Special to Architects and Designers
found in Italian marble. Its close texture and high purity of color have given it an undeniable claim to its description as a “white marble. ”
But of all the white marbles of the world perhaps the most beautiful is the finely grained and spotless pure Parian marble of the Island of Paros. The celebrated statues Venus de Milo, the Venus de Medici, the Venus Capitoline, were made of this marble. These quarries, as well as those of the adjoining Island of Naxos, have been taken over by this same English company. — Exchange.
Cedars of Lebanon. — The cedars of Lebanon, famed throughout Christendom because of the reference made to them frequently in the Scriptures and by early classical writers as well, seem destined to suffer the fate of other decaying species, such as the buffalo, which once roamed the plains in countless numbers, and the Sequoia gigantea, the giant redwood of California, which seems doomed to rapid extinction. The cedars of Lebanon, says Professor G. Frederick Wright, in “Records of the Past, ” belong to this class of nearly if not quite extinguished species, but the few remnants which still are accessible have double interest because of their history, their central location, and future possibilities. David, three thousand years ago, is recorded as having built in Jerusalem a house of wood from these trees. Through the co-operation of Hiram, King of Tyre, Solomon brought great rafts of cedar from Lebanon to Joppa, and carried the timber up the steep mountain slope to Jerusalem
for the first temple, while in the building of the second temple, under Ezra and Nehemiah, the same source of supply was resorted to. Ezekiel refers to the use of this wood in shipbuilding, and Isaiah for the manufacture of idols. The principal grove of cedars now extant consists of about four hundred trees, growing in an amphitheatre at the head of the Kadisha River, at an elevation of 6, 300 feet above the sea and only about twenty-five miles distant from it. The preservation of this group of trees is due to the sacred character it is presumed to bear. The word “kadisha” is the Hebrew for “holy. ” The grove is now protected by a neatly built, high stone wall, and, viewed from every point, stands out like an oasis in a desert, presenting a striking contrast to the general barrenness surrounding it.
“As one stands upon the summit of Lebanon, ” says Mr. Wright, “4, 000 feet above the cedars, and looks down upon this ancient grove, and his eye takes in the sites of ancient temples on the western flank and the vast expanse of the Mediterranean beyond, and, turning to the east, sees the plain spread out before him, with the ruins of Baalbek in the centre, he can but feel as never before the force of the words of Holy Writ, ‘All flesh is as grass, and as the flower of the field it perisheth. ’ Over this field in successive waves have come and gone all the great nations of antiquity. Here are the relics of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, the Egyptian, the Phoenician, the Grecian, the Roman, the Moslem, and the Crusader. Each has done his part to destroy its noble covering of forest and to add to the desolation wrought by his predecessor. ”
Gargoyles. — Relatively unimportant compared with many other features of Gothic, the gargoyle has always appealed to popular fancy. It is a detail that can scarcely be overlooked, owing to its position and the grotesque forms it has been made to assume. There is something fascinating in the appearance of a cathedral church during a rainstorm, when the whole building is set with little jets of water issuing from the jaws of dragons and wyverns, goblin birds and writhing cobolds. The number and variety of roofs on Gothic churches of large extent, and the need of draining even much smaller surfaces than are found on the actual roofs, are supposed to furnish the reason for the many spouts that end in gargoyles or have gargoyles associated with them as a decorative feature. As the Gothic developed, gargoyles increased with the greater care expended on decorations and the protection of the stonework. But it is not necessary to speak of gargoyles in the past tense, for they are commonly introduced on modern churches and occasionally are still in demand for secular buildings. It is true that modem construction for the relief of roofs from water, combined with modern drainage, no longer exacts the decorated waterspout as a working feature. They need be “practical” no longer. But for three centuries the gargoyle remained so fixed a feature of Gothic architecture that a decent feeling for consistency demands its presence in modern examples, just as the hat retains its band and the coat its lapels, though band and lapel are no longer working parts. The once useful feature has become an integral part and holds its own as a decoration. It would be difficult to say
English Metal Work
NINETY-THREE DRAWINGS
By WILLIAM TWOPENY (1797-1873)
With a preface by LAURENCE BINYON
4to. $6. 00 net. Postage 28c
LEAD WORK: Eight Plates showing examples of Rainwater Pipe Heads, Gutters, Gargoyles and Open Work, such as Grilles, etc., from Winchester, Lincolnshire, Hampton Court, Dorset, Yorkshire, Norfolk.
