Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-08
Written for THR EvKxSo star.
ELEGANT BILLIARD ROOMS.
Indoor Recreation Amid Beautiful Sur
roundings.
1nHTTr AND NOVEL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
DECORATED Rooms IN NEW YORK MANSIONS
ARr1srIo BILLIARD TABLES AND cUKs-roPU.
Lar ATHLETIC RxHRcrsEs.

ARrIsTIo BILLIARD TABLES AND cUEs-roPU-
Lar ATHLETIC KxIRc1sEs.
Billiard rooms used to be in the basement,
but, as other rooms, they are tending upward.
Houses will soon have to be all top. Men will
60 up stairs to play billiards when they won't
60 down stairs. In the basement they are too
near the servants, whose ears are preternatur-
ally acute. Upstairs there is greater freedom
for conversation
Men who have sons find that if there is
wel-equipped billiard-room near the roof, with
good air, unrestricted vision, adequate privacy
and satisfactory means of refreshment, that
sons after business hours are much more apt
TO come home, bring their friends with them,
and play until dinner then to go to their clubs.
MOORISH ROOM.
Wealth and discriminating architects have
produced some marvellous billiard-rooms in
this town. An architect of large experience
says that nothing in the country compares
with the billiard-room of Mr.. W. X. Vanderbilt.
II ID Moorish room opening out of the great
Francis i banquetlng room. The walls are
wainscotted in 5-feet-wide old Moorish tiles
brought from Spain, rich with irridescent dyes
and peacocks eyes lustre, a secret that modern
enamelers have never recovered. Above the
wainscotting the walls are of papier mache,
modelled in designs secured from the Alham-
bra twenty years ago by Mr.. X. VI. Hunt,
favor not granted since by the Spanish govern
ment- There have been plenty OF models since
secured with geometrical precision by calipers
and cunning instruments, but these show the
blunted angles and softened lines of the origi-
nal, and as they are colored with the same
tlnts have that charm which the greater pre-
cision would not give.
The doors and ceiling are of butternut elab-
orately ornamented with Moorish interlaced
WORK The mantel and the fire-facings of the
horseshoe arch are of Mexican ONYX and Sc
ries OF onyx columns above the mantel breast
make inches where the cues and other neces-
sary solids and liquids of a billiard-room are
Kept Opposite the mantel is a fountain Sc
cured IN q niche where the water breaks in
spray over silver ribs with beautiful effect.
The window Of the room is in itself notable
feature 1t Is filled with perforated ornaments
sno penlnd this large onyx, so thin as to be
almost transparent This is of butternut in
laid In Moorish designs, and in keeping are
cnaus and dvan. Adjoining is a Moorish toilet
room Lined with Moorish tiles, with the fixtures
in onyx.
THE ESSENTIALS OF A BILLIARD-RooM
are Few, but they are very essential. There
must be plenty Of clear space around the tables.
The walls should be such that cues awkwardly
handled shall not harm them. There should
De no projections to stride out and imperil the
arms and shoulders OF the enthusiastic PLAYERS
There should be raised seats conveniently out
OF the way for on-lookers. There should be
recesses Tor cues and other things. The per-
sect oiliardAroom contains no non-essentials
M. cornelius Nanderbilts billiard room is
N the oasement-the corner room. 1t is in
TACT, mahogany box within the room proper
and so complete that at any time it could be
removed Ike cabinet work The inches for
cues, tne closets for Refreshments, cigars, &C.,
are ALI lnclosed within this mahogany lining
and In order, as has been intimated, that there
should be no projections TO interfere with the
eiDow room, the divan for spectators is in the
aieove which makes the bay of the parlor. The
liable Is OF mahogany, richly carved, made ac-
eording to the designs Of the architect.
THE TABLE.
billiard table. like piano, is in form
thing to be endured when it cannot be alleyi-
a'eo- Certain conditions are inevitable. 1t
must have dimensions, 411x9 feet or 5x1O feet
IL must have strong supports. For wears il
was accordingly strong, but clumsy. Now il il
suong, but less aggressive. Architects have
wrestled with it and finally brought it into sub-
lecuon so important is any successful result
mat tne designers Of the tables In the Union
league club patented the design, and the house
committee Of the club, as a courtesy will some-
tunes permit members to have the design re-
Peated Tor themselves. Billiard tables have
been designed in white enamel and gilt,
Iain1iy enough in color for my lady's chamber
Usually, however, they are of sturdier charac-
ter and In dark woods
Mr. George Vanderbilt has a table of jan
anese design. The wood is lacauered in old
red, and dragons and other grotesaue form. of
D,ass are hammered In. This is presumably
placed In Japanese room. Such rooms are
nned with mating. which is an admirable pro-
tection Tor the walls against the cues
THE siLLIARD-RooM OF MR. CALVIN g. BRYCE
10 paneled with mating, although not jap
anese room. Mr.. Bryce's billiard table is con-
sidered one Of the handsomest in town. 1t is
OF oak deliberately carved and particular at
tenron has been given to making its legs OBJ
lects OF beauty, as the legs are almost the
3ny snanee mat the designer has For Mr..
bryces table the cloth was specially dyed to
match the antique blue green of the ceiling
winch gives the color tint of the room IL an
pears that the cloth used In billiard tables is a
special weave made by a man named Simoni
II, belgium, and can be procured nowhere else
Inc green OF the ordinary table is as we'll
Known as the grass from which it borrovs its
INIT. Occasionally other tints are used-prsv
Tor exampls-but in very rare cases. One Of
tne most astonishing tables just ordered and
which the makers call freak speaking in the
language of the side show has a bright yellow
elotn cover, yellow satin pockets and brass
covers to the pockets 1t was ordered through
large decorative firm here, and it would be
interesting TO know for what gay-minded and
Stronghold player.
The handsomest billiard table ever made in
TINS country was for Patti, who, as is known
Is an enthusiastic lover of billiards, and it is
graelously said plays a good game. The table
was OF rosewood and amaranth woods. with
hand-palnted panels bordered by RELAYS of
IVORY. 1t cost $1,000, and is now at Craig-y-
nos, her castle in Wales.
RECESSED ROOM
Ihe bliiard-room of a gentleman who for
bids his name to be used has some pretty
architectural features. II is a long room in
colonial styles, and wainscotted in oak within
Feet OF the ceiling above, which is a painted
irieze; AT each end a dais with diyans
and these are INTELLECTUALLY placed in al
coves by letting down from the ceiling per-
iorstec screens, which seem to repropOrtion
the room. The windows are filled with Crow
insnieid glass, and the receptacles for cues
ana the closets are appropriately recessed
One feature of this room does not seem SO
desirable. The table is placed on a platform
with room, OF course, for the PLAYERS but i'm
tne excitement of game il is always possible
ior man TO take an unlucky back step and
lose bis equanlmity. if nothing more.
Not only one of the handsomest but a hill
naro-room the most appropriately masculine
In It's nttlngs Is that of Mr. Howell Osborne
~ the Osborne villa at Mamaroneck. which
u, oy the way, one OF the most DISTINGUISHED
country seats both in its architecture and in i.s
decoration, In the suburbs Of New York This
room Il IN oak, with oak-studded ceiling and
the walls are covered with brown calf skin
fastened to place with brass nails. The calf
in ~