While dovetail joints can be found on ancient Egyptian coffins from 3000 BC, they were not used in European and American furniture until the mid 1600s.
When was dovetail first used?
They were first used in English cabinet making in around 1650. Commonly used in woodwork joinery, they can act as a useful tool while dating our furniture. Until the 1880s, all furniture dovetails were cut by hand using a chisel and hammer.
Where did dovetails originate?
History. The dovetail joint technique probably pre-dates written history. Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in ancient Egyptian furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty, the tombs of Chinese emperors, and a stone pillar at the Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple in India.
What is dovetail used for?
What Is A Dovetail Joint? A dovetail joint is a joinery technique used in woodworking, traditionally used to join wooden furniture. Dovetail joints are known for their inherent strength and resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength).
How do you date a dovetail joint furniture?
You can get an idea of the date of a piece of antique furniture by looking at the dovetail joint, as if it is hand cut you know its pre 1880 and the more primitive the cut usually means an earlier piece. Below you can see examples, the first is a 17th century drawer, pre dovetail so very primitive clout nails used.
Where did dovetails originate?
History. The dovetail joint technique probably pre-dates written history. Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in ancient Egyptian furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty, the tombs of Chinese emperors, and a stone pillar at the Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple in India.
What is dovetail used for?
What Is A Dovetail Joint? A dovetail joint is a joinery technique used in woodworking, traditionally used to join wooden furniture. Dovetail joints are known for their inherent strength and resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength).
How do you date a dovetail joint furniture?
You can get an idea of the date of a piece of antique furniture by looking at the dovetail joint, as if it is hand cut you know its pre 1880 and the more primitive the cut usually means an earlier piece. Below you can see examples, the first is a 17th century drawer, pre dovetail so very primitive clout nails used.
When did they stop using dovetail?
By 1730, through dovetail joinery was abandoned in English furniture making in favor of the lapped construction. As furniture became more refined, furniture makers began to take pride in the construction of their drawers as well.
Who invented dovetails?
This paper considers the origins of the dovetail from ancient Egyptian cabinetwork, through its development as a builders’ and joiners’ joint, to becoming the symbol of refined cabinet making.
Are dovetail joints still used?
They are still used today by many experienced custom furniture makers. Dovetail joints are not only used to make a strong joint for drawer construction, but cabinet makers often use them to join the tops, bottoms and sides of cabinet cases, as was done on antique furniture.
Are dovetails the strongest of all joints?
The advantages of the dovetail joint are that it is the strongest of all joints, has a large gluing area, is interlocking, resists being pulled apart, looks attractive, and would hold together even without glue.
What is the most popular dovetail joint?
Single-lap Dovetail The single-lap (known to many folks as a half-blind dovetail) is the best known of the dovetails since it’s used to join the front to the sides of a drawer.
Is dovetail the highest quality?
Dovetail joinery is a benchmark of high-quality construction because these fasteners are all potential weak points that can degrade or break-down over time.
Is dovetail worth it?
In addition to their durability, dovetail drawers are also incredibly strong. The interlocking pins and tails create a sturdy structure that resists twisting and warping over time. This means that your drawers will continue to work smoothly for years to come, without any binding or sticking.
What are 2 uses of dovetail joint?
Through Dovetail Here, two pieces of wood are joined together at their ends with a finger-like interlocking method which is seen from all outside surfaces. This method is used in everyday practice for joining the corners of frames, boxes, cabinets, and other items.
How can you tell if furniture is vintage?
Make sure to search for labels, stamps, or manufacturing tags that can tell when and where a piece was made. Furniture companies and makers often listed their names, locations, and year of production This information can be found on the inside of drawers, the backs of bureaus, and on the lower edges of pieces.
How can you tell if wood is antique furniture?
The best way to tell if it’s real wood is to look at the end grain. This is the surface of the wood that is exposed when a piece of wood is cut across the growth rings or layers of the tree. Real wood’s end grain looks distinctly different from that of manufactured wood.
When did they start using dowels in furniture?
The 19th Century Revolution in Wood Furniture Making Dowel joints allowed for even more complex designs and angles than what was possible using pegged construction alone. They also allowed for easier assembly and disassembly of furniture pieces.
How can you tell how old furniture is?
Search for any labels, stamps or manufacturing tags underneath or on the back of furniture, or in the drawers. These marks will be able to tell you who made the furniture, where it was manufactured and often the year that it was made. If there is a label, look for signs of ageing as they can be faked.
What is the history of dovetail drawers?
The History of Dovetail Drawers The dovetail joint dates back to ancient Egyptian furniture, where it was used to join wooden boxes. However, it was not until the 17th century that the dovetail joint was widely used in furniture construction.
Is dovetail the highest quality?
Dovetail joinery is a benchmark of high-quality construction because these fasteners are all potential weak points that can degrade or break-down over time.
When was dovetail first used?
They were first used in English cabinet making in around 1650. Commonly used in woodwork joinery, they can act as a useful tool while dating our furniture. Until the 1880s, all furniture dovetails were cut by hand using a chisel and hammer.
Where did dovetails originate?
History. The dovetail joint technique probably pre-dates written history. Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in ancient Egyptian furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty, the tombs of Chinese emperors, and a stone pillar at the Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple in India.
What is dovetail used for?
What Is A Dovetail Joint? A dovetail joint is a joinery technique used in woodworking, traditionally used to join wooden furniture. Dovetail joints are known for their inherent strength and resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength).
How do you date a dovetail joint furniture?
You can get an idea of the date of a piece of antique furniture by looking at the dovetail joint, as if it is hand cut you know its pre 1880 and the more primitive the cut usually means an earlier piece. Below you can see examples, the first is a 17th century drawer, pre dovetail so very primitive clout nails used.
