The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-18

Times Hobby Editor
ONCE the collecting and making
~ of small objects is the hobby of
many wealthy Chicago women, the
Ackermann gallery has displayed
this summer collections owned by
Mrs. James Ward Thorne. Mrs. o.
den Armour, Mrs. Potter Palmer,
Mrs. Joseph Cudahy, and many
others for the benefit of the Chill
drens Memorial hospital.
The exhibit was arranged by Mrs.
Thorne and was planned primarily
to interest children. Settings were
made by Paul Bartels, using Mrs;
Thorne's small animals to depict
Peter Rabbits home, jungle water
hole, a real circus, chicken farm,
and many other scenes in miniature.
Mrs. Thorne'S eXquisitely arranged
and designed rooms are the acme
of perfection in this hobby. She as
sembles tiny objects into beautiful
interiors which often are replicaS
of rooms in famous houses.
No part of the Century of Prog
reSs Exposition has had more pub
licity than the Streets of Paris, and
yet Mrs. Thorne's gem of collec-
ton of miniature rooms, which is
tucked away amidst the HoOp-La,
has been mentioned but seldom. Al
though these unusual miniatures are
as out of place in that bizarre
amusement atmosphere as an eXqui-
site piece of old lace on the dance
hall girl in an old-time Alaskan
saloon, to many of us they make the
Streets of Paris worthy of a visit
and give mother an excuse to &C
company father if he is Sally Rand
conscious.
MRS. -THORNE says of her hob
WI by, Many of the tiny pieces
of furniture and ornaments were
selected from many collections of
miniature objects, found in various
countries. These, however, formed
only a nucleus around which each
room was developed and it was
necessary to create all manner of
diminutive things to complete the
furnishings. Throughout, it has
been my rule to use real materials
wherever possible.
The Spanish and Italian lamps,
grillS, and screen are iron, the
furniture is wood, carved in the
finest detail and covered with genu-
inc fabrics; the lighting fixtures Of
brass and crystal, the rugs are real
pieces of Aubusson and Petit Point.
The lighting Of each room is
either through the windows or the
open door to create a realistic at
moSphere. The greatest difficulty
in constructing these rooms has
been to keep everything in correct
scale"
How successfully this has been
accomplished, the photograph above
shows, for it seems to be the picture
Of an actual room. 1t is an exact
replica of one Of Queen Victorias
parlors, but it is only about twenty
five inches long and twenty inches
deep. The statues on the pedestals
in front of the windows are two
inches high, which measurement
gives an accurate idea Of the relative
size of the other articles. The
elaborate ceiling is true to the pc
Rod, as is the furniture. purchased
in England.
The chairs are veneered in rose
wood and the drawers of the wee
desk and lowboy really will open
and shut. a copy of the London
Times (the edition made for the
queens dollhouse is in the news
stand beside the desk.
The petit point on the pillows
and fire screen and the cross stitch
on the God Bless Our Home mot
TO are marvels of minute perfection,
as are the wax flowers under the
glass bells, and the bible and red
plush photograph album on the
center table.
OTHER rooms in the exhibit, also
" in true and exact perfection,
are an early American kitchen; a
vaulted Spanish hall of the sew
enteenth century: a Venetian
rocco salon: an early English
library. copy Of the wood-paneled
room in Levens hall; a French En-
pire salon; dining room and bed
room Of the Louis XVI period: a
Majorcan kitchen, and a modern
entrance hall.
Only the Majorcan kitchen has
an occupant. A lovely housewife,
in cap and apron. is seated near
The fireplace. Mrs. Thorne needs