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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
61
THE GROWING USE OF OAK VENEER
FREAK VENEER HELPS PIANO SALE
TO CONTINUE LIVERPOOL MARKETS
This Wood Is Being Used More Extensively By
Manufacturers All the Time
Representation of a Helmet Helps Prospect to
Decide Between Two Instruments
Plain oak for face work and finish is receiving
much more favor at the hands of both the
cabinet and millwork world now than it ever
has before. Good plain oak always had a splen-
did and pleasing figure, but for a generation
or more we have been so busy admiring and
using quartered oak that we have neglected
to develop plain oak and make the best out of
it. Some things being shown now, both in
furniture and millwork, in plain oak, are bring-
ing out such favorable comment that it looks
like we may have quite a run in plain oak for
face work, both in the furniture trade and in
millwork.
It is appearing in several different forms.
Sometimes it is plain oak panels surrounded by
plain oak frames. At other times we have a
framework in quartered oak with the panels in
plain oak, and another combination, perhaps the
older one, is the use of plain oak for frames and
quartered oak for panels. A plain oak panel with
a quartered oak frame makes a splendid com-
bination, and if the plain oak is to be mixed
with quartered in any way, this seems the most
desirable combination in the lot. Plain oak
panels and plain oak frames, however, make an
excellent showing when treated in the finishing
room with the same care as has been accorded
quartered oak and mahogany in the past. It
is a pleasing change from the extra loud quar-
tered oak figure which was the rage some time
ago, and right now is what we might term the
psychological time to push plain oak panels
and plain oak veneer for face work.
Just what part "freaks" in veneers, play in
the sale of musical instruments was clearly
shown recently, when an official of a large Chi-
cago piano manufacturing company, whose fa-
vorite happens to be Circassian walnut, in close-
ly studying the grain of a finished instrument,
found an exact representation of a German hel-
met imbedded in the panel. Curious designs are
often found, but it is rare, the piano man states,
that so perfect a copy has come to light. In-
cidentally, the "freak" in the veneer sold the in-
strument at once.
The story is told by W. S. Miller, vice-presi-
dent of the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., of Chicago,
111., who studies the grain in the various finished
pianos with as much interest as a connoisseur
of art pours over a great painting. All of which
leads up to the fact that a short time ago Mr.
Miller found an exact representation of Kaiser
Wilhelm's famous helmet imbedded in the front
board of an upright piano. Later he happened
to be present in the salesroom of the retail
dealer who had purchased the instrument. A
customer, who was German by ancestry, sym-
pathy and all other racial bonds, was hesitating
between two pianos, the one with the Circassian
walnut finish and another of plainer appear-
ance.
The dealer's suggestions were of no avail in
helping the customer to- decide between the
two equally attractive pianos. So he introduced
Mr. Miller. The name told Mr. Miller imme-
diately the customer's nationality. Taking the
customer to a point where the helmet was most
plainly seen, Mr. Miller indicated the "freak"
in the grain by pointing to it. "Look," he said.
The customer looked, and his decision was
immediately made. "I'll take that one," he re-
plied.
English Paper Believes That Mahogany Trade
Will Be Centered in Liverpool After the Pres-
ent European War Comes to an End
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions
of any kind.
MATERIALS,
TOOLS AND
SUPPLIES
FOR
An English lumber journal, commenting on
mahogany conditions, says that the direct im-
portation of mahogany in the logs from
the West Coast of Africa to America is, with
the exception of a few large companies, which
have been importing for several years, only a
temporary arrangement, and that the mahog-
any markets will be continued in Liverpool after
the war.
This view of the matter is explained by the
statement that the United »States is not a good
market for any but superior logs, while in Eng-
land, owing to the limited native supply of tim-
ber, all the small and inferior logs find ready
market.
It is claimed that American buyers can come
closer" getting just what they want by patroniz-
ing the Liverpool auction sales, and really get
the logs cheaper in the long run than if they
were burdened with the lower grade of logs
common to regular shipments, and which would
be difficult to market in this country.
STRONG WOOL, SITUATION
Wool is one of the few things that was in
no wise affected by the foreign situation or by
the rumors of the week. There are many who
believe that peace will be accompanied by a
very great demand for the material, especially
on the part of the people of the Central Powers.
It is also certain that there is no speedy way
of adding to the world's output of wool, and,
even under normal conditions, the demand for
it keeps increasing from year to year.
The
prices obtained at the auction sales in London
were in advance of those previously had de-
spite the restriction of the bidders to those
from Great Britain and her allies. After the
next set of sales, which begin on January 4,
there may be some intimation of when the bars
will be let down on the exports of colonial
wools to this country.
Meanwhile the buy-
ing in the domestic markets has been rather
slow, but at well-maintained prices. What in-
dications were apparent were that there is no
immediate chance of lower levels being reached.
DEATH OF WILLIAM SCHLEMMER
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.
The piano and supply trades will learn with
regret of the death on Saturday last of William
Schlemmer, treasurer of the prominent hard-
ware and piano supply house of Hammacher,
Schlemmer & Co., New York. Details regard-
ing Mr. Schlemmer's death and his business
career appear elsewhere in The Review this
week.
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturers of
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
Upright— I V
Cases
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
I
Ettabliahed
4th Avc. & 13th St.
VENEERS
LEOMINSTER
::
1891
::
MASS.
Circassian Walnut, Oak, Walnut
and Specializing on Mahogany.
Capacity—5 Million Feet