Elm (Ulmus Campestris)

A hard wood of irregular grain. It was much used for tables and stools by Tudor and earlier artificers, the wych elm (Ulmus Montana) being fashioned into chests which were consequently sometimes called "wyches." The seats of Windsor chairs are often of elm.

Empire Style

The style of furniture which prevailed in France at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century was renowned for its finished workmanship, the choice mahogany or rosewood used, and the beauty of the ormolu mounts with which it was adorned. The style was based upon a mixture of Egyptian and classical motives and made extensive use of lions and sphinxes as designs for the carving. It was popularized in France by Napoleon's Egyptian campaign. The English version was a rather clumsy adaptation from the French and was never very popular.

Encoignure

A piece of furniture made, as its name suggests (Fr. coin, a corner) to fit into a corner. It often had tiers of shelves, and the modern corner what-not is clearly derived from it.

Endive Marquetry

A term sometimes used instead of Seaweed Marquetry, because its flowing design resembles the finer lines of the endive plant. It was introduced in the early Queen Anne period.

Entablature

In classical architecture the horizontal superstructure resting on the columns and divided into architrave, frieze, and cornice. The architect-designers of the eighteenth century freely used the entablature, or divisions of it, as ornamental features on cabinets, bookcases and other pieces.

Escallop, Scallop, Or Scollop

An edge or border ornamented by cutting it into segments of circles either convex or concave. The escallop shell, sometimes called the cockle-shell ornament, was a favourite carved feature on Queen Anne furniture.

Escritoire

See Secretary.

Escutcheon

A shield often carved on furniture for decorative purposes, or to bear a crest; also a plate to protect a keyhole, or to take the thrust of the handle on a door. Keyplates were seldom used after the middle of the eighteenth century; the metal or ivory lining of the keyhole flush with the surface then became general.

Etagere

A slight and delicate piece of furniture, often of very elegant shape, consisting of shelves supported by columns. Its use is for the display of china and small ornaments.

Evolute

A term sometimes used for the Wave or Vitruvian Scroll. A classical design much used by the architect-designers of the eighteenth century, notably William Kent, for the decoration of frieze mouldings and the like. See Vitruvian Scroll.

"Fakes." - See Reproductions.

Faldstool

A folding stool of the X-shape type in use by the early Egyptians, and in mediaeval times by a Bishop as a substitute for his throne when making his Visitations. When so used it was called faldistorium, but the English word appears to have come from the Saxon falten, to fold. It was the prototype of the X-shaped domestic stool popular in early Jacobean times and afterwards.