As with my prior pieces, this set is graduated. The tallest vessel (6 1/2) has the smallest diameter lid (4). The shortest vessel (4) has the largest diameter lid (5). The handles are also scaled in size. Each piece is branded with a tip of my own design. The colored rings, lids and handle tops are impact compression textured. The branded areas are finished with black gesso and then sprayed with a matte finish. The textured rings, lids and handle tops are finished with various metallic artist colors, which throws off a nice iridescent metal look. The beaded rings and handle bases are airbrushed with a custom color blend. It took me a while to find the right combination that pulled the metallic and black colors together. The wood is big leaf maple. The vessel sides are just over 1/8 thick. The insides of each piece and lid are finely sanded and finished in the natural color.
I have often wondered what Marco Polo brought back from his journeys to show the western world. I imagine his selections would have been of both a practical and Oriental nature. These are the qualities I was striving to attain with this set entitled Marco Polos Treasures.
