Misplaced Pages

#208791

86-634: ICFF , the International Contemporary Furniture Fair , has been recognized as North America's leading platform for global design. The ICFF welcomes over 600 international exhibitors, both established brands and emerging designers, showcasing what's next and what's best for contemporary, design driven residential and commercial interiors. The ICFF is held at the Javits Center in New York City each May and

172-603: A Neolithic "low road" that goes from Skara Brae passes near both these sites and ends at the chambered tomb of Maeshowe . Low roads connect Neolithic ceremonial sites throughout Britain. Originally, Childe believed that the settlement dated from around 500 BC. This interpretation was coming under increasing challenge by the time new excavations in 1972–73 settled the question. Radiocarbon results obtained from samples collected during these excavations indicate that occupation of Skara Brae began about 3180 BC with occupation continuing for about six hundred years. Around 2500 BC, after

258-422: A canopy of fur; another link with recent Hebridean style. House 8 has no storage boxes or dresser and has been divided into something resembling small cubicles. Fragments of stone, bone, and antler were excavated suggesting House 8 may have been used to make tools such as bone needles or flint axes . The presence of heat-damaged volcanic rocks and what appears to be a flue , supports this interpretation. House 8

344-404: A crimson tinge in its natural state. Birch is frequently stained to complement other types of wood in furniture. Birch is used to make a lot of transparent, cabinet-grade plywood because it absorbs stain well and finishes beautifully. Birch is frequently used to construct interior doors and cupboards in addition to furniture. Restoring a piece of furniture may imply attempting to repair and revive

430-422: A distinctive style of pottery that had recently appeared in northern Scotland. The houses used earth sheltering : built sunk in the ground, into mounds of prehistoric domestic waste known as middens . This provided the houses with stability and also acted as insulation against Orkney's harsh winter climate. On average, each house measures 40 square metres (430 sq ft) with a large square room containing

516-481: A drain and out to the ocean. The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village. Skara Brae gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status as one of four sites making up "The Heart of Neolithic Orkney ". Older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza , it has been called the "Scottish Pompeii " because of its excellent preservation. Care of

602-509: A massive storm that threatened to bury it in sand instantly, but the truth is that its burial was gradual and that it had already been abandoned – for what reason, no one can tell. The site was farther from the sea than it is today, and it is possible that Skara Brae was built adjacent to a fresh water lagoon protected by dunes . Although the visible buildings give an impression of an organic whole, certainly, an unknown quantity of additional structures had already been lost to sea erosion before

688-436: A quite distinct history. The traditions out of India , China , Korea , Pakistan , Indonesia (Bali and Java) and Japan are some of the best known, but places such as Mongolia , and the countries of South East Asia have unique facets of their own. The use of uncarved wood and bamboo and the use of heavy lacquers are well known Chinese styles. It is worth noting that Chinese furniture varies dramatically from one dynasty to

774-420: A readily available material that could be worked easily and turned into items for use within the household. Each house shows a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with an extensive assortment of stone furniture, ranging from cupboards, dressers, and beds to shelves, stone seats, and limpet tanks. The stone dresser was regarded as the most important as it symbolically faces the entrance in each house and

860-474: A severe storm hit Scotland causing widespread damage and over 200 deaths. In the Bay of Skaill the storm stripped the earth from a large irregular knoll ; the name Skara Brae is a corruption of Skerrabra or Styerrabrae, which originally referred to the knoll. When the storm cleared, local villagers found the outline of a village consisting of several small houses without roofs. William Graham Watt of Skaill House ,

946-422: A simple three legged structure with a concave seat, designed for comfort during labour, and the much more ornate folding stool, with crossed folding legs, which were decorated with carved duck heads and ivory, and had hinges made of bronze . Full chairs were much rarer in early Egypt, being limited to only wealthy and high ranking people, and seen as a status symbol; they did not reach ordinary households until

