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Good Sales at Furniture Exhibits 



Over four thousand buyers attended the furniture expositions which 

 are just closing in the Chicago and Grand Rapids markets. The 

 business placed with the manufacturers has been surprisingly good in 

 view of general conditions and assures busy factories during the 

 remainder of the year. Hundreds of lines were shown in both mar- 

 kets, necessitating a visit of two or three weeks on the part of 

 buyers desirous of seeing the entire exhibits. 



Oak and mahogany were, of course, leaders in the aggregate. The 

 biggest seller of all the lines offered was oak furniture of various 

 kinds and for all purposes in simplified designs adapted from early 

 English periods. With the tables, beds, etc., in these period designs 

 chairs were otlered with cane seats and cane paneled backs. Prob- 

 ably the next sellers were the many offerings in Adam designs which, 

 in the higher grade lines were of satinwood, while the moderate priced 

 styles were offered in enameled effects and in mahogany and imita- 

 tions of mahogany. 



_The feature which will probably have a more or less unfavorable 

 effect on the demand for mahogany lumber is the favorable offering 

 and sale of over-stuffed fiirnit\ire in which only the legs are visible. 

 In addition, the rather- remarkable call for upholstered suits with a 

 bed davenport and chairs to match — presumably for small flats — will 

 affect the consumption of mahogany to the extent to which such 

 upholstered lines take the place of the conventional designs of 

 mahogany living room furniture. 



The feature of the season which stands out with pre-eminence was 

 the exceedingly large sale of medium-priced lines for various pur- 

 poses and the correspondingly limited purchases of high-priced goods. 

 Consequently there was an apparently small call for French period 

 styles in which the showy imported Circassian walnut figures with 

 especial appropriateness. As a consequence, the sales denoted a 

 falling off in the use of this beautiful product of Asia Minor. 



The use of solid mahogany, including drawer work and backs 

 throughout, seems to be increasing. Very little of the toona or 

 natural finishes were seen, the colors being dark or old brown finishes 

 appropriate to the early English periods. 



As suggested, the swift gain in popularity of the Adam period 

 furniture in this country is a big factor in the current demand. The 

 appropriate wood tor this period stuff in the pure representations is 

 satinwood which was seen on occasions, one concern making up 

 complete bedroom suits in solid satinwood. However, on account of 

 the great demand for the more moderate priced stock and the coinci- 

 dent demand for the Adam design, manufacturers offered a large line 

 of Adam furniture made up in painted eft'ects which, in both sales, 

 had a great run. Practically every firm offering exhibits at the two 

 markets increased its line in enameled goods which were offered in 

 various shades of French gray, ivory, cream and white. This style, 

 while beautiful, seems better suited for looks than for utility. In 

 conjunction with the painted lines, there are many offerings of Adam 

 period stuff in mahogan}' and mahogany imitations. 



Oak figured very largely in living room, dining room, library and 

 den furniture. The English schools, including Tudor, Gothic, Jaco- 

 bean and Elizabethan, are all most appropriately worked in oak in 

 the high-grade lines, while in the more expensive stuff this king of 

 cabinet woods still reigns supreme. 



The use of red gum does not seem to be making undue strides in 

 the better grades of furniture, although it is increasing in use, notice- 

 ably in the less expensive lines. It is probable that its reputation 

 for cheeking, warping, twisting, etc., which it has had to live down is 

 having a marked effect on its consumption. Gum furniture does not 

 sell well in the South because of this prejudice. However, certain 

 concerns are specializing in the manufacture of high-class gum 

 furniture, one concern making a specialty of quarter-sawed red gum 

 products, to which it applies its trade mark ' ' Kyonyx. ' ' This concern 

 has been operating for ten years, using five-ply stock with selected 

 figure, and has experienced wonderful success. 



Not much figured birch was seen in the exhibits, but the offering of 

 bird's-eye maple seemed to be about as large as usual. 



Red cedar in chests of various kinds made a very attractive showing 

 at both exhibits. 



