​In Italy, Nazzareno Bonaretti made a range of toys which he sold at local markets. These toys, as well as being playthings for children to enjoy, were produced as examples of his proficiency in cabinetmaking. These, in turn, gained him commissions to make kitchen, bedroom and dining room furniture to customers’ specifications. He was also skilled in French polishing, a wood finishing technique that resulted in a very high gloss surface, which took hours of careful rubbing over days to complete. (French polishing consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in denatured alcohol using a rubbing pad lubricated with one of a variety of oils – read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_polish)
It was his passion and expertise in cabinetmaking that brought quality to his scaled-down furniture for children, such as kitchen dressers and tables and chairs.