August 10. 1921 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



35 



Grand Rapids Makes a New Start 



Furniture Market with Its New Designs, New Finishes and New Prices Attracts 

 Record Attendance of Buyers; Oak Comes Back with a Rush 



New designs, new woods, new prices, a record attendance 

 characterized the Grand Rapids furniture market for July which 

 closed on the twenty-eighth. The much sought stabilization of 

 prices came with the market, also, so that in general the season 

 was considered very satisfactory. Business done was not, or 

 course, nearly as heavy as that done in the hectic days of 1919 

 and 1920, but dealers generally bought their needs and the man- 

 ufacturers who offered new merchandise at rock bottom prices 

 secured practically all the business they had a right to expect, 

 while those who did not get their prices down or who failed to 

 bring out the design that took with the buyers are expecting to 

 do a big business on the road this fall. 



The new woods used are exceedingly interesting. Satin wood 

 both of the East Indian and the West Indian varieties has been 

 turned into rrost beautiful suites by some of the manufacturers. 

 Hardwood was used in one suite by one manufacturer and a 

 beautiful effect was produced. I hen the "come back'* of oak is 

 such that it is almost like a new wood. Its treatment and the 

 manner of usage bids fair to give it a return to popularity. 



Many manufacturers have brought into the country a great 

 quantity of antique furniture picked -up in France, Belgium, Eng- 

 land, Italy and Spain. The market is showing a great run on this 

 character of furniture. All this furniture, according to the orig- 

 inals calls for oak and it seems not at all unlikely that oak may 

 be in considerable demand before long. More than that, the use 

 of oak in inte'rior finish is popular again so that a new market is 

 opened for it here. 



Prices as fixed at the opening of the market remained firm 

 through to the end. Indeed buyers seemed well satisfied with the 

 low prices that had been quoted and expressed the desire only that 

 they become estabilized. No attempt was made to break the 

 market and the prices quoted during that four weeks will probably 

 hold until the next market. In January, how^ever, it is not at all 

 unlikely that prices will rise a bit for the price of lumber threatens 

 an advance and wages have not as yet been cut nor is there any 

 present disposition to cut them much, if any. 



New Attendance Record 



Attendance in the July season set a new record. The total num- 

 ber of buyers officially registered in the market was 2,265 against 

 2,244 for the previous high record in July. 1^19, and 1,930 for 

 the July season of 1920. The number of lines on exhibition was 

 alro greater than ever before, the total running above 500 and 

 many lines were unable to find space in which to show. 



The situation has brought the Grand Rapids Market association 

 to a realization of the need for still another exposition building. 

 Most of the Grand Rapids factories display their lines in factory 

 show rooms and there are left six large buildings to accommodate 

 the lines from outside Grand Rapids. These buildings have been 

 crowded full for the last several seasons and this season some of 

 the old lines which had given up their spaces when they thought 

 they were sold up for a year or two ahead were unable to get back 

 and so were also unable to show. 



Two buildings are now under consideration as prospective ex 

 position buildings. Also there is a proposal to erect a new one 

 for this purpose exclusively. Just what will be the outcome of 

 the proposals can only be guessed at, but if the next January sea- 

 son shows so heavy a demand for space as the last season did 

 there is little question but that another building will by some means 

 be provided. 



immediately following the close of the market came an an- 

 nouncement of interest to the furniture world. Burt A. Hatha- 

 way, for a long time secretary-treasurer of the John Widdicomb 

 Company of Grand Rapids secured an interest in the Estey Man- 

 ufacturing Company of Owosso and was elected president ana 

 manager of the concern. Charles E. Rigley, who for fifty years 

 has been the moving genius of the Estey Manufacturing Company, 

 celebrating that half century event last July Fourth, made the an- 

 nouncement in the change of management. Mr. Rigley still re- 

 tains controlling interest in the company but both he and his son, 

 Charles E. Rigley, jr., will retire from active participation in the 

 management of the company. The John Widdicomb Company at 

 the same time announced that for the present, at least, there 

 would be no change in the personnel of the management of that 

 plajit. 



Change Wins Success 



Not a little interest was manifested in the market in the suc- 

 cess of the new Grand Rapids Furniture Shops. This is the 

 former John D. Raab Chair Company bought last spring by Mar- 

 tin J. Dregge, J. Hampton Hoult and others who also control the 

 Luce Furniture Company and the Stone-Hoult Company. The 

 Grand Rapids Furniture Shops changed the line completely, going 

 into the manufacture of living room and hall furniture. This 

 furniture is being cut in quantities and turned out as medium 

 priced merchandise. The prices quoted on the line in the July 

 market, however, were far below medium prices and the result 

 was that the factory did a tremendous business, getting off to a 

 flying start which seems to spell success for the new line and the 

 new management. 



Grand Rapids manufacturers as a result of the July market will 

 have plenty of work to keep the factories running to capacity until 

 the Janviary market opens. Some of the outside factories did not 

 do as well but expect to make up on the road what they failed to 

 do in the market. Dealers showed an inclination to buy. They 

 w^ere demanding new furniture at low prices but when they found 

 these two elements they were not at all slow in placing their 

 orders. Most of them declared their feeling that business w^as 

 going to improve during the fall and that by next spring the rise 

 in business would be most pronounced. They are ready and w^ill- 

 ing and anxious to prepare for this situation and the furniture 

 manufacturers who did not get all the orders they may have desired 

 in the market feel certain they will be able to make good on the 

 road. 



The Hope Veneer company has been incorporated at Hope 

 Villa. La. 



At Butternut, Wis., the veeneer plant completed last spring, is 

 now operating, with Theodore Ross as manager. Mr. Ross was 

 formerly at Park Falls. 



The Charles Kaiper's Sons Company, furtniture manufacturers 

 of this city, will establish a branch factory in Covington, Ky. The 

 company has leased a three-story building on Greenup between 

 Second and Third streets. Officers in the furniture concern said 

 that they would take possession of the building in the near future 

 and refit it for their use. 



The Bacon-Underwood Veneer Company, of Sockton, Ala., an- 

 nounces a change in their name to the Bacon-McMillan Veneer 

 Company. All stock and management remain as heretofore. 



