Antiquity Dictionary
antique
term glossary in alphabetical order
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Abalone
A small marine snail whose shell is used for ornament or decoration
Abrash
Tone differences within the color of a rug, normally due to
variations in the dyes.
Acanthus
Ornament based on the leaves of the acanthus plant. It became
popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Acid Engraving
Technique of decorating glass by coating it in resin, incising
a design and exposing the revealed areas to hydrochloric acid
fumes.
Acid Gilding
19th century technique for decorating pottery whereby the
surface is etched with hydroflouric acid and the low-relief
pattern gilded
Acorn Knop
Wine glass stem in the shape of an uptorned acorn with the
cup uppermost
Agate Ware
18th century pottery veined or marbled to look like agate
Air-beaded
Glass containing bubbles of air to resemble strings of beads
Air-twist
Helical decoration in the stem of wine glasses developed in
the mid-1700's, in which an air bubble in the glass is drawn
out and twisted to form spirals.
Albarello
A pottery vessel, sometimes in the shape of an hourglass,
used for storing pharmecutical ingredients.
Ale Glass
Drinking glass with a tall stem and a tall, narrow bowl, with
a capacity of 3-4 ounces, used for strong beer, often decorated
with images of barley and hops from the 18th century.
All-bisque Doll
Doll with body, limbs and head made of buiscuit fired ceramic.
Amboyna
Yellowish-brown burred wood imported from the West Indies
and often used as a veneer
American Victorian
The period between 1830-1900 that incorporates several styles
of furniture: Victorian, Gothis, Victorian Rococo, Victorian
Renaissance ans Eastlake.
Americana
Antiques and collectibles that reflect the growth and character
of American culture.
Amish
Followers of Jacob Amman who made up a religious sect that
settled in Pennsylvania during the 1700's. They produce quilts
and other simply designed handicrafts that are highly prized.
Anchor Escapement
Said to have been invented about 1670 by Robert Hook or William
Clement. A type of escape mechanism shaped like an anchor,
which engages at precise intervals with the toothed escape
wheel. The anchor permits the use of a pendulum (either long
or short) and gives greater accuracy than was possible with
the verge escapement
Arabesque
Scrolling foliate decoration
Architect's Table
Table or desk, the top of which adjusts to provide an angled
work area.
Arita
Name of a district in Hizen province on the island of Kyushu
located in South-west Japan, famous for it's porcelain manufacture.
Also used as generic term for blue and white or polychrome
porcelain produced for the Japanese home market.
Armoire
A large French cupboard or wardrobe, usually very large. A
case piece used for hanging or storing clothes.
Astrolabe
Ancient instrument used to calculate the position of the stars
and other measurements.
Aubusson
French town, the center of production of tapestries and tapestry-weave
carpets since the 17th century although formal workshops were
not established until circa 1743
Automaton
Any moving toy or decorative object, usually powered by a
clockwork mechanism.
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Ball-jointed Doll
A doll with ball-jointed limbs, able to swivel in all directions,
as opposed to siff-jointed
Baluster Stem
Glass with a swelling stem, like an architectural baluster.
Considerd a "true" baluster stem if the thicker
swelling is beneath, "inverted" if above. From the
late 17th century.
Barbotine
French word for majolica
Barley-twist
Form of turning popular in the late 17th century which resembles
a spiral of traditional barley sugar.
Basalt(es)
Black stoneware with a smooth, stone-like finish; perfected
by Josiah Wedgewood
Bauhaus
An influential art school established in Germany in 1919.
The name is now almost synonymous with design style
Bebe
Type of French doll made by Bru and others in the latter half
of the 19th century, modelled on idealized children between
8-12 years old
Bezel
The ring, usually brass surrounding the dial of a clock and
securing the glass cover.
Bianco-sopra-bianco
Literally white on white, used in ceramics to describe an
opaque white pattern painted on an off-white background.
Bisque
French term for biscuit ware, or unglazed porcelain
Bladed Knop
Knop with a concave outward curve, ending in a sharp edge
Bluejohn
A blue or purple variety of flourspar mined in Derbyshire,
used for vases, tazza, small ornaments, etc.
