{"id":1195,"date":"2014-10-30T17:46:42","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T17:46:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/?page_id=1195"},"modified":"2014-12-02T17:39:08","modified_gmt":"2014-12-02T17:39:08","slug":"glossary-for-furniture-decorative-elements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/?page_id=1195","title":{"rendered":"Glossary For Furniture Decorative Elements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bole:<\/th>\nA colored clay used as a preparatory layer for gilding; its color determines tonality of the gold.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Boule
\n(also Buhl):<\/th>\n		After Andre C. Boule (French 1642 \u2013 1732); elaborate inlay work distinguished by intricate often lacy, brass designs.\u00a0 Can be combined with various rare woods, ivory, and tortoise shell to form complex designs.\n
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Burl:<\/th>\nStrongly marked wood cut from a large, round disfiguring outgrowth of a tree or limb.\n
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Carving:<\/th>\nTo fashion a decorative element into a desired shape by cutting material with sharp tools.\u00a0 (See \u201cRecarving\u201d)\n
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Element:<\/th>\nOne of the parts of which an object is composed.\n
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Figure:<\/th>\nThe surface pattern of a piece of solid wood or veneer created by the wood\u2019s grain.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fretwork:<\/th>\nDecorative patterns or elements created by cutting or piercing through a piece of wood.\n
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Gesso:<\/th>\nA combination of calcium carbonate and glue used over an object\u2019s surface and as a preparation layer for gilding or painting.\n
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Gilt:<\/th>\nGold applied to a substrate.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gilding:<\/th>\nThe application of gold leaf to an object, generally to wood or metal.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gilt Parcel:<\/th>\nAn object, which has gilded elements without the whole being gilded.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gilt\u00a0 Paint
\n(also \u201cGold Paint\u201d):<\/th>\n		An oil paint with metal flakes (usually brass) inappropriately used to simulate gilding.\u00a0 Often used over original gilding, gold paint darkens (tarnishes) quickly; it is often impossible to safely remove it from a gilded surface without destroying the surface.\n
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Inlay:<\/th>\nTo set pieces (of wood, ivory, metal, stone, etc.) into the surface of a piece, generally at the same level as the surface, to establish a decorative pattern.\u00a0 Marquetry and boulle work are major examples of inlay.\n
\"inlay\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Knot:<\/th>\nBase of a tree branch, which is visible on a larger branch or trunk sawn from that area.\n
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Late Additions:<\/th>\nElements which are not original to the object.\n
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Lip:<\/th>\nSolid strip of wood, often decoratively cut, used to finish the edge of a large element such as a top or drawers, etc.\n
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Marbling:<\/th>\nA faux technique to replicate the look of marble using paint, applied directly to the wood surface.\n
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Marquetry:<\/th>\nElaborate inlay of various woods into patterns, scenes, botanicals, etc.\n
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Ormolu:<\/th>\nGold mixed with mercury, applied to bronze and furnace fired.\u00a0 Firing vaporizes the mercury leaving a thin layer of gold on the metal.\u00a0 Most often seen in pre-twentieth century metal fixtures on furniture.\n
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Patina Natural:<\/th>\nA surface finish or appearance induced by environmental factors over a prolonged period of time; often called \u201cage patina.\u201d\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Patina, Induced:<\/th>\nA surface finish or appearance artificially induced by chemicals or other means to create a finish desired by the creator; (2) artificially induced replication of age.\n
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Primary Elenent:<\/th>\nOne of the most important visual elements, almost always visible when the furniture is in its usual placement; e.g.\u00a0 bookcase doors; drawers; crest rail, etc.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Secondary Element:<\/th>\nGenerally a support element\u00a0 which is not visible when the piece is in its visual placement.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stain:<\/th>\nA liquid applied to wood to penetrate the surface and product a rich color.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Structure:<\/th>\nThat which supports the primary structure upon which the primary structure is adhered or otherwise attached; e.g. \u201cpine under the veneer with corner blocks.\u201d\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Support Element:<\/th>\nAny vertical element (leg, foot, etc.) used to hold a piece of furniture upright, constituting an important visual piece of the whole.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Veneer:<\/th>\nA think surface layer, usually fine wood that will be adhered to a substrate of less valuable or inferior wood.\u00a0 May also be horn, ivory, etc.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wood Surface, Cross-Section:<\/th>\nSurface created by a transverse cut at right angles to the wood\u2019s grain.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wood Surface, Radial:<\/th>\nSurface created by a cut at right angles to growth increments and parallel to the rays.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wood Surface, Tangential:<\/th>\nSurface created by a cut at right angles to the rays and tangential to the growth increments.\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Degree:<\/h2>\n

The comparative extent of damage described by the following adjectives:<\/p>\n

Negligible:<\/h3>\n

Insignificant damage that may not need immediate attention but needs to be monitored.<\/p>\n

Slight:<\/h3>\n

Damage slightly more noticeable than \u201cnegligible\u201d; should be monitored by a conservator.<\/p>\n

Minor:<\/h3>\n

Existing condition, which is relatively unimportant; generally does not involve risk of loss; should be monitored by a conservator.<\/p>\n

Moderate:<\/h3>\n

Damage is noticeable and may be of middle or increasing severity of size; not serious but should be monitored or corrected by a conservator.<\/p>\n

Marked:<\/h3>\n

Readily identified damage, often with distinctive features and requires remediation by a conservator.<\/p>\n

Major:<\/h3>\n

Damages or existing condition are noticeable, if not conspicuous in extent; stability of the work is in question, often great risk is a factor. Requires immediate attention by a conservator to prevent further damage or loss.<\/p>\n

Extreme:<\/h3>\n

Most severe damage or existing condition has become very advanced. The work is insecure, no longer stable and at great risk.<\/p>\n

It is important to understand that damage to a work of art is rarely static and the work will continue to deteriorate. It is best to have a conservator monitor works annually.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bole: A colored clay used as a preparatory layer for gilding; its color determines tonality of the gold. Boule (also Buhl): After Andre C. Boule (French 1642 \u2013 1732); elaborate inlay work distinguished by intricate often lacy, brass designs.\u00a0 Can be combined with various rare woods, ivory, and tortoise shell to form complex designs. Burl: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-full-width.php","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1195","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1195"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2154,"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1195\/revisions\/2154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.art-conservation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}