Introduction to American Furniture Styles

Pilgrim Century Rush Seat Great ChairStyle: Pilgrim Century
Dating: 1620-1700
Major Wood(s): Oak
Characteristics of Pilgrim Century Case Pieces: Rectilinear low-relief carved panels; blocky and splint spindle trim
Characteristics of Pilgrim Century Seating Pieces: Shallow carved panels; spindle turnings

William And Mary Chest Of DrawersStyle: William and Mary
Dating: 1685-1720
Major Wood(s): Maple and walnut
Characteristics of William and Mary Case Pieces: Paint decorated chests on ball feet; chests on frames, construction; trumpet-turned legs; slant-front desks
Characteristics of William and Mary Seating Pieces: molded, carved crestrails; banister backs; cane, baluster, ball and block turnings; ball and Spanish feet

Queen Anne Chest On Frame DresserStyle: Queen Anne
Dating: 1720-50
Major Wood(s): Walnut
Characteristics of Queen Anne Case Pieces: Mathematical proportions of elements; use of the cyma or S-curve broken-arch pediments; arched panels, shell carving, star inlay; blocked fronts; cabriole legs and pad feet
Characteristics of Queen Anne Seating Pieces: Molded yoke-shaped crest rails; solid vase-shaped splats; rush or upholstered seats; cabriole legs; baluster, ring, ball and block-turned stretchers; pad and slipper feet

Chippendale Carved Walnut Side ChairStyle: Chippendale
Dating: 1750-85
Major Wood(s): Mahogany and walnut
Characteristics of Chippendale Case Pieces: Relief-carved broken-arch pediments; foliate, scroll, shell, fretwork carving; straight, bow or serpentine fronts; carved cabriole legs; claw and ball, bracket or ogee feet
Characteristics of Chippendale Seating Pieces: Carved, shaped crestrails with out-turned ears; pierced, shaped splats; ladder (ribbon) backs; upholstered seats; scrolled arms; carved cabriole legs or straight (Marlboro) legs; claw and ball feet

Federal Hepplewhite Shield Back ArmchairStyle: Federal (Hepplewhite)
Dating: 1785-1800
Major Wood(s): Mahogany and light inlays
Characteristics of Hepplewhite Case Pieces: More delicate rectilinear forms; inlay with eagle and classical motifs; bow, serpentine or tambour fronts; reeded quarter columns at sides; flared bracket feet
Characteristics of Hepplewhite Seating Pieces: Shield backs; upholstered seats; tapered square legs

Federal Sheraton Bow Front Chest Of DrawersStyle: Federal (Sheraton)
Dating: 1800-20
Major Wood(s): Mahogany and mahogany veneer and maple
Characteristics of Sheraton Case Pieces: Architectural pediments; acanthus carving; outset (cookie or ovolu) corners and reeded columns; paneled sides; tapered, turned, reeded or spiral-turned legs; bow or tambour fronts, mirrors on dressing tables
Characteristics of Sheraton Seating Pieces: Rectangular or square backs; slender carved banisters; tapered, turned or reeded legs

Classical Simple Large Classical BookcaseStyle: Classical (American Empire)
Dating: 1815-50
Major Wood(s): Mahogany and mahogany veneer and rosewood
Characteristics of American Empire Case Pieces: Increasingly heavy proportions; pillar and scroll construction; lyre, eagle, Greco-Roman and Egyptian motifs; marble tops; projecting top drawer; large ball feet, tapered fluted feet or hairy paw feet; brass, ormolu decoration
Characteristics of American Empire Seating Pieces: High-relief carving; curved backs; out-scrolled arms; ring turnings; sabre legs, curule (scrolled-S) legs; brass-capped feet, casters

Victorian Early Victorian SofaStyle: Victorian – Early Victorian
Dating: 1840-50
Major Wood(s): Mahogany veneer, black walnut and rosewood
General Characteristics of Victorian-Early Victorian Pieces: Pieces tend to carry over the Classical style with the beginnings of the Rococo substyle, especially in seating pieces.

Victorian Gothic Revival Shaving StandStyle: Victorian – Gothic Revival
Dating: 1840-90
Major Wood(s): Black walnut, mahogany and rosewood
Characteristics of Victorian-Gothic Revival Case Pieces: Architectural motifs; triangular arched pediments; arched panels; marble tops; paneled or molded drawer fronts; cluster columns; bracket feet, block feet or plinth bases
Characteristics of Victorian-Gothic Revival Seating Pieces: Tall backs; pierced arabesque backs with trefoils or quatrefoils; spool turning; drop pendants

Victorian Rococo Ebonized China CabinetStyle: Victorian – Rococo (Louis XV)
Dating: 1845-70
Major Wood(s): Black walnut, mahogany and rosewood
Characteristics of Victorian-Rococo (Louis XV) Case Pieces: Arched carved pediments; high-relief carving, S- and C-scrolls, floral, fruit motifs, busts and cartouches; mirror panels; carved slender cabriole legs; scroll feet; bedroom suites (bed, dresser, commode)
Characteristics of Victorian-Rococo (Louois XV) Seating Pieces: High-relief carved crestrails; balloon-shaped backs; urn-shaped splats; upholstery (tufting); demi-cabriole legs; laminated, pierced and carved construction (Belter and Meeks); parlor suites (sets of chairs, love seats, sofas)

Victorian Renaissance Revival Chest Of DrawersStyle: Victorian – Renaissance Revival
Dating: 1860-85
Major Wood(s): Black walnut, burl veneer, painted and grained pine
Characteristics of Victorian-Renaissance Revival Case Pieces: Rectilinear arched pediments; arched panels, burl veneer; applied moldings; bracket feet, block feet, plinth bases; medium and high-relief carving, floral and fruit, cartouches, masks and animal heads; cyma-curve brackets; Wooton patent desks
Characteristics of Victorian Renaissance Revival Seating Pieces: Oval or rectangular backs with floral or figural cresting; upholstery outlined with brass tacks; padded armrests; tapered turned front legs, flared square rear legs

Victorian Louis XVI ChairsStyle: Victorian – Louis XVI
Dating: 1865-75
Major Wood(s): Black walnut and ebonized maple
Characteristics of Victorian-Louis XVI Case Pieces: Gilt decoration, marquetry, inlay; egg and dart carving; tapered turned legs, fluted
Characteristics of Victorian-Louis XVI Seating Pieces: Molded, slightly arched crestrails; keystone-shaped backs; circular seats; fluted tapered legs

