Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-07-23
DECORATED TILES.
The Latest Fancy In American
House characterization.
Quaint Illustrations and Curious Devices
brilliant Color Effects aud Artistic
Work-Shalsespearoan Subjects
Manufacture Of Tile.
IN. Y. Teleg-a,n1

| y. Y. Telegraln-l
Ornamenting with fancy tiles has be-
come not only fashionable for hearths and
tire-places, they are also nj ade to serve as
decorations on walls, furniture, flower
boxes and other household articles. The
manufacture of these. articles has become
very extensive busine s, the magnitude
Of which it is almost impossible to esti-
mate. For many years there has been a
| demand for this style Of house decoration,
but there was no particular art shown in
the productions.
From time to time great improvements
| have been effected in tho work, both in
| color, beauty and richness of illustra-
tons. A certain uniformity is observed in
! designing the tile embellishments of a
house, and the same strict uniformity to
art should be observed in the selection of
the tiles. Artists of ability who have made
this work study are generally iutrusted
with all such orders. There should be q
! perfect blending of color and consonance
OF illustrations, all pleasing to the eve
and rich in harmonizing effects. There
! are twelve subjects taken from Tenny sons
"Idyls of the King" This series has tho
background in blue and the figures in pale
and dark ecru. The Illustrations are finely
executed and show lifelike color in posi-
tion and expression. The picture repre-.
senting Elaine's body in the barge is won.
derfu!ly real, and so is the subject present.
ing Enid and Limours. ''The Seven Ages"
in bird life, is charmingly executed in dark
blue and white.
Picture tiles are arranged in connection
with tiles showing only color blendings
in designs. which are so placed as to bring
out the subject of the illustrated titles
in bold relief. Sometimes q series is
done in sort of black work, with corre-
spending border and end pieces. Subjects
of husbandry arc effectively arranged as
a border to LEAKAGE design forming the
center of the work. a charming series of
picture tiles represents classical figures,
with musical instruments, with the back
grounds in gold. "Spirits of Flowers
comprise twelve subjects. exquisitely iln-
ished, showing to perfection the lily of the
valley, convolvulus, primrose. anemone,
fox glove, etc. These are done in light
blue on white. a very rich wall decora-
ton is formed of q series of one dozen
pictures from the Waverly novels, tinted
in monochrome, from the original draw.
ings by Moyr Smith. The tiles of only
color designs that are used with the
Waverly series are in sepia monochrome; /;
the shading is distict and finely blended.
Tiles showing Persian designs are re-
markably rich in color shadings, remind
ing one of the dainty mixtures given in
camePs hair shawls. Sometimes one color
appears to predominant in few of these
patterns, and when this is the case the
same effect should be obtained in selecting
the tiles for the frieze and the furniture 50
adorned. In these decorations profusion
| OF color is generally noticed. Richly
| glazed and decorated with enamels are the
tiles seen in dining rooms. This style is
bright with deep colors; the paler hues
are spar;ngly given, used as outlines tc
the richer and warmer shades. There are
the dados of the Eastern designs that are
exceedingly ornamental; their style is
attractive in decorating flower boxes and
tops of stands. Lively interest is excited
i'll children in the pictures presented on
panels formed of tiles adorned ith figures
OF the heroes OF nursery lore, and those
tinted by hand in monochrome are remark.
ably bold in relief. This tone seems to
Bring out the figures in strong, life like
manner. There are number of juvenile
subjects given in pictured tiles. The dave
OF the week are illustrated in seven sub.
1ects. There is funny aspect to these
decorations. They are from the drawings
OF Mrs. f. e. Houghton; tho illustrations
are tinted and outlined In light red and
blue, all executed by hand. The figure
subjects quantity representing the signs of
the zodiac, are arranged with an orna-
mental alternate tile, giving rich center
decoration
Shakespearian series for wall dccora-
ton is very interesting and full of artistic
beauty-gold or ebony-giviny realistic
effect to the positions OF the figures There
are charmingly portrayed Romeo and
Juliet" "Troilus and Cressida," and scenes
from "The Merchant of Venice" There
are in all twenty-four subjects from
Shakespeare's plays represented, tinted
in gray and sepia monochrome.
Tiles were used in acient times for ya-i-
Gus purposes throughout the Eastern coun.
tries. Many of these tiles were impressed
with characters so durably executed that
time has not oLliterated them. Tiles in
ancient times were manufactured in
Greece for tessellated pavements Some
of these tiles were not the size of half On
inch.
In Europe tiles Of a superior quality
have been employed for many years in
decorating public buildings and the
homes Of the nobility. There are some
fine examples of tile work in Bucking.
ham Palace, and of late years this fash
ion of adorning homes has become quite
general among wealthy Europeans and
Americans. There are houses in this CITY
that can display rich tile work of costly
character equal to any thing of the kind
to be found in Europe.