Life, 1906-10-04 · page 43 of 44
Life — October 4, 1906 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page**—it's a full-page advertisement for The Verbeck, Whybrow & Crossley Co., a high-end interior decorating firm in New York. The page showcases period furniture reproductions (Louis XVI chairs, Colonial pieces, etc.) and pitches specialized decorating services. The company claims each designer specializes in specific historical styles: Mr. Whybrow handles French periods and Chippendale, Mr. Verbeck covers Italian Renaissance and Pompeian, and Mr. Crossley specializes in Colonial design. The only hint of humor appears in the opening copy: a sardonic joke that poorly decorated rooms end up "between late Abraham Lincoln and early parlour car"—suggesting mismatched, unsophisticated design that blends incompatible eras. The advertisement uses this as a sales pitch: hire specialists to avoid such aesthetic disasters. This reflects early 20th-century marketing to wealthy clients seeking historically authentic, professionally curated interiors.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Louis XVI. Chair No, 200 One of our collection of about 200 reproductions from pedigree originals, made in either gold, white, or coloured enamels. Bird of Paradise Glazed ‘Wall Paper No. 9204 Copied from a glared chintz used during the time of Queen Anne. Suited to old-fashioned parlour in the country house. “Shade of the Good-wife No. 1163." One of the mullioned casement curtains out cf many of our importations. Carisbrooke Winged Chair No, zor ‘One of our collection of old English repro The style of thisis Jacob- an, and with pattern, Period Furnishing FRENCH RENAISSANCE COLONIAL Decorating Specialized Designers, like other folks, have their limitations. They naturally “snuggle up” to the styles they love best—they are Specialists. As a firm, we are one, with the resources and responsibil of a business organization. As decorators, we are individu: each with his specialty and his hobby. Our organization is unique and our service ideal. If you are not getting expert service, your room may prove to be “ between late Abraham Lincoln and early parlour car. ° Do you want the room in, say, the dainty Marie Antoinette or any of the French periods, the chaste Sheraton or now classic Chippendale? Our Mr. WHYBROW would be handed your plans for personal attention, as he has the pedigrees and histories of these types at his finger tips, and his colour schemes and harmonies would show the soul and sentiment of these incomparable styles. Or shall you want a Whistler, Walter Crane, Voysey or Flem- ish Room, or do you love the festive Pompeian or the lofty Italian renaissance? Here is where our Mr. VERBECK, the recognized authority on these periods would do jis little specialty. Possibly you must have quaint and stately Colonial things or have a country house or vine-clad cottage, and hope to obtain the old atmosphere: cool, quiet, shady living rooms and sweet, chintz bed- zooms. Our Mr, CROSSLEY would give your needs the best that is in him. As a connoisseur, his judgment on Colonial pieces is the final word, and his colour schemes will help along your ideals for a story-book house. We invite you to call at our studios, or will wait upon you at your house anywhere in the United States. Or we shall, upon request, send you colour-schemes with attendant samples of wall pi and stuffs or colour sketches if you will send on a rough plan of your room or house. Also, if you are collecting pieces of furniture, let us know in what you are interested, and half-tone engravings will go forward—no obligation to purchase on your part, no importunity on ours, ‘Write for literature and booklets. The Verbeck, Whybrow & Crossley Co. (Incorporated) Period Furnishers and Decorators seslaue fabric Je spon Two Hundred Ninety-Eight Fifth Ave., New York Veeawr-ot Nevetels Beomers, Mew Fork comicbooks.com