The Decoration

Various treatments for the decoration of the tablet are shown. The first consists of simple gouge tooling. The second shows a design for carving, which would first be cut to outline and grounded out, then modelled on leaves, stem, berries, etc., with gouges. The third example shows inlaying in various woods, and the last an alternate arrangement of slips of mother of pearl, three in top row, two in the second, with a single terminal piece. This decoration is fairly simple, and very effective when used in combination with brown oak, American or Italian walnut.

Four details of moulded legs are shown. The introduction of either of these would involve more difficult construction; generally, the rails would have to be set farther back from the face sides, those below being spaced exactly in the centre of the moulded side. The chamfered example should be stopped just below the rail, as is shown in the elevations.