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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
65
COPPER REACHES 31 CENTS
POLISHING WOOD WITH CHARCOAL
NOW MAKE "TROPICAL ACTIONS"
Unusually Strong Market Forces the Price
Upwards—London Market Also. Higher
A Smooth Surface and a Beautiful Dead Black
Color Obtained by This Method
Staib-Abendschein Co. Peg and Sew Bushings
on Actions for Tropical Countries—All Cen-
ters Are Damp-Proofed Also
Copper was phenomenally strong last week,
although for a day or two the market was un-
settled and prices were irregular, with a wide
variation in offerings of the same positions.
The result of the week's transactions, however,
was an advance of \ l / 2 cents a pound on refined
copper and 1 cent to 2 cents a pound on highly
finished products, such as wire.
Domestic consumers were disposed early in
the week to await developments but later came
into the market in force, buying electrolytic
actively for July, August and September ship-
ment at rising prices. There were enough be-
lated buyers also to take up the relatively small
supply of nearby metal offered and at the close
of the week April, May and June electrolytic
sold beneath 30 and 31 cents a pound. Even
July contracts were made between 2 9 ^ and 30
cents a pound. Later positions sold between 28
and 29 cents. Resale lots were taken up by
dealers at about l /i cent a pound less than the
prices paid by consumers to large producing
interests.
Last week the total exports of copper were
only 2,157 tons, but returns were not complete
because of the Good Friday holiday. Since the
first of April exports have been 14,399 tons.
April imports thus far have also been smaller,
indicating arrivals of about 10,000 tons for the
month.
The demand for copper wire was especially
heavy from domestic consumers, and prices at
the close of the week were Z2]/ 2 to 33'J^ cents
for various deliveries over the next four months.
One week ago copper wire sold at 31 to 31^2
cents per pound.
The London market was strong and higher
in sympathy with developments here. American
electrolytic was advanced £ 3 to £140 for spot
at the close of the week. Standard copper was
advanced £ 5 on spot and £ 3 on futures.
The method of polishing wood with charcoal,
now much used by French cabinetmakers, ac-
cording to an exchange, gives furniture a beau-
tiful dead black color and a smooth surface, the
wood seeming to have the density of ebony.
Compared with furniture rendered black by
stain and varnish, the difference is said to be
marked, because in charcoal polishing every de-
tail in carving is respected, while paint and var-
nish will clog up the holes and widen the ridges.
Only carefully selected woods of a close and
compact grain are used, and they are first cov-
ered with a coat of camphor dissolved in water,
and almost immediately afterward another coat,
composed chiefly of sulphate of iron and nut-
gall. The two compositions in blending pene-
trate the wood and give it an indelible tinge.
When these two coats are dry, the wood is" first
rubbed with a very hard brush, and then with
charcoal of substance as light and friable as
possible, because if a single hard grain remained
in the charcoal this alone would scratch the
surface. The fiat parts are rubbed with natural
stick charcoal, the indented portions and crev-
ices with charcoal powder. Alternately with the
charcoal the piece of furniture is rubbed with
flannel soaked in linseed oil and essence of tur-
pentine.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions
of any kind.
CATGUT IS FREE OF DUTY
Action of Customs Collector in Levying Duty
of 20 Per Cent. Is Reversed
In a recent customs ruling, V. C. Squire, of
Detroit, was upheld in his claim that importa-
tions of catgut were free of duty under the
tariff provision reading "catgut, whipgut or
wormgut, unmanufactured." Testimony on be
half of the manufacturer showed that the catgut
was not used in the condition imported as
strings for musical instruments, but was first
subjected to processes of stretching and wiring
before it was capable of use. The Collector was
reversed in levying 20 per cent, as manufactured
catgut suitable for musical instrument strings.
MATERIALS,
TOOLS AND
SUPPLIES
FOR
PIANO MANUFACTURERS
HINGES, BUTTS, CASTERS, PEDALS, FELTS,
CLOTHS, PUNCHINGS, SWINGS, HANGERS,
KNOBS, LOCKS, ETC., AND A FULL LINE OF
TOOLS USED IN TUNING, REGULATING AND
REPAIRING. CORRESPONDENCE INVITED.
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Avc. & 13th St.
The Staib-Abendschein Co., 134th street and
Brook avenue. New York, has, in connection
with other achievements which have recently
been accomplished, perfected what the company
calls a tropical piano action. In these actions
all the bushings, leathers, felts and cloths are
either pegged or sewed or both, besides being
cemented to the wood. For instance, on the
hammer butt, where the bushings cannot be
pegged, they have been sewed, a small hole be-
ing made through the wood through which the
thread is passed, after being sewed through the
felt and then tied. In this way should the ce-
ment become loosened owing to the dampness,
which is sometimes the case in a tropical cli-
mate, the bushings cannot fall from the butt.
The bushings on the whippin are pegged be-
sides being glued. This is also done on the
damper head, wedges and all other necessary
parts.
The back-checks of these tropical actions are
not only covered with felt as usual, but with a
leather, which is pegged.
Another important feature in connection with
the construction of these Staib-Abendschein ac-
tions is th£ fact that all the centers of tropical
actions are specially treated with the Staib-
Abendschein damp-proofing process. This has
been found a very valuable feature in connection"
with their use in climates where it is exception-
ally damp and humid.
HOW TO REGULATE HUMIDITY
A Proper Humidity in the Finishing Room Can
Be Maintained in a Very Easy Way
Every piano maker realizes the necessity of
maintaining a proper degree of humidity in the
finishing room, but some are under the impres-
sion that a very elaborate apparatus is necessary
to produce and control this humidity. This,
however, is not so. One of the simplest meth-
ods whereby the proper amount of humidity may
be obtained at all times is to hang pails of water
along the wall. When the temperature of the
room rises and the atmosphere becomes drier
in consequence, the evaporation from these pails
will increase. Should the temperature lower, the
evaporation will gradually decrease, temperature
and humidity both having a controlling influ-
ence over evaporation. In a temperature of 80°
F., with a high humidity, the evaporation will
tie slow, but the same temperature with a lower
humidity will produce a much faster evapora-
tion. This simple hint has been tried out in
many piano factories with uniform success.
WOOL EMBARQOJN BRITISH INDIA
Advices from the American Consul-general,
stationed at Calcutta, India, state that the Indian
Government has placed an embargo on the ex-
portation of raw wool from India to all coun-
tries except Great Britain, the embargo to run
six months from April 1, 1916.
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturers of
Upright—
riano Cases
Ettablithad
LEOMINSTER
::
1891
::
MASS.