CHINA FIGURES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 789, 9 October 1929, Page 14

CHINA FIGURES

VICTORIAN ORNAMENTS COME BACK “GALLANT AND LADY” From the massed formation of the Victorian ornaments at least one worthy thing has emerged to be recreated in modern manner, and that is the china figure. Whereas once it was submerged in a heterogeneous collection of knick-knacks, now its solitary place of honour accords full display to its characteristics and colour, go that it strikes the keynote of a room. A favourite manner of displaying these figures, and one that strikes quite a new note in lighting and decoration, is to have them mounted on a stand together with a short electric light standard. The shade makes a gay canopy of colouv'and is, of course, in keeping with the. spirit of the figures. Thus, a satin-coated gallant is bending the knee to a little lady in hooped skirts and ringlets. Above their heads is a soft curved shade in dull pink painted with garlands of flowers. The figures are equally attractive when used as centrepieces for the mantelshelf or a side table. There is the Victorian lady with her crinoline and bright red shawl, and the ‘'Parson’s Daughter,” with downcast eyes and modest mein, though her gay-col-oured clothes seem to hint at a certain liveliness in the lady. But maybe you would rather be completely modern in decoration, in which case there are such attractive statuettes as “The Lido Lady,” a pretty p3’jama’d vision in pinks and creams; or “Negligee,” which has an ethereal delicacy and charm marvellous in china. “The Butterfly Girl” and “Pierette” portray Miss 1928 in fancy dress, the former a masterpiece in colour harmony, and the latter proof positive that mere black and white can be just as beautiful. “The Minstrel” is a figure of cheer in his raiment of pageantry, and “Mr. Pickwick’s” rotund lines suggest a comfortable, home-like spirit for a much-lived-in sitting room. Each figure is the work of a wellknown artist, and the potters have a reputation for fine china that extends over six reigns. Care of sponges.—Sponges become hard and shrink if put into very hot water. When new they should be soaked for some days in rain water, and squeezed frequently to rid them of any grit. An excellent cleansing solution is made with an ounce of carbonate of soda added to a pint Of warm (not hot) water. The sponge is left to soak in this for a day, then thoroughly rinsed in cold clear water.

In addition to paper, paint and distemper, woven fabrics are coming into favour in England as a medium for wall decoration. The idea is not a new one, and in the famous diary, Samuel Pepys records in 1663 buying a “chint” for the purpose of lining his wife’s new study. The writer remembers being attracted by the decorative scheme of a small, yet beautifully conceived, smoking room. It was entirely a study in browns —yes, almost every shade of brown —from the light tawny-brown of a sere autumn leaf to the deep, warm, friendly brown of freshly-dug earth. But for all the tobacco-brown upholstered easy chairs, the rich patina of old oak furniture, and the manyshaded brown fleckings of the carpet, the walls—it was decidedly the walls, that really gave the cachet to the whole interior. These consisted of panels of coarse ! brown canvas fixed between oaken 1 slats. Simplicity itself, admittedly, j but so effective! And not difficult to j execute, since it is possible to obtain the canvas all ready prepared with a i backing. In -this case the fabric is I