A china cabinet is a piece of furniture, usually with glass fronts and sides, used to hold and display

porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises mainl ...

("china") or other ceramics. Typical china held in such cabinets often includes cups, plates, bowls, and glasses. Along with a table, chairs, and a

sideboard A sideboard, also called a buffet, is an item of furniture traditionally used in the dining room for serving food, for displaying serving dishes, and for storage. It usually consists of a set of cabinets, or cupboards, and one or more drawers ...

, the china cabinet is one of the most typical elements of a traditional

dining room A dining room is a room (architecture), room for eating, consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level. Historically ...

in the

Western world The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and state (polity), states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.

, though they may be placed in any room. Historically, they were used for especially highly-decorated cabinet cups, that were too expensive and perhaps fragile for regular use, and made for collectors or to be given as presents.

Aspects

China cabinets are typically placed against a wall, opposite the door or windows. They are often set in a conspicuous place where china, silverware, and glassware can easily be seen by guests and accessed by the host. Two-Handled Covered Cup and Saucer LACMA 54

Two-Handled Covered Cup and Saucer LACMA 54

There is an innumerous number of forms for china cabinets, as sizes, shapes, and construction methods may vary. Traditional china cabinets have shelves lined with silk or velvet, or can have glass shelves.

History

The china cabinet already existed by the late 17th century, initially used for

Japanese export porcelain Japanese export porcelain includes a wide range of porcelain that was made and decorated in Japan primarily for export to Europe and later to North America, with significant quantities going to south and southeastern Asian markets. Production for ...

and its Chinese equivalent, then very fashionable, especially in England and the Netherlands.

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

and

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

's reign particularly popularized the furniture and porcelain, as Queen Mary was known for collecting Chinese pottery. At this date European porcelain had not been developed. Early cabinets were simply designed, often made of

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...

. Dutch cabinets began being imported in the late 1600s and early 1700s, and thus English-made cabinets began being influenced by Dutch design. By the middle of the 18th century, china cabinets were typically more elaborate; later cabinets had especially elaborate doors and were lighter weight.

References

External links

* {{Commons category-inline, China cabinets Cabinets (furniture) Serving and dining Porcelain

Aspects

History

See also

References

External links