Carve a shell on a cabriole leg

摘要

One of the surest ways to embellish a piece of furniture is to add a carved element or two. Although the thought of carving your furniture can be intimidating, some carvings are easier to create than you might think. This shell on a cabriole knee is a good example. Based on the ones found in Pennsylvania, the shell carving was used on chairs, tables, and case pieces like dressing tables, often in several places on the same piece of furniture. Pennsylvania chairs, for example, can have one shell on the crest rail, one on the seat rail, and one on each of the knees. Together, they unify the chair parts, adding considerably to the overall look of a piece.