Victorian Eastlake Marble Topped Chest Of DrawersStyle: Victorian – Eastlake
Dating: 1870-95
Major Wood(s): Black walnut, burl veneer, cherry and oak
Characteristics of Victorian-Eastlake Case Pieces: Flat cornices; stile and rail construction; burl veneer panels; low-relief geometric and floral machine-carving; incised horizontal lines
Characteristics of Victorian-Eastlake Seating Pieces: Rectilinear; spindles; tapered, turned legs, trumpet-shaped legs

Victorian Jacobean Moorish Style Curio Cabinet On StandStyle: Victorian Jacobean and Turkish Revival
Dating: 1870-90
Major Wood(s): Black walnut and maple
Characteristics of Victorian Jacobean and Turkish Revival Case Pieces: A revival of some heavy 17th century forms, most commonly in dining room pieces
Characteristics of Victorian Jacobean and Turkish Revival Seating Pieces: Turkish Revival style features: oversized, low forms; overstuffed upholstery; padded arms; short baluster, vase-turned legs; ottomans, circular sofas Jacobean Revival style features: heavy bold carving spool and spiral turnings

Victorian Aesthetic Movement Curio CabinetStyle: Victorian – Aesthetic Movement
Dating: 1880-1900
Major Wood(s): Painted hardwoods, black walnut, ebonized finishes
Characteristics of Victorian-Aesthetic Movement Case Pieces: Rectilinear forms; bamboo turnings, spaced ball turnings; incised stylized geometric and floral designs, sometimes highlighted with gilt
Characteristics of Victorian-Aesthetic Movement Seating Pieces: Bamboo turning; rectangular backs; patented folding chairs

Art Nouveau Majorelle Settee.Style: Art Nouveau
Dating: 1895-1918
Major Wood(s): Ebonized hardwoods, fruitwoods
Characteristics of Art Nouveau Case Pieces: Curvilinear shapes; floral marquetry; whiplash curves
Characteristics of Art Nouveau Seating Pieces: Elongated forms; relief-carved floral decoration; spindle backs, pierced floral backs; cabriole legs

Turn Of The Century Golden Oak Chest Of Drawers With Large MirrorStyle: Turn-of-the-Century (Early 20th Century)
Dating: 1895-1910
Major Wood(s): Golden (quarter-sawn) oak, mahogany hardwood stained to resemble mahogany
Characteristics of Turn-of-the-Century Case Pieces: Rectilinear and bulky forms; applied scroll carving or machine-pressed designs; some Colonial and Classical Revival detailing
Characteristics of Turn-of-the-Century Seating Pieces: Heavy framing or high spindle-trimmed backs; applied carved or machine-pressed back designs; heavy scrolled or slender turned legs; often feature some Colonial Revival or Classical Revival detailing such as claw and ball feet

Mission Arts And Crafts Revolving Bookcase.Style: Mission (Arts and Crafts movement)
Dating: 1900-1915
Major Wood(s): Oak
Characteristics of Mission Case Pieces: rectilinear through-tenon construction; copper decoration, hand-hammered hardware; square legs
Characteristics of Missin Seating Pieces: Rectangular splats; medial and side stretchers; exposed pegs; corbel supports

Wicker Victorian Side TableStyle: Wicker
Dating: Mid-19th century - 1930
Major Wood(s): Natural woven wicker or synthetic fibers
General Characteristics of Wicker Pieces: Earlier examples feature tall backs with ornate lacy scrolling designs continuing down to the arms and aprons; tables and desks often feature hardwood (often oak) tops; after about 1910 designs were much simpler with plain tightly woven backs, arms and aprons; pieces were often given a natural finish but painted finishes in white or dark green became popular after 1900

Colonial Revival Federal Style China CabinetStyle: Colonial Revival
Dating: 1890-1930
Major Wood(s): Oak, walnut and walnut veneer, mahogany veneer
Characteristics of Colonial Revival Case Pieces: Forms generally following designs of the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries; details for the styles such as William and Mary, Federal, Queen Anne, Chippendale or early Classical were used but often in a simplified or stylized form; mass-production in the early 20th century flooded the market with pieces which often mixed and matched design details and used a great deal of thin veneering to dress up designs; dining room and bedroom suites were especially popular
Characteristics of Colonial Revival Seating Pieces: Designs again generally followed early period designs with some
mixing of design elements.

Art Deco ArmchairStyle: Art Deco
Dating: 1925-40
Major Wood(s): Bleached woods, exotic woods, steel and chrome
General Characteristics of Art Deco Case Pieces: Heavy geometric forms
General Characteristics of Art Deco Seating Pieces: Streamlined, attenuated geometric forms; overstuffed upholstery

Mid Century Modern Danish Ox Armchair.Style: Modernist or Mid-Century
Dating: 1945-70
Major Wood(s): Plywood, hardwood or metal frames
General Characteristics of Modernist or Mid-Century Pieces: Modernistic designers such as the Eames, Vladimir Kagan, George Nelson and Isamu Noguchi lead the way in post-War design. Carrying on the tradition of Modernist designers of the 1920s and 1930s, they focused on designs for the machine age, which could be mass-produced for the popular market. By the late 1950s many of their pieces were used in commercial office spaces and schools as well as in private homes.
Characteristics of Modernist or Mid-Century Case Pieces: Streamlined or curvilinear abstract designs with simple detailing; plain round or flattened legs and arms commonly used; mixed materials including wood, plywood, metal, glass and molded plastics
Characteristics of Modernist or Mid-Century Seating Pieces: Streamlined and abstract curvilinear designs generally using newer materials such as plywood or simple hardwood framing; Fabric and synthetics such as vinyl were widely used for upholstery with finer fabrics and real leather featured on more expensive pieces; seating made of molded plastic shells on metal frames and legs used on many mass-produced designs

Danish Modern Credenza SideboardStyle: Danish Modern
Dating: 1950-70
Major Wood(s): Teak
General Characteristics of Danish Modern Pieces: This variation of Modernistic post-war design originated in Scandinavia, hence the name; designs were simple and restrained with case pieces often having simple boxy forms with short rounded tapering legs; seating pieces have a simple teak framework with lines coordinating with case pieces; vinyl or natural fabric were most often used for upholstery; in the United States dining room suites were the most popular use for this style although some bedroom suites and general seating pieces were available.

