WhatsApp usOur comprehensive antiques glossary brings together the full spectrum of methods used to create and restore historic pieces. This glossary of antique furniture terms explains the key vocabulary used by collectors, restorers, dealers and historians, so you can describe, identify and care for your fine furniture with confidence.
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From wood varieties and veneers to joinery, upholstery and surface finishes,we will use clear, practical language to describe how specialist techniques evolved across periods and regions. Whether you’re assessing condition, researching furniture makers or planning restoration work, we hope that this guide will open your eyes to the intricacy of historic craftsmanship.
Above: our conservator working on antique furniture pieces
Glossary of Antique Furniture Terms
For ease of reference, this glossary is divided into several sections, including materials decorative methods and styles.
Materials
Oak
Oak is a durable hardwood widely used in medieval and early modern furniture, valued for its strength, dense grain and resistance to wear. In European furniture-making, oak was the primary construction wood from the Middle Ages through the 17th century, particularly in Northern Europe, where it was readily available and well suited to large-scale joinery.
Walnut
A fine-grained hardwood that became the dominant cabinet wood in Europe due to its rich colour, walnut is known for its workability. The smooth texture and relatively straight grain allowed for precise carving, turning and complex joinery, making it ideal for cabinets, tables, chairs and decorative architectural elements. Walnut also accepts polishing and staining exceptionally well, enhancing its natural warmth and depth.
Above: detail of an 18th century medal cabinet attributed to William Vile and John Cobb
Mahogany
Mahogany is a dense tropical hardwood that became the signature timber of Georgian and Empire furniture, valued for its strength, stability and rich red-brown colour. Imported to Europe from the Caribbean and Central America from the 18th century onward, mahogany transformed furniture design by allowing larger, more refined forms with precise joinery and smooth surfaces.
Its uniform grain and resistance to warping made mahogany ideal for high-quality case furniture, dining tables, chairs and architectural fittings. When polished, mahogany produces a deep lustre.
Ebony
An extremely dense, dark hardwood long associated with prestige, ebony was used in luxury and high-status furniture. Used primarily for cabinets, veneers and fine detailing, ebony was especially valued from the Renaissance onward for its deep black colour, smooth surface and visual contrast with lighter woods, metals and inlay.
Due to its hardness and rarity, ebony was seldom used for full structural elements and instead reserved for decorative components such as mouldings, stringing, turnings and pictorial marquetry. It features prominently in elite European cabinetmaking, including the work of specialist ébénistes, whose title derives directly from the material.
Above: detail from an intricately carved ebony frame, late 17th century
Bird’s Eye Maple
A highly decorative hardwood distinguished by its distinctive “eye-like” figuring, Bird’s eye maple is created by irregular grain growth that creates small swirling patterns across the wood surface. Valued primarily as a veneer rather than a structural timber, it has been used in fine cabinetmaking to introduce visual richness and refined surface detail.
Most commonly associated with late 18th and 19th century furniture, bird’s eye maple appears in drawer fronts, panels and small cabinets, particularly in Neoclassical and later revival styles. Its pale colour and lively figuring made it effective for contrast when paired with darker woods such as mahogany or ebony.
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to a group of dense, richly coloured tropical hardwoods prized in fine furniture and decorative arts for their dramatic grain, deep tones and natural lustre. Imported into Europe from South America, India and Southeast Asia from the 17th century onward, rosewood became especially fashionable in high-status cabinetmaking during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Typically used as veneer rather than solid timber, rosewood was favoured for cabinets, tables, case furniture and decorative surfaces, often combined with marquetry, brass mounts or contrasting woods. Its striking colour variations, ranging from purplish-brown to reddish hues with dark veining, made it a powerful material for those wishing to show their wealth.
Above: detail of a carved rosewood table with marble top, mid 19th century
Craftsmanship
Mortise and Tenon
A fundamental structural joint used to join rails and stiles in furniture, framing and architectural woodwork. Mortise and tenon consists of a projecting tenon, cut on the end of one component, fitted precisely into a corresponding mortise cavity in another, creating a strong and durable connection.
