On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:33:42 -0700, rlz wrote:

I'm looking to put a brass medallion on the front,

Brass looks cheap. If it's oak, walnut or something dark, then use
copper instead, You can patinate this, or just let it age naturally.
For other colours, consider silver, or pewter. Compared to the work or
cost of making the thing, the materials cost is cheap, even for silver.

You might have this piece engraved by a local silversmith, or have some
repousse work done to it. If you have the skills for it (as a start, can
you draw or carve?) then you can do it yourself. Especially on pewter,
any woodworker with the hand and eye to sketch moderately well can work
a metal plaque by punches into repousse on a pitch block and some punch
or graver work on the front.

3" x 6" sounds _far_ too big too. It'll look like a coffin!