Types of Composite Objects and Materials
There are many reasons why an object can be made of a mixture of materials. Sometimes these reasons are purely practical and sometimes the reasons are more about the finish and the quality of a work of art.
Paintings will always combine materials because the pigments need to be mixed with a liquid to create the paint. The paint is then applied to canvas, wooden panels or calf-skin.
Why has this toasting fork got a wooden body but the forked nose is made out of metal? The toasting fork is intended to be placed in front of a fire, with the forked nose close to the flames to toast a piece of bread pushed onto the prongs. If the entire object were made out of wood, the prongs would burn in the fire. Metal does not burn and the flames would not be hot enough to melt the metal prongs.
If an object contains a mechanism, such as the Musical Box with Orpheus Taming the Animalsand the Silver Swan (in the Metals Section of this website) then it is very important that the mechanism is made out of a hard-wearing material such as metal that will help it work properly. The cogs, cams and shafts that make up the mechanism are normally hidden inside the body of the object and so it does not matter if the materials used are not the most expensive or beautiful.
Beautiful and expensive materials are used to decorate the outside of objects. This Side Table is covered in turtleshell and brass but underneath the table is made of wood. Wood is cheaper than the decorative materials and is very strong.
Brass and turtleshell were rather strange materials to use together as decoration but they contrast very well with each other; brass is an opaque, yellowy-bronze metal whereas turtleshell is browny-black, very shiny and translucent. These materials are very difficult to work with but enabled craftspeople to show off their superior skills.