Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-12-31
ANTIQUE FURNITURE.
=, T. Regularly Turned Out by h"n"ro"'
of Factories.

II Ia Regularly Turned Out py
of Factories.
Tho rare for having furniture OF the
antique pattern has grown wonoeriuhy
during the last few years. Antique oan
dining suits, bedroom suits anu han
furniture seem to be the most popular,
Int any thing of an antique character
now sells very rapidly. Many purchasers
who are furnishing their houses really
believe that they are buying turnture
which some old-time Puritan has used
In this they are greatly miseaheh'
Antique articles are manufactured eVeiy
day in tho different warehouses.
A furniture dealer recently talKeo
with reporter on this subject. lie said:
"a few wears ago agents used to be sent
all through the rural parts OF New En-
gland to pick up superannuated furniture
of every kind--such as was found astray
in farm-houses, village attics' couh'
trv hotels and elsewhere, having
been handed down from generation
TO generation in the families
of long-resident natives. The latter
were usually willing enough to part
with the treasures, which were only val
liable in the eyes of people OF @sthetio
tastes, and the dealer paid mere song
for the articles and reaped big proht'
But now the supply obtained in this way
has been practically exhausted. Now
1t Is the fashion for rich Yankee people
to have in their houses one or two apart
ments in the old colonial style, with
| floor and walls OF dark oak, massive
rafters, huge fireplace, mahogany FUR
uiture and an occasional spinning
wheel. There are not nearly enough OF
these precious relics to go around, so IT
Isl blessing that provision is made for
reproducing them indefinitely at COM
paratively cheap rates."
''How are these articles manufact-
ured?" was asked.
1.-THE most approved method OF giving
a floor or wall the look of old age is to
scrub it at intervals with gallons OF Old
ale. This produces a fine effect. Ma
hogany is generally used for the manu-
facture of antique pieces Of furniture.
In its natural state it is no darker than
black walnut and to make 1t Of the
proper hue staining must be resorted to.
If oak is wanted, it is rubbed with COM
mon shoe-blacking, and the usual wax
finish put on afterward. This is war
ranted to add fifty years to the apparent
history of bureau or desk in one hour.
For the inside works of said desk or
bureau pine is employed, and this is
given the requisite look of antiquity by
repeatedly firing shotgun loaded with
nothing but powder, and plenty of it,
into the drawers and around them until
the surfaces exposed are sufficiently dis
colored and all full of those curious in.
dentations which ordinarily signify age.
Another process is to wash the drawers,
ETC., with coarse sponge dipped in
powerful acid which eats the wood here
and there and effects the same result"
"But how about the brass fittings?"
'"These are manufactured in all the
ancient designs that were ever used. Ii
order to make them look dull and old
the molds in which the brass is cast arr
rubbed and Clipped somewhat, and il
them little gun-powder is placed ant
fred with match. This occasions
discoloration, which seems to betokel
the action of times gnawing teeth, ant
the same is warranted to last until tn
merchandise is sold, though not mucl
longer.
"a special branch of the work has t.
do with clocks of the ancient uprigh
pattern, which are copied in every de
tail from tho real1v old ona1 Evav, III