Music Trade Review

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THE
FEBRUARY 22, 1919
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
and with the remarkable publicity that has been
given the material in connection with war uses
Cessation of War Requirements Assures Piano the ultimate consumer will have a prejudice in
Manufacturers of an Adequate Supply of This favor of it that it will be hard to discount. Wal-
Wood—Has Grown Continuously in Favor
nut furniture, pianos and other cabinet products
are now too strongly entrenched to be affected
The American Walnut Manufacturers' Asso- by anything short of a radically diminished
ciation, which has been organized since the end supply of the wood itself, and since the pro-
ducers assure the trade that there is plenty of
of the war came in sight, for the purpose of
keeping before the consuming industries and the walnut to be had, and more where that came
public the facts concerning walnut as a mate- ftom, one may look forward with confidence to a
rial and the available supply, insists that the vis- long and prosperous career for walnut and those
ible supply is probably 1,000,000,000 feet. The concerned with its promotion.
qualification of the amount is proper, since it is
almost impossible to indicate statistically the
COPPER HITS NEW LOW MARK
available supply of this wood. The higher prices
at which walnut is selling have automatically Larger Interests Hold to 18 Cents, But Quota-
increased the supply, since it is well known that
tions Are Offered at 17
much material which is difficult of access can
be marketed at a high price which would be
The price of copper, as quoted by the small
altogether unavailable at a lower price, one producers, has reached 17 cents, a new low
which is insufficient to pay the cost of felling the level since price restrictions were removed on
trees and transporting the logs.
January 1. Even at the reduction there was lit-
Before the war needs developed on such a tle business reported, and the general quiet tone
huge scale, and when the walnut trade was made which has prevailed since the first interest
up largely of export shipments, the annual pro- shown upon the reduction of the price from
duction was estimated at somewhere in the the 23-cent level was apparent in the trade.
neighborhood of 50,000,000 feet. The late H. A.
There has been no change in the attitude of
McCowen, who probably knew more about the the larger producers toward the lowering of
walnut supply and the walnut situatio'n generally prices. The first reduction from 23 cents to
than anybody else in the country, told the writer 18 cents was announced directly after the wages
on more than one occasion that the production to miners were readjusted, and since then there
probably ran under this figure, and while he had has been little variation in quotations. One of
no doubt of the permanence of the supply, he the leading producers stated that there was lit-
was hardly prepared for the expansion which tle use in lowering prices since there was no
the war situation developed.
buying in sight. The price of the red metal
In fact, walnut grows over such a wide terri- for export still holds at 23 cents, but it is felt
tory, and in such a scattered fashion, that it is that reductions may be made when foreign inter-
much easier to kill it off on paper than in ests show an inclination to enter the market
reality. It actually seems that the more walnut here. The representatives of the Copper Ex-
the market demands the more there is offered. port Association are now overseas viewing the
This is not such an anomaly as it seems, when situation, and with regard to the statement made
it is realized to what extent walnut is used some time ago to the effect that a trip was
for shade and to ornament and protect the planned to Germany, there is much interest and
homes of farmers and others through the Ohio speculation as to the way in which German in-
Valley, Middle West and Central South. There terests will receive the opportunity which may
were thousands of prized trees, which had been be given to them to secure some "made in
considered almost members of the family, and America" goods.
which had never been available for the market,
that found their way to the mills after the war
VENEER TRADE REORGANIZING
started. In some cases sentiment gave way to
necessity, since the high prices paid for good
Concentration of Sizes a Feature of Present Ac-
timber made it unreasonable to hold the trees,
tivity in the Veneer Industry
and in others patriotism took precedence over
profit, since the owners realized the importance
The veneer trade right now is in a state of
of the wood for war purposes, and parted with
remobilization. After the recent stock-taking
their trees in order to help along the cause.
period most manufacturers are concentrating
Now that the war is over, it may be suggested, their sizes to avoid duplication in ordering
these extraordinary conditions no longer pre- stocks. The scarcity of poplar will lead manu-
vail, and it will be just as hard as heretofore to facturers of furniture to carry only one line of
get the material. But walnut prices will hardly wood (mostly gum, as this seems to be the
come down, for the present demand will sustain most available for core stock and crossbanding).
any reasonable figures that may be fixed as a
The uncertainty of all other woods, such as
basis for walnut timber values. There will be birch, maple and basswood, will put these mate-
every incentive for the owner of the timber, as rials mostly in the hands of interior woodwork-
for the exploiter of the logs and the manufac- ers, while mahogany seems to show a slight
turer of the lumber, to help maintain the supply, improvement. The plain, striped walnut veneers
since the continuance of favorable conditions are getting more in favor, also, in connection
demands an adequate and continuous movement with red gum work; furniture manufacturers are
to the consumer. When consumers find it dif- now fixing up their lines with new styles to
ficult to satisfy their needs, walnut will be meet the expected return of demand for better
dropped, and the market will be non-existent. grades of furniture.
But that that day will come any time in the
The built-up veneered top manufacturers and
next few generations does not seem likely.
three-ply panel factories are still busy on back
The war has simply proved that there is a lot orders, and in some cases manufacturers are
more walnut to be had than anybody supposed. contracting for supplies ahead for the coming
It will continue to be brought into the market, season.
There have been very few failures
among the woodworkers and the trade in gen-
eral is in a healthv condition.
45
PLENTY OF WALNUT AVAILABLE
PIANO ACTION MACHINERY
Designers and Builders of
Special Machines fur Special Purposes
THE A . H NILSON MACHINE CO.
BRIDGEPORT
CONN.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions
ADVICt
And when you're satisfied
that we've the best punch-
ings on the market, cut
clean and accurately from
the best of material in cellu-
loid, cloth, felt, fibre,
leather, paper, rubber or
whatever you want, give
us credit and send your
orders to
C.F. GOEPELACO
137 EAST I 3
NEW YORK
ENORMOUS SUPPLY OF WOOL
Government Holdings at End of Year Totaled
Over Three Hundred Million Pounds
More wool was sold at public auction by the
Government this week. An official statement
shows that the Government stock of wool on
hand on December 28 last amounted to 318,194,-
633 pounds, valued at $196,019,222. This was
after disposing of 204,216,785 pounds. It does
not include the 200,000,000 pounds contracted to
be taken from the British Government. So that,
in all, the Government had arranged for hav-
ing over 718,000,000 pounds for a year's supply,
while its actual needs, even if the war had con-
tinued, would have been much less than half that
amount. Peddling out the large quantity now
on hand would seem like an endless task.
Woolen manufacturers are insisting that the
Government should get out of the game as quick-
ly as possible and let the market get on a nor-
mal basis. Sooner or later this must happen,
and the manufacturers will be handicapped until
it takes place.
You will find it profitable as well as
satisfactory to use Behlen's Varnish
Crack Eradicator.
Its use eliminates the necessity of scrap-
ing off the old varnish and shellac, sav-
ing much time and trouble and inci-
dentally expense, at the same time giv-
ing you the very best kind of a surface
for the new finish.
Send for a sample can today and try it.
n. Behlen «& Bro.
Anilines ^ S v «Stains
Shellacs S£*,> Fillers
371
PEARL ST.. NEW YORK
of any kind.
A. C. CHENEY PIANO ACTION CO.
•Uaoulacturers of
PNEUMATIC ACTIONS FOR PLAYER-PIANOS
HIGH-GRADE PIANOFORTE ACTIONS
CASTLETON. NEW YORK