SECTION 10

#1732797711209

1032-529: A single table, rather than a collective use of a larger piece. Tables also figured prominently in religious contexts, as indicated in vase paintings, for example, the wine vessel associated with Dionysus, dating to around 450 BCE and now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago . Chests were used for storage of clothes and personal items and were usually rectangular with hinged lids. Chests depicted in terracotta show elaborate patterns and design, including

1118-408: A son of the local laird who was a self-taught geologist , began an amateur excavation of the site, but after four houses were uncovered, work was abandoned in 1868. The site remained undisturbed until 1913, when during a single weekend, the site was plundered by a party with shovels who took away an unknown quantity of artefacts. In 1924, another storm swept away part of one of the houses, and it

1204-537: A stone hearth used for heating and cooking. Given the number of homes, it seems likely that no more than fifty people lived in Skara Brae at any given time. It is not clear what material the inhabitants burned in their hearths . Childe was sure that the fuel was peat , but a detailed analysis of vegetation patterns and trends suggests climatic conditions conducive to the development of thick beds of peat did not develop in this part of Orkney until after Skara Brae

1290-418: A thin layer of expensive wood on the surface. The earliest used seating furniture in the dynastic period was the stool , which was used throughout Egyptian society, from the royal family down to ordinary citizens. Various different designs were used, including stools with four vertical legs, and others with crossed splayed legs; almost all had rectangular seats, however. Examples include the workman's stool,

1376-476: A twisted skein of heather, one of a very few known examples of Neolithic rope, and a wooden handle. Knap of Howar , on the Orkney island of Papa Westray , is a well-preserved Neolithic farmstead. Dating from 3500 BC to 3100 BC, it is similar in design to Skara Brae, but from an earlier period, and it is thought to be the oldest preserved standing building in northern Europe. The Barnhouse Settlement

1462-400: A veneer using an expensive wood, such as maple or ebony. Greek furniture construction also made use of dowels and tenons for joining the wooden parts of a piece together. Wood was shaped by carving, steam treatment, and the lathe, and furniture is known to have been decorated with ivory, tortoise shell, glass, gold or other precious materials. The modern word " throne " is derived from

1548-545: Is American black cherry. Cherry is a light reddish brown to brown color that intensifies into a rich color as it ages, and grows mostly in the eastern United States. Cherry has a tighter grain than birch and is softer. Much cherry lumber is narrow, and it has been utilized to make many lovely classic furniture pieces. Birch is a sturdy, durable, even-textured hardwood that is common in the United States and Canada. The wood appears white or creamy yellow to light brown with

1634-576: Is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill in the parish of Sandwick , on the west coast of Mainland , the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland . It consisted of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones , in earthen dams that provided support for the walls; the houses included stone hearths , beds, and cupboards. A primitive sewer system, with "toilets" and drains in each house, included water used to flush waste into

1720-420: Is amongst the oldest known furniture types, and authors including Encyclopædia Britannica regard it as the most important. In addition to the functional design, seating has had an important decorative element from ancient times to the present day. This includes carved and sculpted pieces intended as works of art, as well as the styling of seats to indicate social importance, with senior figures or leaders granted

1806-532: Is based on environmentally friendly design. Its use and popularity are increasing each year. Industrialisation, Post-Modernism, and the Internet have allowed furniture design to become more accessible to a wider range of people than ever before. There are many modern styles of furniture design, each with roots in Classical, Modernist, and Post-Modern design and art movements. The growth of Maker Culture across

SECTION 20

#1732797711209

1892-530: Is by Loch of Harray on the Orkney Mainland, not far from the Standing Stones of Stenness . Excavations were conducted between 1986 and 1991, over time revealing the base courses of at least 15 houses. The houses have similarities to those of the early phase of Skara Brae in that they have central hearths, beds built against the walls and stone dressers, and internal drains, but differ in that

1978-468: Is derived from various sources, including literature , terracotta , sculptures, statuettes, and painted vases. Some pieces survive to this day, primarily those constructed from metals, including bronze , or marble. Wood was an important and common material in Greek furniture, both domestic and imported. A common technique was to construct the main sections of the furniture with cheap solid wood, then apply

