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Cabochon: Popular in the mid C18th, it's a motif or ornament generally carved on the knees of cabriole legs, and comprises of a ball or domed shape, usually with rocaille or foliate surround. The term is also applied to a jewel cut into a domed shape, and was especially popular in the late C19th.

Cabriole leg: An elegant, tall, curving leg, subject to many designs and variations, and found on many pieces of furniture, from the height of its popularity in the first half of the C18th, right through to the late C19th. It is formed of a convex curve above a concave one and resembles an animal's leg: in fact, the name 'cabriole' is derived from the Italian 'Capro', or goat. This type of leg was made with many different types of foot including plain, club, pad, paw, ball, ball-and-claw, scroll etc. [picture]

Candle-slide: A thin, small slide designed to support a candlestick, extending from a slot and found commonly beneath the mirrored doors of C18th cabinets (reflection enhances the light). Also found as a circular support swivelling from beneath a drawing-table etc.

Carcase: The body part of a piece of cabinet furniture without the doors, fittings or drawers. (Sometimes spelt carcass).

Card table: A table with a fold-over top, usually supported by a gateleg, and which is lined with green baize for playing cards. These tables often also have dishes for the money or tokens.

Carton Pierre: See Papier mache

Cartouche: An ornate shield or tablet, properly in the form of an unrolled scroll, and often surrounded by scrollwork or foliate decoration. They often bear an heraldic coat of arms, maker's name, or some other inscription.

Caryatid: A Classical upright female figure used as "supporting" decoration. The term is often incorrectly applied to the male equivalent, which, however, is correctly called an Atlantis.

Cavetto moulding: A quarter-round concave moulding, often used on cornices. (See ovolo).

Chain: Often found at each end of a festoon (or garland), it's a Classical decorative pendant of flowers and fruit suspended vertically from one end. Also a name sometimes used for the threads that make the warp or weft of a carpet.

Chamfer: A bevelled edge, usually at 45°.

Chequered inlay: Alternating light and dark inlaid wooden squares, as would be found on a chess board, but forming a single line or strip of inlay. See Parquetry.

Chinoiserie: The term applied to furniture and other items following the fashion, prevalent in the late C18th, for Chinese style decoration and ornamentation. This manifested itself on fabrics, wallpapers, porcelain, furniture, garden architecture, and decoration in general.

Cleat: A strip of wood applied at the edge of a boarded flat surface, such as a table-top, for neatness, and to secure and stabilise the boards.

Club foot: Virtually the same as a Pad foot, this was popular in the early to mid C18th. Found mostly on a cabriole or turned tapered leg, the foot swells to a depressed circular pad. (See Pad foot).

Cockbead: A small protruding half-round moulding found on the edges of drawer fronts and doors. Also known as cockbeading.

Collar: A thin banding or moulding applied round legs etc.

Cornice: A moulded projection or ledge finishing off or crowning the top of a piece of case furniture, a wall, door-surround, window etc., sometimes embellished with dentils etc.

Counter-fluting: Fluting in which part of each channel is filled with a reed of wood or brass (Also known as Stop-fluting).

Court Cupboard: Sometimes referred to by the generic term buffet, this is a piece composed of two or three open tiers, the primary function of which was to show off or display plate and other such finery.

Coved top: A flat top, with a cavetto moulded edge, often found on a lid.

Crenellation: (or crenellated). Originally, this was called battlemented, and is a repeated geometric decoration based on the battlements of a castle or similarly fortified building. It is also used to described the tops of pottery vessels which have a wavy or even pie-crust rim. Can also be a term applied to a cornice.

Cresting: A shaped ornamental decoration usually set in the centre of the top of a chair-back, but can also be found on a mirror, cabinet etc.

Crinoline stretcher: An arched stretcher found on some windsor chairs; highly desirable.

Cylinder-top: A rounded or cylindrical shutter-front found on a desk or bureau, enclosing the working area inside. See also Tambour.

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