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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



January 25, 1918 



manufacturers are finding it difficult to keep their plants 

 going. There is seldom any disposition on their part to 

 manufacture a big supply of frames for stock, because of 

 the possibility that the trade may change its views regard- 

 ing the desirability of certain lines. Hence when busi- 

 ness gets dull the manufacturer usually jumps on the 

 train, goes to a big market where he knows there is a 

 chance to get some large orders, and cuts his prices deep 

 enough to get them. Then he goes back to his factory 

 and turns out the goods, hoping in the meantime that con- 

 ditions will become favorable enough to enable him to 

 run without having to take business at the reduced prices. 



"This is not an ideal condition, of course, but that is 

 the way it has been in the frame industry. Consequently 

 there is not much of a supply of veneered frames on hand, 

 nor have the frame makers been going into the market for 

 large quantities of three-ply stuff. On the other hand, 

 they have been buying from hand to mouth, making up 

 frames just as they saw the business in sight, and as the 

 trade has not seen fit to put the loud pedal on veneered 

 goods, these have languished even more than the regu- 

 lar lines. 



"My personal opinion is that the veenered frame can 

 be restored to popularity. In fact, as a result of this con- 

 versation, I am going to suggest to the manufacturers 

 and the dealers as well that more attention be paid to 

 veneered frames. The public has not been told much 

 about these goods — though for that matter little educa- 

 tional work has been done on the subject of picture frames 



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in any way — with the hope that greater appreciation will 

 be developed for them. It would take only a little effort 

 along this line to bring about a decided stimulation of 

 interest in and demand for these frames, with a corres- 

 pondingly good effect on the manufacture of veneered 

 and glued-up stock for this business." 



The same authority, who has been selling picture 

 frames for years, and has the confidence of the largest 

 factors in this trade, said that the frame business has 

 suffered from lack of educational publicity. It takes a 

 run of poor business, such as that which is being experi- 

 enced at present, he contended, to make these manufac- 

 turers think seriously about getting the public interested 

 in their products. Consequently, he suggested, now is a 

 good time to take this question up again, with the idea of 

 starting something along the line of educational promo- 

 tion work, so that the public will be more inclined to study 

 pictures and frames, and to give a larger share of attention 

 and financial support to this industry. 



"Several years ago," he said, "the industry undertook 

 a campaign of this kind. That is to say, it was discussed, 

 and many of those in the business favored going to the 

 public with our story. The idea was launched at a meet- 

 ing of the Chicago manufacturers, who at that time were 

 suffering from lack of business, and who appreciated the 

 advisability of undertaking some sort of work that would 

 help to increase the volume. It was agreed that factories 

 would be assessed on the basis of their production, and 

 that this would create a fund which would enable the 

 frcuiie business to be advertised on a modest scale. The 

 details of the campaign were not worked out, but it was 

 agreed that the educational and esthetic value of pictures 

 would have to be featured, even more than the frames, 

 which, after all, are incidental. Getting the public in- 

 terested in pictures vifas to be the big idea. 



"However, while the frame makers were preparing to 

 work out a plan of this kind, business picked up, the de- 

 mand became brisk enough to keep all of the factories 

 working full time, and the idea of promotion was dropped 

 as unnecessary. Now that the trade is slow, it may be 

 taken up again, with better chances for success." 



The lack of building, which is hurting a lot of collateral 

 lines, is doubtless to blame for the situation in the frame 

 industry at present. The chances are that when residence 

 construction picks up, involving the purchase of new 

 furnishings of all kinds, picture frames will get their share 

 of the expenditures. At that time the veneer and panel 

 makers will feel the stimulation, but it is doubtful whether 

 the requirements of veneered frames will make much of 

 a dent in the supply of thin stuff as long as the general 

 situation remains unfavorable. G. D. C, Jr. 



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A notion prevails in some quarters that a wood should be soft 

 in order to be desirable as a source of veneer. While a soft wood 

 may be manufactured more easily than a hard one, the ease of 

 working a wood is not the test -^f its value as a source of veneer. 

 Ebony is one of the hardest woods, yet the piano maker produces 

 some of his finest work by means of ebony veneer. 



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