The origin of sorrentine marquetry dates back to the 6-7th centuries with the Benedectine monks. Although in the 16th century several master carpenters from Sorrento were already executing the inlaying of wood in choir stalls for Neapolitan churches and furniture for the nobles' palaces, a real cabinet-making industry has only grown since the beginning of the 1800s. Around 1840 a Frenchman brought the first samples of colored wood to Sorrento and so began the stating of wood for inlaid wood-work in color.