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tiroirs en façade sans traverse

English translation: drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:tiroirs en façade sans traverse
English translation:drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse
Entered by: Helen Shiner

12:57 May 1, 2010
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / antiques
French term or phrase: tiroirs en façade sans traverse
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
Richardson Lisa
France
Local time: 08:13
drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse
Explanation:
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
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:13
Grading comment
thanks helen
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse
Helen Shiner
4drawers without a liner
Martha Melter
3front drawers without traverse
Chris Hall
3drawers to front without rail
B D Finch


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
drawers without a liner


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


    Reference: http://www.granddictionnaire.com/BTML/FRA/r_Motclef/index102...
    Reference: http://www.prices4antiques.com/furniture/chest-of-drawers/Ch...
Martha Melter
France
Local time: 08:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
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 comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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.)
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
front drawers without traverse


Explanation:
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)
--------------------------------------------------

@ Asker - so you don't think that "sans traverse" means "without traverse" then?

Chris Hall
Local time: 07:13
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Chris, thanks for your answer too, I actually said the drawer could be with, or without the traverse.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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...
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
drawers to front without rail


Explanation:
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/ -



B D Finch
France
Local time: 08:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 123
Notes to answerer
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 comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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.
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
drawers to the front [decorated] sans traverse


Explanation:
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...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2010-05-02 08:56:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Lisa - I translate a lot of auction catalogues and this is often what happens.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2010-05-06 10:06:55 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks, Lisa

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 348
Grading comment
thanks helen
Notes to answerer
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 comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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?!
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