alt.home.repair:
In the early 20th century, can faux marble be more expensive than real
marble?

About 25 years ago I toured the Vanderbilt mansion, on the Hudson
River, somehwere near Tarrytown.

The tour guide pointed to the banister, and maybe the bottom of the
beside the stairs, and maybe some other part of the staircase, and
said they were faux marble, painted wood, and that at the time, this
was more expensive than real marble.

I found that hard to believe at the time and still do.

What I thought was that even Cornelius Vanderbilt didn't like to spend
more money than necessary, and someone, maybe Mrs. Vanderbilt started
this story that it was more expensive. Maybe she told her friends or
her kids. I figure something like that might account for all this.