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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
63
COPPER HIGHEST IN 45 YEARS
EXPERIMENTING WITH SHARK SKIN
FUTURE PLANS FOR MATAWAN CO.
Small Lots Sold for 36% Cents Because of
Brassmakers' Demands—Embargo a Factor
Piano Supply Manufacturers Interested in Ef-
forts to Make Leather Out of Shark Skin
Copper for immediate delivery was reported
sold in small lots last week at prices as high
as 36^4 cents a pound, a level higher than the
metal had attained since 1872. In that year the
market once reached 44 cents a pound for "spot"
copper. The urgent demand which resulted in
the present high price is said to have originated
among the brassmakers whose deliveries under
contracts entered into months ago had been
thrown into confusion by railroad embargoes,
entailing hurried purchases in the open market
tc enable the plants to keep running until the
regular supplies arrived.
The copper market has been stiffening rap-
idly for a week, largely because of purchases by
domestic consumers. The range of ordinary
quotations for metal to be delivered in the bal-
ance of February and March was from 34J4 to
35 cents a pound, a gain of more than 2 cents
a. pound in a week. These figures had appli-
cation to carload lots, offered by the smaller
producers and dealers. The big sellers con-
tinued out of the market, as their production
has been sold, according to statements made in
the trade, up to July 1. Copper for delivery in
the second quarter was quoted from 33 to 34
cents, depending on the month wanted, with
bidders accepting the prices offered without
prolonged dickering.
Railroad embargoes have forced consumers
to great exertions to get adequate amounts of
the metal delivered when needed at mill and
foundry. The express companies have been
called upon to transport round amounts of cop-
per which ordinarily would have gone by freight,
a process which has increased largely the costs
of delivery. The smelters in the West have
had many problems to solve getting their
product to the Eastern refineries.
Henry Wickham and Associates to Produce
Piano Plates of High Quality and Increase
Capacity of Plant—Bright Outlook Ahead
WAHINGTON, D. C, February 19.—The interest
The plant of the Matawan Steel and Iron Co.,
that has been aroused among piano supply manu-
facturers by efforts to establish a wider utiliza- Matawan, N. J., is now being operated by the
tion of the skins of sharks in the manufacture new owners, under the direction of Henry G.
Plans formulated pro-
of leather has resulted in the receipt of a large Wickham, president.
number of letters by the United States Bureau vide for the production of a plate of the highest
of Fisheries from persons and firms connected quality, increase of the volume of production,
and in due course of time an increase in the
with the leather trade or industry.
Much work was done by the Bureau during size of plant. Efficiency methods are now be-
the past two months. At present it has on hand ing installed that are destined to increase largely
Although the
about 100 small shark skins and 50 large ones. their manufacturing facilities.
Many of these were shipped from Seattle. About directorate of the reorganized firm comes from
twenty communications have been received ex- the Wickham Piano Plate Co., of Springfield,
pressing a desire to experiment with this product O., announcement is. made that the Matawan
and the raw material will be supplied as far as plant will be run as an entirely separate busi-
possible. Manufacturers and brokers have been ness. Mr. Wickham predicts a big year ahead,
advised of possible sources of supply and an not only with the Matawan Co., but the entire
effort made to interest fishermen in this fishery. trade in general.
In December 11,600 pounds of hides from
IVORY FOR PIANO^KEYS SCARCE
Alaska were landed at Puget Sound ports, and
advices from Nicaragua state that a practically
IVORYTON, CONN., February 19.—Comstock,
inexhaustible supply may be obtained from that
Cheney
& Co., manufacturers of piano keys, re-
country. Tanned skins from a number of per-
sons are being received. Several small samples port that the supply of ivory coming from the
British colonies in South Africa by way of Eng-
received appear very promising.
The possibility of using skins of other fishes land has been nearly cut off. The company is
has not been overlooked. Skins of several making every effort to get shipments of ivory in
species have been ordered for experimentation order to keep pace with the greatly increased
demand for piano keys, and is doing its best to
and will be supplied to tanners when received.
supply its customers despite the very unfavor-
able conditions surrounding the ivory trade at
GRAND PIANO ACTION PATENTED
the present time.
WASHINGTON, D. C , February 19.—James F.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
Conover, Chicago, 111., was last week granted
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
Patent No. 1,215,489 for a grand piano action,
free of charge for men who desire positions.
which has for its object the provision of a sim-
ple and efficient device of this character capable
of being operated in very quick succession, and
with a minimum amount of energy.
BRANCH OFFICES:
MATERIALS,
TOOLS AND
SUPPLIES
CUCM*
160 No. Fifth Are.
Saa Francisco
164 Hansford N d i .
invisible
gS Hinges
FOR
LM Amctlct
224 Central Bldf.
are Apparent
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.
Some oi the sires shown Indicate the
variety of "SOSS 11 Hinges which we
manufacture for use on pianos, player-
pianos, talking machines and music
cabinets.
There Is a particular "SOSS" Hinge
best suited for your requirements.
Our illustrated catalog " S " «ive»
I complete and interesting Information.
» Write for a copy and for Quotations on
• rour particular requirements.
' S o s a Manufacturing
Minneapolis
3416 Second ATC.,SO.
Detroit
922 David WMtner
Bnildinc
Company,
435-443 Atlantic AT... Brooklyn. N. T.
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturera of
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
Upright-
Grand—
Player—
Piano Cases
Ertabliihed 1891
4th Avc. & 13th St.
VENEERS
LEOMINSTER
::
::
MASS.
Circassian Walnut, Oak, Walnut
and Specializing on Mahogany.
Capacity—5 Million Feet