Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-09
MAMMOTH ESTABLISHMENT.
Grand Opening Of the Great
House of EastIand, Lloyd
a. Gilbert on Monday.
One OfiIie Most Elegant, Com
piete establishments 10
be found Anywhere.
Tour Through the Different
Deparimenis-Brief De-
scriptiOn Of what
they Reveal.

The business houses of Memphis, in
lineal dimensions and interior elegance,
have long compared favorably with these
of cities many times her population. As
the city has increased in size aud COM
mercial Importance, our merchants, de-
termined to keep pace with the general
progress, have, as opportunity afforded,
enlarged and improved their establish.
ments until not only the goods and wares
kept therein formed their own best adj
vertisement, but the storerooms them
selves began to especially attract the
eye. Prominent among the firms who
have thus sought to decorate and beau
tify their places of business is that Of
Messrs Eastland, Lloyd & Gilbert, the
extensive importers of and Wholesale and
retail dealers in China, Glass, Queens
ware, Looking Glasses, Table and Pocket
Cutlery, House Furnishing Goods, etc.
Their former stand being too small to
satisfy the demands made by the rapidly
increasing business of the firm, they
we're compelled to seek more commo-
dious quarters. These were found at No.
1921 Main street, between Monroe and
Union, where, in addition to storerooms
Of depth of l4S feet by a width of %
feet clear, four stories and an equally
large cellar-fve great apartments in all
were at the service of the mammoth
stock necessary to keep on hand to sup
ply the demands of the trade. Two
months ago the work of preparing this
monster building for the reception of the
immense stock on hand, as well as that
en- route from Europe and the East, was
commenced. 1t was determined to spare
neither trouble nor expense in fitting up
and remodeling the interior of the place,
the instructions given to the architect
being to eclipse in design and execution
any other establishment in the city.
That the orders have been executed to
the letter will not be questioned after a
visit to this now palatial structure.
TIE FIRST FLOOR.
On entering from the street, the first
object attracting the eye is the arrange
ment of the large folding doors-nearly
all glass-which are thrown back so as
to reveal, even from the pavement, the
entire interior of the first floor, which is
laid in oil cloth of the Fifth avenue pat
tern. Immediately inside the doors, and
overhead is the name of the firm
EAsTLAND, LLOYD & GILBERT lin gilt
letters on blue panel, forming halt
circle. The show windows at the sides
are large, and when obtaining their
complement, will be filled with beautiful
statuettes and other ornaments of various
sizes, so arranged as to invite attention.
But the grand feature of the architecture
of this floor is the shelving, with glass
doors, on each side, running parallel with
the length of the room. For beauty and
chasteness of design, durability of con-
struction and exquisiteness of finish, it
far surpasses any effort of the kind ever
made in Memphis, or doubtless the South.
The design is Italian, with dash of
Oriental. In composition the shelving
is heavy rosewood, being painted>pur-
posely dark to show the goods it contains
to better advantage. This is an innova-
ton which, especially when the light is
cast from the chandeliers, adds materially
to the beauty of the scene. The whole is
embellished with ornaments OF pale
green, blushed with gold, all the shades
being in perfect harmony with each other.
The shelving on either side OF the room
consists of three sections, the upper
portions perpendicular, and the lower
displayed outward. Between these Sec
tions are four octagonal projections run
ming from the floor to the eornice, sur
mounted by domes. Each of these domes
has ornamental ribs with blue panels
Each section of the cornice on either
side is surmounted by three pedestals,
on which are placed groups of statuary
in bronze. The room is lighted by twelve
single gas burners penjant-six on each
side highly ornamental, with large
globes They form a vista, giving the
ceiling, which is beautifully decorated,
the appearance of extra elevation. The
arrangement of the different articles on
the shelves samples of the entire stock,
especially of fancy goods is as nearly
perfect as experienced taste could render
it. The varieties and the colors here
presented completely transfx the atten-
ton, and cause one to almost feel that
he has suddenly awakened in some gor
geous palace of enchantment described
in the Arabian Nights" The picture
for moment seems to more resemble a
fairy scene than reality. Exquisite
parian marble figures and statuettes,
medallion chamber sets, vases, lava tea
sets-from six to foriy.ive pieces-com-
plete sets of silverware, lava and terra
Gotta vases, mantle and eiagere orna-
ments, glassware-cut and decorated in
endless variety, tumblers, goblels, cham
pagnes, vines, liquors, egg glasses,
deeauters in great variety, pressed, cut,
engraved and Bohemian glass. In a
word. this floor contains in liberal num-