Antique Oyster Walnut Low Boy with Three Drawers

• Veneers - Veneers are thin sheets of well-figured timber that are glued under pressure to the surface of a cheaper timber for decorative effect, and then used in the making of carcase furniture.
  
  Early veneers were saw-cut so were relatively thick, (up to 2 mm) but is was realised that saw cutting was wasteful, as timber to the equivilent of the thickness of the saw was lot on each cut.
  
  A more efficient method was devised to slice the timber, either horizontally with a knife, or in a rotary lathe.
  
  Flame veneer, commonly found in mahogany or cedar furniture, is cut from the junction of the branches and main trunk. So-called fiddleback veneers, where the grain is crossed by a series of pronounced darker lines, is usually cut from the outer sections of the tree trunk.
  
  During the 17th and 18th centuries, and in much of the walnut marquetry furniture made during the latter part of the 19th century, the veneer was laid in quarters, each of the same grain, so that one half of the surface was the mirror image of the other.
  
  The use of veneer allows many other decorative effects to be employed, including stringing, feather banding, cross banding, and inlaid decorative panels in the piece. The carcase over which veneer is laid is usually of cheaper timber such as pine, oak or, sometimes in Australia during the first half of the 19th century, red cedar.
  
  The important thing to remember about veneers is that prior to about 1850 they were cut by hand, and were consequently quite thick - ranging up to about 2mm deep.
  
  From the mid-19th century veneers were cut by machines and were almost wafer-thin. This is a critical point when trying to judge the approximate age of veneered furniture.
• Pad Foot - In furniture design, a pad foot refers to a type of
  
  furniture foot that is shaped like a flattened ball or pad. It is a common
  
  design element in traditional furniture styles, particularly in English and
  
  American furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries. The pad foot is typically
  
  wider than it is tall, with a broad, flat surface that rests directly on the
  
  floor. It is often carved or turned with decorative details, such as fluting or
  
  ridges, and can be made from a variety of materials, such as wood, metal, or
  
  leather.
  
  
  Pad feet are used to support the legs of various types of
  
  furniture, such as chairs, tables, and cabinets. They are often used in
  
  combination with other types of feet, such as bun feet or bracket feet, to
  
  create a more complex and decorative furniture design. In terms of
  
  functionality, pad feet provide stability and support to furniture pieces, and
  
  can help distribute the weight of the piece evenly across the floor. In terms
  
  of design, they add a classic and traditional look to furniture designs, and
  
  are often used to create a sense of elegance and refinement.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• chests of drawers, material - walnut 458
• chests of drawers, style
  • lowboys 34
  • three drawer 302
• tables / chests - lowboys 50