With so many designs, terms and products, we decided to make it easy for you and provide a glossary. In alphabet order, simply click on the letter and find a definition to that word you may be scratching your head about.
A
Acanthus Leaf
A naturalistic form of ornament of Classic derivation, used especially in the capitals of Corinthian and Composite columns. Any leaf with an irregular edge. For furniture it is used in various conventionalized forms.
Adhesive
A substance used to attach one surface to another, such as glue or cement. A number of types of adhesive are used in furniture making and upholstery. PVA is both popular and effective for bonding two wooden surfaces together. Epoxy resins are sometimes used for joining timbers known to be difficult to glue. Cyanoacrylate ( or super glue) has found ready use for quick and easy jobs but is expensive. Hot melt glues and contact adhesive are popular for upholstery work.
Air Dried
Timber is said to be air dried when the moisture content has been reduced by a natural process. This is usually achieved by placing it on stickers in a sheltered place such as an open sided shed with good air circulation. A general rule of thumb for air drying in the Northern hemisphere says allow one year per inch of thickness. Air dried timber is likely to require a further period of conditioning before it is suitable for use in fine cabinet work indoors, but is often considered to be easier to work because the process of air drying is gentler than kiln drying.
Anthemion
A classical ornament consisting of a band of alternating floral forms based on the honeysuckle flower. Also a single motif based on the honeysuckle.
Antiques
A term loosely applied to all old furniture, or to objects more than a hundred years old. So far as furniture is concerned, those pieces most worthy of being so designated are confined to periods ending with Sheraton's style in Europe and with Duncan Phyfe's in America.
Apron
A narrow strip of wood, or shaped element, such as the horizontal cross member under a tabletop, chair seat, or lowboy. Often shaped and carved.
Arcading
A series of round-topped arches, frequently used decoratively, especially on early carved furniture.
Art Deco
Art Deco is a shortened form of the name of a Paris exposition held in Paris in 1925Aspects of some architecture built during the early to mid 20th century display aspects of this movement. The phrase is generally applied to furniture. produced from c1910 to pre 2nd world war which may show bold use of stepped forms and strong sweeping curves.
Art Nouveau
Art Nouvea is a french term that translates as 'New Art'. Its essence was an essentially curvilinear style which was often asymmetrical and derived from organic forms, especially stems and leaves. Started in England in the 1880s it was fashionable between 1890 and 1910. Important exponents were Scotlands Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Antonio Gaudi of Spain. The movement was called Jugendstil in Germany and Stile Liberty in Italy.
Arts & Crafts Movement
A design movement of the second half of the 19th century, whose English and American exponents attempted to create beautiful, well-designed furnishings which would improve the overall quality of life through their daily use. Many of the advocates were against the thoughtless use of machines, instead preferring to support both the ideology and practicality of a holistic approach to craftsmanship and production. William Morris is a well known champion of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Astragal
An astragal is a profile used as a moulding which has a semi circular surface and one or three flat sides. It is often used in a variety of forms as a cover strip for French type doors and also as a glazing bar in furniture and joinery.
B
Ball and Claw
A carved foot found mostly on Chippendale designs. It is a form of ornament said to have originated in China and is supposed to represent a bird's claw grasping an egg. Popular in England and America in the 18th century.
Baluster
A short supporting column, bulbous near the base, used in series to form a balustrade. Also known as a banister.
Baluster Back
A chair with a back splat of baluster outline.
Baluster Turned
See turned leg.
Balustrade
See baluster.
Bamboo Turning
A type of turning formed to simulate bamboo, used by Chippendale for chairs and tables. It is also sometimes found on early American Windsors.
Banding
Veneer was often used in bands to form decorative borders to the main surface. Crossbanding was cut across the grain, while feather or herringbone banding was cut with the grain at an angle so that two strips laid side by side resembled a feather.
Banister
See baluster.
Barley Sugar Turning
See turned leg.
Barley Twist
A helical carving in a bead form often used to decorate legs or bed posts.
Baroque
A decorative style characterized by heavy and exuberant forms. Its influence varied from country to country but Baroque furniture rends to be sculptural and often architectural in form and is frequently gilded.
Beading Beads
A three-dimensional decorative motif in the form of a series of round beads in a single line (see cock beading). In cabinetwork, usually a molding having a projecting convex rim.
Bed Bolt
An iron bolt used to fasten the long horizontal rails to the posts of a four-poster bed.
Bed Bolt Cover
A small brass ornament used to cover the head of a bed bolt.
Bevel
A 45-degree angle, planed or chiseled on the edge of any surface.
Biedermeier
A German term used to denote both the period 1815-1848 and the decorative style popular in Germany, Austria and Scandinavia from the 1820s to the 1840s, which was characterised by solid, unpretentious furniture in light-coloured woods. Biedermeier was a newspaper caricature symbolising the uncultured bourgoisie.
Birds Eye Maple
Maple with a regular burr pattern resembling a bird's eye; very popular in the 19th century.
Bleaching
Lightening the color of wood by chemical or other means.
Blind Fret
A cut-work design set against a flat background.
Blind Stitch
A stitch used in upholstering so the stitching will not show. The stitch first goes into the cloth underneath the overlapping layer whose edge, when stitched fast to it, is pulled over the top of the place where the stitch first went into the cloth, thus hiding the stitch.
