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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



January 2 5, 1921 "• 



LONG-KNIGHT 



LUMBER COMPANY 



WALNUT- HARDWOODS 



Veneers 



Mahogany, American Walnut, Quartered White Oak 

 Manufacturers and Wholesalers 



Indianapolis, Indiana 



Review of January Furniture Markets 



By Wm. B. Baker 



Secretary of National Association of Chair Manufacturers 



Last week closed the Grand Rapids exhibits of furniture 

 and practically wound up business in the Chicago market. 

 Business in both cities improved considerably the second 

 and third weeks over that experienced the initial week. 

 In no case were orders of satisfactory amount but dispo- 

 sition shown to buy w^hat was actually needed created a 

 much better feeling on the part of the manufacturers and 

 inspired an optimism which w^as lacking at the end of the 

 first week. 



Frequent instances occurred where buyers visited the 

 exhibits, made notations of prices and departed without 

 leaving an order. It was apparent that the retailers in 

 great numbers had not closed their books for 1920 and 

 were examining the lines to ascertain prices for goods 

 which they had in their retail stores and then returned 

 home and inventoried such stock based on replacement 

 value. In addition to that, they in many cases sent in 

 orders to the factories for such items as they needed. 



The feeling exists generally that retail stocks w^ill be 

 offered at very marked reductions and that the February 

 sales in the larger cities will move considerable merchan- 

 dise off the floors of the retail stores. If that condition 

 actually takes place the salesmen from furniture factories 

 when calling upon their trade in February will book a fair 



amount of business. The most optimistic among the pro- 

 ducers of furniture base their expectations upon a light 

 business the first half of this year and are prepared to 

 suffer a loss for that length of time. Fall business will 

 undoubtedly take up the slack of the first six months and 

 the year will close about on an even break so far as 

 earnings are concerned. 



There seems to be little change in design or kinds of 

 wood used in this market over the preceding one of last 

 July. Oak is being shown in less ratio to other woods 

 with gum and walnut gaining in proportion. 



While the bulk of furniture manufacturers have been 

 operating on short time or have been entirely shot down 

 for varying periods covering the past three months, a 

 desire is now noticeable for a resumption of operations 

 despite the lack of business to justify going ahead at full 

 steam pressure. Stocks are very low with the factories 

 and even a moderate amount of general demand will soon 

 exhaust stocks of finished furniture with the producer. 

 Naturally as furniture factories resume operation they will 

 of necessity be in the market for lumber on a steadily 

 increasing basis. 



The furniture industry is now passing through one of 

 [Continued on page 40) 



