The art of decorating dry goods windows and interiors

by L. Frank Baum

INTRODUCTION.

The peddlars, or packmen, of ancient days, who were the first recognized merchants, realized fully the advantage of displaying their wares before prospective customers. Gaining entry to a castle, a palace, or a mansion, the packman spread his goods upon the floor to best advantage and then awaited patiently while the assembled bevy of women gazed enraptured upon the treasures at their feet. If he could not obtain permission to open his pack his visit was fruitless of result.

In old Bagdad arose the custom of open booths built before the entrances of houses, wherein was attractively displayed the merchandise offered for sale. This custom is still extensively followed in Eastern countries.

At Cheapside, in London, the method was to hang upon iron hooks along the front of the building such articles as might induce the observer to buy, or entice him to enter the shop.

The same custom was prevalent in the Colonial days in America, and is not yet fully obsolete.

Thus from the earliest days merchants well knew the value of display, and the modern show window is the logical outcome or development of that knowledge.

Careful research fails to determine where the show window was first utilized as an adjunct to merchandizing. It is probably a gradual development from the small, many-paned front window of the merchant shop, following the natural transformation of shops into stores and of crude green-glass panes into clear plate-glass fronts.

However it came about, the modern mercantile establishment, whether located in a retired village or upon the main street of a thriving city, is to-day deemed incomplete without a front of the clearest and best plate-glass. These windows are not intended to light the interior of a store, although indirectly they may serve such purpose. Their prime object is to sell goods.

Without advertising the modern merchant sinks into oblivion. The busy world forgets him, and he is left to himself—to rust, to vegetate, or to fail ignominiously.

Merchants of olden times stood in front of their shops and cried “buy!—buy!” in imploring tones. Modern merchants still cry “buy!—buy!” but they do it in a different way. They advertise in newspapers and display their wares in their show windows.

These are the three grades—the three developments in advertising. The street crier, the newspapers, the show window. The last mode of inducing trade is the modern one, and therefore the best. More goods are sold through window display than through newspaper advertising. It is more direct. The newspaper advertisement says: “We have goods to sell.” The show window says: “Here they are!”

But the judicious use of advertising through newspapers must not be discouraged. Every man, woman and child in town does not pass your windows. Those who do not may read in the newspaper of your attractive display of goods, and so be induced to pass your way.

The most successful of modern merchants use the newspapers to announce their window displays. This combination of the two greatest forces in advertising has been found to succeed beyond any other method.

To make a display of goods in your window that is most attractive, that will sell readily the articles exhibited, is to-day acknowledged an art.

Many things are to be considered. There are the technicalities to be learned, judgment and good taste to be exercised, color harmony to be secured; and, above all, there must be positive knowledge as to what constitutes an attractive exhibit, and what will arouse in the observer cupidity and a longing to possess the goods you offer for sale.

It has been said that a window decorator is born, and not made. Yet we find that those “born” decorators must acquire knowledge of technicalities and detail work before they can succeed. Who shall determine which are “born,” and which are “made” decorators? The “born musician” must, unfortunately, learn to play the fiddle, and the “born blacksmith” must be taught to shoe a horse. And the worldly cynic will tell you that under proper instruction and with a desire to learn, any son of Adam can play the fiddle or shoe a horse.

I have never known a man who desired to learn the art of decorating fail to attain skill and subsequent success. Perhaps it is only those “born” ones who desire to learn.

It is true that a clumsy man, a man without judgment or taste, a man destitute of knowledge of the requirements of modern merchandizing, might prove a lamentable failure as a store decorator. But I have never known such a man desire to learn the art.

The object of this book is to place before the novice the instructions necessary to fit him for successful work. The author believes that this volume contains all information necessary to enable a student to acquire proficiency in the Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors. The field of merchandizing is so broad that this work is confined to dry goods decorating, although many of the chapters will be of service in decorating windows with other lines of goods.

Much of the information offered has been gained by personal experience, yet I am greatly indebted to many brother decorators, and especially to prominent members of The National Association of Window Trimmers of America, for assistance in my attempt to place clearly before my readers the many details of the art.

Practical methods have in every instance been preferred to theoretical. The simplest and easiest way of accomplishing any work is always the best.

I am hopeful that those desiring to attain skill in decorating will find much useful information in these pages, and if this book proves of real assistance to its readers my object in writing it will have been accomplished.

