Jacobean (1600-1690)
Jacobean is an English style of furniture, which is medieval in appearance with straight lines, rigid designs, sturdy construction, ornate carvings, and a dark finish. Much of Early American furniture was patterned after this style.
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Appearance
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Sturdy – Straight lines and a heavy proportion.(Arts and Craft style shown) |
Chair Arms
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Slopes to front posts – Arms slope down to meet posts from the seat. |
Chair Back Material
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Wood – Wood chair back. |
Chair Back Shape
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Solid – One piece or solid panel chair back. |
Chair Leg Shape
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Round – Round, usually shaped or turned leg. |
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Straight – Straight leg, vertical to chair seat. |
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Simple turning – turned leg with a few types of turnings. |
Chair Seat Material
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Rush – Woven rush. |
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Wood – Various types of wood. |
Chair Seat Shape
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Square – Square shaped seat. |
Drawer Pull
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Brass Knob – Mushroom-shaped brass knob. |
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Tear Drop – Tear-drop shaped pull attached by a knob to a back plate. The back plate is usually circular, oval, or diamond shaped. |
Fabric
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Leather – Material made from the tanning of animal hides. |
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Velvet – Woven pile fabric that is soft and sturdy, often made of silk with blends of cotton, nylon, and rayon. |
Finish
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Oil Varnish – Clear finish that emphasized the grain of the wood. |
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Wax – Paste finish over a sealer, stain, or bare wood. |
Foot
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Block – Flat-surfaced foot. |
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Bun – Rounded foot, flatter than a ball foot. |
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Continuation of leg – Leg does not terminate into a foot. |
Hardware Material
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Brass – Yellowish metal made from copper and zinc. |
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Iron – Grayish-brown metal with a dull finish. |
Joint
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Mortise and tenon – Wood joint in which a projecting tenon of one board is fitted into a mortise or hole of another board. |
Line
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Straight – Straight lines. |
Motif
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Acanthus leaf – Conventionalized leaf. |
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Acorns – Turned form often used as finials on chair and bed posts, and leg turnings. |
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Carved Head – Carved front view of a human head. |
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Diamond – A figure with four equal sides and two obtuse angles. |
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Geometric – A figure made of squares, circles, and triangles. |
Ornamentation
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Banding – Thin strips of contrasting veneer used as a decorative border or edging. |
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Carving – Cutting or chipping the surface of wood to create a shape or design. |
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Paneling – Raised, recessed, and framed panels. |
Proportion
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Heavy – Sturdy, thick dimensions.(Chippendale style shown) |
Underbracing
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Heavy – Sturdy stretchers.(Jacobean style shown) |
Wood
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Black Walnut – Dark brown American hardwood with a wide range of figures. |
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Oak – Gray-brown American hardwood. |