"My Cherry Armoire: Pretty Little Thing"... Quiz

Answer: Wardrobe

A chest of drawers is a waist-high to tall unit used primarily for holding stacked, folded clothing. A cupboard and an armoire are not the same thing. An armoire is a specific, large, and usually ornate type of freestanding cupboard or wardrobe, some of which use drawers and have hanging space. A general term for any cabinet with shelves and doors is known as a "cupboard".

Answer: Great Exhibition of 1851

The piece of furniture is actually a cabinet. It is said that Pugin, upon making it, was so exhausted that he died the very next year at age forty. Although the piece, "Armoire", was so wonderfully crafted, Pugin is still most remembered for his decoration of the Houses of Parliament.

The exhibition was cast in London, England at Hyde Park. The building it was held in was the Crystal Palace. It is said that the exposition made as a reaction to what the French did when they had their French Industrial Exposition of 1844.

Answer: Kas

Back then, and even today, the Kas armoire served as important status symbols in Dutch and American colonial homes. They were considered a luxury item that was sent to the American states. Their feet were called "bun" feet. They were large, and round-like in shape.

They were often made from oak, cherry, ebony, or rosewood. They had to be made into two or three sections because they were so large and heavy to move as one. Kas is also known as a Dutch term for a cabinet or cupboard.

Answer: Frankfurt Cabinet

The Frankfurt Cabinet is also known as a Frankfurter Schrank. It is a baroque wardrobe with two doors. They need to be distinguished between column, pilaster, wave, "nose", and lug wardrobe types. All of them can be made to be Frankfurt cabinets. If you see one made from pine, then it is likely to be a reproduction.

In the 19th century, a sliding rod system was added inside them for the use of clothes and coat hangers.

Answer: The Nancy School

The Nancy School was named from the city of Nancy, France where they were produced. It was also called École de Nancy. His pieces were frequently labeled because their design motifs, such as "Aux Pavots" (poppies) or "Aux Roses". You would often see them described not only by the theme, but by the maker too. The plants and flowers in the region largely inspired the work of the group.

Answer: bonnetiere

Sometimes a bonnetiere is described as a miniature armoire. The were usually made by artisans from either Brittany or Normandy, France. They were made from oak or walnut. Sometimes they would have a scalloped front hanging down on the front of them. They were often used to place hats and bonnets on them, hence the name. Sometimes wigs were placed on them too.

Answer: True

Armoires also are more versatile and more ornate. Armoires are usually larger, taller, and wider too. Armoires usually have drawers, shelves, and space to hang things, whereas a wardrobe is generally there to hang clothes. A general concept is that all armoires are considered wardrobes, but not all wardrobes are considered armoires.

Answer: André-Charles Boulle

In his time, Boulle was known as the most famous French cabinetmaker. He was most known as being the best in the field of marquetry, which we call today, "inlay". French statesman, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, recommended him to King Louis XIV to do quite a bit of work for him. Today, the inlay of tortoiseshell, using brass and pewter into ebony, is known as Boulle work. Fascinating stuff.

Many royal armoires are built 8 to over 10ft tall and taller due to the height of the ceilings in palaces.

Answer: Badminton Cabinet

It was authorized to be built for Henry Somerset, the 3rd Duke of Beaufort, and stands over 12 feet tall. In 2004 it was sold at Christies London for $36.7 million. It took craftsmen over six years for the entire build and was built in Florence, Italy.

Other stones inlaid in it are amethyst quartz, lapis lazuli, agate, and jasper. Pietra dura is the process of making and setting highly polished stones to make designs by. Yes, the house is given the name, "Badminton" because the game was frequently played there.

Answer: French Provincial Armoires

French Provencial originated in France during the 17th and 18th century. It is made to fit into rural and country settings rather than the ornate and fancy, designs usually seen at that time. It is more of a simple elegance. It uses very simple movements in the wood, as compared to the more opulent styles of the time.

It also used soft pastel colorings in the wood, that are even the brought into the room. People frequently will blend the opulent craftsmanship of Parisian design - for example Louis XIV and XVI designs - with the practical craftsmanship of French Provencial into a rural setting.