New-York tribune., 1875-12-24
THE FASHIONS.
IrspLAyS OF HOLIDAY GIFTS.

ANTIQUE SHAPES IN CRYsrAI-CHlNA oKNA-
, MENrs-JEwELRY AND OBJECTS or ART-DolLs |
MECHANICAL ToYs-CoSTUMEs
The shop windows never held out promise |
Of more brilliant Christmas. Merchants are bringing
forward every tempting and choice article in defiance OF
depressed 1t significant OF the season that op
tects of luxury never offered low cost before
Real India aud Shetland seal sacques keep pace
with diminished dividends and sinking shares Inside |
the doors wherever hang the Christmas greens there Is
astore Of fabrics good cheap, to divorce wOnahs W"
from her pursesrngs and the swelling throngs that are
10 be seen within show that the interchange Of gifts VIII
not be greatly diminished Very extensive preparations
have been made by the leading houses to crafty the arS
tic tastes Of people OF large moas Lovers OF ceramic
aud crystal crafty TO the utmost their rennou
tastes The briniancy durability of the colors on
Majoca estimated more highly THAN the oia"-
Ing OF the designs, hut the shape OF TINS very Popu
ware is a quality. and often exhibits grace ana
taste in a high degree The perforated Baskets cups
vases ecuoes (sauce-bOat saltcears, pitchers hlSAS
plaaues chaccs cruches dipped juSsl are elegant
not only in form but in color ana inSler Ihis' IKE e
Palsy ware adorned IN a singular way with reptiles
Shells plants and grOtosluc figures III Oasreiei' III
other respects the are widely different
There is large plateau Of Majolca, bordereo
with cherubs heads, eagles heads, and serTehts
upon a bright ground a suH larger plateau
is fruit-pate with representation OF the
gathering Of the mamma. Upon another strangely
grouped arc a saint, serpents, little loves, an eel,
lizard; and there and sphinNs for q border
Quaint white cups milk. with handles OF e0ored cats
Laundering up the sides, novelties the loostedShe
showing the red spriwlng lobster, sladdshes' III |
tensely green with white rabbits mbblng at te edges
the setting hen the eggdish are again reproduced
an eagerly purchased are the yellow ana green pine
annie pchers aud part cOlored little buter-pateS, ana
individual tea-pOs and the monkey and lizard tea-ses
Besides huge ornamental pieces for the garden
the conservatory and the table. The pedestais are
hideous Hicike groups of marine monsters sporting
,aoT, him. Oh hoy Wi
thorn full of graco and liio rOundimbod Cupids with
fulblown laughter in their mouths ana eyes troop oi
bacchanas staggering beneath the weight OF vines ana
grapes.
The taloreek vases OF ne red FURNISHED pottery
the fures upon them either painted in black upon
the natural red ground the grounded IN !
black the figures bong left red The designs are winged
eenii, and another style in bas-reei has bacehanN
mounted upon leopard and the head OF Medus'' SUI
nnother has fierce Of woman looking out between
two bats wings With the revival OF taste for antique
art preference shown hightoned coors especially
in table ware. One the Egyptian red ana DacK inc
red lusirous of the Romans the rich ceancoor OF
old WedcW0od entire set upon which the enaneler
has expended his skill in what Is called the red antique
pattern, and the conventional Greek honeysuckle,
in dark red. surrounded by a line OF black IL
is no longer necessary for dinner or tea-set
10 be uniform in style or appearance. Ihe vases
for flowers. dishes for fruit and jelheS' vary
n form body and ornament The lesser dishes FOR veg
ctabes are OF some high-toned color relieved with
fraeeres of black from purely Oriental Then
there is great fancy for Chinese ana Japanese pOrce
LAIN quaint, square tea-ses in the unity OF oue ana
green imitation cracle ware with odd devices ot drag
ops birds and flowers whole sets Of exquisite emma
decorated with Persian designs and rocco tacerlos ana
others interspersed with small medaions like Jeweled
pottery Of turquoise and garnets. There Is much open
worked waved and scalOpod edgng on fancy dishes OF
hesh-eoor.
