two matching original and completely intact antique american victorian era varnished oak wood freestanding interior residential columns designed and fabricated by or for the decorators' supply company, chicago, il. the lock stave joint oak wood columns are slightly tapered at the top. the heavily ornamented ionic capitals are comprised of a wood core replete with neoclassical style gesso or "plastic" ornament. the plinth blocks or bases are original to the columns. the surrounding room divider was badly damaged and could not be salvaged in its existing state. the two columns with capitals were salvaged from a chicago graystone residence constructed between 1898-1901. priced for the pair. 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. posts measures 6 inches in diameter, total height measures 59 inches.