West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-02-26
DRESSING WINDOWS.
The Fine Art of Attracting Customers bv
Display OF Wares.

Display OF Wares.
The arrangements and combinations
~ goods in the show windows OF retail
establishments, known technically as
"window-dressing, has become Rne
art and persons displaying skill and
ingenuity in the production of novel
and pleasing effects eau ALWAYS COM
mand good position and salary.
Every large dry goods and fancy goods
establishment constantly employs men
whose sole duty il is to place goods i'm
the windows in such manner as To at.
tract the attention of paSsers Here IL
Is not Yet looked upon as an art, as i'm
many foreign cities IN Paris there
nro men who oarn very comfortable
hvings going from one jewelry store TO
another In Palais Royal, TO arrange the
windows in their most attractive waV.
Such "A profession requires good
knowledge of the diverse tastes of
the people prevailing fashions and of
the class ut goods which the house is
most desirous TO sell Besides this
artistic skill, some knowledge of colors
and the effect OF the iuNtaposition of
decided tints, natural good taste and
mechahical skill are all necessary
The hardest task of the window
dresser is that of making the show
window Of restaurant look inviting
and nppetizing The rrelly frst-class
restaurants do not ordinarily indulge
In this sort of advertising. and disdain
TO tempt passers-by, by any indication
OF the contents of their larder On the
contrary, the evident desire with which
the tastes of the large majority Of their
patrons coincide is 10 Withdraw the i'm
terror OF the dining-room as far as pos
sole from the public gaz6 by the eTec-
ton ot wire. silk velvet or plush
screens before the lower PARTS of the
windows, The restaurants of a lower
grade, however, all want to place i'm
their show-wmdows such articles of
food and such dishes as are likely To
attract customers and induce them TO
enter Large and intensely yellow
pumpkins. OF gigantic proportions, sug-
Restlvc OF vast quantities of pie. with a
statement of the place of growth and
weight duly attached is favorite eN-
hibition piece. Unusually large fish of
finer varieties, such as brook and lake
trout, salmon, striped bass, shad and
'errapmS lying on their backs, with "A
label pasted on the frontal bone attest
ing the weight choice cuts. aP often
whole CaTcasseS of vcnison, bear. ante
lopc, buffalo, English mutton, huge po-
tatoes, tremendous HOLSTERS, very large
oysters or other shellfsh, and. abnor-
mally large fruits are some of the ar
ucles shown. One OF the plainest aud
neatcst, yet most effective show dishes.
Is big. red porterhOuSe steak, with an
edge OF snow-white fat, laid in the cen
Ton .f 1.
cry. a hauuch of vuusOn i'm the sug-
gcStive neighborhood of small dishes,
hlled with CuTTant OF wine icllies, Is
also calculated TO entice tile appetite of
the hungry.
In the show-window Of AN uptown
oyster saloon n large red lobster stand
ing with outstrctchcd legs amid bed
of gigantic oysters, is the central object
OF exhibition. In the window of
Broadway restaurant. chiefly frequented
by ladies, are shown the compOnents of
dainty repasL On large fruit and
pound cake are laid small slices Of the
same, rich with raisins, almonds and
citron, while snow-whitc cream cakes.
or Charlotte russes, crown tile whole.
Other confectionery, fanciful in shape,
variety and material, is placed around,
All IN a way TO please the most delicate
IN taste. Meats are never shown. and
the suggestion Of anything so gross Is
btudiohsly avoided. This is left 10 the
restaurants patrOnized by men. who
are supposed to find stronger appeal
in more solid and healthier food
While the custom OF showing food in
TINS manner may seem Of doubtful
taste 10 the gOurmand. and 10 those
who can afford 20 dine in q lirst-clns-
restaurant, there can be no doubt that
q hrge custom Is attracted TO the res
taurants that resort to this form of adj
vertisement-N y Commcyctm Ad-
Uerttser.