New-York tribune., 1907-05-26

II is with no desire TO make hippant play
mon words that we say that most books ABOUT
furniture are OF a rather wooden character Inc
truth is that no other phrase so well oescripes
the manner in which authors dealing WIN tile
subject tabulate their periods. catalogue 'heH
different examples and set forth the deVeiop-
rent Of styles They seem TO be haunted py u
potion that they must supply the collector VIII
kind OF reference book and so they eschew all
,pa- relates 10 the human side of furniture, If,
indeed they have any conception Of the part
that furniture has played in the march OF his
itory IT is a double pleasure, therefore, TO well
co,ne in NJ Sagio's little volume one of the most
interesting studies we have ever encountered
in the literature of chairs and tables He never
,an forget that French furniture was made for
Frenchrnen and their families; that the tempera-
nent Of his countrymen has been expressed in
the appointments of their households, and that
an historic wardrobe or bed is an eloquent SOU
,enir Of an historic phase in the development of
national manners. Hence he gives US not a sue
cession Of dry descriptive notes but continu-
oug narrative colored 10y the social life of CEN
turics. With its numerous well printed illus
trltions this book is al once serviceabe to the
collector ard entertaining TO the layman.
Actual relics Of French craftsmanship in fur
Eniiure, preserved in modern museums, do not
date earlier than the thirteenth century, unless
We except crudely carved little stool in the
cathedral Of Poitiers which is attributed to the
sixth century The giided bronze armchair IF
lIacobert in the Bibliotheuue Nationale, is noted
h. n. Sasii0 as being OF doubtful authenticity
But literature holds records which give US some
b 4 Of the taste in furniture of Roman Gaul
Eery early in the civilized history of the country
'Gining tables were inlaid with costly mar
lcuotorie, rich furs and embroidered cushions
"a rned the couches which the guests re-
lc.red." NJ. Saglio quotes from Sidonius Apol-
hiraris Bishop of Lyons in the fifth century =
description OF fete at one of the houses of his
g.. With epicurean appreciation the good
Bishop thus celebrates his theme:
| The end Of the day approaches; let wine dancing
Ii11 merrymaking delight its closing hours Here
b. couches dTaped with purple. jewellers eagerly
IvtrythinS is gttering. the eve is charmed at
IFory furn- Here IS furniture from Asia. there
Il r-iure from Greece; everywhere sculptures
Irl paintings, sanguinary hunting scenes in which
Il l.fe is lost groups OF wounded men where not
Erep Of blood IS shed. 1t is indeed a pleasure to
tFar1er among the masses of bloom dropping from
T. plants IN the alabaster urns. to yield the body
B. he seductions of the graceful and languid dance
E-i mimic the trembling limbs of the Bac-
antes overcome by wine. Here blooms the cyti-
Brought from its native land OF Arabia is burning
lin the swinging lamps. its smoke rising up TO the
gorgeous roof!
L The Goths brought with them into GauI a
iaste for mere gorgeousness. and valued their
/ Itons7hold iTnpedimenta only when these were
rade OF precious metals. "Thierry gave
tClotaire a silver dish to make amends for an
attempt at assassination" says NJ Saglio but
pot until a long time after the days of these
notabites did the makers of furniture as
fErniture come into their own Their craft
prose al last in obedience to nothing more nor
iess than the everyday practical needs of the
French NJ Saglio is very interesting on the
subject Of the old GrBtoire or wardrobe. which
pas the earliest type of furniture in the coun-
fTy. ArpoiTcS were known in the Middle Ages
y Jahufs or kuchfs. Hence the term hucaers
& 'long used 10 denote the corporation Of car
reA'ers or joiners." The account of this type of
Il which the medRyal Frenchmen lived that
se must quote at least part of il:
The tahGt. often referred to at greater length
z Olq MSS IS the cofre dc tahHt, is really moth
79nS more tban a simple chest Golfer mounted
1epon feet or rests. II probably, as rule the
1elly piece Of furniture in domestic use in France
n me pflClltfEe tunes, when famines war and
sfhe constant change of residence of the Court
II Ade II often necessary hastily transport all the
Eoyai belongings from place to place carts The
~ al night u turned into a bed bY the addi
o2a of ccFerngs; at times il held all the worldly
ttuld be concerted rapidly from an d-n0jre into
iruRk. Probably. also, the huche was originally
IS as a table and this, again, often con
nae two ends: the silver gold plate and drink
u vessels, always valuable part Of the house
told goods being 'dresse,' up on il between
Persistence the name OF dresser for the humble
sd OF shelves 10 be found in every French or Eng
tsh ktchcn Nothing. therefore. could have been
f