Introduction to English Furniture Styles

Jacobean Oak Refrectory TableStyle: Jacobean
Dating: Mid-17th century
Major Wood(s): Oak, walnut
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Low-relief carving, geometrics and florals; panel, rail and stile construction; applied split balusters
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: Rectangular backs; carved and pierced crests; spiral turnings ball feet

William And Mary Side TableStyle: William and Mary
Dating: 1689-1702
Major Wood(s): Walnut, burl walnut veneer
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Marquetry, veneering; shaped aprons; 6-8 trumpet-form legs; curved, flat stretchers
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: carved, pierced crests; tall caned backs and seats; trumpet-form legs; Spanish feet

Queen Anne Hall MirrorStyle: Queen Anne
Dating: 1702-14
Major Wood(s): Walnut, mahogany, veneers
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Cyma curves; broken arch pediments and finials; bracket feet
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: Carved crestrails; high, rounded backs; solid vase-shaped splats; cabriole legs; pad feet

George I ChairGeorge I TableStyle: George I
Dating: 1714-27
Major Wood(s): Walnut, mahogany, veneer and yewwood
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Broken arch pediments; gilt decoration, japanning; bracket feet
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: curvilinear forms; yoke-shaped crests; shaped solid splats; shell carving; upholstered seats; carved cabriole legs; claw and ball feet, pad feet

George II Style FootstoolStyle: George II
Dating: 1727-60
Major Wood(s): Mahogany
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Case pieces: broken arch pediments; relief-carved foliate, scroll and shell carving; carved cabriole legs; claw and ball feet, bracket feet, ogee bracket feet
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: carved, shaped crestrails, out-turned ears; pierced shaped splats; ladder (ribbon) backs; upholstered seats; scrolled arms; carved cabriole legs or straight
(Marlboro) legs; claw and ball feet

George III TableStyle: George III
Dating: 1760-1820
Major Wood(s): Mahogany, veneer, satinwood
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Rectilinear forms; parcel gilt decoration; inlaid ovals, circles, banding or marquetry; carved columns, urns; tambour fronts or bow fronts; plinth bases
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: Shield backs; upholstered seats; tapered square legs, square legs

Regency Period RecamierStyle: Regency
Dating: 1811-20
Major Wood(s): Mahogany, mahogany veneer, satinwood and rosewood
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Greco-Roman and Egyptian motifs; inlay, ormolu mounts; marble tops; round columns, pilasters; mirrored backs; scroll feet
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: Straight backs, latticework; caned seats; sabre legs, tapered turned legs, flared turned legs; parcel gilt, ebonizing

George IV TableStyle: George IV
Dating: 1820-30
Major Wood(s): Mahogany, mahogany veneer and rosewood
General Characteristics: Continuation of Regency designs

William IV English Linen PressStyle: William IV
Dating: 1830-37
Major Wood(s): Mahogany, mahogany veneer
Characteristics of Case Pieces: rectilinear; brass mounts, grillwork; carved moldings; plinth bases
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: rectangular backs; carved straight crestrails; acanthus, animal carving; carved cabriole legs; paw feet

Victorian Davenport DeskStyle: Victorian
Dating: 1837-1901
Major Wood(s): Black walnut, mahogany, veneers and rosewood
Characteristics of Case Pieces: Applied floral carving; surmounting mirrors, drawers, candle shelves; marble tops
Characteristics of Seating Pieces: High-relief carved crestrails; floral and fruit carving; balloon backs, oval backs; upholstered seats, backs; spool, spiral turnings; cabriole legs, fluted tapered legs; scrolled feet

Edwardian Brown Leather SofaStyle: Edwardian
Dating: 1901-10
Major Wood(s): Mahogany, mahogany veneer and satinwood
General Characteristics: Neo-Classical motifs and revivals of earlier 18th century and early 19th century styles.

Furniture Dating Timeline

Victorian Renaissance Revival ChairAmerican Furniture
Pilgrim Century: 1620-1700
William & Mary: 1685-1720
Queen Anne: 1720-50
Chippendale: 1750-85
Federal: 1785-1820
Hepplewhite: 1785-1800
Sheraton: 1800-20
Classical (American Empire): 1815-40
Victorian: 1840-1900
Early Victorian: 1840-50
Gothic Revival:  1840-90
Rococo (Louis XV) :  1845-70
Renaissance Revival: 1860-85
Louis XVI:  1865-75
Eastlake:  1870-95
Jacobean & Turkish Revival:  1870-90
Aesthetic Movement:  1880-1900
Art Nouveau:  1895-1918
Turn-of-the Century (Early 20th Century) :  1895-1910
Mission-style (Arts & Crafts movement) :  1900-15
Colonial Revival:  1890-1930
Art Deco:  1925-40
Modernist or Mid-Century:  1945-70

Art Deco Bookcase	Turn Of The Century Bookcase
Chippendale Chest	Mission Arts And Crafts Oak Armchair
Queen Anne Country Style Side Chair	Victorian Aesthetic Herter Brothers Side Chair
Jacobean Carved Oak Chest	Wicker Heywood Wakefield Armchairs
Victorian Louis XVI  Table	Victorian Rococo Louis XV Henry Ford Pattern Side Chairby Meeks
William And Mary Armchair	Victorian Gothic Revival Hall Chair
Pilgrim Century Blanket Chest	Victorian Early Victorian Marble Topped Rococo Parlor Table
Art Nouveau Open Back Chair	Victorian Eastlake Cylinder Front Desk
Classical New York Classical Side Chair	Colonial Revival Chippendale Style Dining Chair
Federal Hepplewhite Bow Front Chest Of Drawers	Mid Century Noguchi Designed Glass And Wood Coffee Table

English Furniture
Jacobean: Mid-17th Century
William & Mary: 1689-1702
Queen Anne: 1702-14
George I: 1714-27
George II: 1727-60
George III: 1760-1820
Regency: 1811-20
George IV: 1820-30
William IV: 1830-37
Victorian: 1837-1901
Edwardian: 1901-10

Edwardian Decorated Pembroke Table	Jacobean Carved Oak Chest
George III Chest On Chest Bureau	Queen Anne Secretary Bookcase

French Furniture
Louis XV: 1715-74
Louis XVI: 1774-93
Empire: 1804-15
Louis Philippe: 1830-48
Napoleon III (Second Empire) : 1848-70
Art Nouveau: 1895-1910
Art Deco:  1925-35

Germanic Furniture
Since the country of Germany didn’t exist before 1870, furniture from various Germanic states and the Austro-Hungarian Empire is generally termed simply “Germanic.”
From the 17th century onward, furniture from these regions tended to follow the stylistic trends established in France and England. General terms are used for uch early furniture, usually classifying it as “Baroque,” “Rococo” or a similar broad stylistic term.
Germanic furniture dating from the first half of the 19th century is today usually referred to as Biedermeier, a style closely related to French Empire and English Regency.

