Evening star., 1900-10-13
WATER COLOR STATIONERY
STARTLING NOVELTIES IN WRITING
PAPER NOW SHOWN.
Old Styles Are Retired and Indiyid-
uality Marks the Latest
Fashions.

Written for The Evening Star.
Tinted note paper is again in fashion.
More than this, the smartest papeterie is
eiaborate1y decorated, and the quality of
the paper itself has been radically changed
for the autumn trade. Cadet gray, French
blue, Yale blue and gray green papers that
have always been popular, as well as the
banknote cream laid, kid and linen finishes,
are all quite out of the running today. The
correspondence supplies now come in pas
tel or the deeper autumn tones. having a
cartridge and burlaps finish.
The pastel-ti tinted sheets are cut quite
small, indeed; 1t Is an evidence of good
taste just now to use small-sized paper for
letters well as notes, and all the stamp
ing Is done in very small script old En-
gllsh lettering. Furiously as the black-iet-
ter fashion ragged. it has with unexpected
suddenness been dropped from general use,
and it is a prevailing notion to have the
address stamped across the upper corners
Of the sheets and to the left-hand side. The
dating must be given at the conclusion of
the missive, and monograms and crests are
rarely or never seen on anything but en-
graved invitations.
Water Color Decoration.
These last, by the way, are engraved ex-
clusively In old English lettering, and 1t Is
considered very smart indeed to have the
hostess crest embossed in white at the
top of her wedding, ball. dinner and recep-
tion cards. While nearly all the pastel note
sheets are stamped with house names or
numbers. the more original looking. dark
red smoke gray, dull green and bronze
brown cartridge paper. with Its rough hnlsh.
comes done up in special boxes OF two or
four qures, and every sheet is decorated In
a small water color design.
So cleverly are some OF these sets OF note
paper ornamented that they fetch as high
a price as $40 and SIS box. Every box is
filled with sheets OF q variety OF colors, ana
the flap OF the envelope Is garnished with
an irregular design OF trailing green vines
along it's edge. This necessftates, OF course
an Irregular shaping for the flap itself,
which usually folds down and fastens at
the bottom edge OF the envelope.
1t Is necessary In order to make ones SEN
tences clear when written on 30 rough and
deeply colored background to use a broad
ribbed stub pen, very black ink and bold
prepared, a note on decorated cartridge pa
per is a very fashionable and impressive
looking document, and the use OF this new
papetere has put damper on the enthusi-
asm of those who have been collecting mon
ograms. or 1t has inspired the collectors to
resign all interest in monograms for the
Jealous pursuit of water color noteheads.
These last are far prettier than the crests
and initials and some Of them possess a
real value, since they are the signed handi-
work Of reputable artists.
The stationers have brought out recently
boxes Of undecorated cartridge paper that
the purchaser can ornament herself or give
to competent aquarellst for treatment.
and eventually convert the dozen or more
note sheets into truly enviable Christmas
gift.
Correspondence COnvenfences.
Besides the novelties in note paper the sta
toners are selling the most invaluable trav-
cling writing cabinets that are the greatest
improvement on the portfolios and knee
desks of ancient invention. One OF the best
of these cabinets closed into the form of
square leather-covered case but when set
on table one of its broadest sides folds
down like the leaf Of desk. On opening
this side the whole contents Of the cabinet
are brought into view and shows the COM
pletest possible equipment for correspond
ence slowed into the smallest possible
space.
Somewhat heavier and larger than the
above described is a writing cabinet that
can be converted into a small table. This
is a box with legs that fold up like those
of camp stool. The legs fit into sockets
at the side Of the cabinet, the top of which
folds back to reveal ample blotting pad,
pockets filled with paper, straps holding
pens and pencils and perfectly secure ink
well. box of this kind Is SO arranged
that II there Is not space to set 1t upon its
legs 1t can be detached from the legs en-
tireiy and made fast to the WALL while one
OF it's sides turns down on hinges like the
flap Of a desk.