THE 
WOOD CARVING AND PYROGRAPHY. 
CRAFTS 
LEATHER AND METAL. BASKETRY, ETC. 
Under the management of Miss Emily Peacock, i6j South Ninth street, Brooklyn, N. V. All inquiries in regard to the various 
Crafts are to be sent to the above address, but zvitl be answered in the magazine under this head. 
SIMPLE FURNITURE 
ITS STRUCTURE IN RELATION TO USE AND BEAUTY 
(Second Paper) 
Elisabeth Saugstad 
LMOST any kind of wood may be 
used in making furniture, and there 
are certain properties shared, in a 
greater or lesser degree, by all varie- 
ties, but each has its own individual- 
ity, which makes it particularly 
suited to certain styles and uses. 
The more sensitive the craftsman is 
to this, the more sympatheticallj^ 
and intelligently he works along these 
lines, the greater will be his success, both usefully and artis- 
tically. 
I need touch here only on those woods which from their 
general availability and characteristics are best adapted to the 
style of furniture under consideration. Of these the oak, 
"Sole king of forests all," as Spencer calls it, comes ea.sily 
first, it is so strong, durable and beautiful, quite fine enough for 
princely halls and noble dining rooms, but lending itself with 
equal appropriateness to the simplest effects. But it must 
always be treated with breadth, dignity and directness. 
It carmot be surpassed for furniture for the hall, library, 
dining and living rooms. It is one of the easiest woods to pro- 
cure; it is not expensive, nor is it especially difficult to work, 
though there are degrees of hardness. White oak is the kind 
most commonly used and it comes in all dimensions, either 
plain or quartered. Quartered oak, with its beautiful mark- 
ings, is not, as some suppose, a different kind, but any oak cut 
as nearly as possible in the plane of the silver grain or medullary 
rays. These radiate from the center and the diagram, 111. i, 
shows the manner of cutting to get the greatest amount of 
figured wood with the least waste. 
Ash is a very useful and satisfactory' wood for the beginner. 
It is lighter in weight and easier to work than oak, but it is 
strong and durable. It has an open, flowing grain, boldly 
marked in a strong, free way, and it demands broad and simple 
treatment. For the piazza, the " den" and the summer cottage 
where furniture of the simplest kind, strong, yet not heavy, is 
desirable, it is better than oak. It is cheaper, also, and easy to 
get in most places. 
Mahogany is a very beautiful wood which may be used for 
very simple furniture, if the simplicity be that of refinement and 
artistic reserve, and the workmanship perfect. Its fine texture 
and rich deep orange and wine tones, undershot with subtle 
golden lights, would make anything primitive or crude in treat- 
ment seem as incongruous as a silken brocade used as a working 
gown. 
The finest and best comes from the West Indies and is 
called Spanish and Cuban, but is is very heavy and hard to 
How oak is quartered. 
Showing the action of wood i 
shrinking. 
work. The highly figured kinds are always used as veneers. 
The kinds most used in cabinet work are Mexican and Hondu- 
ras. These are not as heavy and dark as the West Indian, but 
are (juite heavy enough for strength and durability, and are 
among the most agreeable woods to work, being clean and free 
fro in knots. It is not as expensive as many suppose, and it is 
sometimes possible to get boards in short lengths at little more 
than the price of quartered oak. 
Walnut, at one time so indiscriminately used and abused, 
is really a beautiful wood when it is well treated, being strong 
and fine grained, and makes furniture of sober richness and 
dignity, particularily suited to dining rooms and libraries of 
that character. 
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A design best developed in oak 
walnut. It may be quite plain 
carved simply. 
A design suited to ash or plain oak. 
A design particularly suited to r 
hogany. Brass fittings. 
V design which may be used for any 
wood from pine to mahogany, with 
any sort of stout covering, from 
denim to Spanish leather. 