Blockfront
A term applied to the unique type of construction for fronts of early American chests of drawers, chest-on-chests, highboys, and secretaries. It consists of a concave, but flattened, recession at the center and two convex, but flattened, swells on the ends. It is a type of construction supposed to have originated with John Goddard, a famous cabinetmaker of Newport, Rhode Island.
Blockplane
A Blockplane is a small handplane, often made of cast iron or brass. It differs from most other handplanes in two respects: The angle of the blade to the body is lower at around 12 - 20 degrees, and at around 6 inches in length it is smaller. It is a versatile tool and an important part of the furniture makers toolkit.
Bobbin Turned
See turned leg.
Bolster
A long cushion. Can be rectangular or cylindrical, with the latter versions often used in pairs.
Bombé
An exaggeratedly curved and swollen form characteristic of the rococo style.
Boulle
A distinctive form of marquetry decoration making use of metal and other veneers, usually brass and tortoiseshell, to form a rich pattern. It takes its name from André-Charles Boulle, ebeniste to Louis XIV, who perfected but did not invent a technique known in Italy since the late 17th century.
Bowfront
The front of a bureau, chest or cabinet which is formed as a single horizontal curve,.
Bracket
A supporting member found at the junction of legs and stretchers on chairs, tables, etc. These may be plain, carved or pierced.
Breakfront
A design typically used for bookcases or other large cabinet whereby the centre section of the front is made to protrude forward of the sides.
Brocade
A type of woven upholstering material in which the design is raised and resembles fine Chinese embroidery.
Brown Furniture
A term used by the antiques trade to refer to the plain English mahogany furniture of the Georgian period and made as a formal piece of furniture.
Bulb Turned
See turned leg.
Bureau à Cylindre
(Also secrétaire à cylindre) A French term for a roll-top desk with either a solid quartercylinder or a flexible tambour covering the writing surface and pigeonholes when closed.
Bureau de Dame
A French 19th-century term for a small writing table used by women and which would, more likely have been called a petite table à écrire in ,~ the 18th century. The term is now used to denote all, sorts of small delicate desks.
Bureau Mazarin
A 19th-century term for the type of pedestal desk on legs joined by shaped stretchers which was popular in France at the end of the 17th century, sometime after the death in 1643 of Cardinal Mazarin who is not known to have owned a desk of this type.
Bureau Plat
A French term for a flat-topped writing table with drawers in the frieze and sometimes with extra slides and slopes.
Burl
The American term for burr.
Burlap
A material used in upholstering to hold the filling. It is woven from jute yarn and produced mostly in India.
Burr
A gnarled uneven growth seen on the side of a tree. It is common on Oak and Elm, Walnut is also prone to it. The figure inside the burr can be very beautiful and is prized for veneer use and wood turning.
Butlers Desk
An American term for a secretaire chest, usually with curved sides. A butler's sideboard has a secretaire drawer in the middle section.
Butt Hinge
This is the common hinge used for hanging doors. It consists of 3 parts: 2 leaves, and a pin. Each leaf is cut to interlock with the other, and part of the leaf is folded tightly around the pin so the leaves can rotate around it. Both leaves have screw holes for fixing to the door and frame. The leaves are usually morticed into the door and frame. It is usually made of steel or brass. It is made in several more elaborate versions.
Butt Joint
The term refers to a joint on which the squared end of one member is butted against the side or end of another member.
C
C-scroll
A scroll in the shape of a letter C, a favourite Rococo motif.
Cabinet
A piece of furniture having compartments such as drawers, shelves, or other divisions built into a case.
Cabochon
An oval or round boss used decoratively, usually in conjunction with other motifs.
Cabriole Leg
A cyma-curved leg that swells outward at the knee. and turns inward at the ankle. It is found principally on Chippendale, Queen Anne, and Louis XV furniture.
Cambric
For upholstering, an inexpensive cotton fabric which resembles a fine linen fabric of higher quality.
Canapé
A French sofa with arms.
Canopy
The frame or tester over a high four-poster bedstead, with or without its covering material.
Canted
When legs or projected members are set at an angle to the corner of a piece they are known as canted legs or canted corners.
Capital
The head of a column, usually decorated according to the different architectural orders, i.e. Doric (plain disc-like capital), Ionic (with four scroll corners), Corinthian (decorated with bands of acanthus leaves), Composite (a combination of Ionic and Corinthian).
Carcass
The frame or body of a piece of cabinet furniture.
Carlton House desk
A contemporary term for a Dshaped writing table with a bank of drawers and cupboards following the curve of the back, which was presumably named after the palace of the then Prince of Wales, later George IV.
Carriage Bolt
A bolt with a thin dome-shaped head.
Cartonnier
A filing cabinet also known as a serrepapiers, introduced in France during the 18th century. Fitted with pigeonholes, the cartonnier could be an independent piece of furniture, or an accessory intended to stand on or at the end of a bureau plat.
Cartouche
An ornamental panel, often a stylised shield, which is decorative itself but can also carry an inscription, a monogram or a crest.
Carve
To sculpture, shape, or form by cutting with chisels or knife.
Carving In The Round
Carving freestanding forms or objects on all sides.
