An English Regency parcel gilt wall mirror, circa 1820, the…
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An English Regency parcel gilt wall mirror, circa 1820, the reverse breakfront cornice above a rectangular plate, flanked by pilasters with applied patera, 108 cm high, 81.5 cm wide.

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  • Parcel Gilt - An item or component that is partially gilded, the purpose of the gilding being to accentuate the decoration. For example a silver vessel may have gilded highlights, or the leg of a table or chair may have gilded carvings.
  • Patera - A small decorative device, used as ornament in Neo-classical style furniture. Patera (or paterae) are usually round or oval, in the form of stylized rosettes. In the best pieces they are carved directly into the timber, otherwise they applied to the surface. Sometimes painted or inlaid motifs in the style are referred to as patera. Also known as a boss or a rosette.
  • Breakfront - A design generally found in larger pieces of furniture, such as bookcases, wardrobes and some sideboards. The line of the front is interrupted by the middle section standing out from each end. In a reverse breakfront, the centre section is recessed behind each end. Breakfronted pieces are usually made in three sections the middle and the two wings which are held together by the cornice and pediment, and the plinth on which it stands. The sensible buyer should show caution before buying breakfront pieces, especially bookcases, which are highly desirable and expensive. Always check that the timber, colour, patination, backboards, decoration and thickness of the wood are same in each section.
  • Pilasters - In furniture a pilaster is a flattened column-like detail

    applied to furniture. It is similar to a pilaster in architecture, but it is

    typically smaller and less ornate. Pilasters are often used to decorate the

    fronts of bookcases, cabinets, and other pieces of furniture. Pilasters can be

    made of wood, metal, or other materials. They can be fluted, carved, or plain.

    Pilasters are often used to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to

    furniture.

  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Cornice - The upper section of a high piece of furniture such as a bookcase, wardrobe or cabinet that sits immediately on the main structure. The cornice is usually decorated with a variety of architectural mouldings, worked either with a moulding plane or, from the later 19th century, by machine. The front and side of the cornice are mitred together, strengthened by glue blocks, and the back is generally a simple dovetailed rail to hold the structure together. Cornices are generally, though not always, fitted separately to the piece and are held in place either by screws sunk into the top board or by wooden corner blocks. A pediment may sit above the cornice, but sometimes the terms cornice and pediment are used interchangeably.
  • Regency Period - The Regency period in English furniture design refers to the period when King George III, was declared unfit to rule in 1811, and his son ruled as proxy as Prince Regent, until 1820, and then, after the death of his father as George IV until his death in 1830. The Regency period was preceded by the Georgian period (George I, George II, and George III: 1714 - 1811), and was followed by the William IV period, which only lasted until 1837 when William IV died as was succeeded by Queen Victoria.

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