RADCLIFFE'S

Timaru Herald, Issue 170301, 21 August 1920, Page 11

RADCLIFFE'S

ART AND FUBNITTJjRE EMPORIUM. For more than forty years the fine town site at the junction of j3eswick and Stafford Streets has been occupied by Mr J. RadcTiffe as a furniture warehouse. As the business grew the building was added to, and by degrees various other lines were taken into stock and specialised in. Picture-framing has always been one of th» small adjuncts of the business, but of recent years this branch has claimed greater attention, and to-day, with the alterations just completed, each portion of the business is receiving its cme place. Extensive alterations have just been completed. They give an uninterrupted sweep of plate glass windows, with 40 feet frontage to Stafford Street and about the same extent of frontage to Beswick Street. From a, central pillar at the angle of the frontage four bays radiate, and each makes an ideal show window for the display of the firm's ■ wares. Tlie interior of the building has also been brought up-to-date; the who:o floor space is taken up as a furniture showroom, and two-thirds_ of the first floor is devoted to grouping suites of furniture, many designs of which, are specialties of the business. Radeliffe's make their own furniture in well-equipped factories in Sophia Street, where the latest machinery under competent hand's is used, in conjunction with, where necessary, the work of expert band finishers. Several of the heads of departments have been with the firm for very long periods. For instance, Mr A. -Oborn has been head of the upholstery side of the business for over a> quarter of a century; Mr F. Silverton, who has been with the firm for twenty-five, years, is now in charge of the picture-framing; Mr H. Mayo has presided over the cabinetmaking department for twenty-five years; and Mr J. Auld, who is in charge of the polishing, has twenty-five years' service to his credit. Such men in charge of the several departments make it possible for any class of _work to be undertaken to sample submitted and carried out with accuracy of design, and always with satisfaction. Another feature of the factory run by the firm for such a/ length of time is that the proprietor can give personal guarantee as to the quality of the work, Repair work is undertaken on an extensive scale, and a. great deal of it goes to Radeliffe's from all parts of South Canterbury. Coming more particularly to the show windows, it_ should be said that Radeliffe's have always had an art department, and artists' materials have always been carried in their shop. Until recently the firm was handicapped through lack of space to show their fine array of paintings, both in oil pud water colours. Now they have selected as a special show window for art goods the spacious one which forms the aVgle at the corner of Stafford and Beswick Streets. This has a south-westerly aspect, and so to a large extent avoids 1 the sun. In it there will be continually displayed the best art works procurable, and these will appeal t 0 eouioisseurs and all lovers of good pictures. By arrangement every mail brings the latest and best from the Homeland, both in signed and unsigned pictures. In addition to the works of Home and Continental artists the works of prominent New Zealand artists will also find a place in this window, which will in reality f miniature art exhibition, to which the pubiio will always be free. -

On the right and left of the window referred to are the main furniture display windows. _ In these are roomy recesses with polished floors, on which, "are shown handsome suites of furniture and the numerous etceteras wihich go to make the home beautiful. The Beswick Street window will be used for the larger articles of furniture, this being arranged in the latest Sydney fashion. A glance around the walls indicates at once that they have t-.-sn hr-ng with works of art of much more than ordinary merit. There are pictures there fit to grace the. most pretentious .mansion or to adorn the humblest covtagi.-, the range being very vide. Some Ttry fine works of Worsley ;.nd ."ellard and other well-known Dominion .-'vasts are- there at present, while Home and Continental studios are represented in a degree which makes the display the cynosure of all eyes. Numerous attractive etchings are seen. In an iiiconcpiouous corner there are neatly stacked away hundreds of dainty p'etT.-es, rjany of these being miniatures of tins old masters, while others :ire modern. j*ll have been chosen for their artistic merit, a remark which applies to practically everything in the chop. Mr Rj-.dcliffe has the satisfaction of teeing in his newly-renovated shop the consummation of his desire to keep pf ce with the progressi of the district and to nest' in the best possible way the requirements of the people in the matter' of ait and Household furnishings.