Collecting Guidelines for Early Electric Lamps and Lighting

By Stephen Ristagno

Thomas Edison is given credit for inventing the first light bulb on Oct. 21, 1879, and along with Harvey Hubbell’s invention of the pull switch socket, these two men would change the way homes were illuminated during the first quarter of the 20th century.

While the first light bulb was thought of as a novelty and not taken seriously for several years, it wasn’t long before Louis Comfort Tiffany and his counterparts at The Phillip Handel Company and The Pairpoint Lamp Company were producing table lamps and light fixtures to satisfy the needs of the early 20th century consumer.

Tiffany Autumn Poppy Pattern Shade On Tiffany BaseTiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the famous New York City jeweler, began his career as a painter and interior designer, but soon made his mark producing glass and eventually stained and leaded glass table lamps. The process of producing a leaded glass table lamp was labor intensive and required many hours to accomplish.

Tiffany Laburnum Pattern Shade On Reticulated Tiffany BaseFirst a pattern was made, then a mold was needed to form the size and shape of the shade. Individual pieces of colored glass were cut into shapes and then joined together with lead and solder to make the shade. The earliest Tiffany shades were geometric patterns, but soon the shades became very complex floral patterns. Tiffany lamps were extremely expensive in their day, and many other companies started to produce electric lamps in that very competitive market.

Tiffany Lamp With Leaded Glass Pattern ShadeAmong the companies that competed in the leaded table lamp market were: The Duffner and Kimberly Company, Bigelow and Kennard, The Mosaic Lamp Company of Chicago, Suess Ornamental Lamps Company, Bradley and Hubbard, and Handel & Company.

Duffner And Kimberly Leaded Shade In Louis XV PatternDuffner and Kimberly
The Duffner and Kimberly Company produced magnificent leaded glass table lamps, although very little is known about this firm. It is known that it was in business from 1906 until 1926 and manufactured leaded glass table lamps from 1906 until 1911.

At their best, Duffner and Kimberly lamps matched the quality of some of Tiffany’s finest pieces. When the firm was established in 1906, its output was small and frequently unsigned.

Fortunately for collectors, Duffner and Kimberly advertised quite extensively, and these ads provide positive identification for sixteen lamps and chandeliers. Duffner’s shortcoming was that it didn’t make its own glass, so the lamps didn’t have the same depth and color that Tiffany lamps possessed. In the last few years, Duffner and Kimberly lamps have become a hot commodity in the lamp market. Some outstanding examples have commanded prices that begin to approach those for Tiffany’s.

Bigelow And Kennard Leaded Glass Floor LampBigelow and Kennard
Bigelow and Kennard was located in Massachusetts and produced fine leaded lamps that were similar in design to Tiffany lamps. Bigelow and Kennard even signed its lamps along the inner edge of the leading just as Tiffany lamps were signed. Its lamps don’t come on the market very often and, as a result, they tend to command high prices. Bases for the lamps were of the highest quality and were most often made of bronze.

Mosaic Lamp Company Leaded Glass Floral ShadeMosaic Lamp Company of Chicago
The Mosaic Lamp Company—Chicago, often mistakenly referred to as “The Chicago Mosaic Lamp Company,” made leaded lamps around the same time as Tiffany and Duffner and Kimberly.

Its shades tended to be of a much simpler design and often featured a floral pattern. The shades and bases are rarely signed. Chicago Mosaic lamps are highly collectible and are still affordable to the average collector. As with any good lamp, however, the prices are starting to climb.

Suess Lamp With Leaded Glass Blossom Decorated ShadeSuess Ornamental Glass Company
The Suess Ornamental Glass Company of Chicago is just now starting to be recognized as makers of quality leaded lamps.

Although there is a catalog dating from 1907 that documents many of the Suess patterns, it has only been in the last couple of years that Suess lamps have started to command the prices they deserve. Suess made very large diameter table lamp shades with some as large a 30" wide and supported on equally large solid bronze bases. These shades and bases are rarely signed.

Bradley And Hubbard Table Lamp On Alladin Lamp Shaped BaseBradley and Hubbard
Bradley and Hubbard is well know for its metalwork and better quality lamps.

In addition to leaded lamps, it also made bent-panel table lamps and painted lamps that appealed to middle class buyers of that day. Bradley and Hubbard’s bent-panel lamps are among the best selling lamps today.

Bent-panel lamps are just what the name implies: lamps whose shades are composed of curved or bent panels of slag glass. To produce the shade, panels of glass were heated in a kiln and bent around a mold and then, after annealing, assembled in the metal framework of the shade.

Most shades were composed of multiple panels, six to eight being most common, but a simple shade may have had as few as three panels. The glass panels can be plain or painted, and the metal frame can be quite intricate with floral or scenic filigree designs over each panel.

Many Bradley and Hubbard shades are signed along the lower edge, while their bases have a signature at the very top, just below the light sockets.

Furniture Glossary

Aesthetic Movement — Furniture style greatly influenced by the Japanese taste, circa 1875-1914. Popular in America, but more prevalent in England.

Anthemion — Carved, flat ornament that resembles honeysuckle flower and leaf.

Architectural Mirror — A wall mirror that combines architectural elements of the design period. Used to reflect light.

Armoire — A large freestanding cabinet with doors traditionally used for clothes storage.

Arrow-Back — Form of chair back from the late Windsor period, identified by row of flat, flaring back stiles that narrow from wider point-type top to slender base.

Arrow or Peg FootArrow or Peg Foot — A style of furniture foot that resembles an arrow shape

Art Deco ChairArt Deco — Furniture style dating from approximately 1920-1940.

Art Nouveau SetteeArt Nouveau — Furniture style dating from approximately 1896-1914.

Arts And Crafts ChairArts and Crafts — Furniture style dating from approximately 1895-1915.

Ball FootTurned Ball FootBall Foot — Turned round foot. Similar to a bun foot, but rounder.

Balloon-Back — Form of chair back shaped like a hot-air balloon, rounded at the top, tapering toward seat.

Baluster — Turned vertical post, with vase or column-form shaped outline.

Banding — Term used to describe edging design.

Barrister BookcaseBarrister Bookcase — A common name for the stacking bookcases with glass fronts, popularized in the Victorian era.

Bellflower — Floral decoration. May be applied or carved.

Bentwood — Term used to describe furniture with an element that was permanently bent through a mechanical process, such as steam or pressure. Well-known designers include Samuel Greeg and Michael Thonet. Other manufacturers of Bentwood furniture were Jacob and Joseph Kohn; Philip Strobel and Son; Sheboygan Chair Co.; and Tidoute Chair Co.

Bergère — Upholstered chair with rounded back, closed arms and loose seat cushion.

