Just as Ralph Lauren's salespeople view shoppers as unwelcome guests to their faux-English-ancestral stores, many antique dealers treat customers with sovereign contempt: "You don't know what a recamier is?"

Screw `em. Or dowel `em, rather — by knowing your antique terms. Counter their Empire with a Rococo, and you'll get the best service and deals.

Here, our guide to antique furniture design:

• English

• French

• Modern

• United States

For a glossary of frequently used terms in furniture design, see our furniture vocabulary guide.

See our antique authentication guide for hints on what makes an antique real.

Want to get a little more in-depth? We've put together a list of recommended reading for the aspiring antique connoisseur.