Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-31
ATTRACTIVE HOMES,
Results Of Intelligent Observation
and Good Memory.
EXQUISITE BITS CHINA
Oyster Plates and Sets With Handsome and
Artistic Decorstions-Dainty Cups and ssu-
csrs-Dssk Furnishings. Bon Bon Boxes and
Other Novelties for Ornament and Use.

"uen We are interested In any epecla supJect
to take all the means possible to inform our
selves upon it. and by comparison and study
to increase our knowledge Of the theme.
observation can be trained SO that the most
may be obtained from what comes before our
notice, and memory can be trained so that our
study may be made available when the text
book is removed Both are good brain exer-
else, as wei as profitable in other ways.
woman who has this training gets much
more out OF what she sees than . more careless
observer, both in present pleasure and interest
and in the future availability Of what may have
come in her way. Especially is this noticeable
when one visits another city, possibly larger
and with more to interest eyes and thoughts in
consequence. Where one woman is bewildered
by the multiplicity Of objects continually
brought to her consciousness another, in q
casual observation. Immediately assimilates
what is OF perpetual interest to her disposition
and habltual thought and after glance ignores
the rest, not taxing her memory beyond the
special points of interest, and in consequence
she has distinct and lasting impression of
what she has seen and liked, letting indifferent
matter slip by without trace behind.
In our large cities there are always fresh and
beautiful things to be seen that give pleasure
even in the seeing and when possession fol-
lows are lasting good.
PRETTY THINGS IN CHINA.
Among the ever-attractive, always interest
ing. things, to women especially, pretty china
holds its own; in the large establishments one
finds SO much, both in quantity and variety,
that to select the choice, even mentally, often
fatiGues, though pleasurable in way. The
other day. however, in a neighboring city, /
came upon a little shop with only one show
window, but that window so tastefully ar
ranged, displaying such lovely objects in deco
rated china, with absolutely not one bit Of
trash there, or any tina. were untasteful, that I
stopped to look and admire.
On one side Of the window o solid wall next
the adjoining building, made a sable back
ground to shelves loaded with pretty pieces of
the dainty porcelain. The shelves were of dark
wood, cherry or dark red in color, and their
supports were gold and white candlesticks of
the ever. pleasing pillar shape; several shelves,
arranged one above another, caught my eve
first by the novelty and pretty effect, display
ing the candlesticks as well as what they up
held.
HANDSOME SET OF OYSTER PLATES.
In line hung against the inner glass was
set of oyster plates, making a perpendicular
row. The china was Berlin, with the tiny pink
roses closely sprigged over them and with
heavy gliding on the irregular edges. They
were charming not only from the decoration,
but also from their size and shape.
The usual oyster plate with its indentation
Tor six oysters is SO large and formidable look
ing that it Is not specially pretty. Those hold
ing five oysters are better, but these dainty
ones OF pink, white and gold only had four re-
ceptacles and were Of small size and looked
much more attractive in consequence. From
them my eyes roved to a set for a writing table,
more complete than have ever found before,
and arranged 30 as to enhance their prettiness.
On these pieces violets were the decoration, in
\ fr1ra lhrtn L.
ened little, scattered singly about, here and
there a leaf or stem differing from its next
neighbors. The inkstand of course was prom
inent piece, as we'll as the small candlestick for
the taper and the box for matches. but IN addi-
ton was a paper cutter and penholder, all of
desk also, either for letters received or
for note paper and envelopes. was a
letter box of the usual shape, shallow and
rather high, with the back coming up still
higher In point. 1 said this was to set on the
desk, but it may hang on the wall near if de-
sired, for there is a little hole in the china for
this purpose. Later it is expected that blot
tiers will be added of this same decoration,
though now there is only one style in which
they can be found, and that is Dresden. Such
complete and pretty outfit in china for a
desk Is something that has been sought for be-
fore, but seemed all but unattainable.
PHOTOGRAPH FRAMES.
As an accompaniment, though not regularly
belonging to the set, are photograph frames.
both for one and two pictures, mounted with a
standard back, the frames having irregular
edges, both outer and inner. These, like the
letter boxes, are q decided novelty and on
going inside the shop the salesman told me
there was great demand for them, as thew alone
import them. Again, Ihave the salesman word
These frames are in a number of decorations,
several pink ones being especially pretty.
They range in price from "a. so to about 81.
Another desk set with the pink roses was by
the one with violet decorations and even pref
tier to most people. The little store inside
proved fully as attractive as its window prom
ised, with all the pretty wares as tastefuily ar
ranged as possible. Odd pieces were made a
speciality, both in the sense of novelty and of
not belonging to sets. Beautiful cups and
saucers were there. too, the Berlin china show
ing some charming examples, small tea cups on
three guided feet being among the prettiest,
though these are found most treacherous in the
using, as they slip SO in the saucer Four
times in different places have I seen the con-
tents of such cups make havoc with costumes
or furnishings and have foresworn their use, but
all the same they are tempt;ngly pretty in looks.
BON BON BOXES.
Among the other novelties are bon bon boxes
in Delft in the shape of violins, sedan chairs
and still others OF Italian faience shaped like a
large ieur de Lis. There are also large hanging
vases of this form also, which this same firm
made specially of at Newport the past season.
Other training vases are of the italian ware,
with flowers and ribbon seemingly holding
the folds together as il half handkerchief
we're the foundation.
In Dresden. one Of the new pieces was the
little tea caddy with inner lid and the familiar
but still favored little gay flowers and fligree
gold borders. These are S2.25 and pretty
style for o'clock tea tables. In toilet articles
there were many pretty shapes, some the
same that the few years past have brought
and some novelties. Trays, boxes, candle
sticks-tall and low-were in great variety, but
all unusually pretty.
Other shops later showed many beautiful
things, but they had to be separated from much
that was not 80 attractive. Bon bon boxes.
articles that could be used equally well for
jewel boxes, abound in fanciful styles; in Delft
come some oddities in small chairs whose seats
are box lid, tiny tablee and flower holders
equally novel. A well with crank that turns.
the well a bowl shape for the flower. is one
specimen Of Delft, and tall vase is q windmill
whose pointed top lifts of, leaving the open
vase with the regulation wings at.
tached to the sides. In Dresden an
ancient chariot with open-work wheels
holds a small we'll for ink, the chario,
itself being stable affair. Another Delft piece
issa small cabinet with two draws, which pull In
and out very readily and which could be used
for jewels or for curios The chime clocks.