Show ull i fr tartt t COME useful and ornamental bits of antique furniture furniture Is interesting and instructive not always ANTIQUE beautiful but whatever appearance it presents its chief function la usefulness it Is obvious abat a table a chair or a sideboard belongs to different order of ebony cabinet or a utility trem an princely italian all alon and gliding it Is fascinating to eludy some or developments and to characterize a few pieces which will cervo strictly practical ven prosale purposes AU designs ought of course to be in kee at all events not out of alth the original purpose ot the object to which they are applied but it the eins against art had never been committed the study ot furniture would far less attractive the temperament ot an age Is well expressed in its furniture the F rench love ot display in rococo designs the english appreciation of the in chippendale and sheraton and our american blending ot race ideas in the adoption 0 artistic furniture both frivolous and severe it every one had been always blameless and virtuous bow dull would be the annals ot history one cannot do better than begin with description of a napkin press this beautiful addition to a linen room Is of very early date belonging to the days ot elizabeth it has all the character of elizabethan work with a little more elaboration the proportions are happy with an abundance ot sturdy strength and the carving Is good and plentiful this beautiful press must have delighted generations of housekeepers the old time kind who reveled in their ef linen and took per conal care of their sheets and tablecloths strewing the sweet smelling lavender between the bed linen and overlooking the maids while the linen was being pressed and put away this old receptacle will also appeal to the housewife of today the old fashioned kind who like mrs primrose none could excel in the art of A reproduction of this press would make a timely and acceptable gift tor the modem bride as a companion piece to her oak chest from the linen closet to my ladys chamber Is but a step where we will find another delightful example of the useful antique this combination dressing table and secretary belongs to the first twenty years of the latter part ot the eighteenth century and la a wonderfully der fully unique example of much in little it la very graceful little piece with pad feet and lees and shell ornaments at the knees the swinging carved and gilded mirror adding a touch of the eloped part leta down to form a alet or writing taule and makes a dainty desk or any this desk Is made ot walnut but probably later on in the century mahogany would have been used in it construction still when walnut la carefully chosen ft Is a lovely wood ard was when this piece was made in high favor for purposes for which oak seemed heavy ake walnut chest with gilded toilet glass Is another handsome bit of ol 01 furniture and a charming face was often reflected in this mirror as it wag the property 0 a lady beaumont a noted beauty tills piece la more ornate than the other toilet table the glass has no bevel but the frame being elid ed and carved does away with any sug grest lon of stiffness it Is a very graceful specimen of its kind old toilet glasses are very bard to find the ones of the chippendale period being much bought after the old furniture shops ter which haa its way into the marinet la a veritable abbots bench it Is the original pattern go otten copied at the present day in our hall settle with a box under e teat and a high back forming table when required this bench has no modern hinges instead there Is a thick wooden pin pushed through the holes attaching the back and arms jt Is supposed to be very ancient and as the property 0 an abbot in an english priory another piece la a splendid oak dower chest richly carved the center panel bearing the date and initials ot the owner at one end Is a narrow deep compartment made to contain a bridee jewels this other interesting oak chest shown in the illustration vens the property of an english tanners wife whose mother bought it a person who needed the money very much you may gather brorn the following how greatly it was appreciated by ita owner who when selling the chest to an american said you might as well have it or fan pattern on the panels but the double crost tny lance shapes ore seldom found the color of the chest ie the natural woud without that addition of varnish or beeswax which often give to oak pieces emeary appearance turning from the antique we find that the old french furniture Is even more alluring but the new designs in this etyle are too eccentric in thear dread ot a straight line and predilection tor ledged tables and chairs to be anything but absurd the striving after originality has made them painful to a degree and dangerous in their rickety proportions as a place on which to rest when we so back a few centuries the prospect Is enchanting french furniture crew in beauty and until it was blighted in it efflorescence by the sudden destruction of the old regime sectary ami toika tabac freavy oak chest hardly ever have one of these mirrors as they are to be only found in old english houses whose owners never can be brought to part with them except when in extremes 1 an old bit of a very different charac you admire it so much halt ray life it has been out in one of the barns in the new home it occupies an honored place two of the decorative are common ones the ornament on the tipper rail and the conventional flower an exquisite piece of the old regime furniture la louis quatorze Qua torae settee nothing could be more typical ot its time than this settee which shares tb honor with the glided the right to occupy which was jealously prized by the ladles at the court ot the grande the settee has the addan tage or seating more than one person both elaborately carved and elidea elided and covered with floured the eighteenth century bad ably run almost to a chose when this inlaid cabinet wag made with Hs rich inlay and elegant scholle and wheat ear pennants pendants pend ants it comprises much of the favorite ornamentation of the last century but its glory conea rom the plaques of with which the sides and ends are enriched the delicious blues and reds form th perfection of decoration arid render such a cabinet almost priceless the of that were delightful in their coloring never obtrusive unfortunately the modern devres are not eo happy in tone many american millionaire homes can boast the possession of one of these cabinets for a number of them were made and at the sales of antique furniture the great chateaux the dealer have bren able to pick up beautiful cabinet of this kind the french and dutch work Is beautiful the french betas daintier than the dutch with its strong tulip pattern both are in design and finish A sewing stand of Is a lovely and useful article to possess very unique Is what in england la called a dinner wagon this wagon 13 only used in some of the great houses or old inns it Is about the size and shape of the cart the scissors vender pushes along the estreet and Is used to carry into the dining hall extremely heavy roasie that the butler could not manage the meat Is cut in the pantry and the servant pushes the wagon around the table so each gues may select a piece to his taste the tea wagon which Is much in demand Is a diminutive and useful member of the family the colonial style of furniture la always good A big comfortable ions eota with ita rolled ends and high bacic Is perfect tor a large square hall 1 slon furniture the santa barbara ulecee are in their barons simplicity and the chairs of thia kind are models of comfort such a pity it is that so much of the old furniture la thrown away by inexperienced persons when it Is badly battered or broken for in most cases even when whole pieces are gone it can be restored if taken to the right man and the original beauty brought back A chair for instance can be made equal to new when the stay which is the front piece of wood holding the frame round the seat la entirely gone but an artistic craftsman must be the restorer not the ordinary cabinet maker who Is often little more than a carpenter william morris the master craftsman has given the best possible advice about decorations in the home and it applies to antique furniture as well have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or ornamental this Is a mighty sate rule to foll w when buying a bit of the antique EDITH LAWRENCE |