“The pedestal is used to signify that part in cabinet furniture made nearly to the proportion and figure of a pedestal in architecture. These are generally placed at the end of sideboards, and are designed for holding plates for dinner; for which purpose there are two wooden racks, generally made of oak, in which the plates are placed. The plinth part of these pedestals is generally formed with a drawer, containing an iron stand and heater, which diffuses a warm air to the plates and keeps them in proper temperature at the time of dining. These pedestals are lined with tin completely over on the inside to prevent the heat from injuring the wood. And it may be necessary further to observe, that when there are two pedestals to a sideboard, one of them is generally fitted up in the inside, either with plain drawers or as a cupboard. On such pedestals is generally placed a vase.” This vase is usually a knife or spoon case. On Plate [LXI.] a sideboard with pedestals is shown. The pedestal parts are made separately and screwed to the sideboard, and the top is one large piece screwed to the pedestal. Under the long drawer of the front is a cupboard enclosed by a tambour shutter. The ornament at the back is of brass “intended as a stay for silver plate, and has branches for three candles.” If preferred the centre “may have a glass lustre hung within it as an ornament.”
PLATE LXII
Sheraton gives two designs for knife-cases, one concave, the other convex. In one of them the corner pilasters have “small flutes of white holly or other coloured wood let in, and the middle pilasters have very narrow cross bands all round, with the panels japanned in small flowers. The top is sometimes japanned, and sometimes has only an inlaid pattern. The half-columns of the right-hand case are sometimes fluted out, and sometimes the flutes are let in. The feet may be turned and twisted which will have a good effect.”
“Cellaret amongst cabinet-makers denotes a convenience for wine, or a wine cistern.” These were mostly in the form of a sarcophagus, “an imitation of the figure of ancient stone coffins.” They are adapted to stand under a sideboard, some of which have covers, and others without. Sheraton gives one design supported by dolphins, whose heads form the foot, while the tails curve upwards. The other design is supported on lions’ paws, and ornamented with lions’ heads. He recommends rings at each end of the cellaret, so that the servants can conveniently move these pieces about. “The rings and heads should be cast in brass and lacquered, and also the dolphins and lions’ paws.”
“Buffet, anciently an apartment separated from the rest of the room by small pillars or balusters. Their use was for placing china and glass ware, with other articles of a similar nature. In houses of persons of distinction in France, the Buffet is a detached room, decorated with pictures suitable to the use of such apartments, as fountains, cisterns, vases, etc. These ancient buffets seem in some measure superseded by the use of modern sideboards, but not altogether, as china is seldom, if ever, placed upon them: and we therefore think that a buffet may, with some propriety, be restored to modern use, and prove ornamental to a breakfast room, answering as the repository of a tea equipage. Under this idea, we have given a design of one intended to be executed in the following style. The lower part is to be inclosed with doors, having silk curtains, with worked brass or wire before them. The upright border on the top of the lower part is of brass, together with those round the china shelves. These shelves are supported at each end with four brass columns, made very light. The lights on each side are of brass, and may be unscrewed and taken away occasionally. As these buffets would suit well to be placed one on each side of the fireplace of a breakfast room, they might very conveniently hold such branches with the addition of one on the top, which may be screwed into a socket; or a small figure holding a light may be placed upon it. Under the cornice is a Gothic drapery and fringe above it.” This design, dated 1803, is represented on Plate [LIX.]
“There are three kinds of dumb waiters, but they are all made of mahogany, and are intended for the use of the dining-parlour, on which to place glasses of wine and plates, both clean, and such as have been used.” The one represented on Plate [LXI.], No. 3, is “partly from the French taste, on the top of which, where the glass is represented, is a slab of thin marble, which not only keeps cleaner, and looks neater than mahogany, but also tends to keep the wine cool, when a bottle for present use is placed upon it. The shelves below are for plates and a knife tray. The holes for the decanters have cases of tin fit into them, and are japanned white, which shows through the front panel in the rail, and makes it look lighter.”
Another dumb waiter that Sheraton recommends is a table similar in general form to No. 1 on Plate [LX.] The drawers are used for knives, etc. In the centre a shelf or waiter rises on a stem, and below it are four trays for decanters, glasses and small plates. The drawers are lined with “a tin case to fit loose in and japanned white, to have the plate trays with the balusters. These are easily taken out, and may be cleaned and replaced when necessary. And the workman must observe that the waiters turn round on the pillars; for the under pillow has a beechnut let into it, and the upper part screws itself home into it, so as to admit the waiter to turn.
“The plate trays ought to be 11 inches in diameter in the clear, and the opening for the hand 4½ inches. There is a turned astragal for the top rail and the baluster.”
A supper tray called a “Canterbury,” Sheraton says is “made to stand by a table at supper, with a circular end, and three partitions crosswise, to hold knives, forks and plates at that end, which is made circular on purpose.” An Archbishop of Canterbury is said to have invented this piece of furniture.