Newport daily independent., 1905-04-20
ANTIQUE FURNITURE AGAIN.
Bedroom Golfers of the Middle Agea Are in Use Among the
 Fashionables.

The feminine world is again taking to chests, reports the Washington Star. The danes of the middle ages. who had nc convenient bureaus in which to store tleir finery, were dependent upon the coff,r. Some of these historic chests are maNels of delicate carving, inlay work anl painting. The greatest artists of Italy dd not disdain to decorate these receptacls.
 So valnble were some of the coffers that grat lady was considered we'll lowered ilshe received one on her mar riage day. It was placed in her cham Der, with te great bedstead and stool or two, whih were the sole furnishings. Toward the,lose of the eighteenth cen- tury coffers Nere all but discarded. Un- til recently secimens were to be found only in the mseums or old castles and manor housesf Europe.
 Now the tae for antique furniture is bringing theeoffers again into favor. Two seen receqy were made for the state rooms of achts. They are both carved and tinte
 One chest IS Hit of weathered oak. deeply carved anthem stained in green and red. The odgn represents mer- maids sporting 1nhe midst of an ocean forest. SeaWeeds al shells are the most conspicuous featurein the picture.
 The other coffer of oak, having . gray finish. It is deeated with burnt design. Green and auve stains are used to touch up thegures. The sub- ject of these decorans is a scene at the court of King Ne1ne
 Bedroom coffers are sually adorned with flowers, olros, Derflies or some allegorical or mytholosal scene One small boudoir chest Representation of Penelope among her Adens upon it's panels. Through open 7indows the sprays of the climbing r.s are blown into the room ana the Hers with tho garments Of the women brilliantly colored.
 Scriptural subjects wer,ainted on some of the antique chestand these have been well initiated modern workmen. The painted pan set deep in the wood and framed by ide hand of molding. Carved figures, ,,porting the corners, and elaboratel! !esigned
 lids are features of the painte,ests.
 The most ancient designs e tho
 heavily carved ones. Inose,o are
 yersed in the history of furn,e can tell to a nicety the age of a chey the II style of carving and quality of tvood. IS. The earlier Renaissance specins are Y almost priceless, and even col of
 them are expensive In appearanh hev Ia are not unlike a coffin. There is lily 2 . richly carved base, the long sb bw 1 body above it being slightly curvedhe J lid projects over the body. and k,s
 deeply cut than the sides.
 A more modern Renaissance ci
 and a style which is more freque
 copied, is embellished with small par
 on which appear conventionalized
 age designs in line work. The shat
 is burnt into the wood.
 e Gilded and enameled coffers are ID to be seen, but they are eighteenth E.) kurT WOTk duu IcpASoOA SAS PSNAS
 decadence.
 The modern household coffer Is us
 yNned with silk or an art fabric. Pl
 of tiny pockets are scattered over
 lining, and in these are placed sac 70, for pertaining the contents Of the an The chests are convenient recepts for linen, bedclothes, draperles or 'i'' ments not in use.
 Those who can afford a cedar ir- need have no fear of moths. Attn
 these ornamental boxes cost more Ill., trunks, they will last lifetime.
 are distinctly decorative, and ma As- made to fit any vacant niche In room The price varies with the Il c of decoration and wood. Some are
 paratively inexpensive, while ot se- good limitations of the carved an ., chest or the gilded and enameled 'lo' eeuth century masterpieces, are VI lng as lre most works of art.