CAST IRON WORK: Five Plates showing Firedogs of Kent, Herefordshire and Somersetshire.
WROUGHT IRON WORK: Eighty Plates showing Railing Standards, Window Grilles, Vanes, Reading Desk, Hourglass Brackets. Hinges, Hinge-Straps, Door-Straps, Latches, Locks. Padlocks, Hasps, Chests, Keys, Door Handles, Handle-Roses, Knockers, Key-Escutcheons, Handle Plates, Fixed, Loose and Swinging Bar Handles, etc., from Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, Norfolk, Lincolnshire. Somerset, Essex, Suffolk, Wiltshire, Warwick and Northumberland.
These valuable drawings are reproduced from the littleknown collection of Twopeny’s work in the British Museum. They were made from buildings in various parts of England during the first half of the last century. They are done from the point of view of the enthusiastic antiquary with knowledge and discrimination. Their great value as a record is increased by the fact that many of the subjects have since disappeared. In quality Twopeny’s work is neither bald, as in the usual architects’ drawing, nor merely picturesque as in Nash and Prout. Ruskin’s best hardly excelled the workmanship of Twopeny.
John Lane Company, New York THE BODLEY HEAD 67 FIFTH AVENUE
A “Monocaste” Cottage
Artistic and Rustic Finishes
WE will co-operate with architects who wish to use reinforced concrete for constructing COTTAGES, VILLAS, LIBRARIES, ETC., furnishing them with details for moulds and reinforce, and complete instructions to guide them in executing their own plans. This construction is attracting the widest attention.
W. N. WIGHT & CO.
Designing and Contracting Engineers
160 Fifth Avenue, New York
ABSOLUTELY FIREPROOF
NO WOOD EXCEPT THE TRIM
found in Italian marble. Its close texture and high purity of color have given it an undeniable claim to its description as a “white marble. ”
But of all the white marbles of the world perhaps the most beautiful is the finely grained and spotless pure Parian marble of the Island of Paros. The celebrated statues Venus de Milo, the Venus de Medici, the Venus Capitoline, were made of this marble. These quarries, as well as those of the adjoining Island of Naxos, have been taken over by this same English company. — Exchange.
Cedars of Lebanon. — The cedars of Lebanon, famed throughout Christendom because of the reference made to them frequently in the Scriptures and by early classical writers as well, seem destined to suffer the fate of other decaying species, such as the buffalo, which once roamed the plains in countless numbers, and the Sequoia gigantea, the giant redwood of California, which seems doomed to rapid extinction. The cedars of Lebanon, says Professor G. Frederick Wright, in “Records of the Past, ” belong to this class of nearly if not quite extinguished species, but the few remnants which still are accessible have double interest because of their history, their central location, and future possibilities. David, three thousand years ago, is recorded as having built in Jerusalem a house of wood from these trees. Through the co-operation of Hiram, King of Tyre, Solomon brought great rafts of cedar from Lebanon to Joppa, and carried the timber up the steep mountain slope to Jerusalem
for the first temple, while in the building of the second temple, under Ezra and Nehemiah, the same source of supply was resorted to. Ezekiel refers to the use of this wood in shipbuilding, and Isaiah for the manufacture of idols. The principal grove of cedars now extant consists of about four hundred trees, growing in an amphitheatre at the head of the Kadisha River, at an elevation of 6, 300 feet above the sea and only about twenty-five miles distant from it. The preservation of this group of trees is due to the sacred character it is presumed to bear. The word “kadisha” is the Hebrew for “holy. ” The grove is now protected by a neatly built, high stone wall, and, viewed from every point, stands out like an oasis in a desert, presenting a striking contrast to the general barrenness surrounding it.
