Evening star., 1922-10-08

YHENit comes to buying up
AN/ holstery fabrics the great
majority OF people have
very hazy ideas about the
different types Of material used for COW
ering furniture. They do not know
what to ask for when they go to buy:
they do not know the wearing qualities
Of one type Of material compared with
another, nor do they have any concep-
ton OF the price they should expect to
pay. For this reason the salesman
showing upholstery goods needs almost
q sixth sense Of intuition to guide him
when. for instance, as often happens.
woman asks to be shown something In
learns to her evident dismay that the
price is in the neighborhood Of $50
yard. and that the stuff. though very
gorgeous and beautiful. is entirely un-
suited to her needs Therefore. when a
salesman seems a bit impatient or bored
try to be a little lenient with him, re-
membering that he has probably wasted
hours showing what the customer asked
for but not at all what she had In
mind. Not only for the sake OF en-
cheney. but for ones own good II pays
to know something of upholstery fab
RIGS.
Furniture has been upholstered
for many hundreds OF years and the
finest skill of the old countries has
been devoted to the creation OF
the beauty of their equally beautiful
and richly carved old furniture. There
are the brilliant silk veivets and
damasks of italy, the elaborate
brocades and danasks Of France and
the wonderful handwoven tapestries
rs Tssn aud Trn
land. The best of these are still re-
produced and imported to this
country.
For study purposes the most logical
way to classify upholstery goods Is
according to the material of which
they are composed first. whether wool.
silk or cotton. and then according to
their weave, whether velour, tapestry,
damask or brocade.
Wool is used to make the best of
the tapestry. both handwoven and
machine made. The early tapestries
were always woven by hand nd were
usually designed. especially to ft the
chair seats and backs. either in a
medallion design or often a scene.
In England the wool embroideries.
crewel and needle point. were ex-
tensively used. Many of these were
made by the fashionable women of
the court. some of whom possessed
the old pieces still in existence. There
has been a decided revival of these
embroideries for the covering of GER
tain types Of chairs, but. of course.
they are very expensive and accord
ingly are not suitable everywhere.
The machine-woven wool tapestry
comes more nearly being within the
reach Of the average person. although
1t isn't exactly cheap. 1t can be OBJ
tained as low as $40 yard and some
will cost as much as $50 or even more.
The grades that cost from $40 to $40
are sometimes part cotton. This
seems an exorbitant price to some
people for tapestry. but the wool
tapestry Is SO far superior to most
cotton tapestries In color. design and
durability that it Is decidedly worth
the difference II one can pay it.
Cotton tapestries. the ones most
generally used. owing to their lower
price. cost from about 50 a yard to
$12 or SIS. There are some that sell
for even less. but they are not worth
considering. l wouldn't advise any
one to pay less than IS or Sc a yard
and even then you want to look for
the special offerings at that price.
Some cotton tapestries come in very
good fast colors and a hard close
weave. but in the cheaper grades the
designs are nondescfipt and the COL