Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21
BY HOWARD KETCHAM.


A good deal of attention has been
given during the past year to the re-
finishing Of buses and delivery wagons,
for. with the increasing use Of indi-
vidual and striking color schemes in
motor cars in general, the days OF the
old-time black commercial vehicle are
about over. There are several things
to be considered In providing an at
tractive and suitable color scheme for
such vehicles. A good deal depends
upon what the purpose OF the vehicle
is. Vivid red Is a good color for a fire
engine, but 1t would not be so good on
a florists wagon. Old-faShioned COM
mon sense will dictate the proper view
point to every owner.
Certain types of delivery wagons
| with closed bodies and severe body lines
call for colorS that will not accent the
unattractive features of the design. In
this connection, cold, dark shades of
blue and dark chocolate browns are ex-
cellent colors. Good examples of these
colorS from which to choose are:
Overland blue, Byram blue, La Tosca
blue, Gettysburg blue, Thorne brown,
Lackawanna brown, rich loan, which Is
gray brown: fallowfleld brown. Both
the dark blue and the brown take sill
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as trim or lettering color.
The attractive appearance Of any
colored object is accomplished by close
attention to detail. Visibility Is an as
set to attention value in this type Of
vehicle and, as such, warrants careful
consideration in using the secondary or
accent color to good advantage.
Appearance Appreciated.
Shop keepers in all sections of the
United States are commencing to ap-
preciate the appearance value of their
delivery carts. Shades of orchid, violet,
rose and delicate blue tintS have been
adopted generally by the florists as
symbolic of their trade. Each florist
has been able to use secondary and ter
tiary colorS in such q way as to assure
individuality for his own vehicles and
in this way he has been able to estab-
lish trademark value for his wagons.
Garish colors for business vehicles are
now passe. We have begun to agree
with the early Egyptians that harshness
and lack of harmony offend, but that
brilliance and richness can be effected
in good taste. Early colorists studied
nature for their color schemes and
learned how to create subtle har-
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attractive color grouping is the orchid,
the subdued green and blue of earth
and sky, the rare colorings of birds and
fish. the hues of precious stones, all sup
ply us with hints for the use of colors.
Laundry wagons look crisp and at
tractive in white, pale yellows, light
blues and tints of green. Such colors
as yellow violet, Cinderella gold, bril-
liant gold, storm cloud hue, darker
than mist blue, mountain mist blue,
blue with considerable gray, bay tree
green, Verdancia green, light green and
water-glo green lend themselves effec-
lively to the decorative motif Blues
may be used effectively on white or
yellow base colors. White contrasts
splendidly when used on blue and
green, yellow or pale gold. Bronze is
effective on pale greens similar to those
described above.
Colors for Hearses.
The growing use of motor hearses has
given rise to some perplexing as to
what may be done with them In the
because hearSes have always been black
or white is no reason they always
should be, any more than just because
tenders were black for long time they
must remain black. One of the newest
types of motor hearses seats about 80
people and carries the casket as well.
Such buses may be lacquered in dark
blue or one of the maroonS and still be
proper to the spirit of their use.
Lanyin maroon with black and gold
is in good taste, as also are Pomerang
brown and pyramid gray with a black
stripe on the brown, or pewter pot
(cold green graD and blue gray trim