To Make as Perfectly as Possible

André Roubos 18th-century French text, LArt du Menuisier, is a widely respected source on European woodworking techniques of the pre-industrial era, but the massive four-volume work has been unavailable in English prior to this publication. This abridged and annotated translation presents a selection of material from the fourth volume, including dozens of illustrations reproduced from Roubos original plates depicting diverse aspects of the marqueters craft and related trades. It focuses on techniques for the ornamentation of woodwork, including parquetry, marquetry, mastic and metal inlay, with additional sections on finishing, woods, sharpening and other topics.
Roubos text is supplemented with photo essays by Williams, placing the material in a modern context while showing how to put Roubos methods to use in your own workshop. A fascinating glimpse into the professional wood shop of 250 years ago, filled with both historical interest and in-depth, practical instruction on techniques that are all but lost today.