The Indianapolis times., 1929-11-29
BY MRS. PENROSE LYLY
Written for MA Service


Written for NEA Service
The ceremony of after-dinner
+. fee has developed it's own special
rniture. In the spirit of modern
.ventiYeness, manufacturers have
lought tables, china, glass and
llverware Of beauty TO increase the
: ieasures of coffee drinking. Bright
dor and startling shapes have ap-
cared to add a modern twist to a
enerable habit.
Z. To emphasize the highly sociable
nature of after-dinner coffee low
Droad tables are used so that friends
may gather about them.
These tables should be about two
feet high and of surface ample
enough to hold the tray bearing the
+ coffee pot, the service, cups and both
cigaret box and dinner mints.
Recall Queen Anne
The nations smartest shops dis
play all manner of these intimate
coffee tables. Some have Queen
:. Anne legs TO recall the reign of
= Queen Anne. during which the Eng
: lish developed coffee drinking into
(. one Of the major social arts.
= Others reflect early American days
of coffee drinking by gracefully
! turned legs reminiscent of Duncan
y Phyfe. And others are so modern
Z they have no legs at all, but seem
. rather the playful dreams of cab
: met makers come true in exotic
woods and metals.
: Many of these tables are equipped
E with trays that fit exactly over their
/. tops. Others are without trays.
: They range in price from what we
: can pay to what we might dream
!. of being able to pay if our ship ever
does come in.
All Not Costly
But coffee tables need not cost
large sums of money. ANY woman
with taste and few dollars can
I purchase at most of our stores I'M
! painted coffee tables that reflect ac-
curately the fine craftsmanship and
: historical influence of the more ex-
. pensive ones.
: An eve for color, few sheets of
sandpaper and a can of good paint
; behold, an exquisite bit OF modern
! social equipment.
Match your paint TO the prevail
ing tone of your living room. Be-
) fore applying 1t, be certain your
unpainted surface is as smooth as
: velvet. Sandpapering will achieve
this.
When the first coat is dry, sand
: paper the painted surface lightly
: with No. 90 paper and then paint
: agan. Shellac twice for a hard sur
face.
: For a Pleasing Result
: Coffee tables in soft green har-
monize with almost any kind OF
Z room. A Chinese lacquer effect
calls for a can of Mandarin red
paint-at least three coatS-much
: sandpapering. and two coats of
7. darkened sheilac. But the small
. amount of extra work will produce
( a large result.
: Although rich fragrant coffee is
! the most important feature of the
I. ceremony, a lovely pot does in
: crease the enjoyment.
/. Attractive coffee pots OF china
: OF porcelain can be obtained in
: various colors and shapes. The
/, new glasswares service, in amber,
: sapphire, ruby and emerald, costs
) far less than its beauty would sug-
gest.
) Glazed Pottery Good
Glazed pottery in odd, squat
/, shapes-some daring even beyond
! imagination-ofer new and refresh
: ing ways to carry on a social tradi-
! tion. And, of course, sterling silver
: Is always in order.
Demi-tasse cups Of china, peas
ant pottery, glass and glazed ware
. offer a variety of choices. Small
coffee spoons are needed. But let
no hostess deny herself the serving
of after-dinner coffee for lack of
silver spoons.
Our best 5 and 10-cent stores
. carry small spoons in quiet and ap-
. proved patterns that fit the occasion
. with grace. Only in contemporary
: living can such grace be so mex
: pensive, by the way.
Linen is not necessary, though it
IS frequently used. Specially de-
signed coffee napkins are being in
: troduced by exclusive linen shops
But in these matters, the color of
. the room, the type of table used and
the nature of the dinner and the
hostess caprice will correctly settle
the question.