The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
Big ROOMS, Big FURNITURE.
WHISPERS THAT THE DAY or
THE COLONIAL rs PASSING.

Collectors Said 70 Prefer Furniture OF Oh,
First French Empire NOw--Prtces
Likely to Rise-Money Value That His
tOrtc Associations Add TO Furniture.
1t is whispered along Fourth avenue and
In other haunts OF antiques that Colonial
furniture is going out. Some collectors
are reported as having decided to sell their
old Colonial mahogany, and are now tax
ing a special interest in the furniture Of
the FIRST French Empire.
Nobody knows for sure just why there
should be these symptoms of a change in
taste, and the special admirers Of the Co.
.onial style stoutly insist that it can never
really lose it's charm for persons of right
perceptions, because Of its init insic beauty.
Some guess that the growing taste for the
revival. It is just century this year since
the First Empire was set up, and the GEN.
tennial OF the browning of Napoleon falls
on Dec. next.
, Another guess is that genuine Empire
ported hereafter now that they are a CEN
fury old, and real antiques in the eyes of
the customs authorities.
The best guess as to the thr eateped change
of taste is that the vast houses built
than the delicately beautiful Colonial
chairs, tables and sofas. Now much Of
the Empire furniture Is massive.
The great pillar cd sideboards Of dark
mahogany with richly marked veneer on
in ormulu 60 well in dining rooms so feet
long by 10 feet wide. In like fashion the
massive Empire sofas and tables make an
impressive show In the great drawing rooms
q EN-. new I'M mansions IN town q country All
quantities and at high prices.
Several Of the dealers in old furniture are
making specially Of the Empire style,
and dealers on the other side Of the, water
country. Prices are likely to rise.
An East Side cabinetmaker. famed for
his enthusiastic love for his craft, and the
lingering fondness with which he h. ndles
beautiful old pieces which he rennakes,
said the other day of the rumored change
Il do not believe that Colonial furniture
is going out. It is certainly not falling In
price, and the best patterns are more val
liable now than they have been at any
recent time. sold some Colonial chairs
buy back now at double the price.
1T is true, however that some persons
are buying great deal Of mpire furniture.
collector told me the other day that he
intended hereafter to collect Empire stuff
like from at least one other man interested
In furniture. A single piece Of Umpire
furniture sold short time ago for s., 900.
Il suppose that a good deal will be sent
over from the other side now, and as it Is
not difficult to trace the history Of mpire
pieces they are likely to come certified and
to fetch good prices A piece with history
sells quicker than nameless piece of equal
age and quality, and the history, by the
way. need not be anything remarkable
Here is an American Sheraton side
board about a century old, and mado, |
should think, by Southern cabinetmdkcr
1t is not perfect in its lines. for the Southern
cabinetmakers did not have quite tho best
tradition.
This piece. however is beautiful 1t is
solid mahogany almost throughout and
its history is known. 1t came from tho
Eastern Shore of Maryland, probably from
the home OF Huguenot family now extinct
1T was fifty years in the home of another
Huguenot family, and was sent hero for
repairs by member of that family, who
thinks he cannot afford to keep it.
Il have put $40 worth Of work on the
piece, and with its history it will easily
fetch $225. When / first saw it my guess
was that it would sell for SITS. | don't
say the extra $50 Is for the history, but the
history is worth something, and that is
one reason why Empire furniture Of historic
interest Is fetching good prices.