The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-19
THE TASTE FOR mahogany FURNITURE
HIS REVIVED N Heightened PLACES.
Demand for the Antique Has Stimulated an
Old but Limited Industry, and Light
Woods Are Out of Style.

A Windsor chair in mahogany II the
natyast deception OF ali. as these chairs
were originally the common chair OF New
England and New York hcosehoi6s-she
predecessor of the present pain turned
wooden Kitchen eEak.--and were, ike
these. MADE Of common woods painted.
generally green. They were first made "a
This country IN Philadelphia somewhere
about l-sE Thence their use quickly
spread 10 New York and New England,
where they were more oftsn made by the
town carpenter than cabinet maker. oae
Andrew Gau-er, Frencamsn. was
weEf-known dealer IN these chairs IN THIS
city. circa I75S Many OF these original
chairs are still Ia existence, bur they are
and have been for many years. from the
egs1 purchase, indeed. in fAe hands or
private ogncrs and collectors. Ii is doslrs-
ful II any OF them are on the market In
the first scene OF THE Devils Disciple"
there are two very good specimens ~
these chairs 10 be seen. but a. % their an
tiquiry the writer cannot youch- There
IS pretty story IN regard 10 The origia OF
the flrsi Windsor chair. George III, stroll
ing one day ABOUT MS town % Windsor.
was said 10 have seen one such chair Ia
the hut OF shepherd, who had made IL
with his pockex-knife. The king. VINO
had q fancy for the quaint and artistic,
had copy OF il made for his own use-
Hence the fashion. But these chairs were
not made in mahogany. which from the
time OF its introduction into Europe, ahou-
the year 1I29. was the elegant, the p2r.or
wood primarily. With IL, indeed, the cab
inet-nakers art. as We understand *, re-
ally began. Prior 10 that time furniture
was built rather than made. built into Tie
houses il furnished. and built 10 stay.
large and splendid for noble Or prince.
but clumsy, Inconvenience, and inadequate
for the mass even OF The we.l-so-do. Oak
III England. Germany and France. chest
nut IN Spain and Italy. were the choice
woods. which, with the advent 81 rnahog-
any, Aell instantly 20 second place There
is story in connection with fhis. too SO
far at least as England is concerned. One
E5r. Giobon, Of London, had a brother N
the West India trade who brought him
home some planks OF a noble wood which
was said by the natives Of the West In
dIa isles 10 possess medicinal qualities
These the good doctor failed 10 find, and
the planks lay neglected in his garden.
Till one fine day his wife wanted q candle
box To save penny. doubtless. the
doctor bethought him OF his brothers old
lumber and carpenter was sent for 10
construct the box specimens OF these
boxes may be seen AT the obiging anti
Quary'sl. The result Of the doctors accI-
dental experiment was so brilliantly ste
cessful that the rest Of the lumber was
turned over 10 ca5inet-maker with or
oers 10 make bureau Of IL and then A
fashionable lady. the Duchess 0f Buck
inghan, il is said. was called in 10 adj
niFe IL. which she did; whereupon il o.
came fashionable. TOO. Not long after
wards Thomas Chippendaie the maker Of
Chairs by .h1 legion. IL the antiauartes are
TO De believed appeared on The scene and
gave the new wood an embodiment OF
various and graceful forms. He published
a volume of his designs under the title OF
The Gensleman's and Cabsnet-Maker's
Director" in 1854 and naturally found a
most OF imiiatoFs among his lesser con-
temporaries- Thomas Sheraton. whose
name viii be found most often coupled
with his. came later. producing well on
into the first decade OF this century His
styles were much more severe than Chip
pendale's. which were fairly rococo. Sner-
atom, indeed, was classic Of the pseudo
classic OF the empire, and relied for his
effects on elaborate and beautiful fn,a.-
Ing, awful limitations OF which may BE-
seen oy the block in the big local stores
He. too. published book Of designs. ..The
Cahinet-Maker's and T'pholder's Drawing
Book. London. 1885. and thus made sec
ona-nand dealers happy by multiplying
limitations
AT the same time In France the fsn,ous
ehinestes. whose work marks. perhaps ire
hisasst point in the art OF at least raisca
furnishing. were producing all their mas
terpieces in this same lustroas brown
wood, which maintained its supremacy
straight through last century ard on mo
this TIL the dark ages OF household a..
the early Victorian period sa-slsd so,r-
in black walnut. rosewood, haircloth. ara
ebony.
In THIS country mahogany is thought 20
nave been earlier than In Etiror.a-r-as
some authorities put it-and in the South
AZ least u may be that America was
ahead gsr "a fo -.
try For The finest mahogany came 49,
as now. from the West India islands ana
charleston was near-hy port As a mat
ter OF fact. some Of the finest specimens
OF real colonial furniture which have hoe,
sold IN New York % late wears have come
rom south Carolina and her sister states.
II the North, however. the fashion was
more likely behind England than before !.
ana anything very early colonial In ma i
aoEany is 10 De viewed with sslsr5tcIo- es |!