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Glossary of antique and collectable terms

There are 856 entries in this glossary.

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S

Term	Definition
Sabre Leg	The typical leg used on furniture of the Regency period resembling the curved sword called a sabre, or scimitar
Safety Catch	A safety catch is a secondary closure (usually on a fine bracelet or necklace) that is used in case the primary clasp opens, preventing the loss of the jewellery. It is often a hinged, snapping loop that is permanently attached to one side of the clasp (often a box clasp), and, when the bracelet is closed, snaps onto the other side of the clasp
Safety Chain	A safety chain is a secondary closure, usually on a fine bracelet or watch, that is used in case the primary clasp opens, preventing the loss of the bracelet. It is usually a chain that is permanently attached to one side of the bracelet, and attaches to the other side with a spring ring clasp or other type of clasp
Safety Clasp	A safety clasp is a secure type of closure on a piece of jewellery. The term safety catch is used for a variety of these closures. On pins and brooches, a safety clasp often refers to a long pin on a hinge that can be held or released with a secure clasp often a rotating circle within a circle
Salver	Flat dish, sometimes footed, for serving food and drink. Similar to a tray but with no handles and often with a moulded border and decorated with an engraved coat-of-arms
Sapphire	Sapphire is a precious gemstone a type of corundum that ranges in colour from blue to pink to yellow to green to white to purple (mauve sapphire) to pink-orange (padparadscha sapphire). Six-sided asterisms sometimes occur in star sapphires (caused by inclusions of tiny, thin, parallel needles of rutile). Sapphires are often heat treated to improve their colour. Sapphires are related to rubies. Sapphires were once thought to protect the wearer from poisonous creatures. Sapphire has a hardness of 9
Sapphire Quartz	Sapphire quartz, also called blue quartz, is another name for blue chalcedony.
Sard	Sard is a semi-precious stone related to carnelian. This brownish-red, opaque gemstone was once used extensively for seals and was carved using intaglio. Sard was named for Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia. Sardius is mentioned in the Bible, and may refer to jasper
Sardonyx	Sardonyx is a semi-precious stone that is formed by two layers, a red-brown layer of sard and a grey, white, black or brown layer of onyx. Sardonyx is a type of quartz. Sardonyx is frequently carved to make intricate cameos and seals.
Satin Finish	A satin finish on a metal is between a matte finish and a brilliant one. This semi-glossy finish is done by making shallow parallel lines on the surface of the metal, reducing its reflectivity
Sautoir	A sautoir, also known as a rope, is a long necklace that is longer than opera-length, often with an ornament (a tassel or pendant) at the end. Sautoirs were common during the Edwardian era
Scarab	A scarab is a type of beetle. The ancient Egyptians used stones carved in the shape of scarabs extensively in their jewellery and other decorations. In the 1920s, after the tomb of King Tut was discovered in Egypt, Egyptian style jewellery became fashionable in the West, including scarab bracelets and necklaces
Scarabe	Scarabe is a type of iridescent finish applied to some dark glass beads. The scarabe finish mimics the look of iridescent scarab beetles
Scent Bottle	Liquid perfume dates from around 1650, but few glass bottles exist from this time. The heavy use of scent and cosmetics became fashionable in the 1700’s and it was from that time that scent bottles, mostly in glass, became widely available. Until the 1800’s, the design of perfume bottles was very much governed by the nature of the scent itself. Since sent is very volatile, the bottles had to be air tight and impervious to light, and since scent was very costly, bottles were made to reflect this. In the 1830’s, Apsley Pellatt began making sulphides (also called cameo encrustations), which incorporated cameo medallions in the glass by a process he patented in the United Kingdom in 1819. Particularly attractive cameo glass bottles made in the late 1800’s are flattened globe and tear shaped with flowers cut to show off the coloured layers. The extraordinary level of craftsmanship often lavished on these small containers reflected the high value of their precious contents. See also Perfume Bottle
Schiller	Schiller, from the German term for play of colours or glitter, is an iridescent or bronze-like lustre occurring in some minerals (it is also referred to as labradorescence when it occurs in feldspars). This optical effect is caused by submicroscopic lamella (thin layers or flakes of inclusions) contained within the mineral. These layers of inclusions can produce a bronze-like lustre, golden iridescence, red colour-play, and/or a blue-green sheen that flashes when viewed from certain angles. This type of inclusion can be valuable (as in sunstone and labradorite). Layers of shiller can block reflected light, decreasing the stone's brightness. Some types of feldspars (like labradorite, sunstone, spectrolite and peristerite) and other minerals (like hypersthene) exhibit schiller.
Sconce	A candleholder, generally supporting two or more branches, made to be hung on the wall. The name can also be given to the section at the top of a free-standing candlestick into which the nozzle fits. See also Wall Sconce
Scrimshaw	Engraved whale bone or whale teeth, walrus or marine ivory or shell carvings
Scroll	Curved decoration, particularly used for handles
Sea Glass	Sea glass, also called beach glass, is glass from old broken bottles, windows of wrecked ships, etc. that has been worn down and etched by the sea and sand over the years. This glass is smooth with no sharp edges and looks like beautifully sand-blasted glass with a soft patina. Pieces of this glass are collected on beaches and often made into jewellery items. Brown, deep green and clear are the most common colours of sea glass; after these come blue, amber and aqua. Rare colours include pink, red, purple, light yellow, and sea green
Seal	Seals were once extensively used as a means of identification; they were only owned and used by relatively important people. Seals were usually mounted in rings or hung on a chain. Seals are carved in hard stones like sard or jasper using intaglio.