Macassar Ebony and Bronze Foyer Consoles

There’s nothing like seeing the beauty of a striking veneer when it’s gently bends over a curved form. In this case, I was given the opportunity by Penny Drue Baird to create a pair of serpentine consoles for the entrance of a Park Avenue residence in Manhattan. The homeowner actually requested 10 piece for their new space and these two consoles greet everyone as they step off the elevator.

The veneer is Macassar Ebony and it was applied in a reflection symmetric or book matched fashion. The flat surfaces were done by a vendor I use in Queens who supplies me with my veneer…. and who has people who apply the veneer in a large 20 ton press. The curves, on the other hand, were done in my shop in Beacon, NY. Apparently, people do not want to tackle irregular shapes, but I enjoy the challenge, and feel a sense of accomplishment when pulling pieces like these out of the vacuum press.

Once all the veneering was done, a small notch was cut into the front edge of the table top portion of the consoles. This allowed me to apply a thin strip of solid bronze which “framed” the outer edge of the tops. A thin strip was also added at the base to carry the metal theme to the lower portion of the consoles.

Being that ebony is an oily wood and lacquers would crumble away in time, all of the surfaces were sealed with a barrier coat and then topped with a polyester/poly-ureathane finish coat. The satin finish just glows in the soft overhead light illuminating the client’s entry way.

It was a very satisfying project to be apart of.