2064-505: Is distinctive in other ways as well: it is a stand-alone structure not surrounded by midden; instead it is above ground with walls over 2 metres (6.6 ft) thick and has a "porch" protecting the entrance. The site provided the earliest known record of the human flea ( Pulex irritans ) in Europe. The Grooved Ware People who built Skara Brae were primarily pastoralists who raised cattle, pig and sheep. Childe originally believed that

2150-451: Is in sharp contrast to some of the more exotic interpretations of the culture of the Skara Brae people. Euan MacKie suggested that Skara Brae might be the home of a privileged theocratic class of wise men who engaged in astronomical and magical ceremonies at nearby Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness . Graham and Anna Ritchie cast doubt on this interpretation noting there is no archaeological evidence for this claim, although

2236-720: Is known from artwork such as a Venus figurine found in Russia , depicting the goddess on a throne. The first surviving extant furniture is in the homes of Skara Brae in Scotland , and includes cupboards, dressers and beds all constructed from stone. Complex construction techniques such as joinery began in the early dynastic period of ancient Egypt . This era saw constructed wooden pieces, including stools and tables, sometimes decorated with valuable metals or ivory. The evolution of furniture design continued in ancient Greece and ancient Rome , with thrones being commonplace as well as

2322-546: Is managed by Emerald Expositions . This article about furniture or furnishing is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Furniture People have been using natural objects, such as tree stumps, rocks and moss, as furniture since the beginning of human civilization and continues today in some households/campsites. Archaeological research shows that from around 30,000 years ago, people started to construct and carve their own furniture, using wood, stone, and animal bones. Early furniture from this period

2408-582: Is regarded as the "first comprehensive trade catalogue of its kind". There is something so distinct in the development of taste in French furniture, marked out by the three styles to which the three monarchs have given the name of " Louis Quatorze ", " Louis Quinze ", and "Louis Seize". This will be evident to anyone who will visit, first the Palace of Versailles , then the Grand Trianon , and afterwards

2494-407: Is restored. The 3 methods of restoring furniture are rejuvenate, repair, and refinish. Rejuvenate The piece can easily be restored by just cleaning and waxing the surface while preserving the current finish. It works on wooden furniture that is still in good shape and is the simplest way to clean it. Repair This process can fix dents and cracks by touching up some worn-out areas without removing

2580-447: Is specific to that language; French and other Romance languages as well as German use variants of the word meubles , which derives from Latin mobilia , meaning "moveable goods". The practice of using natural objects as rudimentary pieces of furniture likely dates to the beginning of human civilization. Early humans are likely to have used tree stumps as seats, rocks as rudimentary tables, and mossy areas for sleeping. During

2666-525: Is therefore the first item seen when entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative artwork such as several Neolithic carved stone balls also found at the site. Ancient furniture has been excavated from the 8th-century BCE Phrygian tumulus , the Midas Mound, in Gordion , Turkey . Pieces found here include tables and inlaid serving stands. There are also surviving works from

International Contemporary Furniture Fair - Misplaced Pages Continue

2752-568: Is usually defined by revival styles . The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism . One unique outgrowth of post-modern furniture design is a return to natural shapes and textures. The English word furniture is derived from the French word fourniture , the noun form of fournir , which means to supply or provide. Thus fourniture in French means supplies or provisions. The English usage, referring specifically to household objects,

2838-470: Is well known for its minimalist style, extensive use of wood, high-quality craftsmanship and reliance on wood grain instead of painting or thick lacquer. Japanese chests are known as Tansu , known for elaborate decorative iron work, and are some of the most sought-after of Japanese antiques. The antiques available generally date back to the Tokugawa and Meiji periods . Both the technique of lacquering and

2924-459: The klismos , an elegant Greek chair with a curved backrest and legs whose form was copied by the Romans and is now part of the vocabulary of furniture design, the backless stool ( diphros ), which existed in most Greek homes , and folding stool. The kline , used from the late seventh century BCE, was a multipurpose piece used as a bed , but also as a sofa and for reclining during meals. It