Bird-Cage — Support element of a tilt-top table, generally two blocks separated by columns.

Block — Support element of many furniture forms. Used to increase support or guide drawers, area to apply glue, etc.

Block Foot — A simple style of foot with a block formation at the bottom

Block and Vase — Decorative turning that combines a square and vase element.

Block  FootBlock Foot — Rectangular or square plain feet.

Bootjack Feet — Term used to described arched foot created by cutting away some of a side or foot board.

Boss, Bosses — Decorative applied ornament(s), often round or oval.

Bow Front — Term used to describe a chest with a slight swell, or bow, in the center.

Box-Stretcher — A structural configuration on the base of a chair that has a bar from leg to leg.

Bracket — Term used to describe curved segment that connects a leg to a seat rail, etc. A bracket can be a functional structural segment, as well as aesthetic.

Bracket FootBracket Foot — One of the simplest of furniture feet, shaped like a bracket, usually with a mitered corner. Variations include a plain bracket foot, a molded bracket foot, or a scrolled bracket foot.

BrassOval BrassBrass or Brasses — Term used to describe metal hardware.

Brass Inlay — Term used to describe technique where thin sheets of different-colored brass are laid in a slightly recessed area to create a pattern or design.

Broken Arch PedimentBroken Arch Pediment — Term used to describe a triangular or curved pediment that features an open area at the upper most point.

Bun FootBun Foot — Term used to describe a turned foot that features a flat­tened ball, sometimes on a small square or rectangular shoe or pad.

Butterfly — Term used to describe a shaped element used as a hinge or support.

Button Foot — Term used for a small, flattened ball feet.

Butler’s Desk — A compartment and writing surface found on some desks and sideboards. For use by a servant.

Cabriole LegCabriole Leg — Elegant leg style that curves outward at the knee and tapers inward at the ankle.

Caning — Strips of rattan woven to create a seat or back.

Capital — Top section of a column, used to determine style, usually decorative in form.

Carving — Term used to describe technique that craftsmen used to create designs by using chisels and other implements to sculpt designs.

Case — Term used to describe the box-like body of a piece of furniture, particularly chests, cupboards, or other storage type pieces of furniture.

Centennial Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1875-1915.

Chamfer — Term used to describe a beveled or cut-off corner or edge.

Cheval —  A large mirror, designed with a base. It can be used in a free-standing position.

Chinoiserie —  Decoration featuring American or European interpretation of Oriental motifs.

Chip Carving —  An intricate geometric style of carving.

June 1938 Action Comics No. 1Chippendale Chest Of DrawersChippendale —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1755-1790.

Circa —  Common term used to reflect the theory that dates given are approximate and can be a few years early or later than the dates shown, i.e. c. 1850 could be as early as 1845 or as late as 1860.

Classical — Furniture style dating from approximately 1805-1830. Less commonly known as Empire.

Claw And Ball FootClaw and Ball Foot —  This style of foot features a carved claw grasping a round ball. Many variations exist, some being more detailed than others.

Club Foot — Foot with a slightly pointed toe, usually thick and substantial.

Cockbeaded — Molding: Type of molding where a thin beaded edge is the design element.

Colonette — Term used to describe a small column, often an applied type of decoration.

Colonial Revival —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1915-1940.

Continuous Arm —  Term used to describe an arm that extends from one side to another without breaking for a crest across the back. Commonly found on Windsor chairs, settees, bentwood, and other types of chairs.

Cornice —  Top horizontal molding commonly found on case furniture.

Country — Furniture style dating from approximately 1790-1850.

Crest Rail — The top rail on the back of a chair.

Cross Stretcher — Base stretcher that intersects another stretcher at right angles, also referred to as X-stretcher.

Cupboard Door — Term used to refer to a simple door created with a flat center section and molded perimeter frame.

Cut Out FootCut-Out Feet — Construction term used to describe a piece of furniture with a solid side piece, where the feet are simply cut out from the side piece.

Davenport Desk — A smaller version of a desk with fold-out working surfaces.

Dentil Molding — Form of molding that reflects the architectural style of using small rectangles, generally separated by evenly spaced open areas.

Dot-and-Dash Piercing —  Type of pierced trim created by alternating circles and sets of horizontal lines.

Dovetail Joint ExamplesDovetails — Joint formed as two pieces of wood are fitted at right angles with interlocking flaring tenons.

Drapery — Carved or inlaid decoration resembling swagged cloth.

Dressing Mirror — A mirror used to view one’s appearance, some­times mounted on a base or used on a table top.

Duncan Phyfe and Phyfe-Types — Furniture style dating from approximately 1795-1840.

Eagle BrassEagle Brass — Hardware made in the form of a spread-wing eagle, usually made of brass.

Eastlake — Furniture style dating from approximately 1870-1890, part of the Victorian era.

Eglomise — A type of painting on glass where the design is painted on the back and intended to be viewed through the glass, often found as decoration on mirrors.

Egyptian Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1870-1890; part of the Victorian era.

Elizabethan Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1850-1915; part of the Victorian era.

Empire — Furniture style dating from approximately 1805-1830. More commonly known as Classical.

En Suite — Term used to indicate that furniture is a matching part of a set, or suite.

Pierced Brass Keyhole EscutcheonEscutcheon — Small decorative brass, metal, or ivory plate used on the outside of a keyhole. Also may be called a “Key Plate.”

Fall Front — Term used to describe a board that lowers from the top to a writing surface.

Fan Back — Type of Windsor chair back with a rectangular crest rail over a flared, straight-sided back.

Federal — Furniture style dating from approximately 1790-1815.

Festoon — Carved decorative element, sometimes consists of a fruit or floral motif, similar to a drapery.

Finial — Decorative element found as an ornament on top of a case or pediment. Names such as “flame finial” or “corkscrew finial” indicate the three-dimensional shape of the finial.

Fluting — Term used to describe horizontal channel carving.

Foliate — Decoration that resembles leaves. May be applied or carved.

Foot Board — Section of bed frame where user commonly puts feet. Can be paneled, turned, or have elements to support canopy frame.

French FootFrench Foot — Style of foot with concave curves.

French Restauration — Furniture style dating from approximately 1830-1850.

Fretwork — Decorative element composed of intersecting lines, can be made with molding or actually cut into the piece.

Gadrooning — Term used to describe swirled or curved fluting, usually an edging.

GatelegGateleg — Extra leg designed to help support table leaf. Support mechanism to attach to table that allows leg to swing freely often resembles a simple gate.

Girandole — A circular convex mirror.

Gothic Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1840-1860, part of the Victorian era.

Grisalle — Term used to describe painting in tones of gray, usually used on interiors or as a background for other types of decoration.

