matching set of original varnished solid white oak stave-joint tapered residential room divider columns

matching set of original salvaged chicago american victorian era freestanding slightly flared lock stave joint white oak wood interior residential columns designed and fabricated by the decorators' supply company, chicago, ills. the darkly stained oak wood columns wer apart of a chicago residential room divider that was badly damaged. the decorators supply company traces its history back to 1883 when the original founders, simon strahn and richard c. foster, established a partnership to manufacture "artistic decorative accessories" ("manufacturing and wholesale industries of chicago", thomas b. poole co., published 1918). an old lease document dated april 13, 1890 describes the company as a carving and guilders business. by 1893, decorators supply had blossomed into a manufacturer of cast ornamental plaster. the company was involved in the fabrication of the mouldings that would adorn the buildings and halls showcased in the columbian exhibition of 1893. these buildings, embellished with ornamental plaster, became known as the "white city." this world's fair of 1893 attracted a wealth of world class artists, sculptors, carvers and craftsmen to chicago. decorators supply drew from this rich talent pool the german, italian and polish artisans who over the following four decades would create the artistic legacy seen in their product offerings. priced for the pair.