May 10. 1915. 



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'^iPstw»Kiy 



I Fulfillment of Long Existing Desire ^^ 



Considering figured gum as 



to its value to manufacturers 



of furniture and other lines 



in wliieli cabinet wood is 



used, the above caption would 



about describe the reception 



which has been accorded this 



extremely desirable American 



hardwood. European markets 



have been utilizing red gum, 



both in the figured and the 



plain stock, for years under 



such names as satinwood, 



hazel wood and nyssa, but 



users in the domestic market 



did not come to appreciate its 



value until recent years. Its 



real, intrinsic worth was not 



properly impressed upon them, 



nor did they appreciate what 



its actual advantages would 



mean in the marketing of 



their goods until certain pro- 

 gressive lumber and veneer 



manufacturers, fully realizing 



the advantage of broadening 



the market for this product, made energetic strides in this direction 



and have today put it on a plane with the best of cabinet woods. 

 The chief obstacle was the more or less natural sentiment as to 



the adaptability of the wood for various purposes recommended. 



Furniture manufacturers teem doubtful as to whether there would 



be sufficient demand for figured gum furniture to justify the invest- 

 ment in this stock. However, several aggressive manufacturers made 



up sample cases as examples, and with gratifying results. They 



soon realized 

 the possibility 

 of figured 

 gum, and in- 

 stalled it as 

 one of their 

 regular lines. 



Today many 

 of the largest 

 and best fac- 

 tories have 

 adopted it as 

 a prominent 

 feature of 

 their manu- 

 facture, its 

 chief appeal 

 lieing the fact 

 that its beauty 

 and attractive- 

 ness of figure 

 and texture 

 are altogether 

 different from 

 those of any 

 of the other 

 popular woods 

 which have 

 been so long 

 used. 



In this con- 

 nection are 

 shown photo- 



BEDSTKAO OF Fi(;ri!i:i > i!i:i) i:vm 



DUESSER OF FIGURED RED UUM 



graphic reproductions of re- 

 sults that have actually been 

 obtained in working up fig- 

 ured gum. Proper care in 

 matching on the part of the 

 artisan is really quite im- 

 portant in getting the best 

 out of the wood, and when 

 such care has been taken it 

 can very easily be appre- 

 ciated why figured stock in 

 gum lumber and veneers has 

 taken so readily, and has 

 such quick selling power. 



In addition as appealing 

 to the furniture and interior 

 finish manufacturer, the wood 

 has excellent working qual- 

 ities as: small percentage of 

 waste; splendid and inexpen- 

 sive finishing characteristics, 

 and in short, many features 

 which make feasible specializ- 

 ing in this product. 



The reasonable cost of this 

 wood is, of course, a dom- 

 inant factor and has enabled manufacturers to place red gum articles 

 on the market within easy reach of the middle class buyeis. 



There is at present a popular wave of sentiment favoring brown 

 effects in various woods. This is seen in almost all lines and right 

 now figured gum, by reason of the natural advantages of its color, 

 has a decided preference in many directions. 



Because, of the inexpensive character of the ordinary run of gum 

 lumber, it has been believed in a good many quarters that figured 

 stock was but an or- 

 dinary wood which 

 was being sold at 

 cabinet wood prices. 

 Considering the facts 

 in the case, however, 

 it is easily seen that 

 this is not so, as a 

 very small percentage 

 of the log is red, 

 while it requires most 

 careful manufacture 

 to get out a satisfac- 

 tory percentage of the 

 figured stock. 



The Sheraton suit 

 shown was manufac- 

 tured by a prominent 

 concern specializing in 

 figured gum. Hard- 

 wood Record will be 

 glad to supply the 

 name to anyone inter- 

 ested, particularly to 

 furniture dealei*s. 

 The figured gum ven- 

 eers were in this case 

 supplied by the Louis- 

 ville Veneer Mills, 

 Louisville, Ky., which 

 concern has estab- 

 lished a reputation 

 in this line. (.■U1FF(JXIEK UF FIGURED RED Gl'M 



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