The first successful photographic process that became popular in the United States in the 1840s and 50s, consisting of one-of-a-kind images made on a copper plate coated with polished silver, giving them a mirror-like sheen.

A fine, lustrous fabric with flat patterns and a satin weave.

A low-neckline bodice of a blouse or dress. It is a traditional component of ladies' evening dresses and ball gowns.

A firm, durable twilled cotton fabric popularly used in blue jeans.

American glassware mass-produced from about 1920 to 1940, around the time of the Great Depression. It features smooth, shallow designs in a variety of colors. Now collectible, much Depression glass was sold inexpensively at dime stores or given away as promotions.

A popular term for a high-waisted dress line. The directoire dress has a long, straight skirt, an exaggeratedly high waist line, low décolleté, and small, tight puff sleeves. It was popular in the 1880s, 1900s, and again in the 1960s.

In the furniture trade, wood that comes from trees that are grown in the same country where the wood is to be sold. (See also: Imported wood)

A term for the interlocking wedge shapes used in woodworking as joints; they are both both strong and decorative.

In woodworking, a cylindrical rod that fits into holes in two adjacent pieces to line them up and hold them together.

Lace that combines a number of embroidery techniques, including satin stitch, tambour (chain stitch), and pulled stitches to create a lace-like surface. Also known as white work.

A paper cover used to protect the binding of a book from dust and wear, sometimes referred to as a "book jacket" or "dust cover."