Bombe'
Outswelling, curving or bulging. Term used to describe a chest
with a bulging front. In fashion from Louis XV period.
Bonheur du Jour
Small French writing table of delicate proportions with a
raised back comprising a cabinet or shelves
Borne
French sofa, either round or oval, with a pillar in the center,
and seating all the way around.
Boteh
A stylised floral bush similar to a paisley design found on
rugs
Bowfront
An outwardly curving front
Bracket Clock
Originally a 17th century clock which had to be set high up
on a bracket because of the length of the weights; now sometimes
applied to any mantel or table clock
Buffet
A piece of furniture comprising a number of drawers or shelves
- typically open
Bureau Bookcase
Bureau with a glazed fronted bookcase fitted above it
Bureau Cabinet
Bureau with a solid doored or mirrored cabinet fitted above
it, often containing further fitted cupboards or drawers.
Bureau de Dame
Writing desk of delicate appearance and designed for use by
ladies. Usually raised above slender cabriole legs and with
one or two external drawers
Bureau-plat
French writing table with a flat top and drawers in the frieze
Busby
A military fur hat with a bag hanging from one side, often
with a plume. Worn originally by 18th Century Hungarian hussars.
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Cabaret Set
A tea set on a tray for three or more people
Caddy
A container for tea, usually silver but also ceramic, wood
or enamel. Wooden caddies are usually fitted with two compartments
and contain a spoon and glass bowl for blending two types
of tea leaf
Cadogan
Lidless, peach-shaped teapot which is held upside down to
be filled a the base. A tube leading up from the base ensures
the contents do not spill when it is upright. Said to have
been inspired by a Chinese wine pot.
Calamander
A hardwood, imported from Sri Lanka (of the same family as
ebony), used in the Regency period for making small articles
of furniture, as a veneer and for crossbanding
Camaieu
Porcelain decoration using different tones of a single color
Cameo Glass
Two or more layers of colored glass in which the top layer/s
are then cut or etched away to create a multi-colored design
in relief. An ancient technique popular with Art Nouveau glassmakers
in the early 20th century.
Candle Slide
Small wooden slide designed to carry a candlestick.
Carlton House Desk
A distinct type of writing desk which has a raised back at
with drawers extending forward at the sides to create an "enclosed"
writing area. Named after the Prince Regent's London home.
Carousel Figures
Horses and other animals from fairground carousels or roundabouts,
usually classifed as either "jumpers" or "standers"
depending on their pose.
Carte-de-visite
Portrait photograph, usually full length, but occasionally
head and shoulders, mounted on a small card. Mass-produced
during the mid-19th century.
Cartouche
An ornate tablet or shield surrounded by scrollwork and foliage,
often bearing an inscription, monogram or coat of arms.
Caryatid
Strictly a female figure used as a support in place of a column,
but frequently used to describe a figure of either sex
Cased Glass
One layer of glass, often colored, sandwiched between two
plain glass layers or vice versa, the outer layer engraved
to create a decorative effect. This is an ancient technique
revived in the 19th century.
Castelli
Maiolica from the Abruzzi region of Italy, noted for the delicate
landscapes painted by members of the Grue family
Caudle Cup
Two-handled drinking mug of the 17th and 18th centuries, often
with a lid.
Celadon
Chinese stonewares with an opaque grey-green glaze, first
made in the Sung dynasty and still made today, principally
in Korea
Cellaret
Lidded container on legs designed to hold wine. The interior
is often divided into sections for individual bottles
Chaise Lounge
An elongated chair, the seat long enough to support the sitter's
legs
Champleve
Enameling on copper or bronze, similar to cloisonne', in which
a glass paste is applied to the hollowed out design, fired
and ground smooth
Chapter Ring
The circular ring on a clock dial on which the hours and minutes
are engraved, attached or painted.
Character Doll
One with a naturalistic face, especially laughing, crying,
pouting, etc.
Character Jug
20th century earthenware jugs and sometimes mugs, depicting
a popular character, such as a politician, general, jockey,
or actor.