Widely used from the medieval period onward, mortise and tenon joints were often secured with wooden pegs, wedges or draw-boring to increase strength without the use of metal fasteners. This method is central to traditional furniture construction, appearing in tables, chairs, doors, chests and panelled work.
These joints can provide valuable evidence for dating and attribution, as variations in proportion, tool marks and pegging techniques reflect period practice and regional craftsmanship.
Mitred Joint
An angled joint, typically cut at 45 degrees, is referred to as mitred. Used to create refined visual continuity at corners by concealing end grain, the mitred joint is commonly employed in fine cabinetmaking as it allows adjacent surfaces to meet cleanly, producing the appearance of a continuous surface or veneer wrapping around an edge.
Veneer
Veneer is a thin layer of decorative wood applied to a structural interior case. It is a defining technique of fine cabinetmaking. By slicing timber into thin sheets, cabinetmakers could highlight highly figured or rare woods while conserving valuable material and achieving greater surface stability than solid wood construction.
Above you can see a cabinet with veneer missing from the base due to flood damage, before and after restoration.
Veneers allowed for complex decorative effects, including book-matching, cross-banding and pictorial designs and were essential to the development of marquetry and parquetry. Burr veneers, cut from knots or irregular growths, were especially prized for their swirling, highly figured grain and were widely used in high-status furniture of the 17th to 19th centuries.
Understanding veneer types and application methods is central to furniture analysis and conservation, as veneer thickness, cut and adhesive provide key evidence of date, quality and workshop practice.
Rush Seating
Rush seating is a traditional chair-making technique in which hand-woven rush is used to form the seat. Made from dried plant fibres such as bulrush or cattail, rush creates a flexible yet supportive surface and was widely used in vernacular and domestic furniture from the medieval period through the 19th century. This technique was especially common in rural furniture and utilitarian chairs, where locally sourced materials and practical construction were prioritised.
Caning
The seating and backrest technique using woven cane strands, traditionally derived from rattan, is known as caning. It creates a lightweight yet resilient surface. Commonly found in chairs from the 17th to 19th centuries, it appeared in high-backed chairs, side chairs and settees. It was a cost-effective way to cut down on the amount of fine hardwood used and a flexible base for cushioned seats.
Above: detail of an 18th century sofa with caned back
Frame-and-Panel
A construction method that allows solid wood panels to expand and contract within a surrounding framework, the frame-and-panel technique reduces the risk of splitting, warping or structural failure. The technique uses a rigid frame, typically joined with mortise and tenon joints, which holds a thinner panel set into grooves and left free to move.
Widely employed from the medieval period onward, frame-and-panel construction is characteristic of doors, chests, panelling and case furniture. Panels may be plain, raised or carved, depending on period and status.
Dovetail Joint
Dovetail is an interlocking woodworking joint used primarily in drawers and carcase corners, designed to resist pulling forces and provide exceptional structural strength. The joint is formed from a series of wedge-shaped pins and tails that lock together mechanically, often without the need for additional fasteners. They have been used in furniture construction since the medieval period, becoming increasingly refined in high-quality cabinetmaking from the 17th century onward.
Above: detail of upholstery textiles
Upholstery
Upholstery refers to the padded construction of seating and furniture surfaces built up over a supporting base of webbing or springs. Layers of materials such as hair, wool, felt or later foam are shaped to provide comfort and form, then finished with fabric, leather or decorative coverings.
Carcase
A furniture carcase refers to the box-like structural body that forms the core of furniture, providing strength, stability and the basic framework to which drawers, doors, shelves and decorative elements are attached. Typically built from solid boards or framed panels, the carcase defines the overall form and function of ‘case furniture’ such as cabinets, chests and cupboards and acts as a base for the veneer of a higher quality wood.
Decorative Techniques
Marquetry
Cut from contrasting woods and sometimes combined with materials such as ivory, metal or tortoiseshell, marquetry is a decorative technique that uses patterned pieces of veneer to form images, motifs or geometric designs on furniture surfaces. Unlike inlay, which is set into a solid ground, marquetry is assembled as a surface veneer.
