Furniture History: Cabinets

Cabinets on High Legs

The cabinet type with legs, a rectangular structure with doors on both sides of small drawers, originated in France and Spain in the early 16th century.

Early cabinets were relatively small and usually stood on a table. Later cabinets were larger and had specially made stands. English furniture makers became familiar with similar cabinets after the Restoration of 1660. Cabinet interiors stored important papers, coins and other valuables, and cabinet decoration reflected the intended purpose.

Display Cabinets

During the 17th century, valuable objects and relics were stored in display cabinets with solid doors. Solid doors meant that objects had to be removed for viewing. Cabinet design changed in the early 18th century with the appearance of cabinets with glazed doors.

Display cabinets existed in many sizes and forms, from cabinets on high legs to corner sideboards. Large examples featured projecting fronts, glazed doors in the upper section, and a sideboard or cupboard in the lower section.

Attached cabinets appeared at the end of the 18th century. Pairs of attached cabinets usually stood in the wall spaces between windows. Attached cabinets with open shelves directly above the cabinet were called chiffoniers.

The credenza was also popular. These D-shaped cabinets had glazed sideboards at each end and often featured a mirror above.

The display case was another popular type of open cabinet. Display cases usually followed the French 17th-century style, with a projecting front, a bombé profile or wave-shaped lower contours, and decoration in ormolu, meaning gilded metal mounts, or marquetry.
Source: Antique Furniture. An Illustrated Guide to Identifying Furniture Styles. Tim Forrest.