The record-union., 1896-10-04
MRS. ARMOUR'S BIG ORDER.
1t Was for Japanese Furnishings for
the Smoking Room.

The placing of an order for Mrs. Og-
den Armour of Chicago with a San
Francisco firm for $4,000 worth of
Japanese art work and carving has
brought to light the fact that when the
artists shall have finished their work
in her new residence there will be
room therein absolutely without peer
in point Of treatment in this or any
other country. This particular room
will be the smoking-room.
Two celebrated artists have collabo-
rated in the work, one furnishing the
general design for the treatment of the
room, the other working out the detail
and decorations.
1t will be some time before the decora-
tors can actually get to work putting
the material in place, for much of it is
to be especially imported; the furniture
is all carved in Japan and China from
special models, and the tapestries and
upholstery are all to be specially made
The room will be done in a prevailing
tone that is delicate division between
old rose and old copper. The floor will
be in parqueterie with a profusion of
specially woven japanese rugs and
mats.
The wall covering will be of silk
brocade, the ground color of which, the
old copper spoken of, will give the pre-
vailing tone to the color scheme Of the
whole. In the weaving of this brocade
great deal of gold thread will be
used, not merely to give lines and sug-
gestions Of color, but in masses of rich
embossing.
The mural decorations are to be rare
X a kinnnnS in cn1orc bor ;,;,, = \,
the tone of the room, but each one to
be worthy example of the best Japa-
nese pictorial art both in subject and
treatment. Some of these will be hung
like tapestries, while others will be
framed with the general effect sought.
Some of the Kakimonos already Sc
lected are the work of the most famous
old masters of Japan.
The furniture is all to be of ebony
inlaid with mother of pearl. The carving
is all to be done in the Orient by native
artists, and the designs show a wealth
and richness of carving seldom seen out
side the palaces and temples of japan.
The cabinets will abound in lacquer
They will be marvels of japanese in
genuity in sliding panels, hidden doors,
and secret lockers and drawers. The
lacquer will be the expensive and high
priced gold lacquer, in sharp but rest
ful contrast with the carved black
ebony.
The smoking outfits will be in silver
and bronze, in grotesque forms. They
Will contain, after the japanese man
ner, little receptacles to hold lighted
charcoal, and others to contain the
paper tapers by which fire is trans.
ferred from the charcoal to the pipe or
cigar. There will be unexpected COM
partments for the various kinds of
tobacco, with ash trays that are the
despair of the workers in hammered
metals.
There will. of course, be Japanese
screens and vases and jardinieres in
Cloisonne and other varieties of Jana
nese pottery.
Such another smoking-room probably
cannot be found in Christendom. or ont
of it. And with the rapidity with which
foreign goods and customs are coming
into service in Japan, it probably will
not be long before there cannot be
found, even in Japan, such a thoroughly
Japanese apartment as the smoking
room of Mrs. Ogden Armour's house.
Chicago Tribune.