The marquetry technique became especially prominent in European cabinetmaking from the late 17th century onwards. Marquetry allowed cabinetmakers to create intricate pictorial and ornamental effects while making economical use of precious materials.
Above: detail of marquetry on an early 18th century cabinet attributed to Jan van Mekeren
Inlay
Materials such as wood, metal, ivory, bone or mother-of-pearl are set into a solid wood surface to create inlay patterns, motifs or imagery. Unlike veneer or marquetry, inlay involves cutting recesses into the ground material so the decorative elements sit flush with the surrounding surface. Used across many cultures and periods, inlay appears in furniture, musical instruments and architectural woodwork, from medieval interiors to Renaissance and later fine cabinetmaking.
Boulle Work
Boulle work is a highly elaborate form of marquetry combining tortoiseshell and brass, often enhanced with pewter or other metals, to create richly patterned decorative surfaces. The technique is named after the French cabinetmaker André Charles Boulle and became a defining feature of high-status furniture produced in France during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The process involves cutting paired sheets of tortoiseshell and metal simultaneously to produce complementary designs known as première partie and contre-partie. Boulle work was typically applied to cabinets, bureaux, tables and clocks, often set against ebonised grounds and enriched with gilt bronze mounts.
Above: detail of boulle furniture with an ormolu mount
Ormolu
Finely cast bronze mounts are gilded using the mercury fire-gilding process, to produce a durable gold surface called ormolu. Used extensively in high-status furniture, clocks and decorative objects, ormolu mounts provide both ornamental detail and protective reinforcement to vulnerable edges and corners.
Ormolu mounts were especially prominent in French furniture of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Applied to cabinets, commodes and tables in Rococo and Neoclassical styles, the motifs often included classical figures, foliage and architectural elements.
Verre églomisé
Gold or silver leaf is applied to the reverse of glass, then engraved or painted to create reflective images and patterns to produce verre églomisé. The decoration is viewed through the glass surface, producing a luminous, mirror-like effect combined with fine linear detail.
Pietra Dura
Pietra dura uses precisely cut and polished hardstones, such as lapis lazuli, jasper, agate and marble, inlaid to form detailed images or ornamental patterns. The stones are fitted together seamlessly and set into a stone or sometimes wooden ground, creating richly coloured, durable surfaces. Developed in Italy during the Renaissance, particularly in Florence under Medici patronage, pietra dura was used for tabletops, cabinets, panels and architectural decoration.
Above: detail from an Italian pietra dura table top, late 16th century
Carving
A decorative technique in which ornamental forms are hand-cut directly into solid wood, carving utilises chisels, gouges and knives. It allows decoration to be integrated into the structure of furniture rather than applied to the surface, giving depth, texture and sculptural presence.
Used throughout furniture history, carving reflects changing stylistic tastes and levels of craftsmanship, from medieval tracery and Baroque exuberance to the restrained classical ornament of the Renaissance and Neoclassical periods.
Turning
Turning is a woodworking technique in which furniture elements are shaped on a lathe by rotating the wood against cutting tools. This process produces symmetrical, rounded forms such as legs, spindles, stretchers and balusters, allowing for both structural and decorative refinement.
Turning has been used since the medieval period and became especially prominent in the 17th century with the popularity of turned chairs, tables and baluster forms. Variations in profile, rhythm and finish reflect period taste and technological development.
Stringing
A decorative technique using narrow strips of veneer inlaid into a wooden surface to create fine linear patterns. Typically made from contrasting woods and sometimes from materials such as metal or bone, stringing is used to outline panels, emphasise edges or introduce subtle geometric ornamentation. The technique became especially popular in Neoclassical furniture of the late 18th century, where restraint and precision were valued over heavy decoration.
Above: stringing details restored on a piece of antique furniture
Finishes
French Polish
A high-gloss wood finishing technique using shellac applied in multiple thin layers with a rubbing pad. The technique of French polishing was developed in the late 18th century and widely used through the 19th century.
French polish produces a deep, lustrous surface that enhances the colour and figure of fine woods. It is achieved through a build up of shellac with alcohol in a controlled, labour-intensive process, often incorporating oils to result in a smooth, reflective finish.
