The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
SEEK CURLY MAPLE
Furniture Hunters Now on
a New Quest.
MAHOGANY IS LOSING CASTE
Collectors Securing Connecticut VIZ
lagos and Old Fsrmhouses in the
sfeads, Chests. and Cabinets Carved
by Hand from Twisted Maple.

Old furniture hunters have q new IN
terest- Mahogany. walnut, oak, and even
the ancient pine have given place % curly
maple. There are scores Of dealers and
collectors to-day who have abandoned the
search for mahogany and are securing
the villages Of Connecticut and the I'D
farmhouses Of New York State fo- quaint
four poster beds. chests. desks. cabinets.
highboys and lowboys. carved from the
curling. twisting maple boughs. 10 which
time has added the rich tones OF oI3
brown ivory and amber. says the New
York sun.
One Of the best known collectors and
dealers in old furniture in New York;
woman. by the way-has filed her work
shop and her showrooms with curly maple
snd is kept busy supplying the demand
that has sprung Up among fashionable
New Workers
Curly maple IS quite the most in de-
mand Of any wood al the present time
she said. and I believe its popularity VIII
last even longer than the craze for old
mahogany"
Very Few limitations
Why do I think that? Because It IS 50
much prettier in the first place. and It IS
much more difficult now 70 ind q piece o.
really old curly maple than il Is % pick
Up a piece OF old mahogany. There never
was such a great amount Of fl made. and
there have been comparatively few ini-
tations. 50 II you do come across 9 piece
g IS almost sure 20 be genuine
a few years ago. s1e went or you
could buy curly maple four poster bed
az almost any auction sale for ridicu-
iously small price. 7 have seen them sold
for as low as S1-beds that would nov
bring from S95 70 Sc. I bought many
fine pieces then, much 20 the surprise OF
other dealers. who wondered what
wanted with furniture for which there
was no demand. But liked the color.
the beautiful. rich tone Of the wood ans
the delicate shapes. and 7 bought party
to crafty my personal taste and partly
because I was convinced that there would
/ soon be an awakening 70 the real beauty
I OF this furniture
NOW. with ny storeroon stocked and
/ old furniture collectors crying for curly
maple. could get from those same deal
{ ers many times the prices I paid for
{ every piece. I have furnished several
! complete rooms in the homes of well
I known New Workers in curly maple. ard
1 every room has brought more orders than
/ 7 can I'll In ore instance. IN a house n
I Fifth avenue. I furnished 2 room with
I curly maple. replacing an entire set O.
/ old mahogany. and the effect was very
I much more beautiful
Antedates Mahogany.
Curly maple began 70 be used for
I making furniture q the seventeenth cen
/ tury. Just preceding the use Of nahoEz1L.
Many Of the shapes of the old mahogzry
/ furniture of the late seventeenth century
/ and early eighteenth century are copied
[ from the old ulaQls furniture The swell
[ front bureau IS one Of the ra-est pieces
Z OF curly maple 10 be found nowadays. aI-
I though chairs and old couchss are also
I difficult 20 obtain Z Is only n the eI-
I rre-eiv old settlements that one comes
I now upon desirable pieces
{ Pine was the first wood used n AUsr-
I ica for making furniture, and It dates as
I far back as 1850 There are few pieces
I of the carved pine furniture sviIl 20 be
I had But q genuine old pine vairscot Ia
F BE may be regarded as q most cherished
{ possession One Of the famous ones Of
I his wood is an object of great inter est
I 70 antiQuarians IN the Metropolitan 0Iu-
( scum. One Of medium size Ike that OF
( mine viii bring from 50 TO S1a5 to-day
/ after pine came the red walnut of he
I South. then n New England cherry and
{ curly maple. After that came mahogany
I and then oak. Chests Of drawers i1 Ua-
I PIE. mahogany. and oak first appeared n
Z the last part OF the seventeenth century
I L was not until the eighteenth century
I that secretaries. desks and bookcases
were made Of these woods.
Dutch Feet Popular.
The Dutch feet which are SO grace
I ful- viii be found IN either cherry OF
/ maple. but seldom tn rlahoga-y- II tac-
/ there were many graceful lines made II
Z maple which were forgotten 81 the Ia1eT
( period and are not reproduced
: To my mind and 10 those who sp7re-
/ ciate really old furniture and love Il for
I the beauty Of the wood and the graceful
I lines. curly maple IS the finest o. al
{ furniture.
Curly maple can never entirely take
/ the place o. mahogany. but collectors
I now seem interested n little else u
I Ike mahogany. the quantity and variety
/ On the market Is limited. and its rarity
( makes II obtainable only By the few"