Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-10
IN THE GAROE MEUbLE.
Treasures in Historic Furni-
ture and Tapestry
WHICH MONEY CANNOT BUY
Great Shopping Opportunity Of Mad
anne Fallieres
IN FURNISHING THE PALACE
Precious Household Objects Formerly
Belonging to Kings at the Dispo-
sition of French President.
IN FURNISHING THE PALACE
snecial correspopdence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
PARIS, January %, 1906.
The wife of the new French president has
an extraordinary shopping opportunity.
Mere riches could not find it. Where is
money sure to buy bureau that belonged
to the Dubarry, dressing table MADE for
Madame de Pompadour, tapestries that
hung in the bed room of Mazarin, clocks
from Louis XvTs own collection, a dress
Ing mirror made for Marie -Antoinette or
Louis XIV arm chairs that Josephine
thought too old-fashioned TO be sent to
Malmaison?
The new French president and his wife,
when they move Into the Elysee on Feb
ruary IS, will find the historic palace fur
nished as the Loubets left it--as the LOU
bets found the furniture left by the Felix
Faures Each president has his taste-be
1t only the taste of his wife Each pres
ident has the right to throw out the fur-
niture used by his predecessor, and estao-
lish, in whole or in part, an utterly new
order. And in so doing the extraordinary
shopping opportunity nave felerreo 10 ~
discovered.
1t is a shopping opportunity that does
not have to do with shops. 1t costs no one
not even the French governmental dol
lar And it is unique above all IN the mass
of treasures among which it gives the right
to pick and choose. In a word, 1t Is shop
ping in vast decorative arts museum, the
French National Garde Meuble one time
the kings and now the republics furniture
storehouse that contains an extraordinary
overflow of precious objects formerly be-
longing to kings. princes and great families.
President Faure's Generosity.
Some presidential families have reveled
more than others in the use-for seven
years or less-of these delightful objects;
and one president, at least, shocked the
director of the Garde Meuble and the In
spector of national palaces. who happ ened
to be responsible for all the furniture, car
pets, curtains and hangings in the presiden-
tial palace 1t was Felix Faure, and his
historic generosity had consequences that
are going to curtail the queer prerogatlve
| little more each year as time goes on
It was on the occasion of the tsar hrst
visit. The tsarina expressed special adj
mration for a certain ancient Gooelin tap
estry upon wall
Permit me to send 1t to your majesty,
exclaimed the gallant president
When the order came to pack the Gooe-
| lin off to Russia the inspector of national
| palaces was greatly troubled. He desired
not to affront the president; yet he was
| bound to make 1t clear to Felix Faure that
while all these historic things We're his TO
use and even to abuse, their rightful owner
| was the French state.
Felix Faure was highly incensed. It Is al
| legged that he even cited the case or fran
! els I exchanging presents with the ia.e
Henry VIII of England, IN winch cefeaiH
Gobelins figured prominently. But when 1t
was suggested to him that the present gov
ernmental Gebelins mandatory could
make copy quite as good as the original
he showed relief. The Inspector naturally
meant that he should send the copy to st.
Petersburg. Felix Faure, it seems, misun
derstood him. In any case. 1T is a question
now IL the tsarina has the copy or original
The Famous Storehouse.
This story with its bearings was ex-
planned to Madame Fallieres as the in
spector, who has kept his place. drove
with her the first time to visit NJ. Loquet.
the director of the Garde Meubie. Time
hangs heavy on the hands of Madame
Eailieres Her husband Is the first In
coming president who will have waited
the full month prescribed by the French
constitutional laws for his predecessor to
quit Office. And Madame Fallieres, II
should be noted, has no Paris house Of