The Vaisseau Bench is a storage form with a silhouette that belongs to furniture history. The sides curve inward at the waist and flare outward at the top and base, a profile derived from the metal-clad storage furniture Paul Mathieu encountered in India. In Fine Hammered Brass, the entire exterior is covered in a continuous metal skin. The lid opens from the top to reveal a teak-lined interior with a removable inset tray. At 17 inches tall and 36 inches wide, it works as a bench, ottoman, or decorative chest with equal ease.The wooden box is constructed to the curved profile before Fine Hammered Brass metal sheets are pattern-cut and hand-fitted to each surface. The waisted sides require fitting in sections, each following the compound curve without buckle or visible join, secured with flush-set nails. The lid is fitted and hinged separately. The Fine Hammered Brass surface is worked to its final character by hand. Interior: full-depth teak lining.Measures 36 by 16 by 17 inches. Functions as a storage bench, ottoman, blanket box, or bedfoot chest. Available in all twelve standard finishes across fine hammered and smooth surfaces. Custom sizing available. Made entirely to order.Designed by Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard Collection. Paul Mathieu found the tradition of metal-clad furniture in India and used it as the starting point for the Vaisseau Bench, giving the storage form the curvaceous profile of the Louise series and a surface quality that industrial production cannot replicate. Produced in Udaipur.Made to order, each piece may show slight variations that are a natural result of handmade metal-clad production. The Fine Hammered Brass surface will gradually mellow in tone over time, which is part of the material's natural character.The images shown in this listing may be photographed in different lighting conditions or may include 3D illustrations created to represent the available finishes. We warmly encourage customers to request an individual sample or a complete sample set of all twelve finishes to experience the surface, tone, and character firsthand.Please note that moisture in the air, seasonal climate shifts, and the natural movement of wood over time may cause the metal surface to develop slight wrinkles or occasional bubbling. We use well-seasoned reclaimed teak and high-quality marine-grade MDF wherever technically possible to minimise these natural effects, but complete stability of metal cannot be guaranteed.All smooth finishes will show subtle tool marks. These are not defects but a natural and unavoidable result of hand-working and hand-polishing metal sheets. Our hammered finishes are recommended where a more textured, forgiving surface is preferred.None of our metal-clad pieces are sealed with a permanent protective coating. This allows the metal to age naturally and beautifully over time. We polish every piece carefully before packing. A clear PU coat can be applied on request.The antiqued white bronze finish will react with natural elements the fastest in the beginning, but it too will stop reacting and settle into a stable state like copper after 6-12 months. Since it is already antiqued and looks intentionally tarnished, this early reaction does not change the overall appearance. In that way, this surface is the most forgiving.The antiqued white bronze finish is done by applying an acidic chemical over the white bronze to recreate a natural patination. Like the aging of silver, copper, or brass, the final result and colour uniformity cannot be guaranteed. The goal of this finish is to achieve rainbow-like tones with dull, shiny, cloudy, and lightly streaked patches to give an illusion of antiquing.As a default practice, we offer a protective wipe-on PU coat only on this finish. If a designer prefers the natural, uncoated aging, we can leave it untreated just like the other finishes. A PU coat helps keep the surface looking the same as when shipped, but it does not create a fully uniform patina; natural variation will always remain part of this finish.