Caryatid
An architectural motif consisting of a column in the form of a male or female fixture which is also often found on carved furniture and as a bronze mount.
Cassapanca
Italian settle with arms and back.
Cassone
An Italian form of low chest, richly carved and made as a formal piece of furniture.
Castors
Small swiveling wheels attached to the bottom of furniture, to make it easier to move the piece.
Caul
A form made of wood or metal, used with clamps to hold veneers in place on shaped surfaces while the glue sets.
Cavetto
A moulding which is concave in section. The section being in the shape of a quadrant.
Chai Back Sofa
A sofa whose back rest gives the appearance of two to four chairs set side by side.
Chaise Longue
French term for a long, upholstered seat with a back rest, intended for only one person to recline on.
Chamfer
A narrow flat surface formed by cutting away the apex of an angle between two surfaces, thus removing the sharp edge.
Chasing
The tooling of a metal's surface. Bronze furniture mounts were chased after casting to remove blemishes and sharpen the detail before gilding.
Cheek Of Tenon
The wide side of a tenon.
Chest Of Drawers
A piece of cabinet furniture in which the compartments are composed of drawers.
Chest On Chest
A chest of drawers divided into two sections by a prominent horizontal molding. In most instances the upper section may be lifted off the lower section if the piece of furniture needs moving.
Chesterfield
An upholstered sofa with the arms and back forming a low, unbroken line. Deeply padded and often buttoned.
Chests
Boxlike receptacles of wood with hinged lids.
Chinese Chippendale
A type of furniture in which the structural members were made to simulate bamboo, or with fret-carved stretchers, or with members having other Chinese characteristics.
Chinoiserie
A Western imitation of Chinese decoration, usually more fanciful than accurate and frequently used to give an exotic touch to a basically European design.
Chintz
Cotton or calico with a printed pattern which is sometimes glazed.
Chippendale Style
Refers to the style originated by Thomas Chippendale.
Chippendale Thomas
An English cabinetmaker, born in Yorkshire in 1718 he became one of the most famous furniture designers of the eighteenth century. He moved to London where his work found a ready market. Furniture bearing his name is still produced although often designs in the style of Chippendale owe little to his original work.
Classical
Term usually referring to the superb work of Greece and Rome, which was controlled by rules such as the Five Orders of Architecture.
Classicism
Various interpretations of the Classical tradition.
Claw & Ball
Same as ball and claw.
Cleat
A narrow strip of wood joined to another piece, often across the grain, to provide added strength or finish to the member.
Cock Bead
A narrow, raised beading surrounding the edge of a veneered surface as a form of protection and finish. Often seen as a very fine half-round moulding applied around the edges of drawer-fronts.
Coffre-Fort
A French term for the strong-box which was often incorporated into good quality writing desks.
Colonnette
A column in miniature.
Column
A round shaft or pillar, usually having a capital and a base.
Confident
A sofa with attached chairs set at either end; sometimes two sofas set back to back with a chair set between at either end.
Conversation
A sofa with seats arranged back to back or facing, so that the sitters can converse discreetly. In some Victorian pattern books, these are described as ottomans.
Coped Joint
One in which the end of a wood molding is shaped so it will conform to and fit over the molded shape of another molding to which it is to be joined.
Corbel
When used as a furniture term a corbel is a decorative support positioned under a mantel or horizontal shelf. More properly it is an architectural term for a projecting piece of masonary which can be either for support or purely decorative.
Cording
A cord around which upholstering material is stitched. It is used as trim, or to round sharp edges on upholstered chairs.
Cornice
An architectural term used in the description of furniture for the top moulding of bookcases and other large pieces. Also known as a Crown Moulding.
Cove
The concave section of a molding or some other object.
Cresting
The carved ornament on the top rail of a chair-back.
Cretonne
Strong, unglazed cotton with a printed pattern.
Crinoline Stretcher
An inward-curving stretcher designed to accommodate a full skirt.
Crocket
A leaf-like projection frequently used in gothic architecture and found as a decorative device on gothic style furniture.
Cross Stretcher
A stretcher that runs across a piece of furniture.
Cross-Section
A cutting off at right angles to an axis of an object in order to give a more comprehensive idea of its shape, or the representation of such a cutting. Cross-sections also can be made to show two or more constituents and their relations to each other more clearly. In many instances the constituents in the representations are shaded with lines going in different directions, or with other identifying markings, to distinguish one from the other.
Crossbanding
See banding.
Crosspiece
A member that stretches across a piece of furniture.
Crotch Wood
Timber whch comes from the fork (crotch) of a tree. When sawn 'through and through' the timber can have the most beatiful grain. Because of the wildness of the grain it is not always stable in the solid and is most often used as veneer. Flame mahogany, which is used for decorative panels and table tops, is a type of crotch wood.
Crown Moldings
See Cornice.
Curled Hair
A high-grade filling material for upholstered furniture. It is manufactured for this purpose from horsetails and manes, cattle switches, and hog bristles.
Curly Maple
Maple having a grain that, when finished, produces the effect of rippling water.
Cusps
Those parts off a wood turning on which the curves being turned reverse their direction; sharp edges formed by exact reversal of direction in a turning.