Graduated Drawers — Term means the drawers which are different in size from one to another, usually the smallest drawer is in the top, the next one slightly larger, etc.

H-Stretcher — An H-configuration of structural rails found on the base of many chairs.

Hairy Paw FootPaw FootHairy Paw Foot — Foot carved to depict an animal’s hoof with details such as hair and claws found on many examples. Usually wider at the base than the smaller hoof foot.

Hand-Cut Dovetails — Joints made by dovetails that were individu­ally cut by the craftsman. Many are typified by slight inconsistencies in the making.

Head Board — Section of bed frame where user commonly puts head. Can be paneled, turned, or have elements to support canopy frame, often framed by decorative bed hangings.

Hepplewhite — Furniture style dating from approximately 1790-1810.

Hoof FootHoof Foot — A foot that is carved to resemble an animal’s hoof.

Incised Decoration — Term used to describe technique used by craftsmen that created designs, usually lines and geometric shapes, that are not very deeply carved into the wood.

Inlay — Term used to describe technique where thin sheets of differ­ent colored woods are laid in a slightly recessed area to create a pat­tern or design.

Ivory Inlay — Term used to describe technique where thin pieces of ivory are laid in a slightly recessed area to create a pattern or design.

Japanning — Technique using Oriental lacquer work on a wood base, consisting of many layers of varnish and color. Some decorated exam­ples have motifs of figures, animals, and florals are created in gesso, gilded or silvered, before the lacquer work layers are applied.

Joining — Term used to describe the process of using mortise and tenon joints to create sturdy furniture.

Klismos — Chair form inspired by the ancient Greeks. It is identified by a crest rail, curving uprights, and tapering saber legs. The form was popular in some of the Victorian Revival periods as well as early Clas­sical periods.

Knee Hole Desk — A desk with a flat working surface, usually supported by two banks (or piers) of drawers or legs, allowing the user to see with their knees under the desk top.

Ladder Back Armchair LabeledLadderback Chair — A chair, often used in dining room, whose back is made from two vertical posts held together by evenly spaced horizontal slats. Ladderback chairs were especially popular among the The Shakers.

Lady’s Desk — Desk of more diminutive proportions, which allowed a lady to sit with her legs under the working surface.

Looking Glass — A term used to describe a small mirror used to view one’s image.

Louis XVI Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1850-1914; part of the Victorian era.

Machine-Cut Dovetails — Joints formed that have consistently even and tight fitting angles. Some later machine-made dovetails are rounded rather than angular.

Marlborough FootMarlborough Leg — Style of leg where the leg is square, may be fluted, generally ends in a blocked foot.

Marquetry — Term used to describe inlay arranged in a specific motif, such as floral or landscapes.

Married —  Term used to describe a piece of furniture where the top and base were combined, sometimes bridging two generations or dif­ferent time frames.

Medallion —  Round, oval, or spherical ornament, usually applied.

Mission Style Oak Library Table LabeledMission or Prairie style — A furniture style dating from approximately 1900-1920.

Modernism-Era —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1940 to 1960.

Modernism Era, Pop —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1960 to present.

Molded Bracket Foot — Bracket foot with additional molding as a decorative element on the foot or at the connection with the case.

Molding — Decorative piece of wood used for ornamental purposes.

Through Mortise And Tenon Joint Mortise And Tenon JointMortise and Tenon Joint —  Joint created when the tenon, a small tab-like extension, is fitted into a square or rectangular opening, known as a mortise. Sometimes a mortise and tenon joint has a wooden peg to securely fasten the joint. When a mortise and tenon joint is visible to the viewer, it is called an “exposed mortise and tenon.”

Naturalistic Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1850-1914; part of the Victorian era.

Neoclassic or Greco-Roman —  Furniture style dating from approxi­mately 1790-1815.

Neo-Greek Revival —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1855-1885; part of the Victorian era.

Bracket Foot.Ogee — Term used to describe a molding shaped like the letter “S.” Also called a cyma curve.

Ormolu Mount —  Term used to describe the technique where gilt-covered metal mountings are used as decorative or functional ele­ments.

Overlapping Drawer —  Term indicating a slight extension on the face of the drawer that covers the drawer opening tightly when closed, thus overlapping the case.

Over Mantel Mirror —  A term used to describe large mirrors used over a fireplace mantel, primarily used to reflect light into a room.

Over-Upholstered —  Upholstered section that appears to be overstuffed.

Oxbow Front —  Another name for a reverse serpentine-shaped front.

Pad FootPad Foot —  Term used to describe a small rounded foot that rests on a platform or small base.

Palmette — Decorative carving in the shape of a palm leaf or fan.

Patera — Term used to describe a oval or round motif with segments that radiate from the center.

Classic PedimentPediment Urn And Flame Bonnet TopPediment — Upper most section of a case style of furniture.

Period Brasses — Term used to describe hardware that is original to the piece, usually used only when the hardware is made of brass, but sometimes this phrase is used to denote any period metal hardware.

Pressed Glass KnobPeriod Hardware — Term used to describe hardware that is original to the piece, dating from the time of manufacturing.

Piecrust Edge — Term used to describe edge of a circular form that resembles the edge of a pie.

Pier Mirror  — A large mirror either hung over a pier table or hung at a level so one could view skirts and feet

Pilaster — Column with a flat or rectangular side, used for ornamental purposes only.

Plinth — Term used to describe base of column.

Queen Anne —  Furniture style dating from approximately 1725-1810.

Reeding — Term used to describe vertical channel carving.

Replaced Hardware — Term used to describe hardware that is not original to the piece. May not be stylistically accurate.

Reproduction Hardware — Term used to describe hardware made to look like antique or period hardware.

Restauration — Term used to describe a predominately French furniture style dated about 1830-50. It features simple lines, and light woods.

Renaissance Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1850-1880; part of the Victorian era.

Ring TurningRing Turning — Term used to describe molding or legs turned on a lathe, with small rings as part of the design element.

Victorian Rococo Side Chair LabeledRococo Revival — Furniture style dating from approximately 1845-1870; part of the Victorian era.

Roll Top — Type of somewhat flexible closure used to close a desk where a sliding section moves up and behind the fitted interior of the desk. Usually made like a tambour, but often of large dimensioned wood and consequently can be more rigid than a standard tambour.

Bonnet Top RosetteRosette — Rose-like round ornament, sometimes divided into small segments or petals.

Saber Leg — Type of chair leg that tapers and curves. Shape resem­bles a cavalry saber.

Sack Back — Type of Windsor chair where the back is rounded.

