American Empire is moderate in proportion with classical ornamentation, coarse carving, and a dark finish. It is patterned after French Empire with classical influences.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Appearance
![]() |
Graceful and Refined – Elegant appearance.(Federal style shown) |
Chair Arms
![]() |
Slightly Curved – Arms are slightly curved. |
Chair Back Material
![]() |
Upholstered – Cushioned and fabric covered. |
![]() |
Wood – Solid wood, horizontal slats, vertical slats, or vertical splats. |
Chair Back Shape
![]() |
Crosspiece – Single flat vertical slat. |
![]() |
Fiddleback – Fiddle-shaped central splat. |
![]() |
Solid – One piece or solid panel chair back. |
Chair Leg
![]() |
Reeded – Rounded decorative grooved or molding. |
![]() |
Restrained Cabriole – Cabriole leg with a rather straight shape. |
![]() |
Round – Round, usually shaped or turned leg. |
![]() |
Simple turning – Turned leg with a few types of turnings. |
![]() |
Splayed – Leg with a concave shape. |
![]() |
Straight – Straight leg, vertical to chair seat. |
![]() |
Tapered – Straight leg gradually decreasing in width. |
Chair Seat Material
![]() |
Cane – Woven rattan. |
![]() |
Rush – Woven rush. |
![]() |
Upholstered – Cushioned and covered with fabric. |
![]() |
Wood – Various types of wood. |
Chair Seat Shape
![]() |
Square – Square shaped seat. |
Drawer Pull
![]() |
Brass Knob – Mushroom-shaped brass knob. |
![]() |
Glass Knob – Mushroom-shaped or round glass knob, often clear or iridescent. |
![]() |
Loop Handle – Bail handle without a back plate, 3.5 to 4.5 inches wide. |
![]() |
Oval Stamped Brass Back Plate with Bail – Oval back plate of stamped brass with conforming handle. The size varies from 3 to 4 inches wide by 2 to 2.5 inches high. |
![]() |
Rectangular Plate with Bail – Rectangular back plate of solid stamped brass, often with canted corners and an oval bail handle. The size varies from 3 to 4 inches wide to 2 to 2.5 inches high. |
![]() |
Rosette – Round 2-inch knob in the shape of a flower, usually in brass or glass. |
![]() |
Wooden Mushroom-Shaped Knob – Mushroom-shaped wooden knob, often 1 inch high and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter. |
Fabric
![]() |
Brocade – Rich, heavily woven fabric with a raised design, often with gold or silver thread. |
![]() |
Damask – Medium weight, glossy fabric with a reversible pattern and a figured intricate weave, often of linen, cotton, silk, or wool. |
![]() |
Velvet – Woven pile fabric that is soft and sturdy, often made of silk with blends of cotton, nylon, and rayon. |
Finish
![]() |
Gilding – Gold leaf. |
![]() |
Oil Varnish – Clear finish that emphasized the grain of the wood. |
![]() |
Paint – Opaque, pigmented finish that obscures the grain of the wood. |
Foot
![]() |
Brass Paw or Claw – Animal paw or claw in brass. |
![]() |
Continuation of leg – Leg does not terminate into a foot. |
![]() |
Lion Paw – Carved lion’s foot. |
![]() |
Paw or Claw – Carved animal paw or claw. |
![]() |
Scroll – Inward curving foot with a loosely coiled appearance. |
Hardware Material
![]() |
Brass – Yellowish metal made from copper and zinc. |
![]() |
Glass – Transparent to translucent. |
![]() |
Wood – Various types of wood, carved or turned. |
Joint
![]() |
Dovetail – An interlocking wood joint in which a series of wedge-shaped projections fits into a series of alternating grooves. |
Line
![]() |
Straight – Straight lines. |
Motif
![]() |
Acanthus Leaf – Conventionalized leaf. |
![]() |
Cornucopia – Horn with fruit or flowers. |
![]() |
Eagle – National emblem of the United States. |
![]() |
Pineapple – Oval-shaped tropical fruit. |
![]() |
Scroll – Form resembling a roll of parchment paper. |
![]() |
Star – Figure having five or six symmetrically projecting points. |
![]() |
Urn – Vase-shaped figure. |
Ornamentation
![]() |
Carving – Cutting or chipping the surface of wood to create a shape or design. |
![]() |
Fluting – Carved or molded vertical channels. |
![]() |
Reeding – Parallel lines of rounded molding. |
![]() |
Stenciling – Painting through a template to create a shape or design on the underlying wood surface. |
![]() |
Supporting Column – Decorative column often fluted affixed to the front corners of case furniture, particularly bureaus. |
Proportion
![]() |
Medium – Moderate dimensions.(Queen Anne style shown) |
Underbracing
![]() |
Moderate – Moderately proportioned stretchers.(William and Mary style shown) |
Wood
![]() |
Black Walnut – Dark brown American hardwood with a wide range of figures. |
![]() |
Cherry – Red-brown American hardwood. |
![]() |
Mahogany – Red-brown South American and African hardwood. |
![]() |
Maple – Golden to Red-brown American hardwood with a wide range of figures. |
![]() |
Maple Veneer – Golden to Red-brown American hardwood with a wide range of figures, used in thinly sliced sheets. |
![]() |
Rosewood Veneer – Purple-brown South American hardwood with black streaks that can be highly polished. |