Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-24
WHATNOT WILL
COME INTO IT'S
own ONCE MORE
Small Art Objects Will Do
Much to Add to Make the
Home Harmonious.

Be not scornful of the wax bouquet
in it's high oval glass case. The little
old footstool with its cover done in
cross-stitch has, evidently, one back
into the past and brought it's flowers
with it. Is it possible then that the
whatnot will return?
Anything is possible, since the an
tique hunters are kept on the scent of
Victorian relics. The whatnot stands
for a period in matters mobiliary when
quantity Of ornamentation was con-
sidered more important than quality.
The whatnot was the tenement in
which dwelt all the knicknacks gath
cred by the fahnily-yea, even the
and souvenirs from Niagara Falls.
In those days the gentle housewife
was most particular about the busting
and every morning each one OF these
treasures were carefully polished with
cbamois and cheesecloth. But the
gentle housewife floated naively
through Il lifetime of DOMESTIC equa-
nimity and composure. Existence was
not complex then. She wasn't out
reading papers on Browning, putting.
owe municipal improvement plans.
establishing public Fairgrounds, or
looking after the recreation programs
of prosperous working girls. No, she
1xdu Ill LII ~ AGASAAOI "AAASAA va
q sort of family pet.
We willingly accept that from the
Victorian period, which happens to be
beautiful: for the rubbish we have
only a bah and a bye-bye. If the little
dog chances to be- a quite wonderful
china dog, he may crouch upon the
mantlepiece and be welcome. but he
must be very doggie indeed. if not
more so, to catch our attention these
days when Jul eyes are open to see the
real and closed to the counterfeit.
There is much in the old stuff that
is quaint, and much h a is worthy,
but this does not mean that every old
bit of rubbish once treasured by Aunt
Jane or Cousin Martha should be CIV
en- a display place of n 1t is *
the revival 'of samplers and Queerly
embroidered pieces in which. roses
were always of bright and red leaves.
of bright green; the mass of it vas
not worth the endless hours spent
upon it, and yet an occasional de-
sign thrills with it's charm.
The sudden interest in marble IS
an other expression of the Victorian
mode. Beautiful consoles for the hall
4 have marble tops placed in frames OF
~marqueterie or ~lacquered woods.
These ii things are subject to re-
arrangement and ~readiustment. In
fact, we lake the old material and put
it in new form. For instance, in n
studio we find q pair of old carriage
lamps transformed into stunning
lighting fixtures for the hall. A favor
lite trick of the decorators is to trans
late old trays into serving tables for
the dining room or tea tables for the
sun-room. Stunning old vases, too
clumsy for general use in a small
apartment, give themselves glorlously
in the lighting scheme and are pres
Unchanged ipto lapps of beauty and
painted interiors. are turned inside
out, like a discarded garment, and
make attractive screens forA the din-
ing room. CandlestickS Of glass are
Subjected to hand decorating n then
topped off with shades of white lace
and embroidery shades that go n
the washtub-and these grace. the
:, dressing table.
What can be done with the old mir
rors is a study in itself. One of the
quaint notions Of the past was to hang
a mirror pack to the mantel and
place before it some bird or animal
made of porcelain. the foolish thing
gazing at its oWn reflection. su11lce
Ito say thai the idea attracts attenlon
and sometimes inspires, admiration.
In he use. and placing of. these
art objects the great discrimination
is necessary. But that is true Of all
art objects. One must have a keen
ISenSe of the fltneSS OF lHiIlSS anu al
understanding Of "atmosphere. a
little bit of Victorian stuff fills up a
vast pace: you cannot crowd in more
than a suggestion. The mode of today
tends toward simplicity and sweeps
far ava. from clutter; we rave
.learned from the Japanese the charm
of bare, wide spaces. and this has CIV
/ en- us a real delight in the process of
y ILLUMINATION. That which is worthy re-
t Imains: to the rest. oblivion. There
must be sufficient decoration to cons
tribute that element that we call hom-
illness. for lack Of a better word, but
ttno more than sufficient.
Il It is not surprising h a the wax
FLOWERS have come back. Some OF
them are beautiful, though most OF
us look at them as curiosities or dell
cate craftsmanship and wonder, how
theS, aver, were put together But why
not way flowers, since the linen po-
sizes and the parchment bouquets. not
10 mention beautiful artificial and ev-
erlasting blooms. are SO popular!
There was a reason for their coming.
too It was the. coal famine of 19l7"l8.
q when dollhouse. blossoms became
scarce and expensive. Why buy those
!. that fade in q day when one can
lpossesse florettes that last through the
months and the years?
In fine china you will find plenty
OF good 1870 patterns-chlna candle
sticks, showing small youngsters car
rying bouquets. with al fresco growths
)twining about and. around: funny
sauatty compotes bordered with glass
flowers, china frames for pictures.
and queer bottles that will look We'll
upon your dressing table.
TX - HryA IL - ,,a~ tho *