August, 1921 
21 
and interestingly than the 
Colonial cabinetmakers. 
It is a durable wood, that 
grows lustrous with age. 
It combines with other 
styles of furniture far bet¬ 
ter than mahogany does, 
and if made after the 
good old models always 
has an air of distinction. 
One wonders why the 
modern Colonial furni¬ 
ture has not been dupli¬ 
cated more often in the 
woods that are at our com¬ 
mand today. Mahogany 
is increasingly difficult to 
get, and there is no rea¬ 
son why these fine old 
models should not be re¬ 
produced in the less ex¬ 
pensive woods suitable to 
such designs, as for in¬ 
stance, cypress, chestnut 
and eucalyptus, pine, 
maple. 
Excellent modern Colo¬ 
nial furniture is being 
made by genuine crafts¬ 
men, and it is even pos¬ 
sible to secure the more 
practical models unpaint¬ 
ed, these to be toned to 
Suit the special wood¬ 
work of individual rooms. 
The unpainted pine pieces 
Harting 
This curly maple jour-poster 
with pineapple carving still 
has its original tester or can¬ 
opy and hand-blocked chintz 
spread 
(Above) The double comb- 
back Windsor is a rare type 
of the Middle Colonial period. 
Photographed by courtesy of 
Wallace Nutting 
(Right) The Windsor chair 
took varied forms, from the 
simplest to the most elab¬ 
orate. This example shows 
the braced bow-back, an un¬ 
usual type. These Windsors 
are available in reproduction 
The candle stand and ladder- 
back chair in the bedroom 
group date from about 17S0. 
A hooked rug completes the 
original atmosphere 
(Above) The comb is pecu¬ 
liar to some Windsors. In 
this round-back type the style 
of turning dates from the mid¬ 
dle period. Wallace Nutting 
(Below) The cross-leg table, 
in its simple lines and con¬ 
struction, typifies the spirit of 
early America. In this group 
is also shown an unusual nar¬ 
row pine desk. Courtesy of 
Benjamin Benguiat 
are often merely finished 
with oil and wax well 
rubbed in, this process re¬ 
peated several times, and 
then an outer coat added 
of lusterless varnish, 
making an interesting 
furnishing for a light tone 
room fitted with brilliant 
curtains and cushions. 
There can be no doubt 
that more and more our 
architects will carry out 
in the houses that are de¬ 
signed for this country 
our old ideas of sim¬ 
plicity and beauty, be¬ 
cause the early people 
built without precedent 
the houses suited to the 
landscape and their own 
need. Now if these earlier 
styles are to prevail in a 
modified way, the essen¬ 
tial furniture to realize 
harmonious interiors is 
unquestionably the old 
Colonial models. Happily 
for these houses, wall pa¬ 
per is being made today 
exactly suited to this fur¬ 
niture, and also the old 
Colonial wrought iron is 
being reproduced with 
great conviction and 
fidelity. 
