The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16
NO PRETENSE AT DALY'S.
Adornments and properties" Were
Genuine, Appropriate, Expensive.

expensive.
New York Times.
Aside from his life insurance. the two
most important items in Augustin Days
estate and his enormous aggregation of
valuable theatrical properties and his
in DAYS theater and adjacent buiidings
what is believed 10 be the richest collection
OF furniture, armor, bric-a-brac, costumes
ever accumulated by a theatrical manager.
Mr.. Dorney said yesterday that this collec-
tion was worth fully a. quarter million dol
lars. Throughout his long managerial ca
reer Mr.. DAILY bought only the best and
most substantial theatrical furniture and
costumes. He did not believe In papier
mache properties, and would not tolerate
fabrics. If he sought to represent a scene
in a fine old baronial castle he procured the
things that actually belonged there. In
consequence his storerooms now contain
rare antique furniture of solid mahogany
diaeval period, rich tapestries, costly
bronzeS and paintings of great value.
There are four rooms in the storage de-
partment of Days theater filled with COM
p.ete suites of furniture and ornaments for
the Inherent social periods from the an
clients down to the present time. Each
room mas IT'S own particular place in the
which Mr.. Daily paid $500, $500 and even
Sl,OU. One of the dead managers most
strongly marked peculiarities was his alb
horrence of cheap limitations of fine goods
In stage settings. In his society plays he
invariably purchased furniture for the diff
ferent rooms just as he would purchase il
elegance was 10 be produced he produced it
py means OF costly ~trappings and not by
means of gold paint and papier mache.
Mr.. DAILY would never hang a cheap oil
painting or engraving in a stage room; he
would never put a cheap clock on a hand-
some mantelpiece, nor an imitation bronze
where a real one should be.
This popularity, or fad, as some of his
fellow,managers were pleased to call it. was
carried even into the sphere of supplies for
stage food and drink. There are collections
OF fine chinaware and cut glassware In the
property rooms of Days Theater that
would almost tempt an honest housewife TO
served on the stage in Days Theater it is
served with real food and drink. and if the
meal is a costly one in the play it is a
costly one actually. Cold tea and lager
beer are never served for wine on Days
prince is required to smoke a cigar in one
of his scenes he smokes a perfecto at the
managers expense, and not a five-cent
stogie. When champagne is opened on
and of the best quality. Manager Dorney
remarked only the other day that for
use in the drinking scenes in 1.-The Great
Ruby he was obliged to buy two cases OF
champagne every week.
Augustin Days collection of rare books,
manuscripts and pictures was his pride,
and for more than a score CT years the
making of this collection was his chief
diversion. He developed into a most dis
crimipating collector Of rare things in liter
ature' and in art. and when he was in funds
he paid princely prices for things which
other men also coveted. His old friend and
frequent medium In the purchase of uniaue
the value of Mr.. Days private library al
between $4,000 and $4,000, which is admit
tedly a very conservative estimate