Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-22
The Last New Dining Room.
UnexampIed Magnffcence in the Hou1
 of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
 TFroy,, RastnD Fvautuu TraoznriDt

With all that has been written about the palatial dwellings of the Vanderbilts in New l York, few have yet seen the dining room of the house of Cornelius Vanderbilt, which will open it's spacious doors and spread it's sumptuous table for the first time in Easter week
 Although the house itself has been finished l and inhabited for several months, the dining ! room and breakfast room are still under the 1 charge of Mir. John Lafarge and others. Fa- v0red with sight of this room in it's unfin- 1 ished state, one can dream what it will be when the pictures are on the walls, rugs upon the floor, and the table spread for banquet. We must enter the front door and cross the hall before looking at the dining l room, and there the harmonious effects of l color and the treat to the sense of sight will make us finger a moment. The door which
 has closed behind us is glory of glass jew els, studded together with the network of lead which holds them forming in arabesque pattern one of Lafarges triumphs in stained glass. On the right iS 8 small reception room, the woodwork of unpublished ebony, panelIed eight feet with mosaic frieze above. small window in this room cost 8 fabulous sum, though it measures only nine inches by twelve.
 We ascend tkree oaken steps in the hall and find ourselves in the main hall. Oppo- site us is the solid oak staircase, partially hidden by reproduction of Gobelin tapes ), $3O, ,00O. In front Of this stands an old mar riage chest of black oak and brass A few old oak chairs, covered with old Dutch leath- CT, complete the furnishing of the hall. A portiere which is to hang at the dining room door is not yet in it's place, but will bear mentioning. Upon an oaken bar with rings of gold is to hang precious fabric measur- ing six by four feet. It is literally piece of cloth of gold. To prove that it is cloth of gold it is only necessary to state that Tiffany & Co.,, the jewellers, under the direction of an artist, spun from pure gold thread which composes this hanging at 8 cost of $2O, GOO. Miss TiIlinghast whose work of design and embroidery is at the head of that particular art in this country, and possibly in the world undertook with her assistants, the establishment with the needle of this cloth of gold. Worked in silver and delicate blue and sea. green metal threads are the scenes of the Eneid. Into the late hours of the night were these busy fingers working to accomplish their work at the promised time. If the hours spent upon it were reckoned by the eight-hours a-day system, four years and half would be the result shown of the time consumed. This is the way of the nineteenth century in America. If we have the money we must have what we desire at 8 moments notice. To wait year IS such a long time
 Passing within the door we find that it is in fact two months over year since the dec. orator and the interior fnisher began their work It is large oblong room, with spa cious conservatory at the end, which will be filled with rare exotics. At the other end an arch separates the breakfast room from the dining hall. One thing that is the most mo- ticeable is the absence of windows around the 7om. There is no light except through the glass of the conservatory, and that will be partially obscured by @ screen of stained glass. This portion of the house is but one story high, and consequently jewelled glass ol u1i 0f ciz Ior If nf the ceiling. The room is high-studded, and the woodwork, which is of oak, darkened to give an antique appearance, is panelled with heavy mouldings of hammered brass making dado of about five feet around the room. The heavy beams, foot in thickness, inter- cept each other on the ceiling. allowing the stained glass skylight to fill the different cen ter panels.
 But the delight of anyone looking upon this room will be centered upon the panels which constitute the ''style' of that space between the walls and the skylight on the ceiling. Here art has triumphedss Four of these panels represent the seasons in bas- relief figures three-quarters life size, and others of classic design.
 To attempt to describe them will be to fail, but a mere suggestion of autumn may be the foundation of 8 dream which the wri- ter will vouch cannot equal the reality Here is partially nude figure, the flesh parts cut from solid ivory and the drapery chiselled from greenish stone known serpentine. standing against vines and leaves carved from the solid oak that constitutes the whole background, with the left hand raised above the head graspinR 8 heavily carved grape branch, from which hang in clusters of va- ried hues punches of grapes carved from mother-of-pearl. The right arm is extended, the hand holding a bent circle of inlaid mother of-pearl and ebony; the deepening of the flesh tints has been given to the ivory with acids, shading it into the browns and ecru coloring. Hammered brass and cast bronze are also utilized in the hair. AL though Mir. Lafarge reaps the praise that now is and ever will be given to these there is one to whom great deal of the praise be- longs. While he is great colorist, Mir. La large is, alas poor draughtsman, especial ly where the human figure is concerned. These panels must have been failure had not the hand of St. Gaudens modelled them.
 Within this room there are no chandeliers, but above the skylight row of gas jets will cast mellow light through the stained glass jewels upon the silver and glass of the table below. The heavy beams of the ceiling are inlaid with the Grecian pattern in mother of pearl, and the high mante1 has an exquisite inlaying of pure silver, ebony, mother-of- pearl, and ivory, forming vases, birds and fo- liage. The breakfast room is in white and gold, and the ceiling is panelled with places for ten pictures which are now being finished ia Mr. Lafarge's studio. It is estimated that these rooms will cost $1OO, 600 when finished