Special
Who still does inlay work/marquetry?
CONFIRMATION OF A TREND TOWARDS SPECIAL FITTING METHODS? HISTORIC CRAFTSMANSHIP IN 2020
Photo – Design Parquet
If there is one discipline to test a parquet floor fitter’s skill to the uttermost, it is surely whenever he or she dares to take on the traditional form of marquetry or inlay work. This is certainly the case if we mean marquetry where that same professional starts with original solid wood and makes all the pieces of the pre-designed object himself or herself. Marquetry, which allows you to connect different sections to each other like a puzzle, is not the sole preserve of parquet floors. On the contrary, it also finds various historical applications in furniture. Craft workers used not only various sorts of wood, but even turtle or ivory, which they used to form a sandwich. Yes, marquetry was used even in walls of buildings. How does it work? First of all, you make a drawing of the object. By sawing along the lines of the drawing through the various layers, you create several parts which are then assembled. With marquetry it is possible to compile both geometrical patterns and detailed depictions. A well known example of this are the furniture items of furniture maker Jan van Mekeren in the late 17th century.
Range on the market Since our editors have also noticed that traditional fitting patterns are clearly growing in popularity, we made enquiries on the market as to how inlay work is faring at present. We looked beyond the traditional professional and asked manufacturers how they are responding to the
Photo – Design Parquet
market demand for special patterns. We asked all sorts of questions, including how fitters go about the cutting. Traditional marquetry is typical handwork with cutting, so we also wanted to know how this goes down if the cutting is done automatically e.g. with a laser. We found equally interesting the question as to how popular marquetry really is on the market. Is it still something solely for the happy few or, on the other hand, has the market opened up somewhat? We asked for statistics to see how the market shares of traditional inlay work on the one hand and the mechanical counterpart on the other are faring. Obviously, this led to the necessary follow-up questions, such as how the market is developing. Is it a temporary phenomenon or, on the contrary, can we expect further advances of special fitting patterns such as marquetry? Does it mean increased demand for purely classic work or is the market showing special trends, whether or not through the influence of architects or interior designers?
Regional differences In all this, we also wanted to know if there are any regional differences in marquetry. What do we see in Belgium? Are there any noticeable differences in taste between Flanders and Wallonia? What about the rest of Europe and even the rest of the world? Finally, we browsed around with a question about the technical aspects of fitting marquetry. What do fitters have to look out for when fitting inlay work? Obviously, we wanted to know about the entire trajectory, from the preparation of the substrate to the final finish inclusive.
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