GLOSSARY OF FRENCH TERMS

{including imported ones) but who could not produce them himself.

N larqucierie: I k-corative veneer of exotic woods, sometimes stained, or other materials in contrasting colours and shapes ap|>lied to the carcase of furniture. The design was first stuck to the wood, and the different l>aits were cut mit by hand with a fine marquetry saw: the pattern was then reassembled and glued to the carcase Until the middle of the eight­eenth century the term ‘marqueterie’ meant marqueterie Boulle. as dis­tinct from ‘marqueterie dc fleurs’. which meant floral marquetry in ivood veneer.

Marqueterie Boulle: Marquetry using metal (brass, copper or pewter i in combination with tortoiseshell or ebony When in ‘premiere parlie’, the ground ts tortoiseshell or ebony with metal inlays: when in ‘centre partic’. the ground is metal with tortoiseshell or ebony inlays.

Menuisier: Furniture-maker specializing in carved furniture.

Pied: Measure equivalent to 32.48 cm.

Pietra-duru: Mosaic work, either flat or in relief, composed of semi­precious stones (jasper, agate, lapis lazuli, etc.), fust produced in Florence ami Prague by Italian craftsmen, then in Paris at the Manu­facture ties C iobclins.

Power: Measure equivalent to 2 7 cm There arc 12 pooces in I pied

Quart-dc-rond (or earderon): Brass or bronze moulding usually found amuml the top of a bureau plat.

lUitruiehissoir: Table incor]M>ratmg a wine cooler on the top shell

Regenee. Style: Style of design intermediate between the Bar«H|ue and Rococo in France, broadly speaking at the time of the Regency of the I >uc d’Orleans during the minority of l-ouis XV (1715-23).

Regulatour (.«Iso calks 1 pciululc a secondes): I zing-case clock. Secretaire (also calk-d secretaire en penie or bureau dos d’tine) Low desk, with a sloping front hinged as a writing surface.

Secretaire a abattant (also called secretaire en annoire): Flat-fronted upright tk-sk. the upper section with a hinged (all-f ront as a writing sur­face. the lower section with two doors or with drawer*.

Secretaire a cylindre: lacking desk with a Hat writing surface – which (xills forward as tlx* cylindrical cover slides hack. ’The model was invented by Ocbcn c. 176li

Secretaire en cabinet: Small upright ck-sk with a fall-front in the upper section, resting on a stand like a cabinet The fashion for this piece of fur­niture was Ix-gun by the marchand. s-inercicrs c. 1760

Serre-papicrs: Sis – ( airtonnier. Strictly s|x-aking. in the- eighteenth cen­tury the term referred to the upper part of a cartonnicr with open shelves, some-times placed on a low сирімхші « ailed a caisson

Table сГассоисІкч-: Table with a removable top fitted with four short legs, which can be lifted to be placed on a Ixxl for writing, eating, etc.

Table ambulante: Imprecise term lor a small portable table with no specific use

Fable a la Bourgogne (also called secretaire en capucin or a la Bour­gogne) Tabic with a divided top. the rear part rising mechanically to reveal a set of drawers, the front half fokhng forward as a writing surfacc

‘Fable crcusc (or vide-poches or en augc or en erachoir): Small table with a deep rim around the top.

Fable de cbevel lor table de nuil) Bedside-table with handles on the sides, designed to lx – carried in the evening from closet to alcove; with a compartment and marble slab to take a chamber |x>i Fable en chiffonnicrv: Small tahk*. oval or rectangular, with several drawers on top of each other.

‘Fable a cerirc (or tahlc-ccritoirc): Writing-table suitable lor a woman, usual! v fitted with a drawer containing inkwells, etc or with a writing slide on the front or at the side

Table de jeu: Gaming-table. There were many sorts. The ‘table de tric­trac’ or backgammon table was rectangular with small drawers ojx-ning on either side: the table a <|nadrilk-‘ and ‘table dc piquet’ were square, but the funner had rounded corners to take candlesticks or cards: the ‘tabk – <k- brclan* was circular with a hollow recess in the centre to take cards or a candlestick: and the ‘tabk – «U – tri’ was triangular These pieces, csjx-cially the table de quadrille anil the tabk – de tri. were often folding tabk-s

Table шсч-anique: Writing-table with a Large drawer m tlx – front which pulls forward while the marquetry top sink’s Ixtck, usually revealing a central writing surface flanked by Compartments Table de nuit: See Table de chevet

‘Table de toilette (or eoiffeuse): Dressing table ( friginally a plain table with a cloth (‘toilette’ meaning thin cloth) supporting toilet equipment pomades, brushes, perfumes, etc It attained the status of a formal piece of furniture under Louis XV with a central mirror (which coukllx – raised or folded flat) surrounded by com|>artmcnt. s an<l small drawers Table a la troncliin: Architect’s table with a flat-topped writing surface which rises on adjustable trestle supports, ami rises again «ні a ratchet Intended for reading and drawing when standing upright

Toilette en eocur (or toilette en papillon): Small heart-sitaped dressing table (k-signed for men: a rare piece created probably by J.-F. Qeben c 1758.

Tramilion, Style: Style of design in French furniture intermediate lx– tween the Rococo an«l the Neo-classical, during the late 1750s and early 1760s

Vcrnis Martin: French imitation of oriental lacquer, deriving its name from the brothers Martin who obtained letters jMtent in 1730 (or its manufacture ‘The term denotes pictorial lacquer. sometimes in relief, as well as plain-coloured lacquer applied in numerous successive coats.

Updated: October 14, 2015 — 8:35 pm