D
Dash Top
A round tabletop having a raised rim.
Day Bed
A sofa for one person to recline on during the day, sometimes for the formal receptions of visitors.
Demilune
Half-moon shape.
Dentil Moulding
A moulding consisting of a row of small rectangles which resemble teeth. This appearance give rise to the name - dentil. In an ionic style entablature a dentil moudling is found under the cornice and this is typical of its use in furniture. As a general rule the projection of the dentil is equal to its width, and the intervals between are equal to half the width.
Desk and Bookcase
The 18th century cabinetmakers' term for what would now be called a bureau bookcase in Britain. Desk and bookcase is still used in the USA, where such pieces are also called secretaries.
Dovetail Joint
A joint composed of mortises and tenons resembling a dove's tail.
Dowel
A round headless wooden pin fitting into a hole in an adjoining piece to prevent slipping. Or a long rod from which such pins are made.
Dowelled
Linked with a headless pin of wood or metal.
Drake Foot
A three-toed foot found on Queen Anne furniture.
Drawer
A boxlike receptacle which slides in or out of n piece of furniture.
Dresser
A structure having open shelves set upon a closed cupboard.
Drop Finial
A turned ornament fastened to the bottom edge of a lowboy or highboy apron.
E
Early Georgian
The name given to furniture design and styles of ornament developed in England from 1702, when Queen Anne came to the throne, until about 1750 in the reign of George: II. The furniture is distinguished by its use of curvilinear line and contour, particularly as exemplified by the cabriole leg. Ornament, especially wood carving, was a distinguishing feature. At first mostly walnut was used, but toward the end of the period mahogany replaced it.
Ears
A term applied to the enrichment found at the ends of the upper rail on a comb-back Windsor chair.
Edge Roll
Made by wrapping a roll of stuffing material in a strip of burlap, muslin, or tough paper. Stitching holds the stuffing material in place. Edge roll is tacked to edges of frames to keep loose stuffing materials from working thin or coming out of place.
Escritoire
An early 18th century English term for a writing desk, now often used to refer to the large fall-front writing desk of the late 17th and early 18th century.
Escutcheon
A plate surrounding and protecting a keyhole.
Estampille
The stamp with the name and initials of a maitre ébéniste which was obligatory on French furniture from about 1750 until the Revolution. The mark was struck with a cold punch rather than branded, although delicate pieces could be signed in ink. Furniture made for the crown did not have to be stamped and royal craftsmen were exempt.
F
Face Board
A board prominently exposed to view on the front of cabinetwork.
Face Side
Side of a piece of wood chosen as the front side for marking out.
Fall Front
The writing flap on a secretaire which also serves to close the desk when not in use.
Fascia Board
A flat horizontal member, formed like a flat band or broad fillet on a building or piece of furniture. It is usually fairly broad and well defined.
Fauteuil
A French upholstered chair with open arms, sometimes with armrests. Term used from the late 17th century,.
Feathered
Describing figured grain, resembling a feather, on mahogany or other valuable wood.
Featheredge
A term applied to the edges of panels where they are thinned for joining to stiles or rails.
Festoon
A neo-classical decorative motif in the form of a looped garland of flowers, fruit and foliage.
Figure
The natural grain patterns of a veneer are known as figuring.
Filler
A paste used to fill pores of open-grained cabinet woods. It is composed of a powdered quartz base mixed with linseed oil, turpentine, and a drying agent.
Fillet
A flat narrow band used as a connecting member for curves of moldings and turnings.
Finger Joint
A joint used to connect the swinging bracket, or apron, to a table frame. It is a wooden hinge resembling the fingers of both hands when they are interlocked, hence the name.
Finial
A turned or carved ornamental decoration used at the tops of chair posts, in the break of pediments, and similar terminations. Often in the form of a knob, ball, acorn, urn or flame.
Finial Hinge
A type of hinge which has decorative finials (see finial) at the top and bottom of the hinger pin. It is more often found in smaller sizes for cabinet work but can also be seen a door hinge.
Flatwork
Designs carved in wood in which the surface of the carving remains flat.
Flocking
Fibers made of shredded cloth or felt, applied to a surface and held there by a special adhesive to imitate. a feltlike finish. It is forcefully blown on the adhesive with a flocking gun.
Fluting
Decorative in the form of shallow, parallel grooves, especially on columns and pilasters or on the legs of furniture.
Foam Rubber
A spongy, fine-textured rubber made of latex, used as a stuffing material in upholstered furniture.
Fretwork
Carved geometrical patterns, either in relief or pierced, or sawn with a fretsaw.
Frieze
An architectural term for the flat surface beneath a cornice, used loosely to describe flat horizontal members in furniture.
Full Tester
A wooden frame over a bed used to hang curtains. It is often supported on four ornately carved wooden columns which rise from the bed frame. It was originally devised to keep out cold draughts and keep the occupants warm. Also see Half Tester.
G
Gadroon
A carved form of decorative edging resembling ropetwist also known as nulling. The short flutes or reeds are sloped.
Gain
A square U-shaped groove, like a dado, except that it does not go all the way across a board. GAUGE. See marking gauge.
Gallery
A miniature railing, often of brass, placed around the edge of a table or desk top to prevent papers and other small objects slipping off.