Chasing
Technique for ornamenting silver by indenting the metal in
linear patterns with a hammer and punches.
Chesterfield
Type of large, overstuffed, button-backed sofa introduced
in the late 19th century.
Chiffonier
Generally a twin door cupboard with one or two drawers above
and surmounted by shelves.
Chimera
Decorative motif which originated in classical mythology;
combines the features of a winged goat or lion with a serpent's
tail.
Chinese Export Porcelain
16th - 18th century wares made in china specifically for export
and often in European designs.
Chinese Imari
Chinese imitations of Japanese blue, red and gold painted
Imari wares, made from the early 18th century.
Chinoiserie
The fashion, prevailing in the late 18th century, for Chinese-style
ornamentation in porcelain, wallpapers and fabrics, furniture
and garden architecture.
Chromes
Term for modern postcards published from about 1940 on, photos
with shiny finish.
Chryselephantine
Originally a combination of gold and ivory, but now a term
used for Art Deco statues made of ivory and a metal, usually
bronze.
Cistern Tube
A mercury tube fitted into stick barometers, the lower end
of which is sealed into a boxwood cistern.
Claw-and-ball Foot
A carved foot, shaped like a ball held in a talon or claw.
Cleat
A strip of wood attached to the edge of a flat surface across
the grain for neatness and extra strength.
Clock Garniture
A matching group of clock and vases or candelabra made for
the mantel shelf, often highly ornate.
Clock Jack
Windup instrument with springs for turning a spit over an
open fire.
Cloisonne
Enamelling on metal with divisions in the design separated
by lines of fine metal wire. A specialty of the Limoges region
of France in teh Middle Ages, and of Chinese craftsmen to
the present day.
Cocuswood
Wood from a tropiocal American tree, used for inlay, turning,
musical instruments, etc.
Coffer
By strict definition, a coffer is a travelling trunk whicg
is banded by metalwork and covered with leather or other material.
However, the word tends to be used to describe various kinds
of chests without drawers.
Coiffeuse
A french term for a dressing table
Colonial
An American object made in the style of the period when the
country consisted of 13 colonies, usually of the 17th century
or early 18th century.
Commedia dell'Artre
Figures from traditional Italian theater (Harlequin, Columbine,
Scaramouche, Pantaloon) often depicted in 18th century porcelain
groups.
Compote
A dish on a supporting stem or a stand usually used to hold
fruit ,candy or sometimes relishes, in which case the dish
or bowl may be divided or segmented.
Cordial Glass
Smaller version of a wine glass, with a thick stem, heavy
foot and small bowl; evolved in the 17th century for strong
drink.
Coromandel
Imported wood from the Coromandel coast of India, of similar
blackish appearance to calamander and used from circa 178-
for banding, and for small pieces of furniture.
Country Furniture
General term for furniture made by provincial craftsmen; cottage
furniture and especially that made of pine, oak, elm and the
fruitwoods.
Countwheel
A wheel with segments cust out of the edge or with pins fitted
to one face, which controls the striking of a clock. Also
known as a locking plate.
Credenza
Used today to describe a type of side cabinet which is highly
decorated and shaped. Originally it was an Italian sideboard
and used as a serving table.
Crested China
Porcelain decorated with colorful heraldic crests, first made
by Goss but by 1900, being produced in quantity by manufacturers
throughout the UK and Germany.
Cup-and-cover
Carved decoration found on the bulbous turned legs of some
Elizabethan furniture.
Cut Glass
Glass carved with revolving wheels and abrasive to create
sharp-edged facets that reflect and refract light so as to
sparkle and achieve a prismatic effect. Revived in Bohemia
in the 17th century and common until superseded by pressed
glass for utilitarian objects.
Cymric
The trade name used by Liberty & Co. for a mass produced
range of silverware, inspired by Celtic art, introduced in
1899 and often incorporating enamelled pictorial plaques.
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Daisho
A matching pair of samurai swords or a sword and dagger set.
From the 15th century.
