Furniture sections debunked

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo Glossary of Antique Furniture

Keywords are underlined These underlined words and phrases are encouraged to be used in describing furniture, ie. part of the lingo
* Keywords are must knows and often used lingo

Key words and phrases for many pieces:

More Keywords and phrases:
Carved lower edge - may describe the lower edge of the top of a curio Not the lower edge of the furniture itself, the lower edge of a feature

Shaped Panels
Shaped: not just 90 degree angles of flat wood

* Panels: A long plank of wood without glass
Could be the side of a dresser, could be the front of a wardrobe

Glass panel: understood. One piece of glass
Ex. 4 panels Curio Cabinet has 4 panels of glass, not 4 panels of wood
When with glass, panel describes the # of pieces of glass
When w/o glass, panel describes the number of doors or a secondary description of a dresser’s sides
Shaped panels:front of a dresser drawer that has curvature, etching, often veneer
Scrolled apron: look for scrollwork example
Apron: The decorative wood area above the feet, below drawers Aprons go across the entire front of the furniture, not just a section
Scrolled corners: corner areas with scroll woodworking
Fitted as in a dresser “fitted” with four drawers
Use instead a dresser has four drawers

Raised: Furniture that has space between the legs and its case
* Veneer: Paper thin slices of wood used for decoration

Phrases to use where appropriate:
Raised on _<style name>_ legs
Fitted with # drawers
Fitted with <style name> drawer pulls Drawer pulls are aka drawer handles
# short above # long paneled drawers Ex. Two short over three long drawers
previous phrasing was 2 over 3 drawers (both are lingo)
Inlay veneer that has an outer boundary line of some sort, often rectangular (inlaid)

Paneled Sides:Phrase is different from a wood panel. Paneled means that there’s some wood trim atop the simple wood plank Dressers often have paneled sides

Frieze: (not a typo) Forms a second layer of trim under the top
Frieze sections are often inlaid with veneer

Losses to <section of furniture> an area of furniture with a gap due to previous damage
The <furniture part > are of a later date An area of repair The drawer pulls are of a later date, one drawer bottom is of a later date

<wood type> with a <other wood type> Ex. Oak with a maple inlay
Blind door: a door panel without glass

Cornice: On a tall piece of furniture at least 5 feet, the top ridge extends out as a ledge, typically at a right angle

Drawers flanked by <furniture shape> drawers flanked by escuchions

Reveneered: new veneer could say the veneer section is of a later date (its implied, later than when made)

Over graduated long drawers: for dressers, refers to 2 drawers above # drawers scenario

Bracket Feet: See the photo descriptions

* Drawer Dovetails: intertwined wood of drawer front and drawer sided

escutcheons: look up definition, a decorative wood piece nailed or glued on the wood’s face (wood’s face – its exterior surface)

These very strong <furniture feature> are <adjective :prized, sought>

Molded Cornice:

* <feature type> feet : describes the bottom of a piece of furniture

* casters: same as nomal casters, spinning wheels that makes moving an object easier

The <furniture feature> needs little embellishment [describing a simple piece of furniture, perhaps a primitive

Pair of cupboard doors Ex. A pair of Jelly Cupboard’s doors has a pair of cupboard doors, not a pair of Jelly Cupboard doors
Pair of wardrobe doors

Crude: If the <furniture feature> is much less dramatic than other furniture features, describe it as crude as a contrast

Recessed: panel doors are accented with side trim (#505 cabinet) The panel is recessed relative to the furniture’s case

Case the exterior rectangle that is the furniture’s core shape ie. The case doesn’t include the top, the trim, feet,

Finials:

Crown:

Rich <wood type> with <other wood type>

Pediment: like a crown molding, check dictionary

Dressers

Hepplewhite style handles are oval
Bachelor’s chest characteristics: 4 graduated drawer or two short over 3 graduated drawers

Circular saw marks: this saw invented in 1830 creates sweeping marks Marks less often seen in furniture of late 19th Century (1800s)

