Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Cabriole Leg - A furniture leg with a double curve. A stylized form of an animal's hind leg with elongated S shape. Popular in the late 18th century and 19th century Europe.

Camel Back - Chair or sofa back of late Chippendale or Hepplewhite style. The top rail is in the form of a serpentine curve with two humps downward and three humps upward.

Caning - A woody stem of rattan or sugar cane used for wickerwork, seats of chairs, summer furniture, etc.

Canterbury - Ornamental stand having compartments and divisions for paper, portfolios, envelopes, magazines, etc.

Carver Chair - A type of Early American Chair

Carcase - The body or frame of a piece of furniture.

Case Furniture - Furniture which provides storage space

Case Hardening - A defect in lumber that occurs when a board is dried too fast.

Cassapanca - A long, wooden seat with wooden back and arms, the lower portion used as a chest with hinged lid.

Cassone - Italian dowry chest, often enhanced with carved, gilt, inlaid or painted decoration.

Casters - Small wheels fastened to supporting legs of heavy furniture to facilitate movement. First used in the early 19th century.

Cellaret - A portable chest, case, or cabinet for storing bottles, decanters, and glasses to prevent soiling or scratching of the plaster.

Chamfer - A beveled cut along the edge of a piece of furniture.

Check - A lumber defect caused by uneven shrinking of the wood during drying. A checked board has splits which develop lengthwise across the growth rings.

Chest-on-Chest - A chest of drawers consisting of two parts, one mounted on top of the other. Similar to a tallboy.

Chesterfield - An overstuffed sofa of large size with a continuous straight back and upholstered ends.

ChevronZigzag - pattern of Anglo-Saxon derivation often used on medieval, Gothic revival, and Art Deco pieces.

Chinoiserie - European adaptation of Oriental designs popular during late 17th century French, Rococo, and Regency periods. Motifs used include pagodas, fretwork, landscapes and rivers.

Chippendale - Thomas Chippendale 1718-1779 was one of the great cabinet makers of 18th century England. His work shows a refinement of rococo. First of his era to extensively use mahogany rather than walnut, the prevailing wood in the Early Georgian period. In 1754 he published "The Gentlemen's and Cabinetmaker's Directory," illustrating the styles of the day.

Cockfight Chair - Chair for reading and writing or viewing sports events used by straddling the seat and facing the back. The back has a small shelf. Popular from Queen Anne to Chippendale periods.

Comb Back - Windsor chair back, with a central group of spindles that extend above the back and are crowned with an additional rail.

Commode - French form of low chest of drawers, originally intended for the drawing room, dating from the mid 17th century and very popular in the 18th century. Became a term for bedroom cupboards in the 19th century.

Compression Wood - Reaction wood that forms on the lower side of a leaning softwood tree.

Console Table - A small table that can be attached to the wall in the back having two legs in front or can be free standing against the wall.

Conversation Chair - S Shaped chair meant to seat two people facing in opposite directions. Used in the 18th and 19th centuries. Also referred to as a tête-à-tête.

Cope-and-stick joint - A method of construction raised panel doors where the tongues of the rails (horizontal) connect to the grooves of the stiles (vertical).

Corner Cupboard - Late 17th century cupboard designed to fit into the corner of a room. Can be either hanging or free standing.

Cord - A unit of measure for firewood stacked 4' long X 4' high X 8' long.

Cornice - The projecting, crowning portion of a classical entablature. Also horizontal molding at the top of case pieces, such as bookcases and cabinets.

Coromandel - An eastern wood, used for furniture and often treated with a lacquered pattern.

Countersink - A tool that allows you to drill a hole so that the head of a screw will sit flush with the face of a board.

Credenza - Sideboard with doors surmounted drawers, used for storage.

Crook - A lumber defect where there is an edgewise warp effecting the straightness of the board.

Crosscut - A cut made perpendicular to the grain of a board.

Crotch Veneer - A thin sheet of wood cut from the intersection of the main trunk and branch of a tree, showing an irregular effect in graining.

Crown Molding - The highest molding on a door, window, or cabinet.

Cup - A defect in the lumber where the face of the board warps up like the letter U.