The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-10
MORE BUSTING
For Busy Housewives Because Brie-a-
Brac, Porcelain Statuettes Are
Again in Vogue.

To the careful housewife the news
that bric-a-brac, proclaim statuettes'
and all such dust collectors are again
in fashion will be anything but wei
come, because of the added labor which
they always entail. But it is true,
nevertheless. and the woman who
would have her house Immaculate
must replenish her supply of soft dust
rags and prepare TO spend, or have her
maid spend. the greater part or the
morning hours handling with INFINITE
care the endless array Of swinging
eupids, pink-cheeked shepherdesses,
and nymph-laden vases
For this Is exactly what it means to
have shelves and corners and brackets
filled with objects of ceramic art. and
If they are not kept spotless and shiny,
there is nothing which gives room
a more untidy and even shabby ap-
7 earance- Aside from this constant
busting, however, decorative bric-a-
brac is a real addition to essential fur
nishineB II IL is chosen with taste.
And ir the offerings in porcelain wares
there is such a wealth Of really beau
tiful effects and such welcome ab-
sence of undesirable objects, that an
inartistic piece OF o--l-
ception and not the rule.
This does not mean. though, that all
of IL is ideally beautiful Some of the
most valuable porceIains come to as
from China and many Of them are cop
les Of the very ugliest gods OF MohaTI-
medan WOrship-
But these hideous conceptions Of sup
erhuman creatures are so grotesque and
weird that they appeal 10 the fancy al
most as strongly as do the ideal forms
OF grace and beauty Open-mouthed
dragons in peacock blue or brick-red
porceIains, are a favoTite mantel oTna-
ment while impossible animals having
monster heads and twisted bodies of
variegated hues, grin from bracket
shelves or the tops Of furniture.
But the fascination Of the Chinese
AMI japanese bric-a-brac is small com
par I'd &c that OF the most recent I'M
porcations in porcelain art objects which
are being turned out BY the royal fac
I tories in Europe, The latter are marveis
| of pottery, and IN coloring and modelling
they surpasg the exquisite work done in
Florence when art in every field was
supposed 10 have reached its perfection.
The splendid part of this decorative pot
terry is that IL is useful as well as
beautiful Many Of the choicest pieces
are sumptuOus receptacles for flowers or
fruits Basket vases Of highly glazed
! porcelain show hanging on the sides IN
clusters. excellent limitations in poTce-
| lain OF pomegranates. grapes, and cher
Ties. Each fruit is in its natural col
, OF with green leaves intersperSed- On
other vases and standards Tor 1aTdl-
nIeres. great chrysanthemum blooms. in
pink and white and green tints, or pop
pies mingling with hollyhOcks, rest
against the heavy support almost as if
| their growing tendTils were holding them
in place.
Then there are countless pieces OF
bric-a- brac in similar ware for hanging
on the wall. Plaques adorned with fruit
and flowers. pockets for ferns. which
show a handkerchief with the ends tied
| together. or a single rose of pink porce-
! lain. and brackets in imitation OF a
| large birds nest and having Cupid s
/ head peering through the twigs, all
| these are real treasures of art
| For purely decorative bric-a-brac. the
most charming pieces are figures OF
/ Cupids, some playing musical instru-
ments and some swinging suspended IT
air Dutch children, too. in quaint caps
and sabots are favorite models, while
| for those who love animals, a group OF
| kittens, a shiny white elephant. 3
| crouching tiger or a noble horse, have
| their counterp1rts I'm small but per
fectly wrought pieces of porcelain.