USE OF IRON FOR FURNITURE. 28$ 



could employ his hands in painting and polishing them; 



there would be ample scope for ingenuity in the cornices, 



and in the ornamenting and finishing them ; and I think 



they might be sold at a considerably less price, thun the Not expen- 



earved mahogany ones are now made at. £ 9ive « 



Also chests of drawers, bookcases, and bureaus, might all For chests of 

 be made in sheet iron. The frames and mouldings might ^XaseT 

 be rolled in rollers with grooves, with all kinds of patterns 

 indented or engraved in the rollers, such as foliage, plain, 

 fluted, or beaded stripes, or any ornamental work. The 

 mouldings would thus be made rapidly in the extreme. 

 The pannels might be cut out to lit the article, the fancy of 

 the workman had made, in sheet iron. The mouldings, 

 framing, and pannels, might then be beautifully japanned, 

 painted, and polished, either to imitate mahogany; or with 

 red, black, or any kind of coloured grounds; the pannels 

 painted with landscapes, flowers, fruits, animals, or any de- 

 vice fancy might dictate; the mouldings might be made in 

 all kinds of Gothic or other shapes and forms, and the pan- 

 nels fitted to them, and the whole piece of furniture screwed 

 together when completely finished. The drawers might be 

 made with light iron framing; filled up with wire work, which 

 would make them very light; and afterward lined with silk, 

 cloth, paper, or any substance most convenient. This 

 would diminish the consumption of the cheaper wood, used 

 for the drawers, 8zc. 



I do not think a piece of furniture finished in this man- Such furniture 



ner would be any heavier than oue made with wood. For notheaVier 

 i. i » lii /. ^ • thun wood. 



the sheet iron tor the pannels need only be ot sufficient 



thickness, to stand to its form without bending, and the 

 framing of proper strength to hold firmly together. Furni- 

 ture made in this manner would certainly be more beauti-, 



i /. -i e a l i. .i More beauti- 



ful, and if an accident ot lire were to happen, the pro- f u l,andasecu» 



perty contained in it would be saved. The article would ri '>" «g ainst 

 only want fresh japanning and painting again, if the flame 

 had destroyed its beauty. 



Large pieces of furniture, when required to be removed, c onve ni©nt fot 

 might easily be taken to pieces, as all parts would be screw- removal, 

 ed together and put up again at a trifling expense, without 

 the least injury : while at present a large, handsome, and 



Vol. XXII.— April, I8O9. U valuable 



