Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-04
SECOND HAND FURNITURE
By Frederic J. Haskin.

The annual auction of second hand
furniture in the national Capitol in Wash
ington is to be conspicuous by its alb
sence during the present administration.
Consequently the number of persons who
depend upon renewing their house furn-
ishings from those which have seen slight
service in the rooms utilized by public
officials are doomed to disappointment.
The annual average of second hand
furniture sold from the Capitol building
and it's dependencies in the past has
represented at least $4,000 value The
money received for it has seldom reached
$500. Graft in disposition of government
furniture has been charged for many
years The present administration aims
to reform this condition. Each year
almost entirely new furnishings have
been allowed for many of the rooms. A
constituent visiting the Capitol would
note the fine furniture and carpets. If
he desired furnishings for his home he
might obtain condemnation for. articles
which appealed to his taste and he would
buy them for mere song.
Hundreds of homes have secured their
best furnishings from the second hand
sales of government supplies. The GUS
tom has not been confined to the capital
city either. Private individuals and
dealers have considered it quite worth
while to come to Washington to pur-
chase such furniture. The present dem
ocratic thrift has established first class
repair shop in the basement of the Capt.
toll. Here skilled cabinet makers repair
pieces of furniture in order that they
a second Of
of being cast aside for a nominal price.
The carpets in the Senate chamber and
House of Representatives are usually re-
neWed about every third year About
the middle of January the Senate carpet
will be auctioned off, to the joy of some
bargain hunter, but the House carpet
will be made to last for some time yet
The same economy now being utilized in
to the carpets. 1t costs from S1.5OO to
5000 to carpet the House or Senate
chamber. While it will be worn in some
parts. most of it when put on sale is
in good condition and a desirable adj
dltion to the average home.
The utilization of furniture from gov
eminent buildings sometimes brings about
interesting results 1t
Hayes Sldeb0ard has recently been
r. p.n.., learned that a side
board which dec
House during the temperance adminstra-
ton of President Hayes is now in use
in a Washington saloon, where the bever-
ages served from it differ materially in
character from the simple refreshments
served in the White House at that period.
A decrepit old man, employed by the
81 to oh tha pnl.
at crossing. rests between cars in an
old chair of richly carved mahogany
which once adorned the Supreme Court
room. 1t was upholstered then. Now
piece of isoard taken from a soap box
is nailed 70 the carved edges to form
seat. The old man proudly regards his
seat because of its former associations.
He has refused several invitations to sell
1t to tourists and other eager collectors.
Furniture discarded from the White
House has a value above its intrinsic
worth and is always in great demand
During the Roosevelt administration
changes in the building placed consider
able furniture upon the market, much to
the regret of those who felt that it
should have been preserved. Several
houses are now using White House
chandeliers. A we'll known apartment
house has furnished it's hallway with one
of the large circular upholstered seats
which was once used in the east room.
the business OF buying and selling sec
ond-hand furniture is increasing each
year to such an extent that the manufac-
turers of new furniture are seriously con-
sidering means of overcoming it. Ger
tain kinds Of new furniture are now be-
ing sold upon condition that old furni-
ture be taken as part payment of the
new. This plan has its advantages but
also its drawbacks. Furniture dealers
accumulate great wareroomS of second
hand goods which they have to use great
ingenuity to dispose of. AT u recent meet
ing of the dealers in office furniture it
was agreed that all should refuse to
take old furniture in the future as part
payment for refurnshing an Office One
large firm reported that it was compelled
to secure a large warehouse to store old
furniture which could not be sold without
great loss. The establishment of a
clearing house to take charge of all sec
ond-hand Office furnishings and dispose of
Gated.
and antique furniture is not readily
rec & niZed. 4
If Price Is High woman who has
It's an Antique" 40 u u ,,,sI .arg sc
both says: THE only difference between
secondhand furniture and antique is in
the price. If you get it cheap it is Sec
ond hand. II you pay d good price for
it the man calls 1t antique" This does
not follow, of course. The connoisseur
toll, Il