Nicolas Aubagnac
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ETNA
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The past inspires us…
The Etna dressing table is inspired by the shape of the "Mazarin desk".
This type of desk is an ancestor of the ministerial desk, and dates back to the time of Louis XIV.
Cardinal Mazarin was Louis XIV’s chief minister… At the time, these desks were designed to be used at an angle, that is, with one knee below the writing surface, and another knee outside.
This position was necessary because members of the nobility constantly carried a sword in a scabbard at their side…
Black straw marquetry with a sunburst pattern on the top and a chevron pattern on the sides and 6 drawers
chiseled bronze handles
protective glass
L = 59 in – D = 23.62 in | H = 29.5 in
The natural magic of straw
The Etna dressing table requires the expertise of our master cabinetmakers to create the facing of the piece of furniture with a straw marquetry in a chevron pattern.
To create straw marquetry, our workshops use rye straw grown in France.
Each rye stalk is dried, then immerse into a dye bath.
Then each stalk must be split to reveal the inner side and flattened to form ribbons. These ribbons will be patiently cut, assembled and glued to obtain the desired pattern.
So what you see is the inside of the straw which is naturally shiny because it is coated with silica.
It is the plant that produces silica to seal the inside of its stem and allow the sap to circulate within it.
Thanks to Mother Nature for this gift that offers us endless decorating possibilities!