3010-412: The 18th dynasty . Early examples were formed by adding a straight back to a stool, while later chairs had an inclined back. Other furniture types in ancient Egypt include tables, which are heavily represented in art, but almost nonexistent as preserved items – perhaps because they were placed outside tombs rather than within, as well as beds and storage chests. Historical knowledge of Greek furniture

3096-718: The Bible . Chests are the main type of Gothic furniture used by the majority of the population. Usually, the locks and escutcheon of chests have also an ornamental scope, being finely made. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general occurred in Northern Europe, starting in

3182-525: The Greek fret . Roman furniture was based heavily on Greek furniture, in style and construction. Rome gradually superseded Greece as the foremost culture of Europe, leading eventually to Greece becoming a province of Rome in 146 BC. Rome thus took over production and distribution of Greek furniture, and the boundary between the two is blurred. The Romans did have some limited innovation outside of Greek influence, and styles distinctly their own. Roman furniture

3268-640: The Petit Trianon . The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles , including Gothic , Neoclassicism, and Rococo. The design reforms of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement . Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements. Shaker -style furniture became popular during this time in North America as well. This design

3354-522: The Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis movement . Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional and Modern tastes. Great efforts from individuals, governments, and companies has led to the manufacturing of products with higher sustainability known as Ecodesign . This new line of furniture

3440-657: The Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe. During the 18th century, the fashion was set in England by the French art. In the beginning of the century Boulle cabinets were at the peak of their popularity and Louis XIV was reigning in France. In this era, most of the furniture had metal and enamelled decorations in it and some of the furniture was covered in inlays of marbles lapis lazuli, and porphyry and other stones. By mid-century this Baroque style

3526-459: The klinai , multipurpose couches used for relaxing, eating, and sleeping. The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak , and ornamented. Furniture design expanded during the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs. The nineteenth century

International Contemporary Furniture Fair - Misplaced Pages Continue

3612-644: The mastabas of the archaic period of Egypt (first and second dynasties), the brick temples of Sumeria, and the first cities of the Harappa culture in India, and a century or two earlier than the Golden Age of China. Unusually fine for their early date, and with a remarkably rich survival of evidence, these sites stand as a visible symbol of the achievements of early peoples away from the traditional centres of civilisation. Some areas and facilities were closed due to

3698-627: The predynastic period is scarce, but samples from First Dynasty tombs indicate an already advanced use of furnishings in the houses of the age. During the Dynastic Period , which began in around 3200 BCE, Egyptian art developed significantly, and this included furniture design. Egyptian furniture was primarily constructed using wood , but other materials were sometimes used, such as leather , and pieces were often adorned with gold, silver, ivory and ebony, for decoration. Wood found in Egypt

3784-598: The 15th century. Very few extant pieces survive, and evidence in literature is also scarce. It is likely that the style of furniture prevalent in late antiquity persisted throughout the Middle Ages . For example, a throne similar to that of Zeus is depicted in a sixth-century diptych , while the Bayeux tapestry shows Edward the Confessor and Harold seated on seats similar to the Roman sella curulis . The furniture of

3870-878: The 20th century is seen as the march towards Modernism . The furniture designers of Art Deco , De Stijl , Bauhaus , Jugendstil , Wiener Werkstätte , and Vienna Secession all worked to some degree within the Modernist motto . Born from the Bauhaus and Streamline Moderne came the post-World War II style " Mid-Century Modern ". Mid-Century Modern materials developed during the war including laminated plywood , plastics , and fiberglass . Prime examples include furniture designed by George Nelson Associates , Charles and Ray Eames , Paul McCobb , Florence Knoll , Harry Bertoia , Eero Saarinen , Harvey Probber , Vladimir Kagan and Danish modern designers including Finn Juhl and Arne Jacobsen . Postmodern design, intersecting

