450 THE BUILDING NEWS. May 31, 1872.
It may be expedient to do this—according to the external temperature—either when the apartment is full, or when it is empty, but the power of doing it with ease and rapidity should be a primary desideratum in eyery instance. , ———_———_ FURNITURE IN THE INTER- NATIONAL EXHIBITION. N the sideboard marked No. 2762, in room No. 7, Messrs. Gillow exhibit an extrava- gantly overloaded composition of the class of furniture so greatly admired some thirty years back, in which Renaissance architectural stone features are parodied in wood. The pedestals are half quadrants upon plan, and are flanked by monstrous balusters. Huge bolection mouldings and ponderous carved members emphasize every portion, if that can be called emphasis which is lavished equally everywhere. The material is walnut, with an oval bronze medallion in the centre of the backboard, under a curved pediment, which has a sort of furze bush of carved foliage in place of the keystone. ‘The general effect is, of its class—Louis Quatorze work—un- doubtedly rich and harmonious, and the workmanship excellent; but cw bono all this waste, which is quite outside the pale of art, and only ministers to false pride and senseless luxury ? It is made to sell, and we almost regret to think that in all probability that end, such as it is, will be effected, and some cotton lord from the North carry it off in triumph, asa tour-de-force of one of the first manufacturers of the age. Messrs. Gillow ~should strive to lead and not mislead such men, who are by no means averse to learn what is real art, and take a pride in making - collections of thesame. Close alongside of this pretentious example of workmanship is a cabinet not much less in size, but infinitely superior to it in artistic and practical character. It is exhibited by Messrs. Morant, Boyd, & Blanford, but is evidently from the design of some architect not unstudied in the matter of furniture, while the work we have just been discussing is as evidently from one of the furniture artists of the old school— probably a Frenchman—such as are retained by some of the more eminent manufacturing firms : men who are slow to imbibe new ideas, and faney their own hackneyed style to be perfection. The motif of the cabinet to which we would now direct attention is Medieval, but freely treated, with a good deal of impure Classic details, introduced after the fashion of the Queen Anne period, now so much and so foolishly imitated by some of those young men who strive to appear original by following some queer out- of-the-way type. The material of the cabinet is light wainscot, and the principal enrich- ments are sunk delicate ornaments gilded with a few paintings of fruit upon gold grounds, in the cove of the upper parts. The general tone thus produced is very pleasing, and is enhanced by the contrast of several plate- glass panels, which relieve, but do not fill, the recessed portions. Among the Gothic details of this work is the treatment of the cove just mentioned, and the pointed arches and slender columns atthe ends of this ; while as Classic may be noted the ege and tongue moulding | below the shelf on which these rest. Semi- cireular niches to some of the glass panels, and Elizabethan-like panels, bearsunk frets and Medieval bronze hinges; arid nondescript cuspings combine to forma jumble of styles which we cannot recognise as a new one, or one at allworth reproducing. Still, inspite of these vagaries, the designer has produced a graceful piece of furniture, and we should like to see essays by the same hand in a purer and better style. Messrs. Johnstone, Jeanes, & Co., also ex- hibit a cabinet in ebony and a chair, which present very much the same general characteristics in the detail, with the Gothic, and, indeed, the pure Classic element also eliminated; a genuine imitation of old
English work, delicately moulded, and en-
riched with sunk ornaments, with an open
gallery with coved top inthe upper part for
the display of china. We fancy that this in
reality is from the same designer as the last.
If so, why is not credit given to whom credit is
due? <A small cabinet, No. 2765, by Messrs.
Gillow, is also very similar in general char-
acter, and likewise very good. Are we wrong
in attributing all these to Mr. Talbert, whose
style we seem to recognise throughout these
works by different makers, who, according to
the custom of the trade, put forward no names
but their own, whereas nought of the brain-
work is theirs? An ebony tea table, enriched
with gold, exhibited by Messrs. Morant,
Boyd, & Blanford, affects, but does not reach
the same standard as the last, the detail
being rococo, ‘The same might be said of
(2759) another small cabinet by Gillow, which
is common-place, and the niggling work of
which is not effective in proportion to its cost.
A cabinet, near to the last described speci-
men, in light coloured work, decorated with
stained ornaments in red and black, is sug-
gestive, and not unpleasing, except as regards
the queer balusters and arches which support
the upper part. It is a sort of chest upon
posts. The decorations resemble those upon
Messrs. Simpson’s “‘ art tiles.” The art here
is rather of a low type. No. 2785 — the
catalogue fails to respond to the numbers
—is an elaborate chimney-piece, modelled
in cream-coloured pottery, with a high
glaze, enriched with ormolu, of which
we can but say again, that it is suggestive.
Good work might be so wrought as well as a
vicious jumble of Renaissance details, and in
different ornaments, to the repetition of
which the material sadly lends itself, but the
general design and effect of the whole in this
case is not bad.
An interesting little cabinet, exhibited by
Messrs, Doulton & Co., No. 2767, has six
panels of Scripture subjects inserted in the
doors, which are very well composed and
tolerably modelled, and exeeuted in their
earthenware, glazed, and relieved with blue
colour. They are from the hand of one of
the modellers employed in Messrs. Dovflton’s
establishment at Lambeth.
