Antique Furniture 101

Dumb Waiter: a type of furniture stand, consisting of at least two - usually three - tiers, resting on a tripod base of cabriole or saber legs; tapering in size, the tiers are traditionally circular, but can be square; developed around 1740 in England, and used to hold serving dishes, it is another example of the numerous, portable pieces of furniture developed in the 18th century.

Gate Leg Table: a type of drop-leaf table, whose sides are attached to legs that are hinged beneath the tabletop; the legs swing out, gate-like, allowing the leaves to be raised; the tabletop itself is usually round or oval, and plain, while the legs are often elaborately turned or spiral and connected by stretchers. A single drawer is common. Most examples are made of oak, walnut or maple (if from New England), though fancier mahogany versions do exist.

Dating from the late 16th century, this Baroque piece of portable furniture flourished throughout the 17th century and is highly characteristic of Jacobean and William and Mary furniture, representing the less formal, more intimate dining customs of the period. It continued throughout the 1700s, gradually waning in favor of more graceful portable designs, such as the Pembroke table. The later 18th-century versions usually have thinner, simpler legs and rectangular tabletops.

Ladder-Back Chair: a slender chair whose back consists of two poles connected by several horizontal slats, resembling a ladder; the slats may be straight or slightly curved; dating from the Middle Ages, it is characteristic of country furniture, such as that made by the Shakers, though more formal versions exist

Also Known As: slat-back, ribbon-back (variation)

Lowboy: a small table with one or two rows of drawers, so called in contradistinction to the tallboy or highboy chest of drawers. Both were favorite pieces of the 18^th century, both in England and in the United States; the lowboy was most frequently used as a dressing-table (a called a dressing table in Britain), but sometimes as a side-table. It is usually made of oak, walnut or mahogany, with the drawer fronts mounted with brass pulls an escutcheons. The more elegant examples in the Queen Anne, early Georgian and Chippendale styles often have cabriole legs, carved knees, and slipper or claw-and-ball feet. The fronts of some examples also are sculpted with the scallop-shell motif beneath the center drawer.

A vanity is a form of lowboy usually equipped with a mirror, used for applying makeup or other fashion.

• Highboy: a type of case furniture, consisting of a chest-on-stand: two stacked pieces, with the top being a chest of drawers (typically two small ones at the top, then several of uniform or graduated depth below) that rests on a shorter, wider base that contains several smaller or shallower drawers; developed in England in the late 17th century, it became highly popular in the American colonies, especially the northeastern and mid-Atlantic ones, by 1730; early varieties were typical of William and Mary style, with flat tops, long ring-turned or trumpet legs with stretchers that rested on ball or bun feet; as the 18th century wore on, became typical of Queen Anne and Chippendale styles, resting on shorter cabriole legs with pad, paw or claw-and-ball feet; tops became more ornate, with scroll top pediments and finials.

Also Known As: tallboy (English variation)

Definitions..

·                             Original: An item that has never been altered or changed since it was made. No repairs or alterations. Normal wear and aging is expected and acceptable on furniture.

·                             Reproduction: A copy or close imitation of an item-- not intended to fool the consumer.

·                             Fake: An item that is created and sold falsely. The maker intended to fool the consumer and to misrepresent the item with the intent to defraud.

·                             Married- Pieces that are put together as one item that were not originally meant to go together. For example; the top of a kitchen cabinet added to the base of a cupboard.

·                             Circa: Indicates an approximate age.

·                             Patina: An acquired surface due to age, wear and time. The surface of many antiques will grow more beautiful with time and use. Can add value to an antique or collectible. One should use caution before cleaning or refinishing an item with patina.

·                             Antique: The legal definition is an item that is 100 years or older.

·                             Collectible: An item that has value because of its limited production but is less than 100 years old.

·                             Vintage: An item that has nostalgic value made between the 1920s and the 1980s.

·                             Handmade: Something made my hand. Implies that the maker was skilled in the production of the item.

·                             Homemade: Something made my hand but not necessarily from a skilled maker. Usually means that an item was made as a utilitarian object by the user.

·                             Manufactured or Mass Produced: Something made in a factory or by a machine and made in quantity.

·                             Limited Edition: An item produced in a preset number and then never produced again. Research should be done to determine the production number is not high and that the items are dated and marked with their individual production number. Investing in a limited edition item is a oftentimes a slippery slope.

·                             Maker's Mark: The brand or symbol added to an item to identify the maker or manufacturer. Can add value to an antique, collectible or limited edition item. An original signature on certain items also will add significant value.

·                             Case Piece: Furniture built with three or more sides held together by hardware and meant to be opened. An example would be a cupboard, chest or wardrobe.

·                             Ephemera: Paper collectibles that were originally meant to be thrown away after use. Such items include letters, calling cards, political pamphlets, movie posters, advertising hand fans and greeting cards to name a few.

·                             Period Antique: An item made during the time of its popularity. For example, a period Chippendale highboy would have been made by a skilled furniture maker in the period between 1725 and 1760.

·                             Period Country: An item made in the style of the period by a lesser skilled craftsman.

·                             Country: A handmade antique that was meant for utilitarian use and was not made by a skilled craftsman. In furniture, a country piece would've been made from local materials using the tools at hand. The end result was attractive as well as useful.

·                             Primitive: An item crudely made to serve a utilitarian need. For example, a table made for butchering.