Deadbeat Escapement
A type of anchor escapement possibly invented by George Graham
and used in precision pendulum clocks.
Delft
Dutch tin-glazed earthenwares named after the town of Delft,
the main production area, from the 16th century onwards. Similar
pottery made in England from the late 16th century is also
termed delft or "delftware".
Della Robbia
Florentine Renaissance sculptor who invented techniques of
applying vitreous glaze to terracotta; English art pottery
made at Birkenhead in the late 19th century, in imitation
of his work.
Deltiology
The hobby of collecting postcards
Deutsche Blumen
Painted naturalistic flowers, single or in bunches, used as
porcelain decoration at Meissen in the mid-18th century.
Diaper
Surface decoration composed of repeated diamonds or squares,
often carved in low relief.
Die-stamping
Method of mass producing a design on metal by machine which
passes sheet metal between a steel die and a drop hammer.
Used for forming toys as well as cutlery, etc.
Drop-in-seat
Upholstered chair seat which is supported on seat rails but
which can be lifted out independently.
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Ecuelle
17th and 18th century vessel, usually of silver, but also
of ceramic, for serving soup. Has a shallow circular bowl
with two handles and a domed cover. It also comes complete
with a stand.
Electroplate
The process of using electrical current to coat a base metal
or alloy with silver or gold, invented in the 1830's and gradually
superseding Sheffield plate.
Enamel
Colored glass, applied to metal, ceramic or glass in paste
form and then fired for decorative effect.
Entablature
The part of a structure which surmounts a column and rests
on the capital; the cornice, frieze and architrave.
Ephemera
is a term used to embrace a wide range of minor,
everyday documents, most intended for one-time or short-term
use, including postcards, broadsides and posters, baseball
cards, tickets, bookmarks, photographs-and the list goes on.
Collecting ephemera has been an ardent pursuit for centuries.
In the Victorian era, especially, collecting trade cards,
greeting cards, and chromolithographs for pasting into scrap
albums was a popular pastime for both young and old. Today
as in years past, items from earlier times that have somehow
survived to delight, our eyes, feed our minds, and offer unique
windows into our ancestors' lives interest us as collectors.
EPNS
Electroplated nickel silver; i.e. nickel alloy covered with
a layer of silver using the electroplate process.
Escapement
The means or device which regulates the release of the power
of a timepiece to it's pendulum or balance.
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Faience
"An earthenware product covered with a tin-enamelled
(stanniferous) glaze" (Ref: French Faience Fantaisie
et Populaire of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Millicent Mali,
United Printing, 1986.
Fairings
Mold made figure groups in cheap porcelain, produced in great
quantity in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially in Germany;
often humorous and sentimental. So called because they were
sold, or given away as prizes at fairs.
Famille Jaune
"Yellow Family"; Chinese porcelain vessels in which
yellow is the predominant ground color.
Famille Noir
"Black Family"; Chinese porcelain in which black
is the predominant ground color.
Famille Rose
"Pink Family"; Chinese porcelain in which pink to
purple is the predominant ground color.
Famille Verte
"Green Family"; Chinese porcelain in which green
is the predominant ground color overlaid with yellows, blues,
purples and iron red.
Fauteuil
French open-armed drawing room chair.
Fiddleback
Descriptive of a particular grain of mahogany veneer which
resembles the back of a violin.
Fielded Panel
A panel with bevelled or champfered edges.
Filigree
Lacy openwork of silver or gold thread, produced in large
quantities since the end of the 19th century.
Flag Bottom Chair
Chair made with a rush seat.
Flatware
(1) Collective name for flat pottery such as plates, dishes
and saucers, as opposed to cups, vases and bowls. (2) Cutlery.
Flow Blue
A process used principally after 1840, in which flowing powder
is added to the dye used in blue and white transferware so
that the blue flows beyond the edges of the transfer, rendering
the pattern less sharply defined. Items using this process
were made primarily for the American market.
Fluted
A border that resembles a scalloped edge, used as a decoration
on furniture, glass, silver and porcelain items.