Lacquering
Originating in East Asia, lacquering is a surface-finishing technique using resin based coatings to create a hard, glossy and protective finish on furniture and decorative objects. True lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree, while European lacquering developed later using alternative resins, oils and varnishes.
Above: detail of a lacquer surface with decoration
Japanning
Japanning is a European decorative technique developed to imitate Asian lacquer, using layers of varnish, resin and pigment to create a glossy, durable surface. Popular from the late 17th to 18th centuries, japanning reflects European fascination with East Asian aesthetics and the desire to replicate imported lacquerware using locally available materials.
Japanned surfaces often feature painted or gilt chinoiserie motifs, landscapes or floral designs applied over dark grounds, commonly black or red. The technique was used on cabinets, chairs, screens and small domestic objects.
Waxing
Waxing is a traditional surface finish in which natural waxes, such as beeswax or carnauba, are applied to wood to enhance colour, enrich grain and provide a soft protective sheen. It is commonly used both as a final finish and as a maintenance treatment for historic furniture. In the care of antique furniture, waxing helps protect wood from dirt and moisture while allowing the surface to breathe.
Gilding
In furniture design, gilding is commonly used on carved wood, frames and mounts, enhancing ornamentation. Thin sheets of gold leaf are applied to wood, metal or other surfaces to create a luminous, prestigious finish.
Above: detail of gilding on a drop-front secretary by Jean Henri Riesener, 1783
Attribution – Famous Furniture Makers & Styles
Chippendale
Chippendale refers both to the influential English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale and to the furniture style associated with his work and designs. Active in the mid 18th century, Chippendale played a pivotal role in shaping British furniture through the publication of The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director in 1754, which widely disseminated his designs.
The Chippendale style is characterised by refined proportions and a blend of influences, including Rococo, Gothic and Chinese motifs. Typical features include cabriole legs, carved ornament, fretwork and rich materials such as mahogany.
Sheraton
English furniture designer Thomas Sheraton is associated with the Neoclassical style. Active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Sheraton helped define a refined, linear aesthetic through pattern books such as The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing-Book, which strongly influenced British and European furniture design.
The Sheraton style is characterised by slender proportions, straight lines and delicate ornament, often incorporating stringing, inlay and painted decoration. Common forms include tapered legs, light carcases and restrained classical motifs.
Above: details from Chippendale’s furniture design publication
Hepplewhite
Late 18th century furniture designer George Hepplewhite is best known for his designs, published in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide of 1788. Hepplewhite designs helped shape the development of English Neoclassicism with an emphasis on elegance, lightness and refined proportion.
The Hepplewhite style is characterised by graceful outlines, delicate tapering legs and restrained classical ornament, often incorporating painted decoration, stringing and inlay. Shield-back chairs are among its most recognisable forms.
Riesener
Jean-Henri Riesener was one of the leading French ébénistes of the Louis XVI period. Active in Paris in the late 18th century, Riesener was cabinetmaker to the French court and produced some of the most refined and technically accomplished furniture of the era.
His work is characterised by precise marquetry, exceptional craftsmanship and the extensive use of finely chased ormolu mounts. Riesener’s furniture often features geometric patterns, floral marquetry and richly coloured veneers, executed with remarkable precision.
Above: detail of chinoiserie marquetry on a rolltop desk by David Roentgen, influenced by a Chippendale design
Roentgen
German cabinetmaker David Roentgen is renowned for his innovative mechanical furniture of the late 18th century. Working primarily in Neuwied and Paris, Roentgen combined advanced engineering with refined Neoclassical design, creating furniture that incorporated hidden compartments, automated movements and complex locking mechanisms.
His pieces often feature elegant proportions, marquetry veneers and discreet ormolu mounts, with mechanisms designed to transform desks, tables and cabinets through concealed levers and keys. Roentgen’s work was highly prized by European courts, including that of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Biedermeier
Biedermeier is a restrained classical style that developed in Central Europe in the early 19th century, particularly in German speaking regions and Austria. Emerging in the period following the Napoleonic Wars, Biedermeier furniture reflects middle-class values of simplicity, comfort and domesticity rather than courtly display.
