The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-10

elegance and dellcacy that lover OF flowers
may be excused from growing enthusiastic
over, even amid the floral elegance with
which they were surrounded.
Two figures in oxydized silver and gold
held crystal vases alof! filled with flowers
not less elegant than the central ornament
with its four vases already described. At
one end Of the long table stood beautiful
ice pitcher of solid silver mounted on
standard with its gold-lined basin and COB
lets to match; globular revolving butter
dish, silver coffee urn and massive silver
caster completed the table decorations, the
money value of which apart from the flow
ers could scarcely have been estimated less
than 81 500. On side table stood the re-
mainder of the dinner service of exquisite
ly decorated porcelain, each piece alike in
design yet differing from every other one
in the whole set; a couple of
hne dracenas, a croton with with
beautifully variegated leaves and
tremula fern completed the ornaments
on this side table. No arrangement of
flowers could have been more superb than
this OF the Floral Company; no table dec
! orations in porcelain and silver and glass
could have well been more recherche, but
the ladies who acted as judges offered it only
the second premium, and there were among
the crowd of people present hundreds who
were really indignant at the withholding
OF the first award to this elabor-
ately beautiful display and who refused
to be comforted even after leaving the hall.
On the other hand the Messrs. Sunder
bruch had fine display of another order,
and very complete and excellent in its way.
Around the table was hung double wreath
Of smilax dotted with delicate flowers, and
like that OF the Floral Company, knotted
with carnations and rosebuds, when the
garlands were caught up in regular festoons.
In the wine glasses were bouquets, and at
each plate button-hole bouquet, while in
the center of the table was large double
vase of flowers. But the feature of the
spread was the superb pieces of floral
work, representing at one end of the
table fish worked in flowers in really most
superb imitation of boiled turbot, and at
the other ham. The latter was formed
mainly OF dark colored leaves, the cut por-
ton being made OF red geranium flowers
ana the fat part OF white balsam and tube
roses. The fork stood upright in the ham,
while the knife lay across the piece with
the ivory handle formed of flowers and the
blade OF smilax. Two cakes stood upon the
perfect limitations of pair of bakers loayes
the brown edge of the cake being formed
of coleus leaves and the frosting of
white flowers ornamented by a row
of safrano buds around the
edge of the frosting, and one with a pink
and the other with an open red rose in the
center OF the top, surrounded by ring of
sweet alyssum. These were perfectin their
way. The entree was of miscellaneous
flowers and not so we'll defined. The salads
were another feature being ornamented
with flowers carved out of beets and tur-
nips into very perfect representations of
roses and dahlias, while jar of cucumber
pickles had marigold formed of a carrot
very neatly. Celery dishes and pots of
flowers ornamented the four corners, while
dessert dishes OF grapes aud other fruits
filled up the table rather more fully
than was desirable. This, we believe, arose
from the fact that Mr.. Sunderbruch planned
to have his table some two feet longer than
1t appears. but at the last moment found
that the cloth was not quite as long as
needed to extend the desired length, and
hence had to huddle the decorations more
than he had planned for. The table ware
used by Mr.. Sunderbruch was a pretty
China with buff edge, in which was Gre
clan border OF chocolate extremely neat
and in good taste. In the finger bowls
were placed white abutilon blossom. The
table Of the Messrs. Sunderbruch was inter-
estlng. and to many perhaps the most of
any of the three The working out of the
several elaborate pieces in flowers was most
ingeniously done, and one German was most
enthusiastic in declaring to the STAR re-
porter that this was veritable European
set out and that it was shame that the
premium had not been given for this most
interesting exhibit. That the Judges were
embarrassed Is evident and that they
thought each excellent is evidenced by
their recommending this table for a special
award after having given the first to Mr..
Critchell and the second to the Cincinnati
Floral Company.
Now, in summing up this matter, it will
be we'll enough to say to those persons who
were not at the Exposition, that the COM
petition among the exhibitors was which
should show the best decorations for
dinner table set for twelve guests. Each
florist went to work in his own way, but
as is evident, neither had the same idea in
mind. Mr.. Critchell set table with ex-
treme simplicity and his entire ornamen-
tatlon consisted in an intricate scroll |
shaped figure, laid fiat upon the cloth |
among the branches of which were placed
a few plates of olives and bon bons with
an epergne in the centre of fern leaves
which the scroll encircled and extended
with its ornamental ramifications to either
end of the table. At each
cover or place was superb
fiat or button hole bouquet. knives, forks,
spoons, menu card each bearing in illum-
mated letters the name of the Exposition
Board and their wives. The Messrs Sum
derbruch had the table ornaments, and the
dinner itself all there and extremely we'll
worked out too, as we have stated above.
The Cincinnati Floral Co. had extreme elab-
oration in the ware for the table, and un-
doubtedly more really superb taste in the
decorations themselves than either of the
three competitors and, judged by the rules
which guided the jurors, was entitled to
the first instead of the second premium.
This was unmistakably the feeling
Of the crowd, although, as we have
said above, many thought that the Messrs.
Stl n1e rhruch choD III havn etooI 6re+ MI. |