3956-634: The 9th–8th-century BCE Assyrian palace of Nimrud . The earliest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk Carpet was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated between the 6th and 3rd century BCE. Civilization in ancient Egypt began with the clearance and irrigation of land along the banks of the River Nile , which began in about 6000 BCE. By that time, society in the Nile Valley

4042-632: The Boyne Valley, another piece of evidence suggesting a linkage between the two cultures. The eponymous Skaill knife was a commonly used tool in Skara Brae; it consists of a large stone flake, with a sharp edge used for cutting, knocked off a sandstone cobble. This neolithic tool is named after Skara Brae's location in the Bay of Skaill on Orkney . Skaill knives have been found throughout Orkney and Shetland . The 1972 excavations reached layers that had remained waterlogged and had preserved items that otherwise would have been destroyed. These include

4128-597: The Emperor. Cherry and apple flowers are used for decorating screens, vases and shōji . Common animal ornaments include dragons, carps , cranes, gooses, tigers, horses and monkeys; representations of architecture such as houses, pavilions, towers, torii gates, bridges and temples are also common. The furniture of a Japanese house consists of tables, shelves, wardrobes, small holders for flowers, bonsais or for bonkei , boxes, lanterns with wooden frames and translucent paper, neck and elbow holders, and jardinieres . Seating

4214-509: The Greeks, Romans used tenons, dowels, nails, and glue to join wooden pieces together, and also practised veneering. The 1738 and 1748 excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii revealed Roman furniture, preserved in the ashes of the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius . In contrast to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, there is comparatively little evidence of furniture from the 5th to

4300-522: The Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak , and ornamented with carved designs. The Hellenistic influence upon Byzantine furniture can be seen through the use of acanthus leaves , palmettes , bay and olive leaves as ornaments. Oriental influences manifest through rosettes , arabesques and the geometric stylisation of certain vegetal motifs. Christianity brings symbols in Byzantine ornamentation:

4386-597: The Western sphere of influence has encouraged higher participation and development of new, more accessible furniture design techniques. One unique outgrowth of this post-modern furniture design trajectory is Live Edge , which incorporates the natural surface of a tree as part of a furniture object, heralding a resurgence of these natural shapes and textures within the home. Additionally, the use of Epoxy Resin has become more prevalent in DIY furniture styles. Asian furniture has

SECTION 50

#1732797711209

4472-423: The ancient Greek thronos (Greek singular: θρόνος), which was a seat designated for deities or individuals of high status/hierarchy or honor. The colossal chryselephantine statue of Zeus at Olympia , constructed by Phidias and lost in antiquity, featured the god Zeus seated on an elaborate throne, which was decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony and ivory, according to Pausanias . Other Greek seats included

4558-406: The beds and dressers in the same places in each house. The dresser stands against the wall opposite the door and is the first thing seen by anyone entering the dwelling. Each of these houses had a larger bed on the right side of the doorway and a smaller one on the left. Lloyd Laing noted that this pattern accorded with Hebridean custom up to the early 20th century suggesting that the husband's bed

4644-419: The beds, presumably forming part of the villagers' last supper. One woman was in such haste that her necklace broke as she squeezed through the narrow doorway of her home, scattering a stream of beads along the passageway outside as she fled the encroaching sand. Anna Ritchie strongly disagrees with catastrophic interpretations of the village's abandonment: A popular myth would have the village abandoned during

4730-658: The climate changed, becoming much colder and wetter, the settlement may have been abandoned by its inhabitants. There are many theories as to why the people of Skara Brae left; particularly popular interpretations involving a major storm. Evan Hadingham combined evidence from found objects with the storm scenario to imagine a dramatic end to the settlement: As was the case at Pompeii , the inhabitants seem to have been taken by surprise and fled in haste, for many of their prized possessions, such as necklaces made from animal teeth and bone, or pins of walrus ivory , were left behind. The remains of choice meat joints were discovered in some of

