When it comes to antiques, the meuble de maîtrise is unique. These 'mastery pieces' were not done by the masters. Instead, the meuble de maitrise was a scale model created by the cabinet maker's apprentice in order to prove his skills to the master. Often introduced as a challenge for the apprentice after they had completed a tour of France to observe different techniques, the meuble de maîtrise was a means to show off one's acquired skills.