Frigger
A decorative, but impracticle object created from the end
of day "leftover" glass to showw off the skill of
the glass blower. Typical items include ships, pipes, hats,
musical instruments, etc.
Frosted Glass
Glass with a surface pattern made to resemble frost patterns
or snow crystals; common on pressed glass vessels for serving
cold confections.
Frozen Charlotte
One-piece china doll with no moveable parts.
Fuddling Cup
A novelty vessel often with three or more small cups that
had interlinked handles. The idea was to drink from one cup
without spilling the contents of the others. From the 17th
and 18th centuries.
Fusee
18th century clockwork invention; a cone shaped drum, linked
to the spring barrel by a length of chain or gut. The shape
compensates for the declining strength of the mainspring thus
ensuring constant timekeeping.
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Gadroon
A border or ornament comprising radiating lobes of either
straight or curved form, used from the late Elizabethan period
on.
Gesso
A plaster like coating used on wood before gilding, painting
or applying inlay. Usually composed of plaster or can be made
by heating glue and adding whiting or powdered chalk.It is
believed that this process was developed in Italy or France.
No date of origin is known for sure , but it is quite possible
it was the 16th or 17th century.
Gilding
Process of applying thin gold foil to a surface.
Girandole
A carved and gilt candle sconce incorporating a mirror, often
of asymetrical design.
Glasgow School
A term used to describe the style developed in the late 19th
century by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his followers, a
simplified linear form of Art Nouveau highly influential in
the Continental work of the period.
Grisaille
Monochrome decoration, usually gray, used on ceramics and
furniture during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Gueridon
A small circular table designed to carry some form of lighting.
Gul
From the persian word for flower - usually used to describe
a geometric flowerhead on a rug.
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Hallmark
Collective term for all the marks found on gold and silver.
Hand-pressed
Any glass object made in a hand operated press rather than
a machine press.
Hard Paste
True porcelain made of china stone (petuntse) and kaolin;
the formula was long known and kept a secret by Chinese potters
but only discovered in the 1720's in Europe. Recognized by
it's hard, glossy feel.
Hardwood
One of two basic categories of timber. Trees which replace
their leaves every year.
Harewood
Sycamore which has been stained a greenish color. It is used
mainly as an inlay and was known as silverwood in the 18th
century.
Hausmaler
The German term for an independent painter or workshop specializing
in the decoration of faience, porcelain or glass blanks.
Herati
An overall repeating design of a flowerhead within a lozenge
issuing small leaves. Used in descriptions of rugs.
Hirado
Japanese porcelain with fugure and landscape painting in blue
on a white body, often depicting boys at play, made exclusively
for the Lords of Hirado, near Arita, in the mid 18th to mid
19th centuries.
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Imari
Export Japanese porcelain of predominately red, blue and gold
decoration which although made in Arita, is called Imari after
the port from which it was shipped.
Indianische Blumen
Indian Flowers; painting on porcelain in the Oriental style,
especially on mid 18th century Meissen.
Intaglio
Incised gem stone, often set in a ring, used in antiquity
and during the Renaissance as a seal. Any incised decoration;
the opposite of carving in relief.
Ironstone
Stoneware, patented 1813 by Charles James Mason, containing
ground glassy slag, a by-product of iron smelting, for extra
strength.
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Jacobite Glass
Wine Glasses engraved with symbols of the Jacobites (supporters
of Prince Charles Edward Stuart's claim to the English throne).
Genuine examples date from 1746 to 1788. Countless later copies
and forgeries exist.
Jadeite
A type of jade, normally the best and most desirable.
Jugendstile
German Art Nouveau style.
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Kakiemon
Family of 17th century Japanese porcelain decorators who produced
wares decorated with flowers and figures on a white ground
in distinctive colors: azure, yellow, turquoise and soft red.
Widely imitated in Europe.
Kakihan
mark of Japanese artist, used to identify metalwork, netsuke,
ceramics and lacquer
Kilim/Kelim
Flat woven rugs lacking a pile; also the flat woven fringe
used to finish off the ends of a pile carpet.
