~ L ~

Lacquer: Made from the sap of the lac tree, which turns hard and black on exposure to air and sunlight, and applied in successive layers, lacquer is used as a ground for Chinese or Japanese decoration, usually of figures in landscapes etc. More rarely, dyes were mixed with the sap to produce various colours. It can also be carved, and polished, and layers of differing colours, carved and etched, were often used to great effect.

Lapped-dovetail: See Dovetail.

Leaf: The "flap" of a table, as in drop leaf table, or a piece of wood inserted into an extending table.

Linenfold: Popular on panelling from the C16th, this relief carved motif, resembles vertical folds of cloth from which it takes its name.

Linen Press: Often referred to as simply a Press, or sometimes a Press Chest, this form of cupboard is composed of sliding drawers housed behind doors above a series of drawers, in what looks like (and is!) a chest-of-drawers. As the name implies, its function was to store linen and clothes. The term is also applied to a wooden frame, housing a large wooden screw and two boards, the purpose of which was to "press" linen.

Lipping: A strip of superior timber added to the most visible part of a board, such as a dustboard made from some inferior timber.

Livery Cupboard: Sometimes referred to by the generic term buffet, this piece resembles a court cupboard in that it's composed of three tiers, but in this case, the centre tier is an enclosed compartment, typically with canted sides.

Loper: A wooden slide or bar pulled out from a slot which is used to support a table leaf or an open bureau fall-front etc. It's also another name for a S.

Lunette: Carved decoration in the form of a semicircle resembling a half-moon (hence its name), especially found on early oak furniture. Can appear in repeated bands or can be intersected, and can be embellished with foliate or other decoration.

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