The New International Encyclopædia/Cabinet (chamber)

CABINET (Fr. dim. of cabane, cabine, cabin, from Gael, and Irish caban, booth, hut, tent). Originally a small chamber set apart for some special purpose, such as private interviews, or study, or for collections of objects of art or curiosity. Sovereigns, ministers, and other high officials always had such cabinets in connection with larger reception-rooms. The term then came to be applied to the closets or show-cases in which the collections were kept in many such rooms; and even to the collections themselves. Cabinet collections are always supposed to be of small objects, and in this sense we speak of a cabinet picture. Cabinet-work is, by extension, the art of fine woodwork such as was used at one time largely in making the delicate decorative furniture for such rooms and collections.