_Turned Work._--The spiral rails and uprights of chairs were turned with the lathe in Jacobean days. Prior to the introduction of the lathe all work was carved without the use of this tool. Pieces of furniture have been found where the maker has carved the turned work in all its details of form, either from caprice or from ignorance of the existence of the quicker method. _Veneer._--A method of using thin layers of wood and laying them on a piece of furniture, either as marquetry in different colours, or in one wood only. It was an invention in order to employ finer specimens of wood carefully selected in the parts of a piece of furniture most noticeable. It has been since used to hide inferior wood. _Vernis-Martin_ (Martin's Varnish).--The lacquered work of a French carriage-painter named Martin, who claimed to have discovered the secret of the Japanese lac, and who, in 1774, was granted a monopoly for its use. He applied it successfully to all kinds of furniture, and to fan-guards and sticks. In the days of Madame du Pompadour Vernis-Martin had a great vogue, and panels prepared by Martin were elaborately painted upon by Lancret and Boucher. To this day his varnish retains its lustre undimmed, and specimens command high prices. Woods used in Furniture. _High-class Work._--Brazil wood, Coromandel, Mahogany, Maple, Oak (various kinds), Olive, Rosewood, Satinwood, Sandalwood, Sweet Cedar, Sweet Chestnut, Teak, Walnut. _Commoner Work._--Ash, Beech, Birch, Cedars (various), Deals, Mahogany (various kinds), Pine, Walnut. _Marquetry and Veneers._--Selected specimens for fine figuring are used as veneers, and for marquetry of various colours the following are used as being more easily stained: Holly, Horsechestnut, Sycamore, Pear, Plum Tree. _Woods with Fancy Names._ King Wood, Partridge Wood, Pheasant Wood, Purple Wood, Snakewood, Tulip Wood. These are more rare and finely-marked foreign woods used sparingly in the most expensive furniture. To arrive at the botanical names of these is not an easy matter. To those interested a list of woods used by cabinet-makers with their botanical names is given in Mr. J. Hungerford Pollen's "Introduction to the South Kensington Collection of Furniture." At the Museum at Kew Gardens and in the Imperial Institute are collections of rare woods worth examination. I THE RENAISSANCE ON THE CONTINENT [Illustration: Portion of carved cornice of pinewood, from the Palazzo Bensi Ceccini, Venice. Italian; middle of sixteenth century. (_Victoria and Albert Museum._)] CHATS ON OLD FURNITURE I THE RENAISSANCE ON THE CONTINENT ITALY. Flight of Greek scholars to Italy upon capture of Constantinople by the Turks--1453. Rediscovery of Greek art. Florence the centre of the Renaissance. Leo X., Pope (1475-1521).