Gesso
A mixture of powdered chalk and size.
Gilding
The application of gold to the surface of another material.
Gilt
See gilding.
Gimp
A woven ribbon used in upholstering to conceal the heads of tacks and fabric joins on a piece of furniture.
Gothic
A decorative style for furniture motifs or entire pieces based on the pointed arches, cluster columns, spires and other elements of late medieval Gothic architecture.
Gradin
A French term for a bank of shelves or drawers, either part of a desk or free-standing; hence bureau à gradin.
Grain
The stratification of wood fibers in a piece of wood due to annular formation of fibers and seasonal growth factors.
Grain Lines
Well-defined lines formed by annual growth rings in the wood.
Grisaille
Monochrome decoration in tones of grey.
Groove
A long narrow channel. In furniture making a square U-shaped channel running parallel to the grain is known as a groove.
Gros Point
French term for stitch work on canvas. The regular stitches are laid over two threads so that the effect is coarser than petit-point.
H
Half Tester
A frame which projects forward over a bed. It is cantilevered out from two columns rising from the head end of the bed frame. Often made of ornately carved wood also brass etc. Normally used to hang curtains, the canopy was originally devised in the days of large draughty buildings to keep out the cold and keep the occupants warm. Also see Full Tester.
Hepplewhite George
George Hepplewhite was a cabinet and chair maker and is one of the three best known English furniture makers of the 18th century. No pieces made by Hepplewhite are known to exist, but he produced a distinctive style of light, elegant furniture including the shield back chair. His work was fashionable in the last quarter of the 18th Century. Hepplewhite died in 1786.
Hepplewhite Style
A style of furniture design attributed to George Hepplewhite.
Highboy
A tall chest of drawers supported on high legs, or on a frame. It has a lower section wider and deeper than the upper section, and the two are separated by a fairly prominent horizontal molding which helps hold the upper section in place.
I
Inlay
Although it is often used to mean marquetry, inlay strictly refers to decorative materials like ivory or ebony set into the surface of solid wood, unlike veneer which covers the whole surface.
Isometric Drawing
The representation of an object in isometric projection. Isometric drawings are built upon a framework of three lines and consist of three isometric axes. The lines form three isometric (equal measure) angles of 120° each, one line being vertical and the other two 30° above or below a horizontal line. On isometric drawings, actual lengths may be measured only on isometric lines.
J
Japan Dried
A drying agent for paint and other finishing materials.
Japanning
The term used in America and Britain for techniques used to imitate Oriental lacquerwork.
Joinery
The general term for connecting pieces of wood together with joints. Joined furniture is formed of vertical and horizontal members, united by mortice and tenon joints and supporting panels.
Joint Stool
K
Kiln Drying
The process of reducing the moisture content of timber after which it is known as kiln dried. The timber is placed on stickers in a kiln which may be heated by an oil, gas or wood fired boiler. Hot water from the boiler is fed through pipes running inside the kiln. As the temerature rises the wood gives up its moisture. Excess moisture is removed by fans venting to the outside, whilst fresh air is drawn in. Care must be taken to ensure temperature and humidity are properly controlled during the drying process.
Knee
The upper part of a cabriole leg which swells outward from the frame.
Knot
A knot is the place where a branch of a tree appears on the face or side of cut timber. Knots can be known as dead or live. The size of a knot can affect the strength and quality of the timber, and grading and prices are often set by the classification of visible knots.
L
Lacquer
A synthetic organic finishing material that dries by evaporation of volatile constituents.
Ladder Back Chair
A chair on which the. back consists of a number of horizontal slats resembling a ladder.
Lancet
An arch with a pointed top.
Latticework
Pattern or structure of crossed regular lines.
Lion Paw Foot
Furniture foot carved in the form of a lion's paw.
Lip Mold
A quarter-round molding surrounding the edges of drawer fronts and used to prevent dust from entering the drawer opening.
Lit de Repos
French form of day-bed introduced in the early 17th century; intended for one person.
Love Seat
A small sofa introduced in the mid -I 7th century. Sometimes called a `courting chair', as two people needed to sit very closely on it.
Low Relief
Modeled carving on which the background is lowered not more than 1/8 inch. LOWBOY A term of American derivation, designating a dressing table or a side table resembling the lower section of a highboy, but not made as tall. Lowboys were made in the William-andMary, Queen Anne, and Chippendale sides. They were rectangular in form. Distinguishing features were the valanced apron and unique arrangement of the drawers In most cases there was u long drawer over three smaller drawers, of which the two on the outside were deeper.
Lowboy
A late 17th or 18th century American dressing table on legs, sometimes found combined with a slope-front desk.
M
Mahogany
A tropical wood having a richly figured, somewhat open grain. It is orange red in color. It is the king of cabinet woods, medium hard; when once correctly dried, it holds its shape remarkably well. The fine grain is easily worked with edge tools and is neither too hard, too soft, nor too brittle.
Maple
A light-colored, close-grained wood. The wood is hard and dense, and widely used in making high-grade furniture.
Marquetry
The use of veneers (woods of different colours, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, etc.) to form decorative designs like scrolls, flowers and landscapes. Abstract geometrical patterns formed in the same manner are known as parquetry.
