Decorative veneer sample with leading brand (9)
I believe the answer is:
marquetry
'decorative veneer' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'sample with leading brand' is the wordplay.
'sample' becomes 'try' (synonyms).
'with leading' says to put letters next to each other.
'brand' becomes 'marque' (brand of car).
'try' after 'marque' is 'MARQUETRY'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for marquetry that I've seen before include "Inlaid coloured woodwork in furniture" , "Handicraft" , "Inlaid veneers, forming a design to decorate furniture" , "Art of wood inlay" , "Wood inlay work" .)