Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-28
Md SCENIC WALL PAPERS
Demand Again for the Decorations Of &
Century Ago
QUAINT AND PICTURESQUE OLD DESIGNS
wall Coverings Brought from
Italy and Used I'm New England
Dwellings Now Sought for
Country Houses.

These two illustrations of the picture or
scenic wallpaper which is just now in
great demand among decorators, were OBJ
tanned from a home at Bath, Me, built in
1893. George Shepard was the first user Of
the house and he acquired this interesting
old wallpaper in the way that many New
Englanders of that day did.
His son-in-Iaw, James Hull was a sea
captain and on one of his voyages to Italy
bought, at Naples, the paper. 1t arrived
In Maine about 1904 and was placed upon
the walls Of the house. Mrs George M.
Shepard, the present owner of the house
and a descendant of the captain who
brought the paper here, says that the col
OTIS are still so fresh that it might with
care, last at least 100 years more.
The three pictures into which the paper
is divided show different views OF Rome.
One shows the Vatican with it's gardens
and a view of st, Peters. A key came from
Italy with the wallpaper describing each
view, but II has been lost
The sky In the paper is blue with white
clouds, while the trees and grass are done
in shades OF green, The buildings are drab,
with brown trimmings
These picture papers are not reproduced
now by modern manufacturers in spite of
the increased demand for them since 1t be-
came the fashion TO build what are called
Georgian. Colonial or Jaiviean houses. New
England Is especially rich in these old pa
pers, which usually came here Just as Mrs.
Shepards was brought--on a ship.
"Bay of Naples" Set.
OF all the Italian designs brought here
none was ever so much liked as the so
called bay of Naples" set, which was not
unlike the scene OF Rome shown IN the pic
ture. This paper is found in number OF
New England homes
In the distance Mount Vesuvius is smok-
ing, while on two promontories overlook
ing the bay men and women are dancing
and playing on musical instruments. II is
estimated that this design still hangs on
the walls Of at least a dozen New England
drawing rooms, So perfect is this paper
In the details OF its finish that II is possible
10 translate the Greek inscriptions on the
monuments.
All the houses decorated with this papeT
received II at the beginning OF the nine
steonth century, although II was fifty years
before that time that the importation OF
high class papers to this country had It's
start Previously to that period the walls
were painted with designs limited IN elabo-
rateness nv the ability % the artist
The painters had never had much school
ing. nor were thew confined nv the examines
~ fha MASTERS There sre however some
specimens OF this painting stili in existence
that are pretty enough 10 be decorated
Birds and flowers were generally the sub
jects selected. although occasionally ami
mails are seen with landscape backgrounds
When wallpaper came here nrst II was
IN small squares, and not in rolls, as the
method OF printing used now was not in
vented until near the middle OF the eight
zenith century IN England These small
squares were often brown and white mar
Bile dominocs or black and white for a
change.
There were no borders and the family