An inlaid table of marble, exhibited by J.
Wren, deserves praise, but the general design
is too much like an ordinary wooden one,
than specially fitted for the material. No.
1079, on the opposite side of the room,
has a sort of tripod stand, and is far better
in this respect, but inferior as regards the
inlaying, and both examples err m having
this portion of the work too naturalesque.
No. 2761 is a Moorish piano case, elabo-
rately and well wrought all over, and fairly
designed in the style chosen, but why the
choice? Is it going to Morocco?
Another piano case, almost as elaborate,
but in a more ordinary modern furniture
style, and ornamented with painted porcelain
panels, is sent by Messrs. Hopkinson, of
Regent-street. The general effect of this is
not commensurate with the cost, and the
glaring white of the porcelain is too crude.
No. 2787, a cabinet exhibited by J. Lamb, also
decorated with porcelain, 1s far better. In-
deed, this is, though peculiar, a rich and
beautiful work. The main structure is black,
polished, relieved with ornaments in gold and
dead black, with panels and borders in am-
boyna, enriched with decoration in cream
colour and gold, while other still more pre-
cious panels are of Wedgwood ware, having
white figures on sage-green grounds. ‘There
is, perhaps, some want of repose, every por-
tion of the surface being ornamented ; but the
general form, tone of colour, and the design
of the details, in a modern French treatment
of Classic, are refined and harmonious. No.
2760 is another small and curious cabinet,
exhibited by Messrs, Doulton & Co., with
flat plaques of pottery introduced as panels,
with freely sketched groups of animals,
touched with blue, and glazed. We are glad! very
to see this comparatively common 1aterial |
so artistically treated, and introduced in so
novel a manner.
In Room No. 9, Messrs. Cox & Sons (see
lithographic illustrations) are large contri-
butors, and their works, thanks to the super-
intendence of Mr. S. J. Nicholl, are of a
more uniform character, and in a far higher
style of art than usual, and prove the im-
portance of manufacturers placing reliance
upon such trained able assistance. Some
of Messrs. Cox’s productions, however,
are by Mr. Talbert, and others by Mr. Moyr
Smith, and the consequence is that they present
an exceedingly interesting and generally—
though, of course, in varying degrees—ex-
cellent collection of works of art. manufac-
ture. The chimney-piece and breast, carried
up as a feature for the end of a room
(2771), designed by Mr. Nicholl, and with
tiles and panels drawn by Mr. Rossiter, is a
really fine thing, though, as is often the case in
such attempted tours-de-force made for exhi-
bition, a little overdone and wanting in
repose. The actual fireplace and mantel-
piece are also made to appear almost signifi-
cant among their surroundings, whereas, in
reality, they should have been the prominent
part of the composition, to which all the rest
should have been subordinate. There is so
much that is clever and well-designed, and
such a wealth of excellent detail in this work
that the eye rather resents not being suffered
to rest upon any one portion in particular.
The whole wants quieting down, and this
might -easily be done, particularly by
softening down the borders of the tiling.
The colouring of the coved part, where the
chimney-breast unites with the ceiling, is the
softest and pleasantest part. A plain oak
cabinet and lectern, by Mr. Nicholl, are full of
character. His font is injured by the raw
colouring of the tiles introduced, the lower
part alone is soft and harmonious. Mr.
Talbert’s reredos issomewhat loud and coarse
in general design, and in the detail of the
carved stonework, and the painting upon tiles
within it, by Casolani, a very poor affair
indeed. His font-cover is much better. A
capital flagon by Messrs. Goldie & Child,
and another less characteristic one by Mr.
Butterfield, and a sumptuous and excellent
pastoral staff for Hereford Cathedral, designed
by Mr. Codman, after a remnant of an ancient
one discovered there, are exhibited by Messrs.
Cox, and the execution does that firm much
credit. Miss A. Groome’s altar frontal, the
embroidery of which is executed in straw, is
good and effective. Mr. Rossiter’s panels in
cabinet (2781), by Messrs. Cox, also deserve
particular attention, now that the method of
decorative painting is being discussed. One
panel represents a young man with hawk and
hound, and the other a girl attended by a
swan. The cabinet itself is a good specimen
of Mr. Moyr Smith’s quaint and characteristic
designs. A perforated panel altar back, in
two thicknesses of wood, black and red upon
a yellow ground, is rich, and the series of
small panels with drawings of insects and
birds in gold lines, and some conventional
ornament, treated in thesame way, ave very
good. The same room has a pretty little
black and gold seeretaire, with a larger one
of similar character, both designed by Mr.
Moyr Smith, exhibited by Messrs. Collinson
& Lock; a very good cabinet (2780) sent
by Gillow & Co. ; a rich table with inlaid
top in the Greek style (2783) ; a cabinet with
painted tiles, exhibited by John Bennett,
somewhat too strong in colour ; and a start-
lingly loud Gothic cabinet, sent by Messrs.
Collier & Pecknett, which forms a good
example of what to avoid. ;
This colléction of articles of furniture is
butasmall one, and cannot be looked upon
as representative of the work of the day,
being contributed by a comparatively few
manufacturers, and from the designs of avery
limited number of artists. Without being
yery original or perfect, it is, on the whole,
ereditable, and gives good promise for
the future, as thereis but little of what may