4816-509: The excavation site, but a note on the back of one of the photographs identified the women as "4 of [Childe's] lady students", and it seems that they were active participants in the excavation. The women have been tentatively identified as Margaret E. B. Simpson (who was acknowledged in Childe's monographs about Skara Brae), Margaret Mitchell, Mary Kennedy and Margaret Cole . The inhabitants of Skara Brae were makers and users of grooved ware ,

4902-534: The fifteenth century. The 17th century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain or Louis Quinze in French furniture , others, such as

4988-547: The form of beds imitated the Roman ones, but have different designs of legs. The main ornament of Gothic furniture and all applied arts is the ogive . The geometric rosette accompanies the ogive many times, having a big variety of forms. Architectural elements are used at furniture, at the beginning with purely decorative reasons, but later as structure elements. Besides the ogive, the main ornaments are: acanthus leaves, ivy, oak leaves, haulms, clovers, fleurs-de-lis , knights with shields, heads with crowns and characters from

5074-518: The houses seem to have been free-standing. The settlement dates back to circa 3000 BC. A comparable, though smaller, site exists at Rinyo on Rousay , Orkney. Unusually, no Maeshowe -type tombs have been found on Rousay and although there are a large number of Orkney–Cromarty chambered cairns , these were built by Unstan ware people. There is also a site currently under excavation at Links of Noltland on Westray that appears to have similarities to Skara Brae. "The Heart of Neolithic Orkney "

5160-445: The inhabitants did not farm, but excavations in 1972 unearthed seed grains from a midden suggesting that barley was cultivated. Fish bones and shells are common in the midden indicating that dwellers ate seafood. Limpet shells are standard and may have been fish bait that was kept in stone boxes in the homes. The boxes were formed from thin slabs with joints carefully sealed with clay to render them waterproof. This pastoral lifestyle

5246-511: The late Paleolithic or early Neolithic period, from around 30,000 years ago, people began constructing and carving their own furniture, using wood, stone and animal bones. The earliest evidence for the existence of constructed furniture is a Venus figurine found at the Gagarino site in Russia, which depicts the goddess in a sitting position, on a throne. A similar statue of a seated woman

SECTION 60

#1732797711209

5332-876: The museum. Similar objects have been found throughout northern Scotland. The spiral ornamentation on some of these "balls" has been stylistically linked to objects found in the Boyne Valley in Ireland. Similar symbols have been found carved into stone lintels and bed posts. These symbols, sometimes referred to as "runic writings", have been subjected to controversial translations. For example, author Rodney Castleden suggested that "colons" found punctuating vertical and diagonal symbols may represent separations between words. Lumps of red ochre found here and at other Neolithic sites have been interpreted as evidence that body painting may have been practised. Nodules of haematite with polished surfaces have been found as well;

5418-419: The next. Chinese ornamentation is highly inspired by paintings, with floral and plant life motifs including bamboo trees, chrysanthemums, waterlilies, irises, magnolias, flowers and branches of cherry, apple, apricot and plum, or elongated bamboo leaves; animal ornaments include lions, bulls, ducks, peacocks, parrots, pheasants, roosters, ibises and butterflies. The dragon is the symbol of earth fertility, and of

5504-415: The original finish in some way. More often than not, this entails removing the existing treatment and preparing the raw wood for a new finish. Methods for repair depend on what kind of wood it is: solid or veneered, hardwood or softwood, open grained or closed grained. These variables can sometimes decide if a piece of furniture is worth repairing, as well as the type of repairs and finish it will require if it

5590-748: The pigeon, fishes, the lamb and vines. The furniture from Byzantine houses and palaces was usually luxurious, highly decorated and finely ornamented. Stone, marble, metal, wood and ivory are used. Surfaces and ornaments are gilded, painted plychrome, plated with sheets of gold, emailed in bright colors, and covered in precious stones. The variety of Byzantine furniture is pretty big: tables with square, rectangle or round top, sumptuous decorated, made of wood sometimes inlaid, with bronze, ivory or silver ornaments; chairs with high backs and with wool blankets or animal furs, with coloured pillows, and then banks and stools; wardrobes were used only for storing books; cloths and valuable objects were kept in chests, with iron locks;

