Evening star., 1895-10-18
REPRODUCTION OF yTHE ANTIQUE.
1t Is No Longer Imitation, but Better
and More Artistic Work.

II Is NO Longer Imitation, but Better
ana More Artistic Work.
Styles revolve in cycles to greater de-
gree than other human. creations and
every now and then there is a resurrection
OF some old favorite fashion that was dear
to our grandparents hearts Womankind
barely missed the ancient hoopskirt of
voluminous width last year, when crinoline
had made such advances. and only sudden
change in some leading Parsiennes de-
sires stopped the tide which was setting that
way. In furniture. too, there is a univer-
sal tendency to have old things about us,
so far as style goes and it will doubtless
be surprising to know that the modern an
tques. If such paradox Is permissible,
are more perfect in all that goes to form
beauty and effect than The antique an
tiques. A Star reporter fortified himself
on the general subject of furniture this
morning in a chat with Mr.. Arthur c.
Moses of the firm of w. B. Moses Sons,
whose immense establishment at Ilth and
F streets is scarcely less of a landmark in
Washington than the Capitol building it.
self.
I'm the ordinary. medium grades of house
furnishings, there can be but few changes
made said Mr.. Moses. 1T is in the higher
class of goods that we notice a marvellous
improvement in designs and finishes.
THE reproductions of the antique are
more true and correct In outline finish and
come when the intelligent purchaser of an
artistic piece cannot be told that style is
or is not a perfect reproduction. The new
things are really the antiques-moderniZed
only in the points of construction, which
are far better than formerly, and in the
staining and coloring of the woods Where
ma hogany and oak We're formerly ief. in
their natural color they are now stained
to dark. rich shades; the idea formerly be-
ing that mahogany became more beautiful
If colored by age instead of being stained
- rrl.:
true; but we live more rapidly in these days,
and want the benefits of the beautiful
even in furniture-whie we're here to enjoy
them. SO what Is the use of waiting year
after year for mahogany to color, like a
meerschaum pipe. from time and use, when
practically the same effect can be had in
the first place?
There has been but little change in the
rse of fine woods he continued. Ma
hogany is. and always has been, the king
in its realm: but we must have some va
riety, and so oak. in Its different effects, is
largely used. The newest idea in this
wood is the Belgian and Flemish finish. and
the Holland finish has some chances of
popularity in small. odd pieces. Belgian
and Flemish finished pieces, the imported
and the domestic ones. are used principal
ly in dining rooms, and to some extent, In
halls and libraries. No contrast is more
effective in the furnishing of the sale a
manger than the black oak with old, or
the DELPHI blue china used as ornaments.
"In library furniture, the Renaissance,
Henry " and colonial pieces are the most
used" he went on, entertainingly I'm the
drawing room, the styles of the three
Louises the Turkish over-stuff-which is
really American in design-and the lighter
colonial pieces will always be correctly
used.
For the reception hall-sometimes used
as a library-Turkish and Arabian inlaid
pieces are very effective, particularly if
the tout ensemble is completed with the
use of proper draperies, oriental lamps,
brackets, SIN liking tables, and so forth. In
the finer bed room furniture. the red ma
hogany from San Domingo, Honduras and
txico is decidedly in advance of other
woods in popularity, and in the hail." said
Mr.. Noses in conclusion, '.quartered oak
in the antique finish still holds its own. as
it does also in dining room, library, ofice
and bed room furniture, In the medium
qualities, and to some extent, in the very
finest goods" 81