New-York tribune., 1896-12-27
U4KE.BELTEVE ELEGANCE.
MARBLE THAT IS NOT MARBLE AM
CARVED WOOD THAT Is NOT "ooD
IN MODERN BUILDINGS

p.onle who live in large cities where the s'ruEse
for ex,s,ence whets the inventive genins ana s'""
lates competition, cften learn the "u'" y. w.
saw. Things are seldom what they see"i' "'
and limitations OF all KINDS are piacou "p
market and the limitations range III d" " ~
aud lines Of business. from skim-miik WH''" HAS
o,erad.s as cream TO the piece of glass whch "'S
80 ao eorvtce as a real diamond" These ifauos
ave transparent TO a great part OF the popu'"'io"
and the sham jowelry. sham fur ana thc ""'"e
generally are palmod off on that class o' ''e p"P"
lation which would rather have an iniitauoh 'ha"
nothing or upon the rural Visitor VINO i'e' ~
bIissfnl Ignorance Of many tricks OF the various
,r,1es Hut some Of the great metropolitan build
ines which have been erected recently nave "''h'n
choir walls sharls in the way OF decorations wiz"
ara so we'll made. so artisucai!V cohS''"o''" ~
they are looked upon as genuine py men W "io
The average ham is an open book IN d "''''e
which was recently erected in the residence part
Of The city there groups or couihhs VIM"
look TO the casual observer like shails oi i's''s
oo,orad marble scanned and veined so intflcatev
and colorod go harmonousy that person WIN ap-
nrccjation for the beautiful could not hep "o"''"e
them and prasing their beauty
"pnt they are no. marble" said one who knew
all ahou, the builders shams. They are not even
stone The highly polished columns are maze o'
iron and decorated 10 initiate marble
..p,, tho surf,ce feels like stone and not at all
like metal" ..o
'It is not metal. nor Is 1t stone. was '"e eN
merits reply 'Over The surface OF the IRON cou''i'
there is "A coating, the chief ingredient oi "iUn -
rowderod marble This coating Is several inches
,i, and bccomes a solid homogeneous mass
snsceptihe 10 the highest polish: and when II mas
hoen rubbed down and painted It's general appe"'
once will deceive most people
In tho same building there are cornlces ana
nonels which seem TO the casual observer master
,,,ocos of the carver's art but the garlands ana
Stone and ivory and POLISHED wood are only plaster
or nronared paper pulp coated with colors whlch
aid in the work of deception. Celhhss WHY"
rerresent great areas of carved ana chise'e" 7'
are only nlaster and the huted columns surmouh'
o1 nv HIGHLY ornate CAPITALS which stand near tho
great make believe monoliths may De u'"'sNu
with the prick cr a pin and shown 10 ne pi"l"
ordinary wood. disguised and masqueradihs u"uei
colors and tints artistcaily apphed.
rho .Altdcutsche Bierstube" the Dutch taproom
and the old English banqueiine- win 'ne',
hardwood furniture. unfinished ceilinss an"
massive carvings have all been reproduced III Soi''.
Of The modern metropolitan buildings ana one u
Tho poost recent Of these furnishes an arusHc
sample of the decorators ability to dceeiVe o ,t
open fireplace iheIe II a. ~ loIi wit age The gen
,1l design is carried along on ~" toD oi "h
ai, ,ri "uajjrscoting which encrcos the room. The
u"' ,m% nam who shows all mis- to'the visitor
w6om he favors with his confidence itveaS VIZ q
F,ci mai the hood over the fireplace the man,Ie e
c"rvinss and the ornamental wainscoting are not
w. 49, produccd by wel-Inxed paint and not by
time. .o;d tho visi,or
nojutiuc to the exposed pieces. they are or tne
itme color lust as dark and possessing the same
ocrree of p6hsh-hOw about them? 49,
Why said the guide. they are inane Q! S,sr' ene
r1ffers and if you could get at them you WOULD
see irat there is no wood about them
|, was said in explanation that the plaster rai,-
ors were not put in to save money. ana that naru-
wood might have been used without extra expense:
pm hv Inc use OF wood the weight upon the
trsne would have exceeded the architects caIcu-
iations. hence the lighter material was resorted TO-
ana in that instance the deception was prompted
bv the builders precaution. ~
I'm ALI modern buildings said a decorator may
ha found examples of work which was put IN 10
represent something which it Is not, but the enec
is always pleasing and the fact that the work -
so well done and that ii deceves people VINO know
the real things when Trey see them shows mat
the Industry has developed artists In that held.