The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-03


thousands Of dollars in merchandise
will be displayed in Philadelphia shop
windows at Christmas time. and the
bare cost Of trimming these windows
which means the expense OF the mech
anical end Of 1t, will run well up into
tho hundred Thousands. This 10 in
elusive OF other lines than dry goods,
but in the department stores alone.
patronized more exclusively by wo-
men, the expense Of window decora-
ton will be enormous.
In the big dry goods establishments
Of the country the post of window dec
orator 10 q most important one. and
men who hold such jobs get salaries
that range anywhere from $1,000 to
$4,000.
There 10 no standard for brains"
was the way one window decorator ex-
pressed 1t in speaking Of the salaries
paid these men. fog the man is to be
judged by his value to the house. A.
with painters, the amount a canvas
brings depends to a great degree on
puts upon 1t.
And to American women, according
to this specialist, Is given the credit
Of bringing about the evolution in shop
windows from the time when a collec-
ton Of household junk was shown be-
hind = small PANIED sash simply to let
the public know what sort of goods the
merchant had to the finest production
Of the window dresser's art displayed
amid settings costing a fortune in
themselves.
A Costly Setting.
One American merchant recently
displayed what is undoubtedly the
best bit in window dressing in this
country. the mechanical setting for
which alone cost him $4,000 To &C.
count for the sum expended there was
a stunning background Of rare woods,
q triumph Of the cabinet-maker's art.
with hand carving in renaissance style
all of which was designed as q setting
for . collection Of handsome imported
gowns selected to harmonixe with the
background.
One window dresser in a big estab-
lishment who has a score of windows
to be responsible for says that the
value Of merchandise to be used in
these windows at the holiday season
will at the very lowest estimate mount
up to $4,000, and in all probability.
If expensive furs are included, will be
three times that amount.
- ~
expended for the necessary carpentry,
draperies and other accessories,
though in special cases this amount
will be increased to $4,000. Naturally.
special occasions like Thanksgiving.
Christmas and the horse show offer
wider opportunities for the window
decorators. az well as open up a larger
channel for the expenditure of money.
Few persons have any idea Of how
far in advance Of the season the win.
dow decorator has to work. For ex-
ample, large branches of holly with
many bright red berries seen hanging
conspicuously on the wall of the win
dow dresser's workshop led to the in
quiry as to its utility In the Indian
summer weather prevailing at that
time. "Oh, that was left over from
Christmas" was the casual remark,
followed BY the explanation that the
Christmas display was completed
weeks ago. In fact. this proved to be
the case In all the big stores; the de-
signs had been made, mechanical &C
cessories built and decorations applied
way back in October, everything being
in readiness for the final installation
at the proper moment. Today the
decorator IL working on designs for
Lncoln's and Washington's birthday
settings.
Attractive to Women.
American women. except those who
travel abroad. little realize" said the
window dresser, what advantage they
have over their foreign sisters in re-
spect to extensive window displays in
shop windows. So accustomed are
they to look for and expect It that
nothing surprises them. not even when
a new record has been made But let
them visit the shops across the water.
and not to be impressed BY the COM
parison in favor Of their own country
would be impossible.
ITO be sure. conditions are chang
ing on the other side all the time, and
particularly 10 this the case In London,
where the introduction OF dry goods
stores run on the American plan has
been very popular Still, the English
merchant IL very conservative and 1t
10 very conservative and 1t is diflicult
for him to eradicate the habit Of years.
"Germany's shops are gradually be-
coming Americanized. and while in
France there 10 no comparison to the
sort Of display American merchants
make in the extent and cost of their
settings, nevertheless the French shop
windows are extravagant in a small
way and exceedingly attractive As a
rule the shops are small. and doubt
less all the stock will be placed In the
window, but the taste with which it 10
arranged 10 indisputable. One gets
many hints and suggestions which are
adaptable to our work here.
''Show windows are looked upon az
one Of the best mediums of advertise
ing, and . woman customer il half
won II she 10 arrested by the attrac.
tons Of your display. Newspapers an
nounce to the public what the store 10