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X-chair A Medieval style chair with X-shaped framework.
Variations on this theme were adopted in the 15th Century
Italy for folding wooden chairs, in 18th Century Britain by
Sheraton and for strip metal chairs in the mid 19th Century.
Can sometimes be called a savonarola.
yataghan A sword that has a blade with a double curve
and large curled grips on the hilt.
yew A softwood, the timber of this British native species
is very strong. The wood is golden brown in tone and close
grained, it polishes to a fine tone, the wood is usually
beautifully figured, and the trunks tend to twist.
It is a popular choice for the framework of country made
furniture since the 16th and 17th Century, the latter for
turned drawer knobs and spindles. In the 18th Century
sticks, bows and legs of the best quality Windsor
chairs were of Yew. Knotted Burr wood was also used as
veneer and these were favoured by the 20th Century artist
such as Ernest Gimsom and Sir Gordon Russell.
yingqing With Ding ware, one of the earliest Chinese
porcelain wares, dating from the Song dynasty
(960 - 1279) 'yingquing' (misty blue) referring to
the translucent blue glaze, formerly known as qingbai.
They are mainly bowls and survive today having been
dug up from burial grounds. They have been
reproduced in Hong Kong and Tawian.
Yixing Chinese potteries specialising in red stoneware.
The products, in particular teapots, were exported to
Europe in the 17th Century. They inspired the likes of
Meissen and the Elers brothers in England from the late
17th Century.
Zebrawood A decorative reddish brown wood barred
with dark stripes, also known as tigerwood. It is hard
and heavy it is Brazilian timber and can be seen more
commonly in banding and inlaid decoration. It was
sometimes used as veneer for complete surfaces of
bureaux desks and tables in the late18th Century and
throughout the 19th Century.
zinc A white bluish metallic element. Used to form
alloys such as brass, bronze, and nickel silver.
It was not produced commercially in Britain until
the 18th Century.
Zircon A gemstone that ranges in colour through yellow, red and orange to green. Colourless, golden-brown and sky blue versions are produced by heat treatment. The most suitable mineral comes from Sri Lanka and the Far East. Hyacinth is the term used for yellow and brown shades and transparent or colourless types are known as jargoons or jargons. Colourless zircons are sometimes used as substitutes for diamonds but they are not brilliant or hard.
Zoerope Optical toy that was popular in Victorian times, it’s a revolving cylinder which is open at the top and has a series of pictures arranged along the inner surface. The pictures are viewed through slits around the edge of the cylinder and appear to be moving when the box is rotated rapidly.
It was developed in 1830's and can also be known as zootrope or wheel of life.
Zucchi, Antonio Pietro (1726-91) An Italian painter and designer of furniture and household fittings. He traveled with architect Robert Adam in Italy, and on coming to England in 1766, did a great deal of work with him on house interiors. Zucchi was the second husband of Angelica Kauffmann.
Zwischengoldgla A glass vessel decorated with engraving and gold or silver leaf, and then sheathed with another layer of glass to enclose the design. The name literally means 'gold between glass.' This technique dates from Circa.300BC, but most surviving examples were made in Bohemia between 1730 and 1755. It is seen mainly on beakers or goblets decorated with hunting heraldic or religious images.
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