5676-531: The power and wisdom of the emperor. Lacquers are mostly populated with princesses, various Chinese people, soldiers, children, ritually and daily scenes. Architectural features tend toward geometric ornaments, like meanders and labyrinths. The interior of a Chinese house was simple and sober. All Chinese furniture is made of wood, usually ebony, teak , or rosewood for heavier furniture (chairs, tables and benches) and bamboo, pine and larch for lighter furniture (stools and small chairs). Traditional Japanese furniture

5762-406: The shiny surfaces suggest that the nodules were used to finish leather. Other artefacts excavated on site made of animal, fish, bird, and whalebone , whale and walrus ivory , and orca teeth included awls , needles, knives, beads , adzes , shovels , small bowls and, remarkably, ivory pins up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long. These pins are similar to examples found in passage graves in

5848-528: The site is the responsibility of Historic Environment Scotland which works with partners in managing the site: Orkney Islands Council , NatureScot (Scottish Natural Heritage), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds . Visitors to the site are welcome during much of the year. Uncovered by a storm in 1850, the coastal site may now be at risk from climate change. In the winter of 1850,

5934-402: The site's rediscovery and subsequent protection by a seawall . Uncovered remains are known to exist immediately adjacent to the ancient monument in areas presently covered by fields, and others, of uncertain date, can be seen eroding out of the cliff edge a little to the south of the enclosed area. A number of enigmatic carved stone balls have been found at the site and some are on display in

6020-520: The specific lacquer (resin of Rhus vernicifera ) originated in China, but the lacquer tree also grows well in Japan . The recipes of preparation are original to Japan: resin is mixed with wheat flour, clay or pottery powder, turpentine , iron powder or wood coal. In ornamentation, the chrysanthemum, known as kiku, the national flower, is a very popular ornament, including the 16-petal chrysanthemum symbolizing

6106-526: The surface with this technique, the finish can be maintained while repairing the object with specialized products. Refinish Remove anything that is left for example any paint with a finish-stripper product or lightly sanding the area down and then applying wood finish like oil wax in order to protect the secure the wood. Cleaning Remove dirt, dust, and grime from the furniture using a mild soap or specialized furniture cleaner. Skara Brae Skara Brae / ˈ s k ær ə ˈ b r eɪ /

6192-669: The two main categories for wood. Both hardwoods and softwoods are used in furniture manufacturing, and each has its own specific uses. Deciduous trees, which have broad leaves that change color periodically throughout the year, are the source of hardwood. Coniferous trees, also known as cone-bearing trees, have small leaves or needles that stay on the tree throughout the year. Common softwoods used include pine, redwood and yew. Higher quality furniture tends to be made out of hardwood , including oak, maple, mahogany, teak, walnut, cherry and birch. Highest quality wood will have been air dried to rid it of its moisture. A popular furniture hardwood

6278-415: The use of specially designed seats. The simplest form of seat is the chair , which is a piece of furniture designed to allow a single person to sit down, which has a back and legs, as well as a platform for sitting. Chairs often feature cushions made from various fabrics. All different types of woods have unique signature marks that can help in easy identification of the type. Hardwood and softwood are

6364-560: The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic during parts of 2020 and into 2021. In 2019, a risk assessment was performed to assess the site's vulnerability to climate change . The report by Historic Environment Scotland , the Orkney Islands Council and others concludes that the entire Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, and in particular Skara Brae, is "extremely vulnerable" to climate change due to rising sea levels, increased rainfall and other factors; it also highlights

6450-433: Was abandoned. Other possible fuels include driftwood and animal dung . There is evidence that dried seaweed may have been used significantly. At some sites in Orkney, investigators have found a glassy, slag-like material called " kelp " or "cramp" which may be residual burnt seaweed. The dwellings contain several stone-built pieces of furniture, including cupboards , dressers , seats, and storage boxes. Each dwelling

