The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-19

The new Hotel Wal6o-s-Asfo-la may De
said TO have set the seal 10 the present re-
v.vai Of mahogany as furniture and in
sshsng wood. Most Of IRE woodwork and
nearly al the eurrit1re n the big hoEel ars
IN this beautiful DARK wood. which has
been slowly but surely rsassersing Itself
within the Last decade One has only e
walk through the furniture shops. nsw and
old Of iris city. 10 be assured Of this fact
In the shops dealing n new furniture
there ara whole acors OF IL: indeed. IN me
best az them any other wood Is The excep-
ton
we don't deal in cherry az an any
mere said ore % these dealers the other
day. Everything's mahogany. ITS al
Tia rage
In the secondhand shops. where 'an-
ssGse" furniture forms tire stock IN trade.
zhe story Il the same. And the marked IN
GREASE In their number within the last few
years Is due primarily 20 this revival. IN
fact. these secondhand shops are the mos.
important ard ~ far IRE nsoS- interesting
factors n y. showing as they do faat II -
an aesthetic and artistic phenomenon The
.*rara'' Is nor e7ereiv for mahogany. y y
for old ruahogany-"gsnuire ANTIQUE. as
these dealers say And this demand Dlst
Of course he met. u not by fair means then
by foul.
AS = matter OF fact. It Is generally the
latter though fou. Is perhaps TOO strong
a term for what Is after all more often
than not a mere naive imposition. which
owes iss success 10 the ignorance Of both
rssrttes the number OF "Chippendaies
ana .Sheratous'' which these accommo-
dating snticuaries are able TO supply be-
ing TOO maternity IN excess OF what those
famous iaSt-centnry makers could posi-
bly, have produced 70 impose on any hut
the Ignorant Unfortunately, however.
the large majority Of sach purchasers
Scfr ~ q
fudge from the confusion Of colonial
ard 100000, Empire and Louis Nv INTO
which they fall In their dealings Win
these massaler-1en between them and the
manufacturers Of rew 'Aold furniture
Often the antiauary Is manufacturer
himself and betrays the fact naiyeiy
The Windsor chairs my grandmother
used 10 have" said lady. sitting down
in what was shown her as a specimen or
one Of these articles at a weii-known
antiauaryss IN this city. were not ike
this The seat was very much deeper and
more comfortable
That's a good point to know" said the
pleasant young salesman. Wen make
'em deeper next time.
In Justice TO these men. however Il
should be said that they are not as gen
eral rule irnpnstOrs by preference. Corner
them or put them on honor. ard they will
frankly acknowledge such facts as the
above. Though tho average ~ information
IN regard to the articles # their trade is
not much higher among them than among
their customers. thew ran tell a real Al
tiaue from spurious one and Il cateso--
fcallv or inteiligentely questioned. viii
usually tell the truth. Tire trouble is. they
are not very often called upon 20 do so.
The purchasers who come 10 them bent
upon. let rs say, an empire sofa. or Louis
Quinze screen but who have first 20 he
1Ee eli
things. have the genuine antique" and
naturally tn ~ get H. On the other hand,
for the genuine ccnnnisseur the second
hand dea'er has a genuine respect He
not only does net attcrnnt to deceive. BIZ
he tries 70 profit by him in The way %
acquiring Information that he has not
had tina or opportunity 20 get. One such
connossseu- n this city. = LADY well known
in literary circles has been for wears a
purchaser from these men for others-for
the reorle Of wealth who wish TO acquire
really fine and beautiful things and We.
lack thu culture that would enable them
10 Re their own collectors.
The amount of money srert in this wav
IS ~ course very great. Farct prices are
the rule even for the pseude-antiuue- Yet
there are advantages 81 going TO the sec
ond-hsnS dealer Aside from the sact that
his wares, whether spurious or not. have
generally a certain attraction, II not ele-
EarcS. perIndr4T ss1SfT own ss the I2ET
that bargain may be struck. He viii
lower his price. or strike an average be-
tween Il and yours that makes YOU feel as
though you have made a bargain. even If
Won haven't. This. which the conventional
furniture man will seldom do. is TO doubt
another reason why so many buyers in this
line prefer the secondhand dealer 10 the
new, and accounts. along with The mahog-
any rage" for the rapid increase in his
numbers
Yet there are cersaln articles and certain /
prices that would seem 20 be common 20 |
hosh classes OF dealers. q fact that points
most suSpiciously 20 conaTrFca source Of |
supply Fer instance. favorite medium
price for mahogany sideboarti-Chipvep-
dale or coloniai-is 81. alike in the depar--
rnent stores ard 81 the ant.quary's F4ftv
five dollars viii bay bureau on F'o.,-th 1
avenue or on Sixth. while 81 10 SIS will
buy Windsor or a Caippendaie chair in !
mahogany.