The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-06-19
MRS. ARMoUR's $4,000 ORDER.
& Was For Japanese Furnishings For the
Smoking Room.

Z Was For Japanese Furnishings For the
Smoking Room.
The placing of an order for Mrs Og-
den Armour of Chicago with 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 one room
therein absolutely without a 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 deco
rators can actually get to work putting
the material in place, for much of it is
to be specially imported. The furniture
is all to be 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 prevail
ing tone-that is, a delicate DIVISION
between old rose and old copper. The
floor will be in parqueterie, with pro-
fusion of specially woven Japanese rugs
and mats.
The wall covering will be of silk
broeade, 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 suggestions
of color, but in masses of rich emboss-
ing.
The mural decorations are to be rare
Kakimonos, in colors harmOnizing with
the tone of the room, but each one to be
a worthy example of the best japanese
pictorial art, both in subject and treat
ment. Some of these will be hung like
tapestries while others will be framed
with the general effect sought Some of
the Kakimonos already selected are the
work of the most famous old masters of
Japan.
The furniture is all to be of ebony in
Laid with mother of pearl. The carving
lis all to be done in the orient by native
artists, and the designs show a wealth
and richness of carving seldom seen
outside the palaces and temples Of Japan;
The cabiGets 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
ly priced gold lacquer, in sharp but rest
full contrast with the carved black
ebony.
The Smoking outfits will be in silver
and bronze, in grotesque forms. They
will contain, after the japanese manner,
little receptacles to hold lighted char
coal and others to contain the paper
tapers by whic4 fire is transferred from
the charcoal to the pipe or cigar. There
will By unexpected compartments for
th6 various kinds Of tobacco, with ash
trays chat are the despair of the workers
in, hammered metals.
There will, of course, be japanese
screens and vases and jardinleres III
cloisonne and other varieties OF japanese
pottery.
Such another smoking room probably
cannot be found in Christendom or out
of it. And with the rapidity with which
foreign goods and custom are coming into
service in Japan it probably will not be
long before there cannot be found, even
in Japan, such thoroughly japanese
apartment as the smoking room OF Mrs.
Ogden Armour's house. Chicago Trlb'
une.