The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-28
pRINcELy BILLIARD ROOMS.
The Most Expensive Luxury OF the
Millionaire's Private Residence.


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one, it would be cast aside aud branded as
fairy tale after one had made a tour
through some Of the large houses of wealthy
men in this city, who spend large sums an
nually for their pleasure, or, in other
words, to satisfy their fad or hobby. The
billiard room IS about the most expensive
luxury Of the house. With wealthy men
nothing is spared for fine tables and hand
some trappings TO this room, which is
often graced by skilful lady players in the
shape Of wives aud friends. The finest
billiard room in the country is, without
doubt, the one belonging to Mr.. William K.
Vanderbilt
1t lies directly Off from the large banquet
hall. The doors and cellin IS are of butter
nut, handsomely ornamented with Moorish
/ interlaced work The walls are laid out in
old Moorish tiles, five feet wide, richly
resplendent in many colors, which is unlike
anything yet discovered in America. The
tiles were imported from Spain. Above the
tiles the walls are of papiermachee, which
were secured from the Alhambra twenty
years ago. The mantel and the fire facings
of the horseshoe arch are of Mexican ONYX.
Above the mantel several columns of ONYX
rise and form small inches, wherein the
cues aud the liquids essential to the billiard
room are kept. Directly opposite the man
tel and spouting from handsome silver Jet
In stone niche plays a graceful spray of
water. 1t falls upon series of silver ribs,
and the effect is dazzling TO the eye. There
is but one window to the room. but it is in
deed a thing of beauty. 1t is filled in VITA
expensive ornaments, aud behind these
stands a large block of onyx. 1t is cut very
thin and is almost transparent. The cas-
ings are of butternut, inlaid with Moorish
figures.
The furniture consists of five small chairs
of butternut, a small table of the same pat
tern and a magnificent Moorish divan. At
the rear end Of the room is toilet room in
the Oriental fashion, with the figures in
onyx To person contemplating the
luxury of a private billiard-room it can
safely be suggested that the fewer articles
the room contains besides the table and
cues, the more comfort and ease will be en-
joyed. Above all, there should be plenty
Of elbow and walking room around the
table.
George Vanderbilt has beautiful table
of the japanese design, which,. by the way,
is one of the most elaborate of the kind ever
made. The wood is inlaid in old red and
dragons and other grotesque forms of brass.
His billiard room is on the top floor, and is
fitted out in japanese fashion by Jap
carver, who did all the work by hand. The
floor is covered with a magnificent mat
ting, decorated with quaint and novel rugs.
Upon them are worked in silk pictures
representing prominent parts of Japanese
history. The entrance to the room is barred
by pretty beaded portiere in many strange
colors, which vary and dilate at every
breath. Suspended from the ceiling are
pretty Japanese lanterns of many shades.
and when they are lighted, or the electric
current turned on inside them, the little
room looks like nook in a veritable fairy
land.
Cornelius Vanderbilt has placed his bill
lizard room in the basement. 1t is a wonder
full piece of mechanism, for it is no more
than mahogany box inside the room, and
so built that it can be taken apart and
carried away. The table is deeply carved
Collender CT the latest style, and can also
be taken to pieces in q very short space of
time. The inches for cues, etc., are also in
closed within this box, and do not interfere
at all with the comfort or convenience of
the place, which is magnificent for its SIM
plicity.
Young Fred Gould has billiard-room
which is a mass of old gold and black. an
tique oak and ebony being used to represent
these colors in the line of furniture The
floor is inlaid with handsome designs, and
the walls are raised and rough in old gold
paint. The ceiling is of old gold, with little
black semicircles hanging in regular lines
three inches apart. The effect is indeed
beautiful. The chairs are Hastily decorated
with old gold and black ribbons, and over
the table hang four golden lamps, with
figured redectors. Mrs. Gould is extremely
fond of the game and twists her cue in a
truly artistic fashion.
Without doubt one of the handsomest
hilliard-rooms in town is Calvin s. Brice,s.
1t is of very finely-carved oak, which is in
keeping with the design of the table. The
walls of the room are matted, which is in
accordance with the other fittings. The
table itself, however, comprises the beauty
of the room, and is the pride Of Mr. Brice's
home. The legs of the table are handsome
ly carved, and the cloth was dyed a deeper
green simply to match the rich color Of the
ceiling and rugs.
While on visit to Mamaroneck recently
reporter was invited to the Osborne villa,
owned by Howell Osborne. The billiard
room had been placed on the top floor of
the pretty country residence A large win
dow at each end of the room gave the
needed ventilation and in the daytime all
the light that is needed. The room is of
yellow throughout, being fitted out with
oak, with an oak ceiling. The walls are
covered with rough calfskin, tackled into
artistic shapes with brass nails. The trap
ping belonging to the room consists of O
few oak chairs covered with calfskln and a
table also covered with the hide of this
milk-loviDg quadruped.
The handsomest billiard table ever made
in this country was at the order of Patti.
who ranks among the first cf the billiard
loving women. She is, in fact, devotes to
the game and plays remarkly we'll The
table was of rose and amaranth wood,
with hand-painted panels, inlaid with ivory.
1t cost S., 900, and is now at Craig-y-Nos her
castle in Wales. The designs for private
orders are magnificent, and the price of one
of these especially ordered tables would be
| a fortune to man even in comfortable
| circumstances. A well-know New York
society woman recently ordered billiard
table from Louis Tiffany g. Co. in white
| ivory and blue trimmings, the edges of the
| table to be inlaid with ivory and blue
stones. The cloth will be a light baby
blue, and is now being especially woven for
the table in Belgium. The ivory carving
is now being done by Jap in Chicago.
| The billiard table will not be ready to be
put together until fail Its value win be
between $4,000 and $4,000.
Some of the cues that are made to order
also run up to fabulous prices, and some OF
the owners of tables have as many as hall
a dozen prize cues, each one worth a com.
IL A IL.