Masonite
A fiberboard made from steam-exploded wood fiber.
MDF
MDF is an abbreviations for medium density fiberboard. MDF is a manufactured sheet material made from compressed and bonded wood fibers. MDF is dense and stable, and easily worked with machine or hand tools. It is widely available with a wide variety of veneers and makes a good substitute for timber in furniture making.
Medial Stretcher
A stretcher joining two other stretchers at or near the centers as a brace.
Member
Any of the structural components (rails, uprights, stretchers etc.) of a piece of joined furniture.
Méridienne
An 18th-century French form of day-bed, curving up at one or both ends to form scrolls.
Miter
An angle cut on the end of a molding or other member, to form a joint with an intersecting member.
Modeled Surface
Shaped or carved surface.
Modular Seating
Type of seating wherein complementary units, built to standard sizes, can be linked or placed against one another to form a variety of arrangements.
Monopodium
Greek-derived term for a single foot, eg, as in a table which stands on a single column.
Moquette
Fabric with a wool pile. Some varieties are cut in imitation of cut silk velvet.
Moss
A traditional material previously used for stuffing upholstered furniture. Made from hanging moss which grows on trees in Southern US states, it is an air plant that must be especially prepared for this use.
Moulding
A length of wood or other material applied to the surface of a piece of furniture. The shaped section of a moulding is usually made up from a number of curves, and there are various standard types (astragal, ogee, cavetto, ovolo) mostly of architectural origin.
Mounts
Decorative motifs, usually of brass or giltbronze, fixed to the cabinetwork.
N
Neo-Classicism
A decorative style based on the restrained use of Greek and Roman architectural form and ornament and characterised by a sober, rectilinear emphasis.
Nested Tables
Or Nest Of Tables. A set of small light tables that can be stacked to fit below the largest one of the set. There are usually four, but, sometimes as few as two. Tops of the smaller tables are made to slide in runners fitted under the tops of the larger tables.
O
Oak
A hardwood extensively used in furniture making in England and America during the seventeenth century and earlier. It was to a great extent replaced by other woods, mostly because of a reduction in the scale in which furniture was built later on. A coarse grain with prominent markings are characteristics of this wood which make it unsuited to fine-scaled delicately detailed work. During the last century it was used extensively in large buildings and churches. In recent years there has been some revival of its use for kitchen and cabinet work.
Occasional Table
Tables designed for general use as the occasion arises; one suited to more than one purpose.
Ogee
An Ogee is a profile which consists of a concave arc flowing into a convex arc, to describe an S-shaped curve with vertical ends. It is based on forms from classical architecture where it is used with the convex part upwards. It is also known as a cyma reversa.
Oil Stain
Stain made by dissolving oil aniline colors in turpentine, benzine, naphtha, or similar solvents, Aniline and benzine are made from coal tar, naphtha is derived from petroleum. Turpentine is an oil produced from the sap of longleaf pines. The coloring matter in oil stains comes from a wide variety of sources.
Ormolo
Gilt bronze. A term derived from the French or moulu (literally ground gold).
Overstuffed
Type of furniture whose stuffing and upholstery completely covers the frame.
Ovolo
A moulding which is convex in section. The section being in the shape of a quadrant.
P
Panel
A board supported by rails and stiles in joined furniture. The board can be flat or may have carved decoration. A popular decorative method is to machine a border when the panel is known as a raised and fielded panel.
Parcel Gilt
Gilded in part only. Also known as partial gilt.
Patina
A unique tinge resulting from aging, polishing, or seasoning of the surface or finish on a piece of wood. Ordinarily a natural process as the result of age.
Pembroke Table
A small light table with drop leaves. It got its name from the Countess of Pembroke who is said to have had one made to her specifications.
Period Furniture
That which belongs to a definite style.
Petit-Point
French term for embroidery in small stitches on canvas, comprising at least 15 stitches to the inch.
Pierced
Carved ornament is described as pierced when the decoration is cut right through the piece, as in fretwork.
Pilaster
A flat architectural column fastened to a wall or cabinet.
Pine
A widely used softwood gotten from conebearing evergreen trees. White pine lumber is soft, fine-textured wood, white in color when freshly planed. It fades with time to a warm yellow color, and it was and still is greatly favored as building lumber for houses and for inexpensive furniture. Because it was plentiful and easily worked, it was one of the principal woods used in early Colonial work. Yellow fine, which grows in Southern forests, has more distinct grain lines and is harder It was not widely used as lumber for furniture.
Piping
See cording.
Plumb
Vertical.
Plywood
A panel made up of 3 or more thin laminations of wood in which the grain direction of each ply, or layer, is at right angles to the one adjacent to it. The layers are bonded together with synthetic resin adhesive under high pressure. The panel will have an odd number of layers to help stability. The face layers can be decorative timber veneer or plastic laminate material.
Polyvinyl Resin Emulsion Glue
A white glue better known as PVA glue that hardens when its moisture content is absorbed into the wood. It has elastic qualities which are beneficial to joints subject to dimensional changes.
Poplar
A semi hardwood used in furniture making extensively. Heartwood is olive green to pale brown; sapwood, grayish white. Easily worked with machine or hand tools and when properly seasoned it resists warping. It is widely used for inexpensive furniture, for drawer sides and other hidden structural elements, more expensive woods being used on exposed surfaces.
