New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-07-11
Ancient Table. Of WOOD.

From the New York Scientific American,
A very general opinion prevails that the rich fclk
OF ancient days were rather poor set Of fellows =
comparison with our modern nAbobs and that sbey
could not AFFORD to buy decent chairs and tables Eor
their parlors. We are also liable to lift up our hssg
10 establishment at the extrsvagaace sometimes dr.
played At the present day and 70 consider that thsh
bits Of household garnishnga We rather think thle
With all the public selfco plscency Tor modern 1nal
deur, the old Romans would take the shine sut
Cicero once paid about Us 90 for fancy tsbjs q
citrus wood, and that one which hsd belonged g
King Juba, on being exposed ct anction was knoce&
down for the nice little sum Of - 900. A. Clcese
was Roman lawyer, We would like to know W6ic&
Of his disciples in New York conId afford % pfesnE
such comfortable table to his smiabls spouse q -
day. s
period Of $50 years, ruling passion ID possess be.
tifol tables Of citrus wood, the finer specimens q
which were compared TO gold for their value. II
veins q this wood run n sprsls and wavy lines, and
these were rich and brilliant in their coloss, being
MIXTURE Of wine nd.honey colored veins. It's polih
without any ysxnish, was brilliant a. gies. Il ~ 4
hsgant odor, and for this reason it was soms9inn
smpioyea N religious sacrifices and for statues of H.
knowledge Of The tree from which This fsssoas
800 was ocsamsd has been Lost for centuries; hats
t OF sne London Builder ststes that Il =
Of Mount Atlas, and that the most fancy pieces -
ployed IN the ancient tables were ohtajned fro@ r.
crescences or knots, something hka u en kn0fs ~
which wooden bowls are fssqasntly uade Is vs,iuss
parts Of our country The Roman citrus tahass vera
generally OF round shape, supported % iyorv -
carved out TO represent those II animals, q
The principal ornamental woods NOW nd \ -
manufacture Of dne furniture ne mahoeanv. -
4 wood aud black walnut-rosew0od being tSe -
highly esteemed, mot because Il u 6ner q ~ ~
than mahogany, hut because Il hss Ito greatest -
trast Of c0loss and ID NOT monotnnous 10 ~ 60
In California there are some beautiful cOIOsed Nqe
which have not yet been introduced into our cahGe
work but they NO doubt will yet ud place II -
parlos Of our people, il il were upon no Other -.
sideration than to afford pleasure from their yssf6
A few years ago curly and bird,eeye maple we've -
ployed extensively for making chairs and other ~
Giles OF furniture, but the demand Tor these wool
has almost ceased. Splendid legs 81 these kisls e
maple, which few years since would have hruaGaf
high price, are now burned for foel in various 1ee-
tons Of our country, there being no demand for d.
for sny other purpose. The peculiar appeasance q
these woods Is now initiated BY staining soft ttuhs
which is 90 much easier worked that cabinet mstes
prefer to operate with the initiated rather than II
genuine article. Oak has recently come into pretty
good repute in chair making, and it ia certainly q
very beautiful wood for this purpose, but not eqaal
to American bird'seye maple. :.
The fashion for tables, 1t present. Is very disre0
from that which reigned in Rome in the days OF Cicea
fine marble, not wood being the prevailing material
employed for the tops. Our taste nav not he "a r.
fined as that Of some others in this respect hit -
certainly think marble 10 inferior to due wood =
point of beauty for this purpose it 10 totally deVoA
of that warmth OF color which Is 60 pleasing to II
eye in rosewood and the finer qualities OF mshoansy