Drawer liners (drawer bottoms): what the clothes is actually placed atop of
(drawer liners were usually oak (hardwood) so the bottom won’t sag over time

Drawer runners: the wood inside of the dresser that sits to the outside of the drawer. Drawer runners’ function is to guide the drawer straight in and out

Divided top drawer: refers to two drawers at same length as those below

three drawers raised on square legs, casters

Rectangular top with a molded edge above double-panel sides and fitted with two frieze drawers over three double-fronted long drawers with inset paneled fronts inlaid with etched ivory lozenges flanked by split-baluster ebonized moldings

 

molded top above a case containing a slide over four graduated drawers flanked by canted corners with Chinese blind-fret carving, raised on bracket feet

slide: thin pullout drawer similar to a kitchen outfitted with a carving/chopping block

Bowfront inlaid mahogany with bowed top above conforming case
Nice use of solid mahogany and mahogany veneers.

[Very faithful to eighteenth-century prototypes ]

pp. A-112
Bowfront: the slight curvature of the front of a dresser, desk or cabinet that is a continuous curve

ogee bracket feet

pp. A-115
Chest-on-chest
Flat molded cornice above three [thumb-molded aligned drawers] and three graduated drawers. The lower section with pullout brushing slide above three [thumb molded] graduated drawers raised on bracket feet.

Projecting molded cornice over three aligned {same row} over three graduated drawers above lower case with three graduated drawers having reeded chamfered corners on bracket feet.

 

beaded border ……………. Appears like lines at left, as decoration
French Splay feet

100_6946
Bracket feet

Raised panel doors: when cabinet doors

 

Tables

Sabre Legs Veneered Apron

sabre legs veneered apron

CHAIRS

Shell Carved Knees
Cabriole Legs (similar to Queen Anne)
Pad Feet
Well formed backs – an opinion
Ladder back
Saddle seat
Bun feet: shrot, turned feet
Chippendale Chairs feature pierced (open) and scrolling (carved) back splats

[secondary wood on upholstered furniture was often beech]

Backsplat in a detached or two-part shoe The backsplat fits into a shoe or open notch at the back of the chair

Mahogany wood often exhibits flame features unless quarter sawn.

Fluted Leg: straight leg positioned at an angle /------\
Chamfered Legs: gradually bend outward for extra steadiness and sturdiness
Turned Legs: Ball sections and more narrow sections
Stretcher base: A middle support between chair legs included rails and middle support

Hepplewhite: characteristics are straight lines

Chippendale: Support legs are wideswept at to a thin section then wider at feet.

Sheraton: often fluted turned arms and legs

Hepplewhite: chairs with a typical crest

Bow back: often found in Windsor chairs (//||||||\\)

 

turned, fluted legs foliate-carved cabriole legs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----\/ back side of back splat is slightly narrower than front when there’s silhouetting, sort of a shadow look around the edges Silhouetting is hand carved

silhouette of back splat chair stretcher
CHAIRS

Detatched shoe and a silhouetted back splat
Well proportioned shaped stretchers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cabriole legs integral shoe construction
(no silhouetting: ie backsplat

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

caned panel, turned stiles, scrollwork Square chamfered legs
Scrolled legs with front and back stretcherss

Ball-and-claw feet

Shield back with Prince of Wales Plumes

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tables

Square, tapering legs Turned legs ending in pad feet

Straight tapered legs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tables, Cabinets and Desks

Dressing table or lowboy on straight legs with scalloped apron

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reeded legs and edge Herringbone-inlaid Queene Anne lowboy
Reeded: lines carved within the legs Characteristic: Cabriole legs
Reeded legs

legs with pad feet cross banding: some inlaid veneer with a trim section

CASE Furniture

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow!  What a great buy!  Great Service!  Very Knowledgeable     Lisa  Columbus Grove, OH

 Easy to deal with. Chest is lovely, arrived safely. Thank You for all your work    Nina  Lacey, WA