The total volume of sales was of big proportions, but owing to 

 the big medium-price demand the value repre.sented was normal. 



Exports and Imports of Forest Products 



ublished statistics giving 



forest material for June, 



The imports of manufac- 



— Year Ending June 30. — 

 Quantity. 



The Department of ('omuierie nas p 

 exports and imports of lumber and other 

 1913, and also for the year ending June 30. 

 tured products follow: ' 



—June. 



Quantit.v. Value. 



Briar wood and ivy $ 15,501 



Cedar, leet OTl.OOff 51,083 



Mahogany, feet .3.020,000 312,304 



Other cabinet woods 108.466 



Logs, feet 13,198 150.189 



Pulpwood, cords 115,391 804,906 



Kaltans, reeds, etc 182,407 



The manufactured articles imported are 

 table: 



JoBe. 



Quantity. 



Lumber, feet 96,548.000 



Laths 61,550.000 



^^hingles 42,865,000 



Other manufactures of 



lumljer 



Chair cane 



Furniture 



Wood pulp, pounds. .76,717,629 



Value. 

 .$1,782,573 

 180.366 

 115,441 



78,730 



42.731 



69,595 



1,063,158 



Value. 



? 313,189- 



19,092,000 1,094,048 



66,318,000 4,839.625 



1,441,541 



140,876,000 1,506,235 



1,036,894 6,954,952 



1,816,319 



listed in the following. 



— Year Ending .lune 30. — - 



Qnaastity. Value. 



1.090,628 ?18,907,34.T 



712,099 1,905,154 



560,29-7 1,399,751 



1,130,092,026 



Total wood and 

 manufactures of 



wood $5,251 ,035 



The exports from the United States for 

 in the table below: 



June. 



Quantity. 

 721.000 

 60,000 

 1,366,000 



Hickory logs, feet. 



Oak logs, feet 



U'alnut logs, feet. . 

 .V]l other round logs, 



feet 10,745,000 



Firewood 



Sawed and hewed 



timber, feet 43,010,000 



Lumber, feet 214,954,000 



Raiiroad ties 



Shingles 



•Shocks 



Staves 



Heading 



Other cooperage .... 

 Doors, sash, and 



blinds 



Furniture 



Empty barrels 



House finishings.... 



Woodenware 



Wood pulp, pounds. 

 Other manufactures 



of wood 



495,906 



11,006,000 



1,118,938 



6,5,32,405 



1.938,411 



Total wood and 

 maanfactures of 

 wood 



Value. 

 $ 27,321 

 2,695 

 70.492 



248,962 

 7,326 



1,056,885 



5,077.851 



245,806 



31,867 



372,740 



497,219 



19,662 



271.630 



132,090 

 523,334 

 22,762 

 80,420 

 58,596 

 42,830 



664,434 



•'i;9,497,- 



$61,823,988 



the same periods are shown 



— Year Ending June 30. — 



Quantity. Value. 



8,293,000 ,$ 309,896 



3,139,000 125,818 



12,711,000 692,665 



149,381,000 



511,637,000 



2,550,308,000 



5,416,713 



106,903,000 



15,103,733 



89,005,624 



41,475,557 



3.095,029 



228,244 



11.150,577 



61.975,919 



2,616,563 



261,058 



4,404,792 



7,325,535 



346,258 



3,087,005 



1,598,442 



7,295,256 



383,404 



1,023,581 



767,317 



764,020 



7,620,102 



$115,704,777 



A good reputation has selling value in the lumber business as well 

 as elsewhere. If you are skeptical on this subject try selling the 

 product of an unknown mill against that of one known as having a 

 reputation for furnishing good stock at even prices. 



A study of moisture and its relation to the strength of wood 

 furnishes evidence that too much liquid refreshment is weakening to 

 wood as well as to man. 



Here is hoping that we really get a more elastic currency for some- 

 times it is an awfully long stretch to the next pay day. 



—33— 



