September, 1912 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
B39 1 
original handles were ever like the ones 
supplied by the dealer. If the handles 
are all missing, note if there are one or 
two holes showing where they once 
were. All bail handles have two holes, 
even the earliest type. If there is but 
one hole, they were drop or knob han¬ 
dles, and you must suit these to the age 
of your relic. 
When you purchase antique furni¬ 
ture, you must remember that it is 
somewhat in the nature of an invest¬ 
ment and choose accordingly. Many 
people who wish to sell heirlooms 
think that personal history and senti¬ 
ment give an added value. They are 
worth nothing, however, unless the 
original owner was a character of na¬ 
tional importance, in which case the 
furniture must have its pedigree in 
writing or print, and be of absolute 
veracity. A poplar bedstead is but a 
poplar bedstead, and without carving, 
or fine tester and curtains, or interest¬ 
ing sweep from which net curtains 
originally hung, it is almost valueless. 
If you begin to furnish a room in 
one wood, be it mahogany, walnut, 
cherry, poplar or maple, see that all your 
pieces are of the same wood, or at least 
have some of it in their composition. It 
is better to wait years and have it satis¬ 
factory in the end, than to buy with a 
rush and always have to be apologizing 
to people for some unsuitable bit. 
A handsome bookcase desk made about 
1 800, of mahogany, with maple panels 
This slanting top escritoire, probably a cen¬ 
tury and a half old, has good lines 
The Pembroke inlaid table, made of mahogany, 
combines grace and utility 
The large brasses are an indication that this 
highboy dates from about 1 750 
The grain of curly maple is especially beauti¬ 
ful in conjunction with mahogany 
There was a wonderful old book pub¬ 
lished in Philadelphia, called “The Jour¬ 
neymen Cabinet and Chair-makers Phila¬ 
delphia Book of Prices.” The second 
edition, which is the only one I have 
ever been able to find, is dated 1795. In 
it are given minute directions for the 
making of very splendid pieces of fur¬ 
niture, carved and inlaid in highest 
style, with the dimensions and price of 
each. The woods mentioned are wal¬ 
nut, mahogany, poplar and buttonwood. 
The prices were not cheap even in 
those days, for instance, “A plain high- 
post mahogany bedstead with rails and 
facings, £ 9 . Of poplar, £3-10-00.” 
Sometimes two mahogany posts were 
used on poplar bedsteads, in which case 
the charge was extra. I have never 
happened to come across the combina¬ 
tion of poplar and mahogany, but it was 
used. 
Philadelphia for many years was the 
headquarters for the best furniture 
made in this country and it is a matter 
of regret that none of these specimens 
was marked or dated. Some there are 
which still remain in the families for 
which they were made, and these serve 
as guides for the other and unauthenti¬ 
cated pieces. 
The illustrations speak for them¬ 
selves, and are used as finger posts to 
point the way to what is admirable in 
style. One or two are used as warnings. 
But before beginning your collecting 
familiarize yourself with the different 
woods and the characteristics of the 
famous makes. 
