Thuja (Thuya, Or Arbor Vita)

An African wood infrequently used as a veneer, of a rich brown hue, with a figure resembling a "bird's eye."

Till

A box, compartment, or drawer provided in some larger piece of furniture, such as a chest or secretary, to hold money or other valuables. The word was certainly used in the fifteenth century, and Pepys refers to the secret till in his desk. See Secret Drawers.

Time-Piece

A watch, clock, or other instrument constructed to measure time. The term is used when the word "clock" would be inappropriate, and sometimes to distinguish a clock which records the time only from one which in addition strikes the hours, etc.

Tip-Up Table

See Snap Tables.

Toddy-Table

One of the small tables of the early Georgian period, practically the same as the Urn-Stand which it was more often called. See Urn-Stands.

Toilet-Glass

The small toilet mirror intended to stand unattached on the dressing-table or chest of drawers, made its appearance towards the end of the seventeenth century. It consisted of a glass, small probably on account of the high cost of mirror glass at the time, swinging on two uprights with spreading feet (the cheval mirror), or with the uprights fixed into the top of a range of small drawers intended for toilet requisites (the Box-Toilet Mirror). These two kinds of detached toilet mirrors remained the type during the whole of the eighteenth century and later, subject to modification to accord with the style of furniture in vogue at the time.

Toilet-Table

See Dressing-Table.

Torchere

The torchere, or gueridon, is a small table to hold candles, statuettes, or other light objects, mounted on a pillar or light framework, often ornamented with carving and gilding. It was introduced from the French in the first quarter of the eighteenth century. See Gueridon.

Tortoiseshell

The back plates of a sea turtle, carefully flattened and, when desired, joined together by heat and pressure. It was used from ancient times as a veneer for furniture, and Boulle brought it into very prominent notice in the reign of Louis XIV., by his marquetry of tortoiseshell and metal, sometimes called "Buhl," which became famous throughout Europe. See Boulle.

Torus

A large convex moulding commonly used in the base of a column. In furniture the word is sometimes employed to describe any bold moulding, larger, for example, than an astragal moulding.

Towel Horse Or Towel Rail

A slight wooden frame, standing upon two or more legs, with two, three, or four crossbars for hanging towels, which came into use about the middle of the eighteenth century. The early examples were often spindle-legged.

Tracery

Ornamental designs of various kinds having the characteristics of the open work in the heads of Gothic windows, formed by the ramification of small mouldings, astragals, or headings, round the panes of glass in the doors of cabinets, etc. In more simple work it is often called "sashbarring."

Tray

A flat, very shallow vessel usually provided with a raised edge or gallery and handles, used for various domestic purposes and made in wood, metal, etc. Hepplewhite in his "Guide" gives designs for inlaid and painted trays which were fashionable at that period. In small sizes the tray is generally called a waiter or salver. See Tea.