Kiku Mon
Japanese stylized chrysanthemum.
Knop
Knob, a protuberance or swelling in the stem of a wine glass,
of various forms which can be used as an aid to dating and
provenance.
Kovsh
A Russian vessel used for measuring drink, often highly decorated
for ornamental purposes. From the late 18th century.
Kraak Porselin
A Dutch term for porcelain raided from Portugese ships, used
to describe the earliest Chinese porcelain.
Krater
An ancient Greek vessel for mixing water abd wine in which
the mouth is always the widest part.
Kufic
Angular Arabic script, used in rugs to refer to a stylized
geometric calligraphy.
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Lambing Chair
Sturdy chair with a low seat. Frequently over a drawer or
cupboard, traditionally used by shepherds at lambing time.
It has tall enclosed sides for protection against drafts.
Laub und Bandwerk
Literally: leaf and strapwork; German term for baroque cartouches
that surround a pictorial reserve on porcelain pieces.
Linenfold
Carved decoration which resembles folded linen.
Linens
Postcards published from approx. 1930-45 which have a fabric-like
finish.
Lopers
Sliding wooden rails supporting the desk panel of a bureau
or the leaf of a folding table.
Lorgnette
A pair of opera glasses, or spectacles, mounted on a handle.
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Made Up
Term used to describe a piece of furniture that has been put
together from parts of other pieces of furniture. See marriage.
Maiolica
Tin glazed earthenware produced in Italy from the 15th century
through the present.
Majolica
A heavily potted, molded earthenware covered in transparent
glazes in distinctive, often sombre colors, developed by the
Minton factory in the mid 19th century.
Marriage
The joining together of two unrelated parts to form one piece
of furniture. See Made Up.
Marvering
An ancient technique where hot threads of softened glass are
rolled over a flat surface to smooth and fuse the glass and
to fix trailed decoration.
Mater
A thick, round plate on an astrolabe with a shaped projection
to take the suspension ring and which houses discs of brass
engraved with scales.
Mihrab
Prayer niche with a pointed arch; the motif which distinguishes
a prayer rug from other types.
Meiping
Chinese for cherry blossom, used to describe a tall vase,
with high shoulders, small neck and narrow mouth, used to
display flowering branches.
Millefiori
Multi-colored, or mosaic glass, made since antiquity by fusing
a number of colored glass rods into a cane and cutting thin
sections, used often to decorate paperweights.
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Netsuki
Japanese carved toggles made to secure sagemono ("Hanging
things") to the obi (waist belt) from a cord; usually
of ivory, lacquer, silver or wood from the 16th century.
Niello
A black metal alloy or enamel used for filling in engraved
designs on silverware.
Nulling
Decorative carving in the form of irregular fluting which
is usually found on early oak furniture.
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Oinochoe
In ancient times, a small jug with handles.
Okimono
A small finely carved Japanese ornament.
Ormulu
Strictly, gilded bronze but sometimes used loosely for any
yellow metal.
Overlay
In cased glass, the top layer, usually engraved to reveal
a different colored layer beneath.
Overmantel
Area above the shelf on a mantelpiece, often consisting of
a mirror in an ornate frame, or some architectural feature
in wood or stone.
Overstuffed
Descriptive of upholstered furniture where the covering extends
over the frame of the seat.
Ovolo
(1) Molding of convex quarter circle section. Sometimes found
around the edges of drawres to form a small overlap onto the
carcase. (2) Small oval convex molding chiefly used in repetition.
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Palmette
In rugs, a cross section through a stylized flowerhead or
fruit.
Papier Mache'
Molded paper pulp.
Parisienne Doll
French Bisque head fashion doll with a stuffed kid leather
body, made by various manufacturers between 1860 and 1890.
Pate
Crown of a doll's head to which was attached the wig or hair.
Usually of cork in higher quality dolls.
Pate-sur-pate
Much copied 19th century Sevres porcelain technique of applying
colored clay to the body before firing.
Percussion Lock
Early 19th century firearm, one of the first to fired by the
impact of a sharp-nosed hammer on the cartridge cap.