In the rage for brcabrac the fancy old China has
Hirlf Ia
boudor glows and CLEANS with dainty bits of color from
cabinet OF bracket Tho delicate fOamSrecn Oi celahoD
in cup transparent water; rosy lSht from cups oI
Chelsea with golden CLINT vases OF maze-coor con
trasing with the intense blue and lovely violet OF some
costly bit Of Pallssy's pottery: an Indian monster or
rampant lion in Nancy ware; pate OF sores. with
wroaths flowers enercng beautiful face OF court
beauty cups and vases OF roseoIo su phur
deep blue ana white wAeseOn are scattered blossoms
and birds.
These are all displayed holiday gifts, with f1iesee
vases in imitation OF Persian. waersreon porcelain Jais'
with long fcathery froDds OF ferns aud Pdim and
dazzling specimens of Venetian and cut glass There are
od1-ookiuz vases OF Limoges cnameed III copper,
and pitchers all pa poses elaborate WIN cios'ohe
enamel Louis Quaorze clocks of black ana e'ored
marbles with sidc-peces TO corTespOni are enllcAeu
with porcelain paintings. Algerian onyx caIdrecelYefs'
mounted on psdcstals gilt bronze, and beautiful
61Hb1nni,fcs of satin and elk, Of gilt and silver
in boxes can be made to serve aferward for jewel
cases one secs others OF oil porcelain, cups Of
rare seyrcs china copied from antique designs ana
set in silver and of glittering crystal, VITA
accompanying crystal cornets for b'nqu't-i oltcf2
Those are foi with cdndIcd traits. For surprises at tle
table are bouquets Of crys,Ized fruitd cherries hhe
ras and carnations on stems, bunch ~ strawherres
and cu, rs Of amber grapes le tAeT-coIted cIeauuts
made OF chocolate, Orans ogoldcn pines WIFI bri5y
punes and mystery In their depths. IcrC are nome
ler yet appetzng surprises in the way OF bsoed hnn
and plate, Of poached mullins and crnprts, tr's
md turuovers sauslges, cucumbers, and many other
wooden cdbles simply to be removed TO disclose
tenpne array sweets souvenir Of lece, pairs or
Cloves pendant Of gold and an endless variety oI pretty
tri1cs.
For more costly holiday gifts in crystal are gohets,
drnkinc-.rps and hpped jugs, reproduced from TIE
shapes in the sixteenth AMI seventeenth centuries
made OF the thin glass OF Rhensh green and deep Dde
decorated with the banners Shields and coatscarms oi
the barons and knights OF small kingdoms. Tie
decoration is white, vivid red, and blue. There arc
some exquistcy beautiful specimens OF Venetian glass
Devices are introduced into the substance with fine fla
mcnts Of spun glass which give the appearance Of lace
work Glass bowls ana saivcrs have coOrcd glass reeds
and threads imbodded in tie body of the crystal some
with embossed subjects blown hollow from within. There
are beakcrs Of nebuOs opal pitchers and uns pretty
device the conjunction Of Opaque and transparent
glass for instance dessert plates with opaque white cen
ters and watersreen ruby sapphire, or violet trans
pareut borders The Opaque ceuters beautifully
painted with landscapes flowers, birds, and stndes 81
children For flowers and small bouquct-hoders there
nre graceful ilysaped vases aud bowls, opal AL
t0ue Jugs fgree decantels and dlme-sprhot glasses
There arc candesticks ruby and gOldentintcG, sccr
indy hung by fral transparent links OF tmnest glass
whole cases and shelves covered with the hashing.
.parkng al ular antics OF cut glass of antique and
modern shape in single pieces for holiday gifts
In fancful bits OF china huge yellow frogs with
great red google eyes dogs OF every breed, graceful
bounds and English pugs turtles Cupid slippers resting