Pumice Stone
A volcanic glass. ground into fine powders for rubbing down furniture finishes. It comes in grades F, FF, FFF, and FFFF. FFF is best for most rubbing jobs.
Punchwork
Decoration achieved by the use of punches struck by a hammer.
Putto, Putti
A naked infant, often winged, used as a decorative motif. Also referred to as a cherub, a cupid or an amoretto.
Q
Quarter Column
The fourth of a column split lengthwise so its top and bottom are quadrants.
Queen Anne Style
A style named after Queen Anne of England who reigned from 1702 to 1714. It followed the William and Mary Style. Distinguishing features were slender cyma-curved cabriole legs, chairbacks generously curved to fit the human back, and walnut wood used to the exclusion of almost all other kinds, especially during the beginning of the period.
R
Rabbet
See Rebate.
Rail
Narrow horizontal members of a frame; a structural member or support extending from one vertical member to another.
Rebate
A groove or step cut on the edge of a board.
Reeding
Decoration in the form of parallel ribbing, especially on columns and pilasters or on the legs of furniture. So called because it resembles a bunch of reeds tied together.
Régence
Regency of the Duc d'Orléans in France (1715-25).
Relief Carving
A form of ornament in which the figure is put in relief by lowering the background and also shaping the design itself.
Rennaisance
The rebirth of ancient Roman values in the arts. Renaissance designers were inspired by the sculpture and architectural remains of the ancient world and their furniture reflects this in the profusion of carved ornament.
Return Molding
A molding running from the front to the rear of a cabinet.
Reverse Curve
A cyma curve-one which turns in the opposite direction from its beginning.
Rococo
A decorative style which characterised by delicate curved outlines, C-scrolls, fantastic organic forms and a tendency towards asymmetry in ornamental details.
Roll Edge
A method of upholstering the front of a chair seat to form a large roll which prevents the cushion from slipping forward.
Rosette
A medallion carved with a flower ornament.
Rubberized Hair
A spongy rubber furniture stuffing material made from latex. It has a rough surface and when used is usually covered with cotton felt before the covering material is put on.
Rubbing Oil
A paraffin oil used with powdered pumice stone. for rubbing down final coats of furniture finishes.
S
Sabre Leg
A furniture leg which is curved and tapered like a cavalry sabre.
Saddle Seat
A dipped seat, or in other words one that is hollowed in the center.
Sans Traverse
A French term for a commode or desk where there are no visible divisions between drawers, and decorative motifs can continue uninterrupted.
Scale Drawing
A working drawing in which a dimension of the drawing represents a smaller or larger fraction of a dimension of the actual object depicted.
Scale Model
A replica of an object which may be smaller or larger than the original, in which each part is reduced or increased in size in the same proportion as the whole.
Scratch Carving
Carving in which the figure is formed by lightly incised lines.
Scroll
A Spiral or convoluted form in ornamental design resembling the rolled end of a parchment scroll.
Scrollwork
Fancy designs in wood in which interrelated curves are an important element.
Sealer
Wood-finishing materials thinned with solvents so they penetrate the wood and harden the surface to resist penetration of succeeding coats of finishing material. Sealers also "tie down" stains and fillers and prevent them from being absorbed into subsequently applied finishing coats.
Seat Rail
The horizontal framework which supports the seat of a joined chair.
Secretary
A Modern American term for desk and bookcase.
Settee
An upholstered sofa.
Settle
A wooden bench-like seat with back and arms; sometimes has a box base for storage.
Shell Ornament
Carved ornament resembling various seashells, found especially on Queen Anne, Chippendale, Louis XIV, and Louis XV furniture.
Shell Top
Refers to the ceiling of china cabinets which were carved to resemble cockleshells.
Shellac
A finishing material made from processed lac mixed with alcohol. Lac is a resinous substance secreted by a scale insect to cover its eggs on twigs of trees in India.
Show Wood
Wood which is revealed on a piece of furniture; it is usually polished.
Side Chair
A chair without arms.
Side Rail
Wooden connecting struts at the sides of chairs or sofas.
Silex Wood Filler
A powder ground from crushed flint or quartz and mixed with an oil-base thinner for filling pores of open-grained wood.
Slip Seat
An upholstered scat slipped into a rabbet in the chair-seat frame.
Snake Foot
Properly a snakehead foot, front its resemblance to the head of a serpent.
Socket Firmer Chisel
One in which the handle is fastened into the cone-shaped socket of the blade.
Spindle Shaper
A machine in which the cutter or shaping tool is fastened to a spindle revolving at high speed.
Splat
The vertical central member in a chair back, so called if it is a single piece. It generally joins the seat rail to the top rail.
Splat Back
A chair having a splat in its back.
Spline
A thin piece of wood glued into grooves for joining two members together and to strengthen the joint, especially the ends of a mitered joint.
A miter joint reinforced with a spline.
Spokeshave
A two-handled tool used to plane sticks of wood to cylindrical shape, or to round sharp corners It usually has an iron body and its bottom, from which the blade protrudes, is very short so it may smooth curves too small for a circular plane.
Spoon Back
The back of a chair or sofa which is curved like a spoon.
