Graham Blackburn

A Short History of Cradles
September 14, 2005

The first piece of furniture many people used to encounter in this world was a small swinging or rocking bed known as a cradle. Now largely superseded by cribs or cots…
A Short History of Cupboards
September 14, 2005

One or more boards for storing cups formed the first "cupboard." As a place to deposit leftover or surplus food for distribution to the poor as a form of alms,…
A Short History of Desks
September 14, 2005

A desk is a table dedicated to reading or writing, and as such originally implied a sloping top. The sloping top, in fact, constituted practically the entirety of early desks,…
A Short History of Mirrors
September 14, 2005

The usual term for a mirror until recently was a looking-glass, even though early mirrors were typically made of polished metal. Glass production developed slowly and did not become common…
A Short History of Musical Instruments and Stands
September 14, 2005

The heading of musical instruments is probably more appropriate to a description of various crafts than of a particular class of furniture, but as many cased instruments have constituted prominent…
A Short History of Sideboards
September 14, 2005

The first sideboard was doubtless a simple shelf on the wall near a dining table used for plate and food during meals (in distinction to a cupboard which constituted a…
A Short History of Sofas and Settees
September 14, 2005

Understand the derivation of these two terms for upholstered seating...and how they differ from settles.
A Short History of Stands
September 14, 2005

The term “stand,” as it is used to describe furniture such as a plant stand or music stand, generally implies a relatively small surface area supported at the required height,…
A Short History of Tables
September 13, 2005

Although there are innumerable uses for tables, they all share one thing in common: a surface, typically flat and horizontal, that may be used for working on or eating from.…
A Short History of Stools
September 13, 2005

Learn about the evolution of three- and four-legged backless seats for one (aka stools).

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Graham Blackburn

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