The Alphabet of Art & Antiques – P is for…

February 17, 2021

Parcel gilt

Parcel gilt is a term used to describe silverware or furniture, parts of which are gilded, such as areas of carved or moulded decoration.

Ornate antique chair with gold-green velvet upholstery, curved white wooden frame, intricate gold detailing, and four legs—each with carved accents and small black casters—set against a dark gray background; a true work of art for admirers of fine antiques.

From Carlton Hobbs: one of a rare pair of white painted and parcel gilt salon chairs in the French taste. English, 1830.

Partners desk

A partners’ desk is a late 18th century and 19th century type of large English desk at which two people can work facing each other. The desk has drawers and/or cupboards on each side.

A large, antique wooden desk with a green leather top, five round brass-handled drawers, and two pedestal bases. The wood is polished, medium brown, with classic panel detailing that highlights its timeless allure among antiques. The desk rests on a grey background.

From Daniel Stein Antiques: An English mahogany partners desk of compact size with a gilt-tooled leather top, circa 1860.

Parure

A parure is a matching set of jewelery, usually including a necklace, brooch, bracelet and earrings. Parures were first worn in the 16th century and came into vogue again in the 19th century.

A blue velvet-lined case displays an exquisite antique cameo jewelry set, including brooches, earrings, pendants, and a bracelet—each piece a work of art featuring intricately carved classical figures and scenes in ivory tones against a darker background.

Antique neoclassical cameo parure in original box. Grand tour souvenir from Italy, early 19th century. Image via Eleuteri.

Patera

A patera is a small flat circular or oval medallion motif, often decorated with acanthus leaves or flower petals, and often used on silver, furniture, etcetera.

Ornate architectural frieze with two circular medallions: one with a radiating sunburst pattern and one with a lion’s face. Surrounding both are detailed acanthus leaves and rope-like horizontal bands. The symmetrical design, shaded in gray tones, evokes the refined artistry often found in antiques.

Design for a frieze, ornamented with lion’s head paterae. British, late 18th – early 19th century. Image via The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pavé

Pavé, from the French word for “paved”, referring to a jewelery setting in which gemstones, often diamonds, are set very close together like paving stones to hide the backing metal. The technique was popular in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

A white gold dome ring is adorned with multiple rows of sparkling round diamonds, closely set to fully cover the surface. Reminiscent of fine art and treasured antiques, the diamonds reflect light and create a brilliant, luxurious effect against a black background.

From Lang Antiques: Pavé platinum dome ring.

Piecrust

A piecrust edge is a scalloped decorative rim reminiscent of the crimped edges of a pie, which was popular on furniture and silverware (where it is known as a Chippendale rim) in the mid- 18th century, and much reproduced in the 19th century.

A round, dark wooden tilt-top table with a scalloped edge. The tabletop is supported by a single central pedestal that splits into three curved legs, each ending in a carved claw-and-ball foot—a fine example of antiques craftsmanship that merges both function and art. The table stands on a plain white background.

The Bunting family Chippendale carved and figured mahogany piecrust tilt-top tea table, Philadelphia, circa 1770. Image via Sotheby’s.

Pietra dura

Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished semiprecious stones and different colored marbles to create patterns and images. Pietra dura is also known as Florentine mosaic.

A round tabletop features a mosaic of variously colored stone pieces in concentric rings, showcasing the artistry of fine antiques. The outer rim is white with an English and Latin inscription in black alphabet, all set against a plain gray background.

From Carlton Hobbs: Remarkable center table with inscribed top made with a mosaic of ancient specimen marbles collected from the site of the Palace of the Caesars in the Farnese gardens, Rome. The Top, probably Rome, circa 1845. Base designed to support top, circa 1980s.

Poker work

Poker work is a technique for decorating woodwork, using a hot tool to burn patterns into a surface, practiced since at least the early 17th century in Italy. It was particularly popular during the Victorian period in Britain and during the arts and crafts movement. It also appears on cottage-style furniture of the early 20th century.

A long, rectangular wooden chest with a hinged lid, dark metal side handles, and intricate faded painted decorations of human figures on its sides and top. The wood appears aged, with visible grain, scratches, and some worn edges—an evocative piece that would appeal to collectors of antiques or anyone who appreciates the subtle artistry of timeworn objects.

An Italian cedar and poker work cassone, late 17th century. Image via Christie’s.

Pricket

A pricket – or pricket stick – is the earliest type of candlestick, with a metal spike on which the candle was stuck.

Artfully crafted, this brass incense burner features ornate lion-paw feet and a round glass center, blending antique charm with elegant design. With a serpent handle and cone-shaped incense piece on top, it stands as a unique art object photographed against a plain gray background.

Pricket candlestick with fantastic creatures. Circa 1150 – 1175, South Netherlands. Image via The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

By Vera Vandenbosch