The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-11-19
Glass and Brass.
Mirrors, Candlesticks and Chandeliers
Boston Transcript. 7

Boston Transcript
The dark walls, carpets and curtains OF the
modern room require great deal of brighte n
ing, as any lady usually discovers when once
she has surrounded herself with them, and
after experiments with bright screen here
and bit of gay tinting there, she usually dis
covers that it is glitter and not color that is
needed, and begins to study the proper dispo-
sition OF mirrors and sconces, and grows won-
drous wise in chandeliers and candlesticks
She knows better than to increase the appar-
ent dimness Of her room by repeating it in one
great mirror, as her mother would have done
and so, instead of choosing sheet of French
plate and setting it between the windows or
over the mantel, she buys small circular or
oval glasses so thick that nothing but can
non ball could break them, and bevelled on
the edge until they look like great gems, and
these she artfully places where they will re-
fleet some bit of color, or the light of window
and where they will flash back sun ray or
gas flame. When she first began to do this
she was framing her mirrors in wood or in
china, and she can content herself with doing
so now, but she prefers hammered brass of an
tique cOloring, because it surrounds the gilt
its own and heightens it by isolating it from
the dark wall. Sometimes the frame follows
the outline of the mirror, representing columns
and entablature, four garlands forming
square or q wreath encircling o round glass;
but these are not so pretty as the large squares
of hammered brass enclosing disks or shields
or ovals of glass. Candle sconces with mir
rors of this kind are set either in dark corners
or In conspicuous places, according to fancy,
and the candle itself is decorated with wreaths
and garlands, like lamb for the sacrifice.
1t Is when set upon table, however, that
the candle is arrayed most gorgeously. 1t has
candlestick, OF course, and the candle has "a
fanciful base of vine leaf, or a griffin holds it,
or it springs from dragons mouth; but it is
not complete without pert little paper shade
bordered with fringe and a tiny silk banner
screen with decoration in watercolor or feath
er work, and velvet border and three tassels-
withal, making up an imposing arrangement
which quite belittles proud man, who wants
to melt a bit of sealing wax, and bewilders
Bridget, who thinks that a candle is a CANDLE
and not an excuse for the display of prettiness.
The little paper shades initiate porcelain, silk
lace, hand-painting and even semi-trauslucent
glass very well, and are so cheap that it is al
most impossible to resist the temptation of Civ
ing the candle its pretty little cap.
There is no exaggeration or misuse of Ian
guage in saying that the chandeliers of the
season blossom like the rose, for the bright
colored globes remind one OF flowers even
when the gas is not lighted, and at night they
naSb ana sparkle so merrlly as to dim the lus-
tire of the open fire. 1t is not moonlight radi-
ance which these shades are designed to pro-
duce, for they ara of the new amber and ruby
and emerald glass and are even decorated
with raised ornaments of second bright color.
Sometimes these shades produce effects as
strange and weird as those described by Poe in
the Masque of the Red Death, but, as a rule,
they simply brighten a room, and then if one
doubts the wisdom of choosing them, are there
not the shades of clear glass enamelled in white
and pink i n wavy lines the opalescent glass,
with its soft pearl color; and the flashing
iridescent glass with all the colors of the rain
bow lighting its surface? Then there are still
more elaborate shades OF porcelain, with but
to rfly and flower decoration in style resem
bling cloisonn ware and showing immense
patience and skill in the artisans who make
them, as well as great taste in the designer.
In the chandeliers themselves there is little
change for, although there are many new de-
signs, the general effect is unaltered. The
decorative use of porcelain mt pues and some
of the most elegant lights for newell posts gre
vases OF pate sur pate or cloisonne, but for
those who prefer them there are square pillars
OF hammered brass work in designs like those
OF the mirror frames. The prettiest hall IAN
terms are those in stained glass, and here ore
may let ones fancy run riot and allow ones
light to shine through picture of stiff little
owl or through foliage and flowers making the
hall as cheerful as IL is AT noon, when the wise
man sees to it that the sunlight falls through
panes of stained glass.