Pewter
Alloy of tin and lead; the higher the tin content the higher
the quality. Sometimes with small quantities od antimony added
to make it harder with a highly polished surface.
Pier Glass
Mirror designed to be fixed to the pier, or wall between two
high window openings, often partnered with a matching pier
table.
Pole Screen
Small adjustable screen mounted on a pole and designed to
stand in front of an open fire and shield a lady's face from
the heat.
Portrait Doll
Doll modelled after a well-known figure.
Poupard
Doll without legs, often mounted on a stick. Popular in 19th
century.
Poured Wax Doll
One made by pouring melted wax into a mold.
Powder Flask
Device for measuring out a precise quantity of priming powder
and made to be suspended from a musketeer's belt or bandolier
and often ornately decorated.
Powder Horn
Hollowed out cow's horn, plugged at the wide end with a wooden
piece and fitted with a measuring device at the narrow end,
used by musketeers for dispensing a precise quantity of gunpowder.
Pressed Glass
Early 19th century invention, exploited rapidly in America,
wherby mechanical pressure was used to form glassware in a
mold.
Pung Seat
Removable wagon seat.
Puzzle Jug
Type of jug made from the 17th century, especially in delft
ware, with a siphon system and several spouts, none of which
will pour unless the others are blocked.
Pyx/Pyxis
A small box used in anciant times to hold medicines.
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Quarter Clock
A clock which strikes the quarter and half hours as well as
the full hours.
Quarter-veneered
Four consecutively cut, and therefore identical, pieces of
veneer laid at opposite ends to each other to give a mirrored
effect.
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Rack
Tall superstructure above a dresser.
Register Plate
The scale of a barometer against which the mercury level is
read.
Regulator
Clock of great accuracy, thus sometimes used for controlling
or checking other timepieces.
Rete
A skeletal brass disc which is placed over the plates of an
astrolabe and which can be rotated to indicate the position
of the stars.
Rocaille
Shell and rock motifs found in rococo work.
Rosette
A round floral design ornament.
Roemer
Originally 16th/17th century German wide bowled wine glass
on a thick stem, decorated with prunts on a base of concentric
glass coils, often in green glass (Waldglas). Widely copied
throughout Europe in many forms.
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Sabre Leg
Elegant curving leg associated with furniture of the Regency
period but first appearing near the end of the 18th century.
Also known as Trafalgar leg.
Satinwood
A moderately hard, yellow or light brown wood, with a very
close grain, found in central and southern India, Coromandel,
Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Scripophily
The collecting of antique stocks, bonds and other securities
certificates.
Seal Bottle
Wine bottles with an applied glass medallion or seal personalized
with the owner's name, initials, coat of arms or a date. Produced
from the early 17th to the mid 19th century when bottles were
relatively expensive.
SFBJ
Societe Francaise de Fabrication de Bebes et Jouets; association
of doll makers founded 1899 by the merger of Jumeau, Bru and
others.
Shagreen
Skin of shark or ray fish, often used on sword grips and scabbards
Sheraton Revival
Descriptive of furniture produced in the style of Sheraton
when his designes gained revived interest during the late
Victorian and Edwardian period.
Siphon Tube
a U-shaped tube fitted into wheel barometers where the level
of mercury in the short arm is used to measure air pressure.
Six Hour Dial
Face of clock or timepiece with only six divisions instead
of twelve, often with the hours 1-6 in Roman numerals and
7-12 superimposed in Arabic numerals.
Soft Paste
An artificial porcelain made with the addition of ground glass,
bone ash or soapstone. Used by most European manufacturers
during the 18th century. Recognized by it's soft, soapy feel.
Softwood
One of two basic categories of timber. The softwoods are conifers
which generally have leaves in the form of needles, usually
evergreen. See hardwood.
Spandrel
Decoration in the corner of the field.
Spelter
Zinc treated to look like bronze and used as an inexpensive
substitute in Art Nouveau applique ornament and Art Deco figures.
Splat
A broad flat piece of wood forming the center upright on a
chair back. Origin apparently old english (middle).
