The morning news., 1892-12-29
HENRY CLRws' BALL ROOM.
One OF the Finest Private Apartments
in the World.
From Social Truth,


The Ciews ball room is one Of the nosi
beautiful and artistically perfect rooms in
America. There is nothing at sll like 10 io
New York. and 1t will remain lasting
monument 10 the skill and taste Of the late
John Il. Sturgis OF Boston. who was its
designer.
The room, which 10 oval ia shsps and
connects with the conservatory, is IS feet
in length. IS feet in breadth, and Is feet
high. The style OF decoration used IL o
combination OF the Renaissancs and
colonial, and the colors adopted In the dsco-
rations and furniture are white, gold and
cream.
The double dome With which the room q
surmounted is the most strikingly beautiful
thing of its sort that has been attempted IL
New York The frieze is q row OF dancing
cupids, with garlands of flowers, not on.
actly copy Of but similar to the one sssp
in some OF the state apartments st Ver<
sailles. The first dome, that adjofnfng the
friezes. is ornamented with decoration OF
testoons. in q dslicate cream color on q
white ground, and beneath the points Of
support for the festoons are n,edallicrs,
each one charged with the name Of a great
musician in letters OF gold.
The second dome, which springs grace
fully from the first. is also unique and at
tractive in design, and the skylizbt, eboxe
it is covered with q screen of iron, ham
mered into an elaborate geometrioal pat
tern and enameled in white. AZ nighs
this is illuminated from behind, and the ef-
feet produced by the parti-colc-ed inoan-
descent rays, filtered through the screen, 10
particularly striking.
The wainscoting is Of white aud extends
but a short distance up the walls and oshes
woodwork, including the arches Of the four
colonial alcoves which are let into the room
at It's corners and are also OF white. Over
the entrance to the adjoining conservatory.
which IS altogether in white marble. ts the
musicians gallery, and this. for delicacy Of
conception and beautiful workmanship. IL
worthy OF the rest OF the room. The base
Of the gallery Is exceptionally attractive 10
design. Its decoration is in arAbeaques and
diapers, and the series Of curves by which
It springs out from the wall TO inset the gel
lery balustrade Ia singularly graceful.
The floor is of inlaid wood, highly poll
ished, and it is an ideal surface for dancing
Upon ordinary occasions the room viii Be-
used for music, and IL is Furnished with Q
grand piano OF white MARBLE inlaid with
ivory and gold. and harp. When the floor
Is not needed for dancing its center Is covs
cred with Ghiordes rug OF great size and
richness OF color.
Other changes in the Clews house are
quite as noticeable as is this beautiful ball
room. The hall. which is baronial in its
proportions. wac formerly dark aud Of
beronIal gloominess. Now IL has been
modernized and IL altogether IN white,
with the exception Of the carpets, which are
Of scarlet. The stairway. which cost q
fabulous amount and Is winding, ,is elaborate
ly carved, and in the center or the stair
way spiral stands great palm tree, which
extends nearly to the second floor, sur
rounded by smaller palms and rare ferns.
The eize OF the hall has been increased seem.
ingly fourfold by huge mirrors set In the
walls and draped tngeniously 70 represents
doors.
The private apartments on che upper
floors have also been embellished, and the
Roman bath, all OF Mexican onyx, which hes
been put in ON the second floor, Is probably
the richest and mo st costly In New York