Antique Furniture terms – Know the Lingo
Here is a list of antique furniture terms used in the antique trade and I thought it would be interesting for you to know what all the different words mean.
acanthus
An acanthus is a leafy carved ornament on antique furniture from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian era.
Apron
An apron is at the bottom of cabinets, linen presses and bookcases.
Arcading
Arcading is a carved architectural ornament in the shape of arches. Can be seen on chair-backs and applied on panels on coffers and in some cupboard doors.
Astragal
Astragal is a small moulding used on glass for glazing bars and is called astragal glazing.
Armoire
An armoire is a wardrobe or tall cupboard.
Ash
Ash is a figured hardwood and was commonly used in the arts and crafts period.
Baize
Baize is a lining cloth usually in card tables and is usually green in colour.
Ball-and-Claw Foot
A Ball-and-Claw is a carved claw grasping a ball on the feet of some antique tables and chairs.
Banding
Banding is a decorative, inlaid border around a piece of furniture on the edges.
Baroque
Bead
Bead or beading is a moulding that is on antique furniture.
Beech
Beech is a wood with very little grain and was used for more less expensive furniture in the Edwardian period.
Bergere
Bergere is an antique armchair which is caned or upholstered.
Birch
Birch is a hardwood with a close grain and is a very strong wood.
Bevel
A bevel or bevelled edge is an edge that has been cut at a slant, can be seen on the edges of mirrors.
Biedermeier
Biedermier is a style of continental furniture produced in Austria and Germany during the Victorian period.
Birds eye maple
birds eye maple is a decorative wood from maple and has a striking grain which resembles small birds eyes.
Bombe
Bombe is a French term, meaning "blown out", describing a large outward swelling curve on the front of a piece of furniture, we have had a very nice antique bombe wardrobe in the past.
Bonheur-du-jour
A Bonheur-du-jour is a small, pretty lady’s writing desk
Bracket foot
A Bracket foot is used on a chest or a cabinet usually in the Georgian period. It is a straight corner edge and curved inner edges.
Breakfront
A breakfront is a piece with a front that steps forward.
Burl
Burl or Burr is a curly-grained veneered surface cut from irregular growths of the tree.
Bun foot
A bun foot is a foot that resembles a slightly flattened ball shape.
Bureau
An antique bureau is a desk with a sloping fall-front. The fall front is hinged above a chest of drawers.
Cabriole leg
A Cabriole leg is a leg with a curve and has a hoof, bun, paw, claw and ball or scrolled feet.
Camel back
A camel back is a chair or sofa back in the shape of a serpentine curve with two humps downward and three humps upward.
Candelabra
A Candelabra is a branched candlestick and can be found on dressing tales and some chests.
Caning
Caning is a form of wicker work for seats of chairs.
Canted
A canted surface is bevelled, chamfered usually on the corners of chest of drawers and are called canted corners.
Canterbury
A Canterbury is an ornamental stand having divisions for papers etc.
Carcase
A carcase is the term used for the body of a piece of furniture.
Carlton House Desk
The first Carlton House desk was made for George IV, then the Prince of Wales, living at Carlton House in London.
cartouche
A cartouche is usually oval in shape, and is an ornamental motif with curved or scrolling edges.
Cellaret
A cellaret is a portable cabinet for storing bottles, decanters and glasses.
Chaise lounge
A Chaise lounge is a long chair designed for relaxing and is usually upholstered.
Chesterfield
A chesterfield is an overstuffed upholstered sofa.
Chest-on-chest
A chest on chest is a chest of drawers on top of a chest of drawers.
Cheval mirror
An antique cheval mirror is a large tilting mirror, usually standing on the floor.
chiffonier
A chiffonier is a small sideboard from the regency or early Victorian periods.
Chippendale
Thomas Chippendale 1718-1779 was one of the greatest cabinet makers of the 18th-century in England.
Cock beading
Cock beading is small moulding, around the edges of drawers.
Commode
A commode is a low chest-of-drawers.
Console table
An antique console table is a small table that can be attached to the wall or is thin to be placed in a hall.