Saddle Seat — Type of seat where wood is carved to gently fit user comfortably.

Scalloped SkirtScallop — Term used to describe decorative carved or applied ele­ment that resembles a shell.

Scroll — Decorative element consisting of swirls.

Scrolled Bracket Foot — Bracket foot with a scrolled design at the sides.

Scroll Mirror — A scrolled mirror frame, made to be hung on a wall.

SecondaryWood And Primary WoodSecondary Wood — Term that refers to the wood used on the interior of the drawers, perhaps the back, or areas that are unseen.

Secretaire a’abattant — French term used to describe a secretary, especially those with detailed interiors.

Secretary — Term used to describe a desk with a high bookcase top.

Serpentine Front Chippendale Chest Of DrawersSerpentine Front — Term used to describe a more shaped top, often having several curves.

Shaker — Furniture style dating from approximately 1800-1914.

Shaving Mirror — A small table-top mirror, used to view one’s appearance while shaving. Usually found on bases, sometimes with small drawers to holding accessories.

Shell Carving — Term used to describe decorative carved elements that resemble shells or scallops.

Sheraton — Furniture style dating from approximately 1790-1810.

Side Rail — Chair side rails extending from the crest rail to seat.

Six-Board Construction — Term used to describe a blanket chest made from six boards, one for the top, front, back, bottom, and sides.

Arched SkirtPlain SkirtValanced SkirtSkirt — A shaped piece often found between the legs of a piece of furniture or below the frieze rail of a table, cabinet or chest. May be scalloped, deocratied, carved, pierced, shape or plain. There are a variety of styles and types of skirts.

Slant Front — Term that describes a flat writing surface that folds down from the top to a comfortable writing height. Also known as a slant lid.

Slant Lid — Term that describes a flat writing surface that folds down from the top to a comfortable writing height. Also known as a slant front.

Slipper FootSlipper Foot — Term used to describe a small, oval foot

Snake FootSnake FootSnake LegSnake Foot — Term used to describe a small rounded foot, often carved with eyes or other reptile-like details.

Spade FootSpade Foot — Term used to describe small trowel-shaped foot.

Spanish FootSpanish Foot — Term used to describe sweeping carved scrolling foot.

Spider FootSpider LegsSpider Foot or Legs — A style of furniture feet and legs that feature slim legs and gentle curves

Split Spindle LegSpindle — Turned rod used as a support element in chairs, bird cage supports, etc.

Spool Turning — Term used to describe turned element where lathe is used and end result is a series of spools or rounded elements.

Stretcher Base — The structural members that extend from chair leg to chair leg, adding stability.

Stringing — Term used to describe inlaid wood that is usually lighter than base wood. Can be found used either horizontally or vertically.

Swag — Decoration similar to drapery or festoon, to give the illusion of draped fabric.

Tambour — Technique whereby thin strips of wood are glued to a cloth backing, retaining some flexibility. Frequently used as doors or other types of enclosures.

Teardrop PullTeardrop — Type of hardware shaped like a pendant, usually with a brass or metal backplate and turned wooden teardrop.

Tester — Term used to describe bed frame with a canopy.

Thumb-Molded — Type of molding where edge is smooth, as though a thumb has carefully smoothed out the edges.

Trifid FootTrifid Foot — Delicate foot that is carved to resemble three toes.

Turnip FootTurnip Foot — A curvy, gourd-shaped foot 

Vasiform Splat — A decorative splat, usually found on chairs, shaped like a vase.

Veneer — Thin layer of wood glued to less expensive wood base.

Victorian — Furniture style dating from approximately 1840-1890, contains many sub-styles.

Wall Mirror — A mirror designed to be hung on the wall and used for either viewing of one’s image or reflecting light.

William and Mary — Furniture style dating from approximately 1690-1730.

Windsor — Furniture style dating from approximately 1750 to present.

X-Stretcher — A type of chair base configuration that has elements that go across the base and the stretcher bars cross, sometimes joined together. Also referred to as a cross-stretcher.

Lamp and Lighting Glossary

Angle lamp — A style of kerosene lamp produced by the Angle Lamp Company. Most popular from the 1890s through the 1920s, it featured a stamped metal central font with one or two short  angled arms terminating in a burner enclosed by a clear ball shade supporting a milk glass chimney-style shade.

Early English Argand LampArgand lamp — A new type of oil-burning lamp invented around 1782 by Aimé Argand in Geneva, Switzerland. This lamp featured a glass tube up through the font that supplied air to the tubular burner and was topped by a tubular glass shade. It was a very expensive form of lighting but produced a much brighter light than candles could.

Astral lamp — This is an early variation of the Argand lamp that featured a shallow fuel font which reduced the amount of shadow cast by the burner.

Betty lamp — A name for a very early form of crude oil burning lamp. Usually made of wrought iron, it was formed as a flat-bottomed dish with a spout at the front edge and an upright hanging handle at the back. It was made either open or as a closed dish with just the spout open. Filled with a crude burning fuel, such as lard, the wick was simply laid with one end in the fuel and the other end handing out of the spout where it could be lit. This was a crude and not very efficient light source but cheaper than hand-made candles. Beware of 20th century reproductions. Also see “crusie lamp.”

Handel Lily Form Boudoir LampBoudoir lamp — The general term for a small decorative lamp, usually from the early electric era, which was meant to sit on the dressing table of a lady’s boudoir.

Bridge lamp — A style of floor lamp especially popular in the 1920s and 1930s where a single decorative metal arm extended from the top of the lamp standard and ended in an electric socket which could be covered by a glass, cloth or waxed paper shade.

LanternBurner — The part of the lamp which fitted into the top of the fuel reservoir and held the wick away from  the fuel source. In kerosene lamps the height of the wick in the burner could be controlled using a simple turn knob projecting from the burner.

Camphene — A very volatile burning fluid used in the 1840s and 1850s. It was a mixture of turpentine  and alcohol and could explode easily. A special burner was designed for it that had long “rabbit ear” forked tubes that kept the wicks as far as possible from the fuel    font. It was less expensive to use than whale oil but was discontinued as soon as kerosene became widely available.

Handel Lamp And Chipped Ice Shade“Chipped ice” — A term used to describe the rough exterior finish found on many early glass electric lamp shades.  Many of the shades were painted on the exterior with landscapes, florals or birds.

Cold painted — A term used to describe painted decoration applied to the unheated surface of a metal lamp or statue.

Crown — A narrow decorative pierced metal band designed to sit around the top opening of the decorative domed glass shades used on many late Victorian kerosene hanging lamps.