6536-579: Was already engaged in organized agriculture and the construction of large buildings. At this period, Egyptians in the southwestern corner of Egypt were herding cattle and also constructing large buildings. Mortar was in use by around 4000 BCE The inhabitants of the Nile Valley and delta were self-sufficient and were raising barley and emmer (an early variety of wheat) and stored it in pits lined with reed mats. They raised cattle, goats and pigs and they wove linens and baskets. Evidence of furniture from

6622-472: Was constructed principally using wood, metal and stone, with marble and limestone used for outside furniture. Very little wooden furniture survives intact, but there is evidence that a variety of woods were used, including maple, citron, beech, oak , and holly. Some imported wood such as satinwood was used for decoration. The most commonly used metal was bronze, of which numerous examples have survived, for example, headrests for couches and metal stools. Similar to

6708-464: Was determined the site should be secured and properly investigated. The job was given to the University of Edinburgh 's Professor V. Gordon Childe , who travelled to Skara Brae for the first time in mid-1927. In 2019 a series of photographs showing Childe and four women at the site of the excavation were re-examined. It had been widely believed that the women were tourists or local women visiting

6794-400: Was displaced by the graceful curves, shining ormolu , and intricate marquetry of the Rococo style, which in turn gave way around 1770 to the more severe lines of Neoclassicism , modeled after the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome . Creating a mass market for furniture, the distinguished London cabinet maker Thomas Chippendale 's The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director (1754)

6880-409: Was entered through a low doorway with a stone slab door which could be shut "by a bar made of bone that slid in bar-holes cut in the stone door jambs." Several dwellings offered a small connected antechamber, offering access to a partially covered stone drain leading away from the village. It is suggested that these chambers served as indoor toilets. Seven of the houses have similar furniture, with

6966-544: Was found in Çatalhöyük in Turkey, dating to between 6000 and 5500 BCE. The inclusion of such a seat in the figurines implies that these were already common artefacts of that age. A range of unique stone furniture has been excavated in Skara Brae , a Neolithic village in Orkney , Scotland The site dates from 3100 to 2500 BCE and due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the people of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone,

7052-409: Was in many ways rooted in necessity and emphasizes both form and materials. Early British Colonial American chairs and tables are often constructed with turned spindles and chair backs often constructed with steaming to bend the wood. Wood choices tend to be deciduous hardwoods with a particular emphasis on the wood of edible or fruit bearing trees such as cherry or walnut. The first three-quarters of

7138-587: Was inscribed as a World Heritage site in December 1999. In addition to Skara Brae the site includes Maeshowe , the Ring of Brodgar , the Standing Stones of Stenness and other nearby sites. It is managed by Historic Environment Scotland , whose "Statement of Significance" for the site begins: The monuments at the heart of Neolithic Orkney and Skara Brae proclaim the triumphs of the human spirit in early ages and isolated places. They were approximately contemporary with

7224-431: Was not suitable for furniture construction, so it had to be imported into the country from other places, particularly Phoenicia . The scarcity of wood necessitated innovation in construction techniques. The use of scarf joints to join two shorter pieces together and form a longer beam was one example of this, as well as construction of veneers in which low quality cheap wood was used as the main building material, with

7310-616: Was rectangular and supported on four legs, two of which could be longer than the other, providing support for an armrest or headboard. Mattresses, rugs, and blankets may have been used, but there is no evidence for sheets. In general, Greek tables were low and often appear in depictions alongside klinai . The most common type of Greek table had a rectangular top supported on three legs, although numerous configurations exist, including trapezoid and circular. Tables in ancient Greece were used mostly for dining purposes – in depictions of banquets, it appears as though each participant would have used

7396-423: Was the larger and the wife's was the smaller. The discovery of beads and paint pots in some of the smaller beds may support this interpretation. Additional support may come from the recognition that stone boxes lie to the left of most doorways, forcing the person entering the house to turn to the right-hand, "male", side of the dwelling. At the front of each bed lie the stumps of stone pillars that may have supported

#208791