally with a solid ash base and marquetry of maple, walnut, and plum wood for the bottomless cubes. The restoration wasn't too difficult: I re-glued the loose marquetry pieces, stripped the table, and then French polished it. I used a very interesting new recipe, given by Dessaignes in 1861. I'll present it in a future post.

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Louis XIII Cabinet

Mathieu Vathviolet wood, Solid Wood, Cabinet, Vacuum bonding, Louis XIII, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

A look back at a fascinating restoration project (at least for me). So fascinating, in fact, that I forgot to take photos at the beginning! This cabinet dates from the 17th century. Its upper section has two drawers in the cornice and two doors. The base features two drawers in the frieze, supported by eight turned feet, and a top on ball feet. Inside, there are twelve drawers and two doors, which conceal a theater and eleven more drawers. The feet and moldings are made of solid pear wood. The rest of the […]

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Transition chest of drawers in the style of Topino

Mathieu Vathrosewood, Bronzes, convenient, graft, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry, sawn veneer, restoration, furniture restoration, Transitional style
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

A month ago, a lovely Transition-style commode arrived at the workshop. It reminds me of the work of the cabinetmaker Charles Topino (circa 1742-1803) – who received his master craftsman's certificate on July 4, 1773. But it doesn't bear his stamp, nor any other for that matter. Proof that a piece of high-quality furniture doesn't need a stamp. Its marquetry could very well have come from Topino's workshop. He did, in fact, sell marquetry panels to haberdashers and his colleagues, who used them to adorn their furniture. This commode could therefore be inspired by Topino […]

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Louis XV slant-front desk stamped HEDOUIN (Restoration complete)

Mathieu Vathviolet wood, Bronzes, donkey's back desk, Leather, stamp, graft, HEDOUIN, Louis XV, Uncategorized, Veneering - Marquetry, restoration, furniture restoration, French polish
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Remember that slant-front desk? Well, it's finished. It wasn't easy, but it's regained its former glory. All that's left is to install the drawer locks and the leather before it goes back to its owner. I remade a large part of the legs using sawn kingwood. I cut it to the correct thickness, scraped, sanded, and oxidized it before gluing. That way, there was no need to sand the entire piece of furniture, which would have damaged it even more.

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Louis XV commode stamped JC Ellaume

Mathieu Vathrosewood, Vacuum bonding, convenient, Louis XV, Marquetry, Veneering - Marquetry
restauration de mobilier

Restoration of a Louis XV period commode stamped JC Ellaume. This commode is veneered in rosewood and palisander with floral marquetry on the drawer fronts. The frame is made of oak and softwood. Jean-Charles Ellaume, whose name is also spelled Allaume, became a master craftsman in Paris on November 6, 1754. Many pieces of furniture bearing his stamp are known, mostly Louis XV commodes. For over thirty years, in his workshop on Rue Traversière, he produced numerous high-quality pieces. These are primarily […]

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Alexandre Morell's Boulle Cartel – Marquetry

Mathieu VathVacuum bonding, Marquetry, Boulle marquetry, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

I reattached the structure, removed the brass, cleaned up the remaining animal glue, and eliminated the traces of superglue and neoprene adhesive. Next came cutting the new pieces of brass and tortoiseshell to fill the gaps. So, as usual, I took an impression of the missing piece. I then glued this paper onto a brass plate, which was itself glued with fish glue to a 4mm plywood base. This made the plate easier to cut. Retrieving the brass piece is simple: […]

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Alexandre Morell's Boulle Cartel

Mathieu VathMarquetry, Boulle marquetry, furniture restoration
Ebénisterie Mathieu VATH

Here is my first client, or patient… whichever you prefer. It's a Boulle marquetry cartel clock in brown tortoiseshell, ebony, and brass. As the photos show, it's not in very good condition. A lot of the brass is missing, and what remains is peeling off everywhere. At first glance, it's always difficult to precisely date a Boulle cartel clock. Moreover, this one doesn't bear a maker's mark. On the other hand, it has corkscrew screws, typical of the 18th century, and few visible tool marks. Yet, I had a hunch it was a copy […]

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Tool cabinet – End

Mathieu VathCopy of an old, Creation, Marquetry
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

And there you have it, it's finished and ready to use. All the tools are in their proper place. All that's left is to find bronze fittings for the handles and keyhole escutcheons. For the finishing technique, I used the same one applied to furniture of that period: polishing. I first scraped the surface, then sanded it with 150-grit sandpaper. Next, I applied Venetian tripoli mixed with olive oil using a piece […]

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Tool cabinet – Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam

Mathieu VathCopy of an old, Marquetry, Uncategorized
Ebénisterie Mathieu Vath

I indulged myself with this marquetry project; I had always wanted to recreate this famous marquetry fresco. This allowed me to revisit David Roentgen's "mosaic marquetry" technique. I created a pack with a hornbeam leaf, a sycamore maple leaf, and a pear leaf to make the figures, as pear wood is the best for reproducing skin tones. To tint the background, I dipped it in different baths to produce this effect of […]

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