130 
The secretary and bookcase was, as a rule, somewhat 
smaller than during the days of Chippendale; but the glass 
doors, of which so many varieties appear in Chippendale’s 
book, still remained in fashion. A good example appears 
in Fig. 13, which needs no description except to say that 
Sheraton would flute green silk behind the glass doors. One 
of the central drawers is missing. Another mahogany desk 
and bookcase appears in Fig. 15. ‘This is built on con- 
cave curves, as are also the glass doors of the upper part. 
The lower part contains a slide, which, when pulled out, 
forms a desk, beneath which is a drawer, then a cupboard 
and below this a second drawer. This piece is also in the 
Sheraton style. A mixture of styles appears in Fig. 14. 
The model for this is the old Dutch cupboard in two parts; 
the ogee foot and the framework for the glass suggest 
Chippendale, the fluted sides Sheraton and the “swan- 
necked’’ pediment with its pedestal for a bust, or piece of 
china, a still earlier period. 
The extension dining-table did not come into existence 
Fig. 13—A secretary 
until 1800, when Richard Gillow, a cabinet-maker in Oxford 
street, invented the telescopic table which, with its various 
changes, is the table in use to-day. -Gillow’s table is de- 
scribed as ‘“‘an improvement in the method of constructing 
dining and other tables calculated to reduce the number of 
legs, pillars and claws and to facilitate and render easy their 
enlargement and reduction.” 
Sheraton’s ideas of the dining-table are best understood by 
a reference to his book: ‘The common useful dining-tables 
are upon pillars and claws, generally four claws to each 
pillar, with brass casters. A dining-table of this kind may 
be made to any size by having a sufficient quantity of pillar 
and claw parts, for between each of these there is a loose 
flap, fixed by means of iron straps and buttons, so that they 
are easily taken off and put aside; and the beds may be 
joined to each other with brass straps or fork fastenings. 
The sizes of dining-tables for certain numbers may 
easily be caclulated by allowing two feet to each person 
sitting at table; less than this cannot with comfort be dis- 
pensed with. A table six feet by three, on a pillar and claw, 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Fig. 14—A china cabinet 
April, 1911 
will admit of eight persons, one only at each end and 
three on each side. By the addition of another bed, twelve, 
with four times the room in the center for dishes. The 
accompanying illustration, Fig. 3, is a table of this period, 
each pillar ending in three claws. For the further support 
of the central leaf a horse has been added; but, of course, 
has nothing to do with the original design. When the 
central leaf is not needed the two halves, supported by the 
pillar and claw, if put together form a round table, and they 
can also be used to form separate pier tables, and placed 
against the wall in the dining-room. 
Although the cellaret sideboard and sideboard with 
drawers, which became fashionable under Heppelwhite, 
were still more developed by Sheraton in his early period, 
in his late period he returns to the old ‘‘sideboard table” 
without drawers. Beneath it stood the cellaret, or wine 
cooler, also called by Sheraton a wine cistern. These were 
generally in the form of a sarcophagus and ‘“‘are adapted 
to stand under a sideboard, some of which have covers and 
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Fig. 15—A desk and bookcase 
others without.”” A mahogany cellaret of the heavy Em- 
pire period appears in Fig. 4. The cellaret is always lined 
with lead and sometimes partitioned for wine bottles. 
Sheraton preferred them hooped with brass and with brass 
rings at the sides. 
The cornucopia appears on the sofa, Fig. 1, which also 
shows the influence of the Empire. This design is used 
to form the arm, above which on the top rail of the back 
is carved a dolphin. An animal’s claw with leaves suggests 
faintly the wing of the Assyrian lion. The ends of the 
rolled cushions are carved in leafy rosettes. 
Another Empire piece is the clock case, Fig 2. The dial 
and works were made by George Prior of London between 
1809 and 1811, and the case is of the same date. Although 
the upper portion slightly suggests the turned-up roof of the 
Chinese pagoda, the general heaviness and clumsiness be- 
long to the Empire period. 
The illustrations of this article are of the Thomas Clarke 
Collection, which was recently sold at the American Art 
Galleries. 