Most Sincerely,

L. FRANK BAUM.

THE ART OF DECORATING.

CHAPTER I.
HOW TO PLAN STORE FRONTS.

In building a store on modern principles the front is more important than any other detail. For, a store being intended for the sale of merchandise, the front is the first thing that meets the public eye, and by its appearance the entire establishment is judged.

The size and shape of the windows depends, of course, upon the size and location of the store, but the principle consideration is to obtain as large an expanse of window as possible, and convenient entrances.

In single store fronts, which we shall use as examples, the ordinary arrangement is similar to that in diagram A, having the entrance, with double doors, in the center. This gives two good sized windows, if the front is of fair breadth, and admits the customer to the central aisle.

To avoid dividing the expanse of window, and to render the display more impressive, a popular arrangement is that in diagram B, having the entrance at one side. Which side to place the entrance is determined by the trend of traffic, the entrance being placed nearest to the busy portion of the street, as more convenient to the customer. Exception.—It is argued by some merchants that it is better to place the entrance furthest from the crowded portion of the street, as in this case the people must first pass before the window.

It will be noted that people intending to enter the store will not be influenced by the window display, in which case the location of the entrance is immaterial.

Diagram B shows the bevelled entrance, slanting diagonally from the front window to the door, and thus giving the public a glance at the small side window in passing or entering. In diagram D we show the curved front, in which the side window is a curved or semi-circular pane. This style is very attractive, but more expensive, and is more liable to be broken than the flat pane.

Diagram C shows one of the most popular arrangements of store fronts. This allows for a double entrance, with a broad expanse of window between. In wide fronts these entrances are double doors, in narrower fronts a single door is sufficient. Variations of this front which has bevelled entrances, are shown in diagrams E and F. The first has the semi-circular end panes, which are recommended as especially imposing, and the latter shows a square perfectly rectangular turn for the side panes. The advantage claimed for this method is that it attracts the attention of those approaching the window more quickly than will the slant or curve, but this does not appear likely unless the front projects beyond the line of the building.

The large central pane, with double or single side entrances, is a very successful style of front, and is strongly endorsed by those who have used them.

It sometimes happens that thick pillars of masonry obstruct the front, as shown in diagram G. In this case the window panes should be set at the outer edge of the pillars, rather than against the inner edge, as much of the effect of the front would be lost by the projecting pillars. The entrance, however, should be set at the inner edges of the pillars, as indicated.

Posts are always to be avoided in window spaces, and there is seldom an occasion where they are really necessary. But where a front is rebuilt or altered and posts cannot be avoided, they should invariably be set directly back of the window frames, as shown in diagram H. When they are placed in this manner each window has a clear space back of the pane, and the decorator has an opportunity of putting one distinct trim in each window. But if the posts occupy the center, or even the sides of the window, no decorator on earth can trim the space properly or effectively.

Diagram H also illustrates the continuous front, where many windows are placed side by side. Any of the fronts previously described can be so extended indefinitely.

There are many other styles of store fronts, but most of them come under the head of “freak fronts,” and are only appropriate for the special buildings for which they were designed.

The main points to consider in building a front, are, (a) to get as large an expanse of glass as possible; (b) to use iron framework, occupying the least space where the panes join; (c) to avoid the use of posts back of the panes, but where they are necessary to place each post behind the point where two large plate-glass panes are joined together.

A new idea in show window fronts is to allow the two sheets of glass to come together at the corners, where they are held by brass braces and set screws so that there is no corner space at all. This arrangement looks well and has several advantages. The glass is less liable to break than when set against a post or frame; and all shadows in the window are avoided.

Last, if you have an old-fashioned front, get your landlord to take it out and replace it with a modern, plate-glass front. If he refuses, move elsewhere. You cannot afford to be in the mercantile business without good windows to back up your enterprise.

CHAPTER II.
THE SHOW WINDOW.

In attempting to explain the fundamental principles of successful store decoration, the window is the first thing to be considered, and there are all kinds of windows, little and big, upright and oblong, cramped and spacious. Some are hard to get at; some have big, awkward posts in them; but no matter what they are or how undesirable they seem, remember that anything with a pane of glass before it may be made a show window.

Build a window floor on a level with the lower edge of the glass; build it strongly and make it as deep as you are able. Three feet is a fair depth; six feet is not too deep.