Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21
from Venice for the most part They were

AT the beginning Of the seventeenth CEN
fury oak was used for framing looking
glasses. Sometimes the oak was carved or
was inlaid with narrow bands of squares
Of alternate light and dark wood.
1t was often on a stand consisting OF
uprights and claw feet. and was something
nxed to the top OF chest of drawers.
Ebony was also used for these frames.
One such old mirror is pictured of oak, with
the date 1903 carved on its top.
Painted furniture is sometimes mentioned.
Carved oak was even so treated, while
painted Dutch furniture was quite plentiful.
In old English houses many of the large
and cumbersome pieces Of furniture were
constructed In the rooms where they be-
longed. of oak cut on the estate, and though
after the restoration there was much fur
niture sent from France to England the
oak was especially retained in country
houses where many of these old pieces
may still be seen.
From the Other Side.
Most of the good old furniture used in
New York was brought or sent from the
old countries, but there were some good
workmen here and plenty of wood, and 1t
Is probable that all pine tables and chests
We're made here, as they were cheap And
for native tables, too, walnut cypress and
cedar were used, and most of the maple and
hlchofy articles were probably native as
well as cedar
Cupboards and kasses were usually of
white oak or black walnut and fine old
specimens are to be seen, especially in and
about Albany
An old English model for table greatly
liked at that time was the chair table its
BACK being hinged to form a small ia BILE:
one is mentioned In Henrico county Va, in
1867 A drawing table, a name often oc-
CURING in inventories, meant an extension
table.
AS comfort in household life of the col
onlsts came to be more considered the
nard wooden seated chairs began to be
softened by movable cushions much more
conducive to ease, and these were often of
nne materials and elaborate workmanship.
Fancy Trimmings.
Embroidery was one of the PRINCIPAL en-
pigments of the women. and consequently
chair cushions were often decorated by
their skill. They We're covered with satin
silk, damask and velvet, as well as turkey
work, which was much used, consisting of
an embroidered surface with many colors
In the design, like Turkey carpet
mere We're cushions everywhere" one
writer says They We're on the window
seat, on the chairs, on the settees on the
stools. and even on the cupboards They
were stuffed with down feathers. flock.
cattalls and anything at hand that would
serve, ana thelr coverings We're even more
varied than the filling description which
might as well have been written today.
Many OF the chairs, however, were up-
hoistered, and We're often numerous. In
In 1915, there were in the hall sixteen
chairs of Turkey work and seven leather in
addition.
Leather was perhaps the first material
used for upholstered chairs in the colonies
as 1t was~in general use in England hav-
ing been imported from Holland Toward
the end of the seventeenth century Rus
sian leather was the fashionable chair COW
er1ng. Leather is sometimes also called
hide In the Inventories and calves
leather" is spoken of. Camlet is another
material mentioned as chair covering and
velvet; damask cloth and baise also.
Important and Imposing.
The bed was such an important and I'M
posing article of furniture in olden times
that its upholstering is enlarged upon in
the inventories as well as wills, and ex-
tended details are given of the bed and its
belongings, often without mentioning the
bedstead at ALL
The decorative effects were much annre-
ciated and hangings and coverlets often de-
scribed.
Many materials We're used in this kind
Of upholstery, not mentioned otherwise: for
instance, "drugget,'' cloth composed of
wool or wool and silk, serge sometimes
scarlet in color green and Powered Kidder-
mhster-probably first woven at Kidder-
minister, England, now famous for carpets
coarse linsey-woolsey and dimity, stout
linen cloth originally made at Damietta,
and interviewer with designs.
HCiO "ttS tioc ii dOIHlCk, d coarse QanlaSk
made first at Dornick, the Dutch name
given to Tourney. The name was also ap-
piled to some kinds of table linen, and
there was also a silk ''dornix"
Perpetuana must have been well named
as it was very durable wooden fabric.
Made at Calicut.
Calico was a rather coarse cotton mate
rial, first made at Calicut India, whence its
name. This appears to have been much
used, and was something like cretonne to-
day. for it was printed with both stripes
and floral designs.
In well-to-do families curtains and VAL
ances, from the French word cavalier" to
let down, appear to have been used on all
beds.
1t is interesting to find that green seems
to have been fashionably favorite color in
upholstery before 100. About 1850 indeed
inventories frequently mention it,
One room is described as having the bed
hung with green serge curtains and valanse
The table had a green cotton carpet" las
table covers were called. The couch had
green rug, and another green rug and blan-
ket are mentioned" In William PENIS
house at Pennsbury three green cushions
are specially referred to.
In the house of Governor Eaton of the
New Haven colony there was a green
chamber, in which the table and cupboard
cloths, carpets, cushions and curtains were
all green, some of them laced and fringed'
In our modern penchant for the same
color there is a further bond of sympathy
between US and the makers and possessors