Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09
FADS OF RICH MEN.
How the Wealthy Pass Some Of Their
Leisure Moments at Home.
THEIR ELEGANT BILLIARD ROOMS
And the Costly and Artistic Furniture With
Which They are Filled.
OTHER RICH AND ATHLETIC APPARATUS
OTHER RICH AND ATHLETIC APPARATUS
rwR1rrEN FOR TEE p1spArcH.!

| Will 20 up sGdiIs W p1dy pllAdtuS "HcH OHSJ
won't go down stairs. In the basement
they are too near the servants, whose ears
are preternatHrally acute. Up stairs there
is greater freedom for conversation.
Men who have sons find that if there is
we'll equipped billiard room near the roof
with good air, unrestricted vision, adequate
privacy and satisfactory means of refresh
ment, that sons after business hours are
much more apt to come home, bring their
friends with them, and play until dinner
than to go to their clubs.
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.
K. Vanderbilt. 1t is Moorish room open
ing out of the great Francis I. banqueting
room. The walls are wainscotted in five
feet wide old Moorish tiles brought from
Spain, rich with irridescent dyes and pea
| cocks ewes luster, a secret that modern
enamels have never recovered. Above the
wainscotting the walls are Of papier mache,
modelled in designs secured from the AL
! hambra 20 wears ago BY Mr.. r. NJ. Hunt,
| favor not granted since by the Spanish Gov
ernment. 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 original, and as they are colored with
the same tints have that charm which the
greater precision would not give.
The doors and ceiling are of butternut,
elaborately ornamented with Moorish inter-
laced work. The mantel and the fire-fac-
ings of the horseshoe arch are of Mexican
onyx, and series of onyx columns above
the mantel breast makes inches where the
cues and other necessary solids and liquids
OF billiard room are kept Opposite the
mantel is a fountain secured in niche
where the water breaks in spray over silver
ribs with beautiful effect. The window of
the room is in itself a notable feature. It is
| filled with perforated ornaments and behind
tn is large ONYX, so thin as to be almost
transparent. This is of butternut, inlaid in
| Moorish designs, and IN keeping are chairs
and diyau. Adjoining is a Moorish toilet
room lined with Moorish tiles with the
! figures in onyx.
THE NECESSARY FIXTURES.
The essentials of a billiard room are few,
but they are very essential. There must be
plenty of clear space around the tables. The
wall should be such that cues awkwardly
| be no projections to stride out, and imperii
the arms and shoulders of the enthusiastic
PLAYERS There should be raised seats con-
veniently out of the way for onlookers.
| There should be recesses for cues and other
things. The perfect billiard room contains
| no non-essentials.
Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt's billiard room
| is in the basement, the corner room. 1t is,
in fact, mahogany box within the room
proper, and so complete that at any time it
conld be removed like cabinet work. The
inches for cues, the closets for refreshments,
cigars, etc., are all. inclosed with this
mahogany lining, and in order, as has been
intimated, that there should be no projec-
tions to interfere with the elbow room, the
divan for spectators is in the alcove which
makes the bay of the parlor. The table is
of mahogany, richly carved, a Collender
table made according to the designs of the
architect.
A billiard table, like piano, is in form
thing to be endured when it cannot be allie
waited. Certain conditions are inevitable.
! It must have dimensions 415x9 feet 1t
must have strong supports. For years it
was accordingly strong, but clumsy. Now
il is strong, but less aggressive. Architects
have wrestled with it and finally brought it
into subiection. So important is any sue
cessful result that Peabody and Stearns,
who designed the tables in the Union
League Club, patented the design, and the
House Committee of the club, as courtesy,
will sometimes permit members to have the
design repeated for themselves. Mr.. Louis
Tiffany & Co. have designed billiard tables
in white enamel and gilt, daintily enough
in color for my lady's chamber. Usually,
however, they are of sturdier character and
in dark woods.
some HANDSOME TABLES.
Mr.. George Vanderbilt has table of JAP
anese design. The wood is lacquered in
old red and dragons and other grotesque
forms of brass are hammered in. This is
presumably placed in a Japanese room.
Such rooms are lined with mating, which
is an admirable protection for the walls
against the cue,.
The billiard room of Mr.. Calvin S. Brice
is pannelled with mating, although not a
japanese room, Mr.. Brice's billiard table is
considered one of the handsomest in town.
1t is of oak elaborately carved, and particu-
lar attention has been given to making its
legs objects of beauty, as the legs
are almost the only chance that the de-
signer has. For Mr.. Brice's table the..cloth
was specially dyed to match the antique
blue green of the ceiling which gives the
color tint of the room. 1t appears that
the cloth used in billiard tables is a
special weave made by a man named
Simoni in Belgium and can be procured no.
where else. The green of the ordinary table
is as we'll known as the grass from which it
borrows its tint. Occasionally other Iints
are used, gray, for example. but in very rare
cases. One of the most astonishing tables
Just ordered and which the makers call
freak, speaking in the language of the side
show, has bright yellow cloth cover, vel
low satin pockets and brass covers to the
pockets. 1t was ordered through a large
decorative firm here and it would be inter-
esting to know for what gay-minded and
strong-eyed player.
The bandsomest billiard table ever made
in this country was for Patti, who, as is
known, is an enthusiastic lover of billiards.
and it is graciously said plays good game.
The. table was OF rose and amaranth
woods, with hand-painted panels bordered
by relays OF ivory. 1t cost $1,000 and is
now at Craig-y-nos, her castle in Wales.
PRETTY ARCHITECTURE.
The billiard room of gentleman who
forbids his name to be used, has some pretty
architectural features. 1t is long room in
colonial styles, and wainscotted in oak
within three feet of the ceiling above, which
is a frieze painted by Mr.. Francis Lathrop.
At each end is dais with divans and these
are architecturally placed in alcoves by
letting down from the ceiling perforated
screens, which seem to reproportion the
room. The windows are filled with Crow
inshield glass, and the receptacles for cues
and the closets are appropriately recessed.
One feature of this room does not seem so
desirable. The table is placed on plat
form with room, of course, for the PLAYERS.
but in the excitement of game it is always
possible for man to take an unlucky
back step and lose his equanimity, if moth
ing more.
Not only one of the handsonest but bill