February, 1918 
39 
Fig. 4. Late \6th or early llth 
Century walnut chair with 
tooled leather seat and back 
Fig. 5. A 16 th Century walnut table with waved carving 
on the straight legs, which are attached to a heavy cross brace 
play a rich elaboration of carved ornament. 
Whether ornamented or not, however, the basic 
structural principles are easily recognizable. 
The other type of large oblong table had 
straight legs, turned or carved, and was stiff¬ 
ened either with underbracing or with stout 
stretchers. Figure 5 shows one of these tables 
of early pattern without any underframing, the 
tops of the end legs being attached to a cross¬ 
rail or brace which is grooved and dovetailed 
into the thick plank table top in the manner 
noted for the preceding type. All the legs are 
connected by stout stretchers just a little above 
the floor. The waved carving on the legs is 
essentially Iberian in motif and execution and 
seems to indicate a measure of Portuguese in¬ 
spiration and refinement. Another representa¬ 
tive large table belonging to the straight-legged 
class, of about the same 
date or, perhaps, slight¬ 
ly later, is shown in 
figure 3. Here all the 
underframing, quite in 
keeping with the rest of 
the structure, is pon¬ 
derous and massive. 
Crossrails from the 
tops of the legs are let 
into broad dovetail 
grooves on the under 
side of the table top, a 
Fig. 7. Early llth Century walnut table 
with drawers, splayed straight legs and 
heavy wooden cross stretcher 
Fig. 6. Late 16 th Century 
carved walnut chair with ar¬ 
caded back and ornate stretcher 
characteristic Spanish method of structure. 
The top is 2" thick; from this measurement an 
idea may be gained of the other proportions. 
The paneled drawer fronts are typically Span¬ 
ish in design and execution and so, likewise, 
are the baluster-turned legs, extending from 
the stretchers to the underframing, and the feet. 
Near akin to the “lyre” trestle type of table 
of figure 14, but of slightly later development, 
is the variety of table with pairs of straight 
trestle legs, shown in figures 2 and 7. Here the 
legs have a double splay—outwards toward 
the ends of the table, and still more noticeably 
outwards toward the sides, the double splay 
being a peculiarly Spanish trait. Although 
figure 7 has heavy underframing enclosing two 
drawers, the old Spanish habit of grooving and 
block-like crosspieces 
into the top has per¬ 
sisted. The top of fig¬ 
ure 2, which is a low 
structure mid-way be¬ 
tween a table and a 
stool in stature and 
characteristic of the 
specializing tendency 
in old Spanish table 
designing, is “framed- 
in” and carries a nar- 
band of inlay. 
(Continued on p. 76) 
dovetailing the heavy 
Fig 10 Usually known as a monastery bench. Late 16 th or early 
llth Century carved oak bench. Monastery benches are without arms 
Fig 11- A type of high-backed wall or fireside seat of the ljth 
Century. It bears an analogy to a contemporaneous English piece 
