The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-14
MORE FINE HOUSES.

Tho main hall OF Mr.. Cornelius Wander
bits house. on Fifty-scventh street and Fifth
avenue. runs parallel with the greatest length
Of the house and at right angles to the short
entrance hall. 1t il dark. as arc almost all
halls in New York houses. architects having
become so accustomed to darkness whore light
IL most needed on account Of tho difficulty in
ordinary city residences. Of lighting tho GEN.
trial part Of tho ground floor. that when the OPP
portunity is offered them. ~ here. OF having a
wcll-lighted hall they do not care to make use Of
II. Accordingly what might have been splendid
room has been rather shabbily treated. 1t being
remembered that no one can judge OF tho bad
ness OF the carvings. and SO forth. in the dirk
The ceiling panels are to be excepted. The
designs. by st. Gaudcns. are simple and appro-
pirate. and the work appears. ut the height ut
which 1t Is placed from the eye. TO have been
directed by somebody possessed Of good tas.e
and judgment.
In the dining room. which opens of the main
hall to the left. the ceiling liz the most am
bilious which has yet been attempted In Amer.
lea. 1t Is composed OF heavy mahogany beams
with carved mouldings. ovorlaid with repouss5
Tork In bronze. The interspaces are filed with
heavy panels or rather slabs. from three TO
eight inches thick. Of the same wood. These
are also carved; and yet more sculpture in ST.
emma marble and verde antique. ivory and coral.
IL deeply set into them to form varicolored
groups OF figures. set OF by backgrounds OF
Indian shells and relieved by sheathings
OF hammered bronze. permanently tinted
by secret process OF oxidation.
Some tons weight Of this kind OF work
are to b. suspended from iron beams enclosed
In the wooden ones and strapped and tied
above by iron bars. so rs to give each panel II
necessary. nm independent support. Iron stud
ding posts. built into the walls. are expected to
carry the whole. II the affair succeeds. as 1t
probably will for most OF tho panels are tenn
porarily In place already. the use OF iron skele-
ton construction to curry heavy and elaborate
decorations will probably become more general
than M yet 1t has been. In that way Mr.. Van
derblt's costly ceiling may help to determine
the style OF the future. which architects and
others are so much exercised about.
In daytime. very little Of all this ornament
will bc visible The room Is lighted only by con-
trail skylight. and the heavy mouldings will
effectually prevent the panels from getting any
direct illumination. At the same time most Of
the materials used approach one another so
closely In depth OF tone that the diffuyed light
Of the room will not distinguish them from one
another. But the effect is calculated for night.
so that thiswill hardly matter. At night being
lighted from below. the soft green of the verde
antique, INC TlCn uTOWn OF Lue WOOu. tUe ullleT-
ont whites and yellows Of ivory and marble.
the lustrous blues ana greens Of rare shells
the CLEANS OF bronze which has been made to
take various surfaces OF silver or gold or mildly
irideseent. will separate themselves and be-
come apparent when the work Ii finally in
place. then we may picture this Mr.. Vanderbilt
and his confreres leaning back in their chairs
sitter dinner. and. in that enviable frame Of
mind in which man can take pleasure In be-
INK more than ordinarily obtuse. looking NJ at
this miraculous ceiling impending over them.
weighted with stone and metal. fretted with
carving. and glittering with mother pearl.
and wondering how It is held aloft. and
what in thunder 1t all means. And
We may imagine Mr.. Gould. whose classical
requirements arc we'll known III he should be
OF the guosts). explaining that yonder panel
represents the triumph Of DIANA who. In a
chariot drawn by bulls. is proceeding over sea
to q shore whore nymphs and cupids are wait
ing to receive her; and that the companion
one displays Bacchus and his vintagers; and
that here is Yertumnus; and Cores. there.
flesh In marble and robes In brass: and that
yon brazen head. efYulgent. crowned with rays.
Is Apollo's. Mr.. Gould. being . man OF few
words may omit the adjectives; but II would
be excusable In him IL he should use them. for
nowhere will he see finer piece Of work. or
Ouo, IL 10 lkoly. ulOEo W LAB tuotos
From the dining room one passes through a
small picture gallery. with pillars OF Mexican
onyx and marble mosaic floor to the smoking
room, which looks out across lots ON the Central
Park. 1t Is an octa.onal room. gotten up in
Moorish fashion Us to horseshoe arches and
deep recesses filed with cushioned lounges. II
has dome. which was TO have been covered
with paintings by La Fargo. but Ii not. The
other rooms on the ground floor are breakfast
room and drawing room. rich but ordinary. a
conservatory. and an off1ce In oak stained
black. with mosaic ceiling and panels filled
with embroderies.
The Vanderbilt houses have naturally at
tractsd . good deal OF attention. but some
others belonging to people not 90 we'll known
to the public ara almost as costly. and more
than quite a. handsome. Mr.. Barney's on
Fifty fifth street. which commences excellently
with well-built granite basement and high
stoop. and ends somewhat ingloriously In q
hard-to- define hipped roof. has the best In
terror In New York. from an artistic point Of
view. As iseverywhere the case. there Ia . con-
siderable mixing up OF styles. One room 10 In
the Renaissance manner. another Is arabesque,
and third IL said to be Colonial;" but with
some slips and bitches. they have been so vel
combined as to DO very peaoeably disposed
toward one another. Classic headings serve a.
. border to ceiling borrowed from some
mosque OF Cairo or COrdova. A door v on one
sids marvel OF geometrlcal inlaid work In
hard woods. and on tho other primly divided
into panels Of white and gold. Hero every
square inch 10 crowded with ornament and
there are many square yards OF one unbroker
tint But the result Is agreeable and harmoni
GUS. We have dining room in bog oak with {
painted leather ceiling and stained glass win
dow. and gold-woven stufis on the walls. w
have hall with o carved mantel and stair
way with pretty niche looking very lonesome
without its statue. and q parlor hung will
India shawls and q library
This last is tho most interesting interior VI
have yet come to. and. quite probably. tho mos
Interesting In the city. And yet 1t Is. properly
speaking. only the full size model OF room. IL
building which the architects motive mus
have been 10 show what beautiful room n
could build II he should ever get the means. 1
Is small. 1t is almost devoid OF ornament
When seen by the writer it WAS empty oven o