Spur Of Gauge
The steel pin fastened to the beam of a gauge to do the marking.
Squab Cushion
A stuffed cushion with straight sides. Originally used in 17th-century day-beds, it is primarily connected today with modular seating, which uses rubber or foam cushions.
Square-Section Leg
A leg which would be square if cut at right-angles, but which may also be tapering or shaped in some other way.
Stain
A coloring agent that penetrates wood fiber to color it.
Steaming
Exposure of lumber to steam for a certain length of time so that it may more easily be bent.
Stencil
A pattern, usually made of cardboard or similar material, sections of which are cut out so the lines of the pattern may be transferred to the wood with a pencil.
Strapwork
A form of decoration particularly popular in Northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, resembling interlaced, pierced and scrolled bands of leather.
Strecher
Any turned, straight, or curved horizontal bracing member on a chair, table, or cabinet frame.
Stretcher
A horizontal crosspiece used to join and strengthen the legs of a piece of furniture.
Stringing
Thin strips of wood or metal inlay used to decorate furniture.
Stuff-Over
A term used when the upholstery on a chair covers the framework rather than being a panel within it.
Swag
A decorative motif in the form of a loop of cloth and similar to a festoon.
T
Tapestry
A woven upholstery material.
Teak
A hardwood native to India and the islands of the East Indies. It resembles walnut in color and grain, though it has more of a tawny yellowish tinge. Silicates and minerals drawn into the wood dull ordinary edge tools very quickly and knives tipped with carbide must be used to work it. It is a very durable wood because of its oily composition.
Tempera
Powder colour mixed with thinned egg yolk. The paint work dries quickly and gives a tough surface.
Tête-à-Tête
Various constructions wherein the seats are angled towards one another. Also see confident.
Thrown Chair
See turned chair.
Thumbnail Molding
A molding whose shape resembles the end of a thumb. A refinement of the quarter round.
Tracery
Decorative openwork of Gothic architecture or carving which bears some resemblance to it.
Trifid
The three toed carved animal foot with two webike clefts between them carved on some Queen Anne furniture.
Triglyph
A block or tablet used as a decorative element on the frieze of the Doric order. It had three vertical angular-shaped grooves cut into it. On furniture, ornament incised or carved in relief and arranged in groups of three as decorations on early chests, cabinets, etc.
Turned Chair
A chair made up entirely of turned uprights and rails, often incorporating large numbers of decoratively turned spindles.
Turned Leg
A leg shaped on a lathe, usually circular in section. Turned legs are found in many traditional patterns, e.g. bobbin, bulb, barley sugar or barley twist, vase and baluster.
U
Under Frame
The supporting structure of a piece of furniture, including legs, stretchers and any other braces.
Upholstery
The work of the upholsterer, or the materials used to do the work.
Uprights
The vertical parts of a chair back, formed as continuations of the rear legs.
V
V-Cuts
Incising cuts made with a V-shaped carving chisel. In spindle turning, incising cuts made with the toe of a skew chisel.
Varnish
A liquid preparation, or transparent coating, that dries when spread over the surface of wood and forms a hard lustrous surface. Varnish is made from copal gum dissolved in linseed oil. A good varnish suitable for furniture should be transparent, dry hard, resist heat and moisture. It should be tough enough to withstand a great deal of wear over a long period of time.
Vase Turned
See turned leg.
Veneer
A very thin sheet, usually of wood, applied with glue directly to the surface of a piece of furniture, or to a core of plywood or MDF. Veneers cut from burr timber are particularly decorative and often used in show areas such as door panels.
Vernis Martin
A generic term for all varnish and lacquer (japanning) used in France in imitation of oriental lacquer, but specifically referring to the four Martin brothers, who were granted a monopoly on imitation relief lacquer in 1730.
Vitruvian Scroll
A classically-derived ornamental device in the form of a series of scrolls resembling waves.
W
Walnut
A hard cabinet wood, chocolate brown in color. It is tough, dense, durable, and very strong in comparison to its weight. It is used to make furniture of the highest quality.
Warp
Curved as opposed to being flat; bent out of shape.
Wash Coat
A greatly watered down sealer or surface coating, diluted with a thinning agent. The purpose of using a wash coat is usuallv to hold down stain or coloring matter and prevent it from bleeding through into subsequent finish coats.
Water Stain
Made by mixing dry powders with water. They come in a variety of colors and are inexpensive but tend to raise the grain, especially when brushed on.
Webbed Foot
A foot used in the Queen Anne style on the bottom of cabriole legs. It has three toes with simulated webbs carved in the grooves separating the toes.
Webbing
A tough banding made, of jute fiber used to support coil springs in upholstered furniture.
Wind
The warping of a board on an angle from corner to opposite corner.
Windsor Chair
A light chair composed of slender turned spindles.
Wing Chair
An upholstered armchair with wings on each side. These were originally intended to ward off drafts of cold air.
Wire Edge
The turned up, paper-thin edge of a plane blade, turned up as a result of whetting it on the oilstone.
Wrought Iron
The iron from which early American hardware was made. It is a malleable iron, easily worked on the forge.
X
X Frame
An arrangement of diagonal stretchers joining the front and back legs of a piece of furniture and crossing to form an X.