.58 
House & Garden 
Creating tmtfj Simple means 
Beligljtful Snteriors 
jCXuccess in the planning of a room depends 
upon the grace of good judgment, 
rather than lavish expenditure— 
ATT Indeed, some of the most delightful 
4J interiors are those in which the appoint¬ 
ments are quite simple in character—yet so 
well disposed in relation to their setting 
that the whole effect is pleasing beyond 
expression. 
MTT The opportunity to achieve such results 
is nowhere better presented than at 
these interesting Galleries. On view here 
are many simple yet singularly charming 
groups and occasional pieces of Furniture 
at well within a moderate cost. In addition 
there are Reproductions of every historic 
epoch, admirable examples of English 
Upholstery, quaint Decorative Objects, 
modern and ancient Oriental Rugs—all a 
part of the well-appointed town or country 
house of today. 
Suggestions way be gained from de luxe prints of 
interesting interiors, sent gratis upon request. 
Grand Rapids Rirmture Company 
INCORPORATED 
34 ~ 36 We si 32 - Street 
New York City 
Spanish Chairs and Tables of the 18th Century 
(Continued from page 47) 
with rather promi¬ 
nent, jowl-like bulges 
at the lower extremity 
of each side. This 
peculiarity of contour, 
while of Portuguese 
derivation, was also 
of frequent occurrence 
in Spanish chairs and 
likewise appeared very 
plainly in some Eng¬ 
lish and Dutch chairs 
of about the same 
date. Before quitting 
Figure 15 which, by 
the way, is covered 
with dark red leather 
with a rich design 
stamped in gold, it is 
pertinent to note that 
the cockle or scallop 
shell, that favorite de¬ 
vice of 18th Century 
chair and cabinet¬ 
makers, has appeared 
on the cresting and on 
the front of the seat 
Fig. 15. Carved, beech 
chair with stamped 
leather seat and back. 
1700 
It will be observed 
that the caning, as in 
most of the Spanish 
and Portuguese pieces 
of early date, is of 
fine and close texture 
with small interstices. 
The caned seats of 
Spanish chairs were 
often slightly counter¬ 
sunk with a fine 
moulding running 
around between the 
caning and the frame. 
This treatment gave 
an agreeable bit of 
finish and style; the 
depression was not 
deep enough to affect 
the comfort of the 
sitter and was yet 
sufficient to keep a 
squab cushion in 
place if it was desired 
to use one. 
The “Chinese taste” 
flourished in Spain in 
rail and, furthermore, attention should the early part of the 18th Century with 
be directed to the elaborate care with quite as much vigor as it did elsewhere 
which the rear legs are turned, this on the Continent and in England, and 
latter phenomenon being of exceedingly the painted chair, shown in Figure 13, 
common occurrence in chairs of Spanish is a striking evidence of the sway of 
make. Chinese inspiration. Not only are the 
Early in the 18th Century the as- motifs employed altogether Chinese— 
cendency of the cabriole leg was fully the rendering, of course, is wholly occi- 
assured. Cabriole leg and curved arm dental—but the comb-like part of the 
support are emphasized in Figure 12, a cresting, terminating in a whorled scroll, 
walnut arm-chair with caned seat and is deliberately taken over with little or 
back. The progress of style evolution is no modification from a Chinese proto- 
marked by the presence of three other type. The form of the splat, too, is ob- 
features of contour—the shaped apron viously borrowed from the shape of a 
beneath the seat frame, the outward porcelain vase and then attenuated, and 
flared arms ending in whorled scrolls, not very successfully either, to suit the 
and the “spooned” back. In this exam- height -of the back. Spanish taste, in 
pie, which is a remarkably fine specimen certain phases, evinced a passion for a 
of chair design and construction that multiplicity of curves. Evidence of this 
might do credit to any age, we have may be seen in the waved seat rails of 
again the imposing 
scrolled cresting and 
likewise the charac¬ 
teristically Spanish 
treatment of the 
back which is di¬ 
vided into a narrow 
wooden splat be¬ 
tween two narrow 
panels of caning. 
The influence o f 
this type was re¬ 
flected in a number 
of English chairs of 
approximately the 
same date, a rather 
interesting evidence 
of the rapidity with 
which furniture 
styles traveled from 
one country to an¬ 
other under the fos¬ 
tering impetus of 
commercial activity. 
Fig. 16. Small walnut cabri¬ 
ole-legged gate table. 1720- 
40. T raver 
Figure 13 and in the 
apron of Figure 12. 
English Master 
Influence 
Whether we do or 
do not choose to ap¬ 
ply the term “Chip¬ 
pendale” to a phase 
of Spanish furniture 
design contemporary 
with the activities of 
the great chair and 
cabinet-maker of St. 
Martin’s Lane, the 
fact is undeniable 
that there was at 
work in Spain a set 
of influences affect¬ 
ing the design of 
chair and cabinet 
work, comparable 
(Continued on 
page 60) 
Fig. 17. Three painted and parcel gilt and gilt rush- 
seated chairs of a type common in Valencia and 
Majorca. 1730-70. Traver 