Crusie lamp — A close cousin of the betty lamp, it also burned crude grease or lard. The crusie was shaped very much like the betty lamp but usually featured two dishes fixed one just above the other.

Flint glass — A term describing early blown and pressed glass which included lead oxide in the glass mixture. This ingredient produced a very clear, heavy glass which, when gently tapped, would usually resonate with a bell-tone ring. This type of glass was first developed in England in the 17th century when burnt ground flint was added to the glass mixture. By the 18th century flint was replaced by lead oxide, but the old name stuck.

Font — The fuel reservoir on early lighting devices. A burner, which supported the cloth wick, was placed at the top opening of the font.

Gone With The Wind Lamp By BaccaratGone With The Wind LampsGone-with-the-Wind lamp — A popular form of late Victorian kerosene table lamp. It usually featured a ball-shaped glass shade enclosing the burner and chimney and a ball-shaped or other form of glass base, usually raised on cast-metal feet. The shade and font were usually decorated with a matching design. The name originated with collectors after the release of the movie “Gone With The Wind” because such a lamp, although totally inaccurate for the Civil War era, was used in one famous scene.

Harp — In early electric lamps this refers to an arched metal loop at the top of the lamp that suspended           a shade above the base.

Linenfold Tiffany Lamp Shade“Linenfold” — A term used for a specific type of decorative glass shade, especially a type produced by Tiffany. A translucent glass panel was impressed with an overall design of fine ribbing meant to emulate the look of delicate folded linen. The panels were then assembled to form the sides of the shade.

Lithopane Paneled Fairy LampLithophane — A thin flat, usually rectangular sheet of bisque porcelain that was impressed before firing with a finely detailed landscape or portrait scene. The delicate molding in the finished piece produced a lovely shadowy scene when held up to bright light. Most were produced in Germany in the last half of the 19th century and some were set in metal  frames and used as lamp shades.

Nailsea Fairy LampNailsea-style — Nailsea was an early English glassmaking center but twentieth century glass collectors used the term to describe any glass composed of one color looped throughout during production with white or contrasting bands of glass. The technique was used for simple  utilitarian forms such as rolling pins, flasks and witch balls and was later commonly used in more artistic glass such as the shades of fairy lamps.

Organ LampOrgan lamp — A term used to describe a late Victorian kerosene floor lamp. The tall slender metal lamp standard, often supported on scrolled legs, was topped by a metal kerosene font fitted with a decorative glass ball-shaped shade. It stems from its usual use beside a     pump organ or upright piano.

French Rococo Style OrmoluGreen Jade Glass And Ormolu LampOrmolu — A French term for gilt-metal, usually brass or bronze. Eighteenth and early nineteenth century French furniture usually featured decorative mounts of this material and it continued to be used on decorative pieces, including lamps, into the 20th century.

Patinated — A term used to describe a metalware given an artificial surface finish or “patina.” Usually a base metal such as spelter or copper was treated with various substances to produce the aged look of old bronze. The finish was especially  popular on late nineteenth and early twentieth century statuary and lamp bases.

Satin Peg Lamp On Figural BasePeg lamp — A type of lamp which consists of only a rounded glass font with an integral ‘peg’ at the center bottom which would let it sit in the socket of a candlestick. Early examples were made in the first quarter of the nineteenth century but by the late Victorian era they were usually made of highly decorative colored glass fitted with kerosene burners.

Pricket Type Brass CandlestickPricket-type candelstick — An early form of metal candlestick which featured a slender sharp spike at the center of the disk at the top. This spike kept the candle in place. By the 18th century smaller candles led to the use of a socket cup to hold the candle.

Puffy Pairpoint Table Lamp“Puffy” — The term used to describe ornately mold-blown shades produced by the Pairpoint Corporation for their fine early electric lamps. The molded designs usually featured various types of flowers and butterflies, which were decorated on the interior with bright colors.

Moe Bridges Table Lamp With Reverse Painted ShadeReverse-painted — The term used to describe early electric lamp shades which had decorative scenes hand-painted on the interior of the shade.  Landscapes, floral designs and birds were the most popular themes used and the finest examples are usually associated with Handel and Pairpoint lamps. Shades or glass decorated on the exterior are referred to as obverse-painted.

Sinumbra lamp — A variation of the early Argand lamp. It featured a shallow fuel font with a ring supporting the frosted glass shade. It was developed in the 1850s and could burn a less refined fuel than whale oil. The name roughly translates to “without shadow,” since it was designed to reduce the shadows caused by the fuel font. 

Handel Bent Panel Slag Glass LampHandel Overlay Table Lamp With Slag Glass PanelsHandel Slag Glass Piano LampSlag glass — A form of glass commonly used as panels in early electric lamp shades. It is glass combining a white glass swirled throughout with a contrasting color, usually a caramel tan or green although other colors were also used. The thin glass panels were often bent while hot and then fitted into a metal framework. The lamp shade panels were then quite often overlaid with delicate metal filigree designs.

Student LampStudent lamp — A style of kerosene desk lamp popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Usually made of brass, it generally consisted of a round metal foot centered by a tall slender metal shaft supporting an adjustable crossbar with a cylindrical metal fuel font to one side and an arm supporting the burner, shade ring and pyramidal glass shade on the opposite side. Double student lamps feature a pair of arms opposite each other with the large fuel font supported in the center.

Teroma glass — A form of art glass developed by the Handel Company early in the twentieth century. Most often used to produce vases, it consists of a frosted crystal glass with a ‘chipped ice’ exterior finish, sometimes also given a satin finish. The exterior was then hand-painted with a delicate colorful forest landscape, sometimes including some birds. A similar style of decoration was used in producing some Handel-made lamp shades.

Turtlebeck Tile Lantern“Turtleback” tile — A glass tile produced by Tiffany Studios. Generally ovoid in form with a slightly domed top with a dimpled surface, they resembled the shell of a turtle. Produced in dark transparent glass with an iridized surface, Tiffany sometimes inset them into a shade framework for his lamps.

Verre Moire Fairy LampVerre Moire Nailsea Style Lamp“Verre moiré” — A French term thath translates roughly to “watered glass.” In fabric, the term moiré silk is used to describe ‘watered silk,’ which features a wave-like design. In glass the term is used to refer to the wave-like loopings of color typical of Nailsea-style glass. In particular this term is used to describe a decorative style    of late Victorian fairy lamp.

Whale Oil Lantern In A Beehive PatternWhale oil — An early lamp fuel derived from the oil of the sperm whale. It was used in the late eighteenth through the first half of the nineteenth century. It was cleaner burning and less volatile than other lamp fuels of the era and produced a brighter light. However, it was costly and not widely available to many working class households.