19th Century Australian Cedar Chiffonier with Barley Twist Columns

• Column - An architectural feature sometimes used for decorative effect and sometimes as part of the supporting construction. Columns should generally taper slightly towards the top. They may be plain or decorated with carving, fluting or reeding. Columns may be fully rounded or, more commonly, half-rounded and attached with glue, screws or pins to the outer stiles of doors, or the facing uprights on cabinets and bureaux.
• Palladian - Andrea Palladio (1505-80), was an Italian architect and his building designs included use of pediments, cornices, lion masks, paws, acanthus leaves and swags. Palladio did not design any furniture, but his architectural elements have been carried through to furniture by other designers, the most notable of whom was Englishman, William Kent working in the first half of the 18th century.
• Barley Twist - The leg, and frequently other uprights such as columns, chair frames, spindles and stretchers, are turned in fairly wide and deep spirals, usually slightly rounded. Also known as the 'Jacobean twist' and common on the dark stained Jacobean Revival furniture of the 1930s and 40s.
  
  As a rule, the twists on opposite uprights should move in a contrary direction. Thus, if the spiral on a right side is clockwise, that on the left side should move in a counter-clockwise direction.
  
  This is also true of rope-twist or cable-twist turning, a nautical term that came into fashion after Nelson's victories over the French fleet. The essential difference is that with rope twists, the spirals are more finely turned on the lathe and placed closer together, than they are with barley-sugar turnings.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• cabinets, material - cedar 279
• chiffoniers (small sideboards), period or style - Victorian 176
• chiffoniers (small sideboards), timber - cedar 73