This mother of pearl tabletop uses wenge inlaid with mother of pearl bubbles. De Ferranti describes the design as inspired by works of Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann (1879-1933), referencing a c. 1923 original at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. It forms part of the De Ferranti Yachts Collection.

Mother of Pearl Tabletop and Ruhlmann Influence

The composition is built from overlapping circles of different diameters, their pale iridescent outlines set against the dark linear grain of wenge. At full-table scale the pattern reads as an energetic field, while closer viewing reveals the changing sheen and fragmented colour characteristic of shell. The contrast is particularly effective because the geometry is precise without becoming rigid: circles intersect, overlap and leave small angular pockets between them.

The surface works through material opposition as much as pattern. Dark timber gives the eye a continuous ground, while the shell catches light in narrow flashes, allowing the circular network to strengthen or soften as the viewing angle changes. That makes the design particularly relevant where furniture is intended to be seen from several directions rather than against a single wall.

For related material language, De Ferranti’s Shells & Mother of Pearl collection explores shell as a decorative surface, while Inlay – Intarsio places the technique within a wider family of contrasting materials set into a field. The Oak Leaf Stone Mosaic Tabletop – Custom Panel offers a useful comparison in a more botanical and stone-led vocabulary.

Scale, Surface and Specification

For a mother of pearl tabletop, the relationship between the decorated top, its supporting base and the surrounding room should be resolved together. Samples are useful for assessing wenge tone and shell response under the project’s actual lighting. Edge treatment, fixing, support and intended use should also be reviewed before manufacture, particularly for yacht or other specialist furniture applications.

Project Guidance and Enquiries

For project guidance, availability, pricing, samples or further information, please use the Send E-Mail button below this description. Your enquiry will come directly to De Ferranti, and we will be pleased to discuss suitability, quantities, lead times and options for your project.