Pennsylvania Dutch (1720-1830)

Appearance

Simple – Straight lines, simple design, and little ornamentation.(Contemporary style shown)

Chair Arms

	Simple turning or flat – Arms are straight with a simple turning or are flat.
	Straight – Arms are straight and perpendicular to the chair.

Chair Back Material

Wood – Solid wood, horizontal slats, vertical slats, or vertical splats.

Chair Back Shape

	Ladderback or Slatback – Equally spaced horizontal flat slats, either straight or curved.
	Solid – One piece or solid panel chair back.

Chair Leg

	Cabriole – Curved leg in the shape of an animal’s leg. The cabriole leg increased the stability of seating pieces and reduced the need for underbracing.
	Round – Round, usually shaped or turned leg.
	Simple turning – turned leg with a few types of turnings.
	Square – Flat surfaced leg on all sides.
	Straight – Straight leg, vertical to chair seat.
	Tapered – Straight leg gradually decreasing in width.

Chair Seat Material

	Leather – Animal hide.
	Rush – Woven rush.
	Upholstered – Cushioned and covered with fabric.
	Wood – Various types of wood.

Chair Seat Shape

Square – Square shaped seat.

Drawer Pull

	Loop Handle – Bail handle without a back plate, 3.5 to 4.5 inches wide.
	Turned Wooden Knob – Elongated, turned wooden knob, often 3 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter.
	Wooden Mushroom-Shaped Knob – Mushroom-shaped wooden knob, often 1 inch high and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter.

Fabric

Leather – Material made from the tanning of animal hides.

Finish

	Paint – Opaque, pigmented finish that obscures the grain of the wood.
	Wax – Paste finish over a sealer, stain, or bare wood.

Foot

	Ball – Rounded ball-shaped foot.
	Bun – Rounded foot, flatter than a ball foot.
	Continuation of leg – Leg does not terminate into a foot.
	Pad – Simple, rounded carved foot.

Hardware Material

	Iron – Grayish-brown metal with a dull finish.
	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.
	Mortise and tenon – Wood joint in which a projecting tenon of one board is fitted into a mortise or hole of another board.

Line

	Cyma or S-Curve – S-shaped curve, partly concave and partly convex.
	Straight – Straight lines.

Motif

	Floral – Flowers, such as roses, sunflowers, and tulips.
	Sunflower – Daisy-like flower.
	Tulip – Cup-shaped flower.

Ornamentation

	Carving – Cutting or chipping the surface of wood to create a shape or design.
	Paneling – Raised, recessed, and framed panels.
	Spindle – Turned pieces, split vertically often affixed to the front of case furniture.
	Stenciling – Painting through a template to create a shape or design on the underlying wood surface.

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.
	Oak – Gray-brown American hardwood.
	Pine – Yellow to pink-brown American softwood.
	Tulipwood – Pink-yellow hardwood with red striping used in inlays; also known as pinkwood.