Standish
Term for pre-18th century silver inkstand.
Stirrup Cup
Silver cup, without handles, so-called because it was served,
containing a suitable beverage, tuo huntsmen in the saddle
prior to their moving off. Often made in the shape of an animals
head.
Sympiesometer
An instrument that uses a gas and colored oil to record air
pressure.
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Table Ambulante
A small table which can be easily moved.
Table Clock
Early type of domestic clock, some say the predecessor of
the watch, in which the dial is set horizontally, often of
a drum shap.
Tallboy
An American term for a chest-on-chest
Tazza
Wide but shallow bowl on a stem with a foot; ceramic and metal
tazzas were made in antiquity and the form was revived by
Venetian glassmakers in the 15th century. Also made of silver
from the 16th century.
Tea Kettle
Silver or other metal, vessel intended for boiling water at
the table. Designed to sit over a spirit lamp, it sometimes
had a rounded base instead of flat.
Teapoy
Piece of furniture in the form of a tea caddy on legs, with
a hinged lid opening to reveal caddies, mixing bowl and other
tea drinking accessories.
Tear
Tear-drop shaped air bubble in teh stem of an early 18th century
wine glass, from which the air-twist evolved.
Term
A pillar or pedestal terminating in a human head or torso,
usually topless. See caryatid.
Tester
Wooden canopy over a bedstead supported on either two or four
posts. May extend fully over the bed, known as a full tester,
or only over the bedhead half, known as a half tester.
Tete a Tete
A tea set for two people.
Thuyawood
A reddish brown wood with distinctive small "bird's eye"
markings, imported from Africa and often used as a veneer.
Tin Glaze
Glassy opaque white glaze of tin oxide; re-introduced to Europe
in 14th century by Moorish potters; the characteristic glaze
of delft ware, faience, and maiolica.
Touch
Maker's mark stamped on much, but not all, early English pewter.
Their use was strictly controlled by the Pewterer's COmpany
of London: early examples consist of initials, later ones
are more elaborate and pictorial, sometimes including the
maker's address.
Transfer Printed
Ceramic decoration technique perfected mid 18th century and
used widely thereafter for mass produced wares. An engraved
design is transferred onto a slab of glue or gelatin (a bat),
which was then laid over the body of the vessel, leaving an
outline. This was sometimes colored by hand.
Trefoil
Three-cusped figure which resembles a symmetrical three lobed
leaf or flower.
Tsuba
Guard of a Japanese sword, usually consisting of an ornamental
plate.
Tudric
A range of Celtic-inspired Art Nouveau pewter of high quality,
designed for mass-production by Archibald Knox and others,
and retailed through Liberty & Co.
Tulipwood
Yellow-brown wood with reddish stripe imported from Central
and South America used as veneer and inlay.
Tyg
Mug with three or more handles
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Vargueno
A Spanish cabinet with a fall front enclosing drawers
Venetian Glass
Fine soda glass and colored glass blown and pinched into highly
ornamented vessels of intricate form. Made in Venice, and
widely copied from the 15th century.
Verge Escapement
Oldest form of escapement, found on clocks as early as AD1300
and still in use in 1900. Consisting of a bar (the verge)
with two flag shaped pallets that rock in and out of the teeth
of the corwn or escape wheel to regulate the movement.
Vernier Scale
A short scale added to the traditional 3 inche (7.5cm) scale
on stick barometers to give more precise readings.
Verre 'Eglomise
Painting on glass. Often the reverse side is covered in gold
or silver leaf through which a pattern is engraved and then
painted black.
Vesta Case
Ornate flat case of silver or other metal which is used for
carrying vestas, an early form of match. From mid 19th century.
Vitrine
French display cabinet which is often of bombe' or serpentine
outline and ornately decorated.
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Waxjack
A stand for holding a coil of sealing wax. First used in the
mid 1700's.
WMF
Short for the German Wurttemburgische Metalwarenfabrik, one
of the principal producers of Art Nouveau silver and silver-plated
products, early 20th century.
Wrythen
Twisted or plaited.
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