“As one stands upon the summit of Lebanon, ” says Mr. Wright, “4, 000 feet above the cedars, and looks down upon this ancient grove, and his eye takes in the sites of ancient temples on the western flank and the vast expanse of the Mediterranean beyond, and, turning to the east, sees the plain spread out before him, with the ruins of Baalbek in the centre, he can but feel as never before the force of the words of Holy Writ, ‘All flesh is as grass, and as the flower of the field it perisheth. ’ Over this field in successive waves have come and gone all the great nations of antiquity. Here are the relics of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, the Egyptian, the Phoenician, the Grecian, the Roman, the Moslem, and the Crusader. Each has done his part to destroy its noble covering of forest and to add to the desolation wrought by his predecessor. ”
Gargoyles. — Relatively unimportant compared with many other features of Gothic, the gargoyle has always appealed to popular fancy. It is a detail that can scarcely be overlooked, owing to its position and the grotesque forms it has been made to assume. There is something fascinating in the appearance of a cathedral church during a rainstorm, when the whole building is set with little jets of water issuing from the jaws of dragons and wyverns, goblin birds and writhing cobolds. The number and variety of roofs on Gothic churches of large extent, and the need of draining even much smaller surfaces than are found on the actual roofs, are supposed to furnish the reason for the many spouts that end in gargoyles or have gargoyles associated with them as a decorative feature. As the Gothic developed, gargoyles increased with the greater care expended on decorations and the protection of the stonework. But it is not necessary to speak of gargoyles in the past tense, for they are commonly introduced on modern churches and occasionally are still in demand for secular buildings. It is true that modem construction for the relief of roofs from water, combined with modern drainage, no longer exacts the decorated waterspout as a working feature. They need be “practical” no longer. But for three centuries the gargoyle remained so fixed a feature of Gothic architecture that a decent feeling for consistency demands its presence in modern examples, just as the hat retains its band and the coat its lapels, though band and lapel are no longer working parts. The once useful feature has become an integral part and holds its own as a decoration. It would be difficult to say
English Metal Work
NINETY-THREE DRAWINGS
By WILLIAM TWOPENY (1797-1873)
With a preface by LAURENCE BINYON
4to. $6. 00 net. Postage 28c
LEAD WORK: Eight Plates showing examples of Rainwater Pipe Heads, Gutters, Gargoyles and Open Work, such as Grilles, etc., from Winchester, Lincolnshire, Hampton Court, Dorset, Yorkshire, Norfolk.
CAST IRON WORK: Five Plates showing Firedogs of Kent, Herefordshire and Somersetshire.
WROUGHT IRON WORK: Eighty Plates showing Railing Standards, Window Grilles, Vanes, Reading Desk, Hourglass Brackets. Hinges, Hinge-Straps, Door-Straps, Latches, Locks. Padlocks, Hasps, Chests, Keys, Door Handles, Handle-Roses, Knockers, Key-Escutcheons, Handle Plates, Fixed, Loose and Swinging Bar Handles, etc., from Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, Norfolk, Lincolnshire. Somerset, Essex, Suffolk, Wiltshire, Warwick and Northumberland.
These valuable drawings are reproduced from the littleknown collection of Twopeny’s work in the British Museum. They were made from buildings in various parts of England during the first half of the last century. They are done from the point of view of the enthusiastic antiquary with knowledge and discrimination. Their great value as a record is increased by the fact that many of the subjects have since disappeared. In quality Twopeny’s work is neither bald, as in the usual architects’ drawing, nor merely picturesque as in Nash and Prout. Ruskin’s best hardly excelled the workmanship of Twopeny.
John Lane Company, New York THE BODLEY HEAD 67 FIFTH AVENUE
A “Monocaste” Cottage
Artistic and Rustic Finishes
WE will co-operate with architects who wish to use reinforced concrete for constructing COTTAGES, VILLAS, LIBRARIES, ETC., furnishing them with details for moulds and reinforce, and complete instructions to guide them in executing their own plans. This construction is attracting the widest attention.
W. N. WIGHT & CO.
Designing and Contracting Engineers
160 Fifth Avenue, New York
ABSOLUTELY FIREPROOF
NO WOOD EXCEPT THE TRIM