Dower Chest

See Chest.

Dragon's Claw Foot

See Claw and Ball-Foot.

Dragon's Head

Tudor or Jacobean chests were sometimes adorned with carved dragons' heads. It is conjectured that this is a Welsh motive. The dragon was the cognizance of Wales, and as such is borne as a badge by the Prince of Wales.

Draught Chair

A winged chair, with or without closed sides. In an entirely wooden form it dates from Tudor times, but was eventually upholstered in stuff or leather. Draught chairs are still occasionally found in the entrance-halls of public buildings or great private town-houses, for the accommodation of a custodian or footman.

Drawers

Drawers in tables, chests, or cabinets were already common before the end of the seventeenth century. Until about the middle of the eighteenth century the grain of the wood of the bottom of the drawer ran from back to front; afterwards from side to side.

Chest Of Drawers

A chest filled with drawers sliding upon runners. It was a natural development, called for by convenience, of the ancient chest of which the mule-chest (q.v.) was a first example.

Drawing-Room

See Parlour.

Draw Table

A term generally associated with heavy tables like the refectory table. The top is divided into three leaves, the two end ones lying under the centre leaf which is wide enough to cover both. When the lower leaves are drawn out the centre leaf falls into the vacant space, making the surface of the table the same throughout. It was in use in early Tudor times, and was the ancestor of the modern "telescope" dining-table.

Dresser

A side-table of the farmhouse type with drawers and cupboards or "potboard" below and a range of narrow shelves above, sometimes added at a later date, and usually fixed against a wall, on which plate, china, etc., were displayed. It seems to have become a recognized piece of furniture early in the seventeenth century. It is frequently called a "Welsh Dresser," but has no necessary connection with Wales.

Dressing Commode

The name given by Chippendale to a low chest of drawers, or cupboards, or both.

Dressing-Table

The piece of furniture now associated with the name, with its attached mirror, small and large drawers, cupboards and other fitments, was unknown at the beginning of the eighteenth century. What then served as a dressing-table was one of the small tables or "low-boys" so prevalent in the early Queen Anne period, or a small chest of drawers with a small mirror of the "box" or "cheval" type resting on it. Chippendale designed dressing-cases or tables and Sheraton also, but at the end of the century the latter was still designing or making small enclosed dressing-tables and separate mirrors of the kind mentioned. The combined dressing-table first referred to was a product of the nineteenth century.

Drinking-Table

See Wine-Table.

Drop-Front

The flat lid or covering of a desk which, when lowered and suspended on quadrants, or resting on slides, forms the writing surface. Sometimes called a fall-front. The rounded coverings are called cylinder or tambour fronts.