The style is characterised by clean lines, balanced proportions and minimal ornament, with an emphasis on fine veneers and natural wood grain, often in cherry, walnut or birch. Forms are functional and solid, favouring clarity over embellishment.
Above: a selection of chairs in the William and Mary and Queen Anne style
William & Mary
The furniture style “William & Mary” refers to a late 17th-century English and Dutch-influenced furniture style associated with the reign of William III and Mary II (1689-1702). It is characterised by a shift toward stronger architectural forms and increasingly sophisticated surface decoration.
Typical features include bold turned legs and stretchers, high or “X” stretchers, bun feet, and carved or moulded elements. The period is also notable for the early and fashionable use of veneers, including oyster veneering and floral marquetry, often applied over secondary woods to create richly patterned surfaces.
Queen Anne
In furniture design, Queen Anne refers to an early 18th century furniture style that developed during the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714) and remained influential into the 1720s. The style represents a move away from the heavier Baroque forms of the late 17th century toward greater refinement, balance and comfort, forming a key bridge to later Georgian design.
Characteristic features include cabriole legs, pad or trifid feet, shaped splats on chairs and gently curved forms. Ornament is restrained, with emphasis placed on proportion and silhouette rather than heavy carving. Walnut was the dominant wood, often later replaced by mahogany as the style evolved.
Above: detail from an arts and crafts linen press, early 20th century
Arts & Crafts
Arts & Crafts refers to a late 19th and early 20th century movement that sought to revive traditional craftsmanship in response to industrial mass production. Originating in Britain and strongly influenced by the ideas of William Morris, the movement emphasised honesty of materials, visible construction and the integration of function and design.
Arts & Crafts furniture is characterised by simple, robust forms, exposed joinery and minimal ornament, often drawing inspiration from medieval and vernacular traditions. Oak was a favoured material, valued for its strength and natural character.
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival is a Victorian style that drew inspiration from medieval Gothic architecture and decorative arts, reflecting a renewed interest in historicism, craftsmanship and moral symbolism. Emerging in Britain and spreading across Europe and America, the style was closely linked to religious, educational and institutional settings, as well as domestic interiors.
Art Deco
Art Deco is an influential interwar style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, characterised by bold geometry, streamlined forms and an emphasis on modernity and luxury. The style reflects confidence in technological progress and a fascination with speed, industry and cosmopolitan sophistication.
In furniture and decorative arts, Art Deco is defined by strong geometric patterns, symmetrical compositions and the use of rich materials such as exotic veneers, lacquer, chrome, glass and shagreen. Craftsmanship often combines traditional techniques with modern production methods.
Above: various pieces of mid century furniture advertised in print
Mid Century
The term “mid-century” refers to a design style that developed in the mid 20th century, particularly from the 1940s to the 1960s. It is characterised by clean lines, functional forms and a rejection of excessive ornament. In furniture design, mid-century emphasises simplicity and balance.
Mid-century furniture often combines traditional craftsmanship with modern materials and industrial techniques, including moulded plywood, tubular metal and new synthetic finishes. Designers such as Hans Wegner, Charles and Ray Eames and Arne Jacobsen played key roles in shaping the style.
Empire Style
Empire style is a monumental furniture and decorative arts style that developed during the Napoleonic era of the early 19th century, closely associated with the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte. Drawing heavily on ancient Roman and Egyptian sources, the style was intended to project power, authority and imperial grandeur.
Empire furniture is characterised by bold, architectural forms, strong symmetry and the extensive use of classical symbolism, including laurel wreaths, eagles, sphinxes and anthemion motifs. Mahogany was the principal wood, often enriched with heavy ormolu mounts and applied decoration.
Above: the final touches to a restored dining table in our studio
Contact Our Team
As part of our antique furniture restoration service we offer a nationwide collection and delivery service as well as information on worldwide shipping to our studio. E-mail us via info@fineart-restoration.co.uk or call 0207 112 7576 for more information.
