Seaweed Marquetry

A kind of very delicate marquetry suggesting fine seaweed, which was popular in the Queen Anne period, and was probably inspired by the French Boulle work. It was sometimes called "Endive."

Sedan-Chair

An enclosed arm-chair for one person with a door, usually in front, and a lifting roof, borne by two men by means of poles at the sides. It was invented and first used at Sedan in France, and was in use in England during the whole of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Sedilia

Seats for the clergy in the south wall of the sanctuary of a church.

Segmental Corners

The term applied to the corners of panels which are broken by curves. This ornamental detail was popular from the time of the brothers Adam onwards, and paterae were often used to finish off the corners. When the corners are broken into squares instead of curves, they are called keyed corners.

Seigneurial Chair

The name commonly used in furniture literature to describe a chair of state such as was used by a great noble or ecclesiastic. Both in its Gothic and Renaissance forms it was very high-backed with solid arm-supports and base, and was sometimes canopied, elaborately carved, and provided with a lift-up seat.

Serpentine

A waving or serpentine curve sometimes given to the fronts of cabinets, commodes, the top rail of chairs, etc. Usually the centre curve is prominent or convex. When the two side curves are convex and the centre is receding or concave, it is called a reverse serpentine. These forms were often used soon after the commencement of the Mahogany period, and remained popular throughout the eighteenth century.

Service Cupboard

See Livery Cupboard.

Settee

A long seat with carved or upholstered back and arms, and upholstered seat or squabs to hold two or more persons. It is, in fact, an extended chair, and in many cases is of the same contour and decoration as the chairs with which it forms a suite, in such cases called a two-, three- or four-chair-back settee as the case may be. A chair-back settee made in the period was always provided with a front leg ranging with the division between each chair back in addition to the two end ones; thus, a three-chair-back settee would have four front legs. It appeared in England in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and in the Queen Anne period it may be said to have almost superseded the settle which was its prototype.

Settle

A bench, generally associated with oak, for two or more persons, with a high back and arms, and sometimes with wings. When the seat was hinged and its supports enclosed so as to form a chest, it was termed a box settle. The settle was very popular throughout the Middle Ages, and was sometimes elaborately panelled, carved and inlaid. Toward the end of the seventeenth century it began to be displaced by the more comfortable settee.

Sevres

Porcelain made at Sevres, near Paris, at the factory founded in 1756, and taken over by the State soon afterwards. Its chief interest in connection with furniture was its production of choice plaques to enrich the beautiful tables, cabinets, etc., which the celebrated French ebonists were then making. Shortly afterwards, Josiah Wedgwood was making plaques for English furniture.