Buffets Or Dressers

Sideboards were not, as yet, but their place was taken by the dressers, Welsh dressers as some call them, and by the buffets and court cupboards in use during the preceding period. Some of the dressers were supported on legs, in others the substructure, enclosed by doors with characteristic ogeed panels, rested on the floor. The upper portion was open, with shallow shelves for platters and plate. Towards the end of the century small walnut side tables with wooden or marble tops and four, five or six straight legs of characteristic shape (see "Highboys") came into use.

Mirrors

The more elaborate mirror frames found in England were carved by Grinling Gibbon, Cibber or their imitators. Pine or lime woods were generally used for this purpose. The plainer frames were of walnut, or sometimes of olive or ebony and were occasionally decorated with marqueterie in both England and America. They were small and square or rectangular and were composed of a broad ovolo band with smaller mouldings at the inner and outer edges. The top was usually adorned with the hooded motif formed of a semi-circle or a semi-circle rising from quarter circles, and there was often an additional embellishment of foliated fretwork. The glass was ordinarily bevelled. Besides these there were small swivelled mirrors supported between uprights rising from little stands with drawers which were placed on top of dressing chests. The tops of these small mirrors were often shaped like the panel heads of cabinet doors (Plate IX, p. 112). At this time mirrors were used for decorative purposes in the panels of cabinet and secretary doors.

Clocks

Both tall-case and bracket clocks were found in this period and were usually subjects for rather elaborate ornamentation. Marqueterie, oystering and lacquer were freely used in their decorations, particularly the tall-case clocks, many of which had a circular hole in the middle of the door filled with either clear glass or a bull's-eye. The tops frequently had the hooded or arched form. The dials were generally of engraved or chased brass.

Materials

Walnut. Walnut was such a favourite wood for furniture and so extensively used during this period that it is usually termed the beginning of the "age of walnut." It was used as a groundwork and also as a veneer on a ground of oak or even a soft wood. Although small tables and chairs were occasionally made of walnut before this time, oak was used almost altogether for cabinet work down to the very end of the Jacobean period, except in rare cases where walnut was imported.

WILLIAM AND MARY SEAWEED MARQUETERIE HIGH CABINET AND MARQUETERIE CLOCK.

By Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Oak. Notwithstanding the great vogue of walnut, oak was still considerably used by itself for cabinet work, particularly in country districts, or as a base or groundwork for the application of veneer or mar-queterie of other woods. It was also employed for panelling or wainscotting.

Deal. Deal was used for panelling and also for heavy carving, such as cabinet stands, where the surface was to be gilt.

Pine, Pear-wood, Lime-wood and Cedae. These and several other soft woods were much used for elaborate carving that could ill be wrought in the harder woods, which were, of course, more difficult for the carver to manage. The surface was usually either gilt or painted.

Olive-wood and Ebony were used for small mirror frames.

Veneer Woods. Sycamore, laburnum, apple-wood, holly, box and many others were in constant use for inlay and marqueterie.

Upholstery Stuffs. From the very beginning of the period onward, upholstery for chairs, settees and stools commanded more and more attention. Backs, arms and oftentimes the seat framing were upholstered with a fixed covering, while movable or "squab" cushions, covered with the same goods, were placed on the seats. A settee usually had two squabs side by side.

Squabs were even put on oak settles that were arranged with a cord and sacking bottom to receive them. Most stools and many chairs and settees had the seats upholstered with a fixed covering instead of squabs. The settlement of Huguenot textile weavers in England during the reign of Charles II, and the steady production of their fascinating fabrics bred a desire for more upholstered furniture where the gorgeous brocades and velvets might appear to advantage. The fashion obtained favour and reached its height in the ensuing periods with which we are now concerned. Gay coloured damasks, brocades and velvets were the stuffs chiefly used. Instead of the heavy fringes of Carolean days the favourite trimming consisted of wide galons of gold, silver or coloured braid. The same rich materials were used for bed hangings. Another highly prized covering for settees and large arm chairs was made of the elaborate needlework done in "tent stitch" or petit point by the ladies in emulation of the example set them by Queen Mary. Less expensive stuff, such as figured chintz, also afforded material for upholstery, hangings and curtains.