Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-21
s E N TIM EN- T A G E
LOVER OF pID BELONGINGS IN
REMINISCENT VEIN.
What Kings Have Thought OF
Each Others Furni-
ture.


Written for The Evening STAR
"Old chairs and cabinets remain to re-
mind u.s. with a fine, unvoiced irony, vita
brevis, ars Tonga What stories they might
tell us could they but speak; what gossip
of long-ago romances and intrlgues, OF 1eal-
Gus quarrels, of tipsy, hot-biooded revels
ending in tragedy; of Opponents to Gretna
Green, of -all-night .carousals, of high ana
reckless gaming, of all the excitement ana
stress and tourmoil of life and society
that have passed away l sympathize with
the lover of old furniture who not only ap-
preciates it's ARTISTIC qualities and its sound
and thorough workmanship, but can also
elicit the sentiment the fine flower, so to
speak, of its record and association
All devotees of antique furniture will en-
joy the foregoing appreciation by re-
cent English writer The subject is so full
of interest to those who have inherited or
collected good examples of old-time work
nlanshp that in general or particular, any
information, or even reiteraton OF facts,
finds readers who with avidity pick out
any article treating of their pet theme.
To go on, then, with another bit from the
same author: 80
Back to Simplicity.
1T is curious to note how luxury, par
ticularly in connection with decorative art,
has run at times into ll-conditioned ex-
travagance of ornament, and then, after a
season of profligacy has sobered down I'M
der the corrective influence of the artistic
conscience and has produced results which
are the envy and admiration of mankind.
Indeed, one of the puzzling things that
must strike everybody in following the his
tory of decorative styles is the occasional
lapse that takes place from purity and dig
nifty and fine form to a lower and, in
sense, abandoned level.
And this has occurred even among peo-
pies like the Italians and the French, with
whom artistic feeling is a part of the ma
tional character. The decoration of the
| latter part of Louis XV's reign, although
sandwiched in between two correct styles,
| was a veritable orgie of ornament
Loved Splendor.
Louis XIV loved magnificence in all
| forms; he was liberal to artists of all
kinds, and gave freely to all the skilled
workers who contributed so much to the
glory of his reign.
| He built Versailles, with all its marvels;
he kept the artists of the time about him
| in order that their talents might contribute
| to the glory of, his reign; everything was
| on a sumptuous scale; 1t was the period of
| fine gilt furniture, with all the elaborate &C
| compartments of rich upholstery, marble,
ormolu, marquetry, all the best of their
1 kind. Il
| The Gobelin tapestry works were bought
| by the government, and the output was
| controlled by the king, who selected the
| finest of the weaving for hangings and
| furniture covering.
| In Museums Now.
! Most of the best furniture of that time
has been absorbed by museums or royal
| collections, and perfect specimen is al
| most beyond price. -
The American millionaire is a word to
conjure with in Europe, and this same
English author says that if the museums
| possessing Louis XIV furniture were to
| put any of it up for sale, to buy it would
seriously intrench upon the fortune of even
an American millionaire
| Within few days of reading this l was
| interested and amused in an account in a
magazine of the visit of Bonnat, the French
| painter to Edward VII when he dined and
slept at Windsor Castle, to find the same
idea advanced.
George ITS Thought.
King Edward was showing Bonnat the
| castle and called his attention to two
| beautiful cabinets of Louis XV's time, say
! ing that George III, when he heard that the
contents of the Palace of Versailles were t.
be sold at auction, after the revolution
sent French cook to secure some of the
fine things for himself, and several were
gotten for a song.
The king asked Bonnat, Glow many O.
those very pretty thousand-franc notes O.
yours would they fetch today, do you
think ?" and Bonnat replied. IF Pierpon
Morgan pays a visit to your majesty i
would be as well not to let him see them
otherwise he would want to have them a
any cost and would, no doubt, try to temp
you by offer of several millions.
Whereat the king burst into hearty
laughter.
1t is worthy of notice that though thu
furniture of Louis XIV is not so dignifiet
and stately as that of Louis XIV, or re
fined and restrained as that of Louis XVI
it is after all rather more popular thar
either today, though its grace was apt to b'
overrun with ornament and its curves to b.
too abundant.
Founding the Sevres Works.
1t was during the reign of Louis XIV tina
the Sevres porcelain works We're founde
and their products were pressed into tn
| service of decoration.
Medallions of the court ladies were mad
of china and used inlays on pieces o
| furniture.
simplicity was more admired. Straigh
| lines succeeded the riot of curves, and les
| ornamentation was put upon furnltur
pieces of all kinds.
Decora ton assumed more classical forms
though the same emblems We're used t
some extent as before
History of Billiards.
From Outing.
The game of billiards may lay claim t.
| great antiquity for In Anthony and Gle
opatra" Shakespeare makes Creopatra say
LET us to billiards. and so, unless we &C