Cramoisy

The name of a crimson cloth in use in England as far back as the fifteenth century at least.

Credence

A side-table, originally a chest mounted on a stand, on which food was placed to be tasted before eating, or a cabinet or cupboard for the display of plate. From Tudor times onward it was usually called a buffet. The table provided for the un-consecrated elements for the Holy Communion is still called a credence-table.

Charles Cressent (1685-1768)

Cabinet-maker to Philippe d'Orleans, Regent of France, and a master in works of art in bronze.

Cresting

An ornamental feature carved on the top rail of a chair, settee, etc. In the case of a chair, it sometimes occupies the whole width ; at other times it forms a centering only. During the Restoration period a crown and cherubs were favourite features as a cresting. In the reign of Queen Anne the cresting gradually disappeared.

Cricket Table

A small three-cornered polygonal or round-top table of the Jacobean period, supported on a triangular frame with three straight legs at the angles stiffened by stretchers between each, and sometimes provided with an under-shelf in addition. "Cricket" was also an old name for a wooden footstool.

Crinoline Stretcher

A stretcher in concave form attached to the front legs, supported by two short arms from the back legs. It was a common form in the Windsor chairs of Chippendale.

Criss-Crossed Or Lattice Work

Lines crossed in a diagonal manner.

Crocket

A projecting carved ornament, in both stone and woodwork, of the Early English and later styles of Gothic architecture, consisting of foliage, flowers, etc., in conventional form, decorating the angles of spires, canopies, etc. During the Gothic revival in the middle of the eighteenth century this feature was sometimes carved on pieces of furniture.

Cromwellian Chair

A chair on somewhat severe lines popular about the time of the Commonwealth. Knob turning, a low back, leather seat and back and copper nails are its characteristics, but it was sometimes upholstered.

Cross-Rail Or Slat

A horizontal bar connecting the uprights of a chair-back, sometimes as a single feature, at others to support the splat.

J Crunden

One of the lesser lights as a designer of furniture in the latter half of the eighteenth century. He published in 1765, "The Joyner and Cabinetmakers' Darling, or Sixty Designs for Gothic, Chinese and Ornamental Frets"; in 1770, "The Carpenter's Companion for Chinese Railings and Gates " ; and in 1776, "The Chimney-piece Maker's Daily Assistant." Most of his designs for furniture are very inferior; the worst of them are absurd.

Cube Foot

See Block-Foot.

Cupboard

Originally a board, or table, on which cups or drinking vessels and other necessaries for meals were placed. There were several shelves, the number of which bore relation to the rank of the owner, surmounted by a canopy; eventually doors were added. Broadly speaking, a cupboard is now not a piece of movable furniture, but an architectural fixture. In the early eighteenth century, fixed as well as movable cupboards began to be fitted with glazed fronts for the display of china and silver. The corner cupboard (q.v.) first became common in the time of Queen Anne. See Beaufait.