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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

tiroirs en façade sans traverse

English translation:

drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse

Added to glossary by Helen Shiner
May 1, 2010 12:57
14 yrs ago
French term

tiroirs en façade sans traverse

French to English Art/Literary Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting antiques
This can with or without traverse. I know what it means , but I don't think the terms I've found so far sound very elegant.
All suggestions welcome
TIA
Lisa
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse
4 drawers without a liner
3 front drawers without traverse
3 drawers to front without rail
Change log

May 6, 2010 10:07: Helen Shiner Created KOG entry

Discussion

Carruthers (X) May 2, 2010:
without crossmember? see penultimate item on :http://www.levichyssois.com/artdetail01.asp?artistid=3
what do they mean by "at projection"?

Proposed translations

+4
9 hrs
Selected

drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse

If Christie's leaves this in French, I would, too. It is presumably a feature of French furniture or French style.

A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED BURR-YEW, EBONY, EBONISED AND MARQUETRY COMMODE A ENCOIGNURES, banded overall in kingwood, of bombé form, with associated moulded eared serpentine brèche d'aleps marble top above two drawers decorated sans traverse with a central cartouche containing stalky branches with flowerheads and berries issuing from a pomegranite, the sides each with conforming cartouche decoration and hinged door enclosing two shelves, between keeled angles with acanthus-cast pierced angle mounts, centred by berried foliage, with waved apron, on cabriole legs and foliate scrolled sabots
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjec...

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Note added at 19 hrs (2010-05-02 08:56:24 GMT)
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Hi Lisa - I translate a lot of auction catalogues and this is often what happens.

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Note added at 4 days (2010-05-06 10:06:55 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks, Lisa
Note from asker:
thanks helen I've been using Christie's as a reference- and it leaves a lot of the terms in French - I've just been putting in italics
Peer comment(s):
agree Chris Hall : I wouldn't argue with Christie's auction house either. Good reference.
3 mins
Thanks, Chris
agree Martha Melter : Sounds like she's got it!
8 hrs
Thanks, Martha
agree kashew
10 hrs
Thanks, kashew - I hope all is well in sunnier climes!
agree B D Finch : Even though Christies can't spell "pomegranate"!
1 day 13 hrs
Thanks, B D Finch - yes, not very impressive is it?!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks helen"
1 hr

drawers without a liner

See the GDT for explanation of the term.
traverse is also possible - see net ref.
Reference:

http://www.granddictionnaire.com/BTML/FRA/r_Motclef/index1024_1.asp

http://www.prices4antiques.com/furniture/chest-of-drawers/Chest-Commode-Louis-XV-XVI-Peridiez-L-Mixed-Wood-5-Drawers-Ormolu-Mounts-Cabriole-

Note from asker:
Hi Martha, this is what I come up with too from the GDT. I'm not sure that's it though. My Larousse and other sources come up with crossbeam, cross-bar strut...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Chris Hall : Why have you not translated "en façade" which is pretty important?
18 mins
It seemed to me that your answer covered that! ; - )
neutral B D Finch : I think that you picked the wrong term from the GDT. Your other ref. doesn't work.
52 mins
Hi BD. I didn't pick rail because it specifically refers to a chair. This being said, I agree that liner sounds strange, unless it is a very specific use of the word. Your call! (Sorry about the 2nd reference.)
Something went wrong...
49 mins

front drawers without traverse

My suggestion.

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Note added at 49 mins (2010-05-01 13:47:49 GMT)
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"without traverse" is based on what the Asker has already said.

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-01 14:53:01 GMT)
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@ Asker - so you don't think that "sans traverse" means "without traverse" then?
Note from asker:
Hi Chris, thanks for your answer too, I actually said the drawer could be with, or without the traverse.
Peer comment(s):
neutral B D Finch : Googling only brings up one hit for "drawer with traverse" and that is a French auction website.//Well, she did ask a question, so she couldn't have been confident it was "traverse".
1 hr
Asker specifically stated that it was "without traverse" (I admit that I did have my reservations about this, but I trusted her judgment). Alors, que faire...
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

drawers to front without rail

This gives a photo of a chest, showing what the "traverses" look like.

According to GDT, which gives both "liner" and "rail" as translations for "traverse":
"La différence entre "liner" et "rail" réside dans leur fonction. "Rail" est une pièce du bâti destinée à consolider le cadre au même titre que les montants. "Liner" désigne une traverse dont le rôle n'est pas tant de renforcer mais de soutenir le matériel de rembourrage."


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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-05-01 15:38:41 GMT)
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Sorry, missed out reference:
http://www.artfinding.com/Artwork/Chests-of-drawers/Nicolas-...

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Note added at 4 hrs (2010-05-01 17:26:36 GMT)
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To me, drawer liners are pieces of paper that you put in the bottom of your drawers, to keep them clean and so that your clothes etc. are not sitting directly on the wood of the bottom of the drawer. They also make it easier to find things against white paper, rather than dark wood.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2010-05-01 19:19:33 GMT)
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"Superb english oak partners desk c1900 with 9 drawers to front and 3 drawers and 2 cupboards to rear. Original brass cup handles and locks. 60" x 48" x 31". ..."
www.invogueantiques.co.uk/id72.html -

"strong and sturdy construction throughout; consisting of four drawers to front with quality georgian style brass handle fittings to each drawer front ..."
cgi.ebay.co.uk/FABULOUS-YEW-WOOD...4...-/20044402056

"191, Victorian mahogany side table with 2 drawers to front & drawers to the corners. 192, Oak 'Butlers tray'. 193, Oak elbow chair with string seat ..."
www.jeffsauctioneers.co.uk/ -

Note from asker:
Hi, thanks for the answer - I had the same reference from GDT and initially chose liner, but of course for a UK native this make it sound as though the drawers have no inner liner,which is not the meaning here, hence the problem...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Chris Hall : "drawers to front" doesn't sound quite right to me.
3 hrs
See examples that I have just posted.
neutral Helen Shiner : Definitely agree with "drawers to [the] front", though I have found the term 'sans traverse' tends to stay in French.
7 hrs
You seem to be more familiar with this field.
Something went wrong...
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