April, 1 9 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



XVll 



any particular species, as in all species pos- 

 sessing it — just as vision itself must have 

 been gradually acquired. Also showy 

 colors must have been perceived before 

 tints could be discerned ; and even now we 

 know, through the spectroscope, that the 

 human eye is not developed to the fullest 

 possible perceptions of color. Xow the 

 first colors recognized bv the first eyes must 

 have presumably been just those we call 

 primary — yellow, red, green, blue. Yellow, 

 the color of gold, is also the color of our 

 sun ; the brightest daylight has a more or 

 less faint tinge even at noon, according to 

 the state of the atmosphere ; and this tinge 

 deepens at sunrise and sunset. Red is the 

 color of blood — a color allied necessarily 

 from time immemorial with violent mental 

 impressions, whether of war, or love, or the 

 chase, or religious sacrifice. Green kself 

 is the color of the world. Blue — the blue 

 of the far-away sky — has necessarily 

 always been for man the color mysterious 

 and holy — always associated with those 

 high phenomena of heaven which first in- 

 spired wonder and fear of the unknown. 

 These colors were probably first known to 

 intelligent life, and their impressions are to- 

 day the strongest. So violent, indeed, have 

 the}- become to our refined civilized sense 

 that in apparel or decoration three of them, 

 at least, are condemned when offered pure. 

 Even the armie.s of the world are abandon- 

 ing red uniforms; no refined people wear 

 flaming crimsons or scarlets or yellows ; 

 nobody would paint a house or decorate a 

 wall with a solid sheet of strong primary 

 color. Blue is still the least violent, the 

 most agreeable to the artistic sense; and 

 in subdued form it holds a place, in cos- 



tume and in art, 

 colors." 



refused to less spiritual 



CHEAP ARRAS 



EMBROIDERED arras and Gobelin tap- 

 estries are very delightful and we all 

 admire them greatly and — shall we not also 

 say? — -respectfully, at a distance. Unfortu- 

 nately the joy of owning them is quite be- 

 yond most of us. Our ardent admiration 

 for them is only an indication, however, 

 that there is deep down in us a natural long- 

 ing for beautiful fabrics and effective drap- 

 eries. We may not be conscious of it till 

 some unusually pleasing arrangement of 

 hangings strikes our eye and makes its 

 appeal, but it is there. Luckily there are 

 many ways in which we may gratify our 

 "drapery taste" for very little outlay and 

 for quite ordinary purposes. At the ex- 

 pense of a little ingenuity and willingness 

 to break away from trammelling conven- 

 tionalities it is surprising how much may 

 be done. Stencilled cotton cloth for inex- 

 pensive hangings everyone, of course, 

 knows about, but there is a plenty of other 

 fabrics that lend themselves admirably for 

 the =ame purpose. To mention only three, 

 there is coarse Russian crash towelling and 

 there is scene-painter's linen and last of all 

 despised gunny-sacking. The list might 

 readily be lengthened but these three ex- 

 ample.-, will serve to convey the idea of the 

 kind of possibilities open to us. As to 

 decoration, these materials supply a good 

 backing for almost anything we may choose 

 to put on them. As an instance may be 

 mentioned a door hanging of Russian crash 

 where the decoration consisted of a straight 

 of conventionally patterned bees across 

 the top done in blue and brown cross- 

 stitch. These goods may be no cheaper 

 than more "orthodox" stuffs, they may even 

 cost a trifle more, but they afford a com- 

 bination of color and texture that is well 

 worth the effort to secure. 



~~-~"'|HE possession of good furniture is forever 

 | || 1 a satisfaction. 



-*- Berkey & Gay furniture is not costly, and 



E8SSB3QE3 besides, whether you furnish your entire house, 

 or only one room, or merely buy a piece or two, you have 

 something which is not going to grow old but which will 

 increase in charm for you with the years. Excellent wood 

 is one reason for this, but purity of design and worthiness 

 of making also have a prominent part. Berkey & Gay 

 period pieces have that element of the artistic which is fundamentally 

 beautiful; they do not represent whims nor the straining after the unique. 

 Over fifty years ago we began making our kind of furniture. We may be 

 old fashioned, but we keep on in the same way. When you buy anything 

 bearing our shopmark it will be 



For Your Children 's Heirlooms 



IT is important that you see the Berkey 

 & Gay shopmark when you buy. This 

 shopmark is not a label; it is inlaid 

 in every piece. It is made with the piece. 

 It is a lasting guaranty, covering material, 

 design, workmanship and value. 



Our period pieces are studies from the 

 authentic masterpiece of their times, while 

 our "Flanders" is the most beautiful 

 treatment of America's own wood — oak — 

 you will find in furniture. 



Our dealer, with the displays on his 

 floors, and our portfolios of direct photo- 

 gravures, enables you to select from our 

 entire line. 



ALTHOUGH you may not contem- 

 plate purchasing furniture at this 

 time, you will be interested in our 

 de luxe book "Character in Furniture." 

 It is illustrated from oil paintings by Rene 

 Vincent, and gives in an informative way 

 the history of period furniture. It is 

 an expensive book — for us, but the de- 

 mand has been so great that we have 

 prepared another edition. We will send 

 you a copy for fifteen two cent stamps. 

 Also, on request, we will mail you free 

 "The Story of Berkey 

 & Gay." It is a busi- 

 ness story — if you 

 have a boy he will be 

 inspired by reading it. 



Berkey & Gay Furniture Co. 



178 Monroe Ave., Grand Rapids, Michigan 



'this inlaid mark of 



honor identifies to you each 



Berkey £? Gay piece. 



r^\ 



LANE JOIST 

 HANGERS 



Don't cut away timbers or depend on 

 flimsy spiking. Our hangers are propor- 

 tioned so that they will carry a greater load 

 than the timbers which they support — this 

 makes them safe. 



1 00 stock sizes. 4 styles. 



A large Catalog for the asking shoeing other 

 Builders Hardware. Twenty thousand hangers 

 in stock, ready for immediate shipment. 



Lane Brothers Company 



Wilson Ave., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 



Lane Style "D" Timber Hanger 

 (Hooks over each side of timber) 