Corbel
A corbel is a carved bracket and can be seen on the corners of antique bookcases.
Cornice
A cornice is a moulding at the top of furniture like bookcases or antique wardrobes.
Credenza
A credenza is a sideboard and is usually very elaborate with a mirror back and can be seen in burr walnut.
Cross banding
Cross banding is thin strips of decorative veneer that are cross-grained.
Davenport desk
An antique davenport is a small writing desk.
Dentil Moulding
dentil moulding is the moulding under the cornice consisting of a series of small rectangular shaped blocks or teeth.
Dovetail
Dovetail is a joint used to construct drawers.
Drop-leaf
A drop leaf is a leaf which is hinged to the side of a table.
Dowel
A dowel is a wood pi, used for constructing earlier pieces of antique furniture.
Drum table
A drum table is a round table with drawers in the frieze.
Dumbwaiter
A dumb waiter is a serving table.
Ebony
Ebony is the name of wood that is black in colour,
Ebonizing
Ebonizing is the staining of wood to black.
Elm
Elm is a light wood with very nice grain.
Escutcheon
An escutcheon is a metal plate fitted around a keyhole and are usually in brass.
Fielded panel
A Fielded panel has bevelled edges, enclosing a flat central panel.
Finial
A finial is a turned knob usually on top of some bookcases.
French polish
French polish is a high gloss finish.
Gallery
A Gallery is an ornamental metal or wood railing around the edge of a piece of furniture.
Gadrooning
Gadrooning is a series of small vertical, diagonal or twisted carvings used around the edges of tables..
Georgian
The Georgian period is English furniture from 1714 to 1800.
Gillows
Gillows was a cabinet maker in England.
Hepplewhite
Hepplewhite is an English designer from the18th century.
Horse hair
Horse hair is hair cloth, used for covering of chairs and used for upholstery.
Inlay
Inlay is a form of decoration used on antique furniture, using thin layers of wood.
Kneehole desk
An antique kneehole desk is a desk with pedestals down either side and has a central opening for your knees.
Lowboy
A Lowboy is a Chest of drawers mounted on short legs.
Mahogany
Mahogany is a wood used in the Georgian and Victorian period
Maple
Maple is a light coloured wood.
Marquetry
Marquetry is several shaped pieces of wood used as a veneer on furniture to create decorative patterns.
Nest of tables
A nest of tables is a group of tables, that fits under each other.
Oak
Oak is a hardwood.
Occasional table
An antique occasional table is a small table.
Ottoman
An ottoman is a low, upholstered seat which has storage space inside.
Partner’s desk
antique partners desk is a desk with drawers on either side.
Patina
Patina is a term used to describe a mellow sheen formed over years of use.
Pedestal
A Pedestal is a term for an upright support usually under tables.
Pediment
A Pediment is usually above a cabinet and can have scrolls.
Pembroke table
A Pembroke table is a small table with drop sides.
Pilaster
A Pilaster is a flattened column on the sides of furniture.
Plinth
A Plinth is the low square base of a piece of furniture.
Reeded moulding
Reeding is moulding with straight lines.
Regency
Regency is the Period from 1810-1820.
Rosewood
Rosewood is a wood that is beautifully figured.
Satinwood
Satinwood is a pale wood.
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a rectangular, coffin-shaped box.
Serpentine
Serpentine is a shaped like an s-curve
Shield back
A Shield back chair has the back in the shape of a shield
Sideboard
An antique sideboard is a large piece of dining-room furniture for storage.
Stretcher
A Stretcher is the rail at the bottom of chairs.
Stringing
Stringing is the term for decorative inlay in the form of fine lines.
Splat
A Splat is the flat central support on a chair’s back
Tallboy
A tallboy is a different word for an antique chest-on-chest.
Veneering
Veneering is the fixing of a thin layers of wood to the surface of a piece of furniture.
Zebrawood
Zebrawood is a wood with unusual stripes in the grain.
I hope this is helpful as these are very useful terms used in the descriptions of antique furniture.
