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Ogee: Often found on the (bracket) feet of Georgian furniture, this is a double-curved Gothic moulding of architectural origins, consisting of a convex arc above a concave arc, creating a wave-like profile.

Open Fret: See Fret.

Ormolu: Strictly speaking, this applies only to ornaments cast in brass or bronze, with fire (mercury) gilt surfaces. However, it's often applied to any yellow metal. Early uses were restricted to furniture, especially in handles and decorative mounts. By the late C18th though, many objects such as ink stands, decorative cases for clocks, candlesticks were made in ormolu.

Outscrolled foot: A carved foot (later and more elegant than the Inscrolled foot) which usually appears on an otherwise straight leg, and which curls under and outwards a lot like a hockey-stick. (See Braganza and Inscrolled foot). It's also known as the French foot.

Outset corner: A circular or square projection beyond the line of the sides of a table top etc. See also Architrave.

Ovolo moulding: This moulding has a convex surface (as opposed to a cavetto) formed from a quarter of a circle or ellipse. It's found especially at the corners of panels etc. and is sometimes found at the corners of drawers where it forms a bridge onto the carcase. (See cavetto).

Oyster: Veneers cut across the grain of small branches of trees such as walnut, sycamore, olive and laburnum, and laid decoratively. Popular circa 1700.

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