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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



March 10, 1921 



"The Cabinet Wood Superlative" 



Walnut Memories 



and 



Looking Forward 



What pleasant memories a superb modern Hall Clock of American Walnut, for example, will 

 awaken in the minds of those whose earliest associations are centered about American Walnut 

 Furniture! And the cherished pieces of American Walnut which you place m your home today 

 will awaken the same fond memories in the breasts of those of your family into whose proud 

 possession they shall come in later years. 



In all the better furniture stores are fine examples of American Walnut furniture, "The Cabinet 

 Wood for the Ages," which you will enjoy buying. Will you make it a point to see them. 



Write for the American Walnut Brochure — edition de luxe — 

 ivhich is filled with information about this historic zvood. 



AMERICAN WALNUT MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION 



Room 1024, 616 South Michigan Boulevard, Chicago 



THE POWERFUL EFFECTS OF THE ADVERTISING 



of AMERICAN WALNUT in the best publications in Americi are being felt increasingly by all branches of the 

 furniture industry. (Do you wonder the public "sits up" and -ualks in. and says, "AMERICAN WALNUT, please.") 



THE BEST FURNITURE HOUSES IN THE COUNTRY 



are "clu-cbiiui in" with the demand our advertising is creating. It naturally follows that only those which are well 

 'stocked will lie able to ■■cash in" fully on this AMERICAN W.^LNTT revival. 



Utilization of American Walnut 



Because of its v/ide interest to the furniture industry 

 and other divisions of the wood using industry, a further 

 review of the contents of U. S. Forest Service Bulletin No. 

 909, which makes a most complete study of the utiliza- 

 tion of American walnut, will be carried in this issue of 

 Hardwood Record. A number of excerpts from the 

 bulletin were published in the February 25 issue and were 

 read with a great deal of interest. TTie bulletin was 

 written by Warren D. Brush and is pronounced by George 

 N. Lamb, secretary-manager of the American Walnut 

 Manufacturers Association, the most thorough study of 

 our native walnut yet compiled. 



Owing to the steadily increasing popularity of walnut as 

 a cabinet wood, and the corresponding increased demand 

 for walnut lumber and veneers from the furniture industry, 

 the observations which the bulletin makes on the utiliza- 

 tion of walnut by this industry are especially pertinent. 

 The bulletin says: 



During' the past several years there has been a revival in the 

 demand tor walnut furniture in this country. This is mainly be- 

 cause of the adoption of lighter finishes and figured effects, which 

 are in contrast with the dark, somber finishes in earlier use, and 

 because of the obtaining of new supplies of the wood. On account 

 of the high price of oak and the relative scarcity of mahogany that 

 resulted from restricted imports during the war, walnut has re- 

 cently displaced these woods to a large extent for furniture. 



There are several reasons for the high value placed upon walnut 

 as a cabinet wood. It has good seasoning properties, will hold its 



shape well, and will not deteriorate after it is properly seasoned: it 

 has an attractive appearance, may be polished to a smooth surface, 

 and will take stains and varnishes very well; it may be cut easily 

 with tools, and is thus adapted to carving and veneer making: it 

 may be glued with very satisfactory results: it possesses moderate 

 strength and weight. 



To a degree equaled by fe\v other woods walnut possesses all the 

 different qualities that are essential to a first-class cabinet wood. 

 Greater strength would be of advantage, but this would involve 

 greater weight and greater hardness, and the greater hardness 

 would interfere with its being easily worked with tools. 



The principal articles of furniture made of walnut are dining- 

 room and bedroom suites. Dining-room tables of walnut are much 

 in demand, because they are very serviceable and do not show to 

 the extent to which some other woods do the hard usage to which 

 such tables are subjected. Bookcases, desks, living-room tables, 

 and many other pieces are commonly made of walnut. Recently, 

 on account of its serviceability, there has been a considerable 

 demand for office furniture of walnut. 



There are three general classes of furniture — that made along 

 plain lines and of figured wood; that characterized by elaborate 

 design and made almost altogether of plain wood: and cheaper 

 grades of furniture, simple in form and of plain wood. 



The greatest demand now is for walnut furniture of plain lines 

 and finished to show the natural figure of the wood. Much plain 

 walnut furniture is made, but usually some figured wood is em- 

 ployed for the most conspicuous parts. Large-figured effects in 

 walnut are not so popular nov^r as formerly. The highest class of 

 v^alnut furniture generally has stripe and cross figure, and often 

 some crotch and burl-^vood pieces. Some large, heavy walnut fur- 

 niture of antique design, usually with large carvings, is also made. 

 These pieces are for large rooms of expensively furnished houses, 

 and are generally copied after the early-period designs of walnut 

 furniture. 



Dining-room tables of walnut are manufactured in large num- 

 bers. They are generally finished in plain wood, because the only 

 {Continued on page 38) 



