Is it only ornamental? And why are they usually webbed feet (or at least they are in my experience)?

    • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      Yeah, see: when you’re looking at these highly ornate antiques, it’s not the wealth of the craftsman on display; it’s the wealth of his customer.

          • slackassassin@sh.itjust.works
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            1 day ago

            I hear ya. There’s a line somewhere when people become shitty rich. I’m just not sure that line is at … has a nice dining room table with carved feet or some shit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

            • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.works
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              1 day ago

              Let me clarify this part of my thinking: That line has moved a lot since the lifetime of Thomas Chippendale.

              When you think about what it would take to build an ornately carved mahogany highboy with a high gloss varnish in 1750 versus today, including logging, transporting exotic wood around the planet, the actual woodworking…hell, just compare applying a shellac french polish versus spray lacquer today.

              • slackassassin@sh.itjust.works
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                1 day ago

                It’s just not ubiquitous. And to say that paying a woodworker to carve intricate details is a useless waste of their time strikes as insulting to the craftsman in any time period.

                I mean, even under the most cynical representation, the patrons of the classical period were a bunch of wankers too. But I wouldn’t besmirch the musicians, or the music, or what came of it in modern times.