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Parlor Furniture Frames 



xjx 



Furniture may be may be combined. No matter wliat processes have been employed 



^_ _ divided into several in drying tbe lumber before it reaches the factory, the furniture maker 



(JfTi = ^^^^^^^^^1 classes, based on dif- takes no chances, and passes it through dry kilns of his own and 



ferenees in style, use, satisfies himself that it is in proper condition. 



material, and finish. „, , i- i i i , j, ., „,,.,., 



-tne usual articles classed as parlor furniture of this kind are 

 It would not be easy , , ,. , 



„ „ . couches, davenports, divans, lounges, sofas, settees, chairs, and in 

 to sGpsr&tc 311 in mi" 



. . ,, . some instances folding beds. 



^^^^^ ture into the various ^ 



(' '^^^^H classes to which it "^^^ kinds of wood used fall short of tbe number employed in some 



^Ki^H belongs, for there are other branches of furniture making, because many cheap and common 



^^"^^ many special kinds sorts are not demanded, and the bulk is made up of a few high-grade 



J - ^ l^r ^H and odd pieces ; but kinds. General statistics of furniture manufacturing do not separate 



- - '■ •i*-i'^--^B there are several "^^ woods which go into furniture of the various classes, and it is 



well-definied classes. consequently impossible to give figures for the whole country, which 

 Among these are the "''^' show the quantity of wood annually demanded by the makers 

 following: Filing "^ parlor frames. Such figures have been compiled for Illinois, and 

 cabinets and devices ; t'^^.^ gi^'^ ^ basis for general estimates. Large amounts of this kind 

 office desks of numer- "^ furniture are made in the state, by twenty-three manufacturers 

 ous patterns; tables engaged in the business, and their reports show that the annual 

 of many kinds; quantity of wo¥!Jl consumed is nearly fourteen million feet, at a cost 

 chairs of so many °^ -$417,395, or an average cost of $29.74 per 1,000 feet. The table 

 shapes, sizes, and which follows gives the different kinds of woods and the amount 

 JKiDKItx lilUil GUADE I'AULOK CHAH! "ses that a mere list of each. 



would be volumin- yearly Use of Woods fob Parlor Furniture Frames in Illi.nois ix 1909 

 ous; bedroom suites: church furniture which Wood Quantity 



is so different from other kinds that it would ^^^^^^^^^^^g^^^^^^^^^^H I^ii'ch 6.138.000 



be out of place anywhere else ; lodge furniture ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -Maple ^.^.^. . . . . . . 3,787.000 



■which includes many odd and special designs; ^^1 » ^ ^L.^B Beech Vooiooo 



furniture f oi school rooms, consisting princi- ^^H vHHH^Hi fll^^HHH^M^I '''^'^ °^^ 357,000 



pally of desks ; theater and hall furniture, the ^B ' ff^^^^H ^^^^Bi^H M "hosany' 



most important articles of which consist of ^|^^4^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^^mMU^M ^''d sum 306,000 



fixed chairs, sometimes supplied with foot- ^(^^B^^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^^BhT^I Shortleaf 21.5.000 



rests ; furniture for the kitchen and pantry, KtflH^^^^^H ^^^^^HHu^ ^f "^ . " V " ,' ^nn'^n^ 



which is often simple m design, plain in finish, ^HHi^pni^a^^^H. ^^^^^^^^HmH chestnut 80,000 



and of medium-priced woods; and parlor furni- ^^^^^^Jjammmmamm ^ijiimmttam^^^^,^,^M Yellow poplar 63,000 



turo of numerous patterns and designs. Ht^^^^^^^ ^^fl Basswood *M^°^ 



^^^^■IBBHBaB^^^^^^^^a^BHMa^ V Svcamore 40,000 



Parlor furniture is generally upholstered H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Arffl White pine 25.000 



but the simple fact that does ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hfll Cottonwood 



K^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^HIS liPd cedar 



not place m the parlor be- ^B^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^S 



cause other kinds of furniture are often so ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Total 13.974,000 



finished. The upholstered furniture generally FliAMl-: iiK Ur-TO-DATE PARLOR settee Sixty-five per cent of the lumber represented 

 passes through two factories. One makes the in the foregoing table came from Michigan, 



frames, the other puts on the cushions and other finish. The making Wisconsin, and Min- 

 of the frames is a distinct occupation. Some factories do nothing else, nesota, sixteen per 

 while others make the woodwork, finish it with oils, paints, and var- cent from the Ohio 

 nishes, and add the upholstering. The scope of the present article valley and farther 

 includes the woodwork only of what is commonly classed as parlor south, five and a half 

 furniture. The articles are sometimes listed as ' ' parlor frames. ' ' p^^ pgnj. f j.^^ f^^. 

 The woodworker only is concerned in their making. ^j ^ countries (con- 



Certain special features in the material must be looked after. The giderable of it being 

 wood should be of kinds that season well and stand well after season- mapjg f^om Canada') 

 ing. While pieces of various dimensions are required, the prevailing -, , . , 



sizes have considerable thickness in order to give strength to the „ 



„, . . ,.,.,, 1 from various parts 



frames which support the upholstering. Thin strips which yield under .. , , „ . , 



,. .,, It. ^ 1 ■ , ,1 1 ofthetJnited 



strain will not do. Few broad pieces or panels are emploved, and a 



1 , n .t n ■ ^ n 1- li- T -4.^1 ' States; but not one 



large part of the finished wood is exposed to view. Little veneer is 



required. These facts are taken into consideration when wood is ° *^^ ^^fc^""^"^ 'j/^^ * 



selected for this class of furniture. It must polish nicely, because '^°^^^- '^^"^ ^'"^* '* ^tSli^SSESSFj." 



much of the furniture 's value depends on the beauty of the wood. remarkable, because 



If it is not thoroughly seasoned, the joints are liable to pull apart, lumber from Wash- ^^"^^^^^Z^tmmA. ."il 



though they may be fastened with dowels and glue. Seasoning is one ington, Oregon, and 



of the most important matters in the process of manufacturing this California is winning 



class of furniture. The lumber arrives at the factory "shipping its way quite rapidly ^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bt I 



dry." This condition may be attained by long air seasoning at the in the manufactur- 



mill yard where the lumber is sawed, or it may be hastened by steam- ing centers of the 



ing, or by the heat of the dry kiln, or two or more of the methods eastern half of the HANDSOMELY CARVED PARLOR ROCKER 



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