Presto

13
PRESTO-TIMES
August 27, 1927.
PIANO FACTORY M STORE SUPPLIES
PIANO PLATE MEN OPTIMISTIC
lac production. It belongs to the group of Coccidee,
or scale insects, and is said to be closely allied to
the cochineal (Coccus Cacti) and other insects which
Geo. D. Turner and Secretary Johnson of Paragon
Substance, Which Has Innumerable Uses in Indus- yield a red coloring matter. The scale of its outer
Piano Plate Foundries Anticipate Good Business.
covering is very thick and massive and composed of
try, Is Product of Tiny Insect.
A representative of Presto-Times met Geo. D. Tur-
an amber-colored resinous substance. At birth the
Not everyone knows that lac, the substance which insect is no more than one twenty-fifth of an inch ner, general sales representative of the Paragon Piano
Plate Foundries, at the company's offices in Oregon,
produces the beautiful g!ossy finish on many of our long and is of a deep red or mauve color. In former
111., one day this week and was told that, in his
pianos and automobiles, and the phonograph records times before the manufacture of aniline dyes, it was
opinion, the piano business had a good season ahead.
which have brought music into millions of homes, is chiefly valued for its coloring matter.
"With no serious misfortunes to the farmers in
the life work of a small insect of India. Lac, or
Two generations, or broods, are produced yearly.
shellac—the commercial term for the refined product
The physiological processes employed by the insect the coming three or four weeks and the crops gar-
•—is the resinous incrustation manufactured by in the manufacture of lac are not exactly known. It nered without destructive frosts, the piano business
Tachardia Lacca (sic), from the juices of certain is exuded from varoius glands in the skin, and pro- will improve materia'ly this fall." said Mr. Turner.
"It is, in fact, showing improvement with us right
plants and trees upon which it feeds. The word duced at first in small quantities, fairly transparent.
may be derived from the Sanskrit, "laksha," or the
The "host" trees, or those to which the lac insect now compared by over a month ago. This week, for
Hindu, "lac," meaning one hundred thousand—an attaches itself, are numerous, but only about seven instance, we received two hurry-up orders for car-
allusion to the great number of tiny insects which species are important. The finest quality and the loads of plates and which we are today rushing out."
are required to create this substance. References largest output of lac per tree is grown on the kusum
"Yes," put in Secretary Johnson of the Paragon
to lac appear in the ancient literature of India. It tree, which is found principally in Bihar and Orissa,
Foundries, "the piano manufacturing business is far
was known much later to the Greeks, and at the end and in the Central Provinces. It takes from 16 to away from getting into the slumps."
of the sixteenth century the great Mogul Emperor, 18 years for the kusum tree to attain sufficient
Akbar, laid down certain rules for its use in the strength to withstand inoculation with lac insects.
JUDGING LUMBER.
making of varnish.
After inoculation, furthermore, the tree must rest
"The judging of lumber will never be entirely
In modern days, lac, or shellac, has almost innum- for two or three years. Kusum stick lac sells from
standardized on account of the human element in
erable uses, including the manufacture of fine var- 5 rupees ($1.80) to 10 rupees ($3.60) per maund more inspection," says H. C. Darnell of the purchasing
nishes for airplanes, furniture and pianos; litho- than stick lac from the palas or ber tree. It is department of the Victor Talking Machine Co., Cam r
graphic inks; electrical apparatus; photographic sup- chiefly used for the manufacture of fine-grade den, X. J., in an article in the Purchasing Agent.
plies; lacquer; and most important, phonograph rec- shellac.
Mr. Darnell continues: "The judgment of no two
ords.
Almost every major industry uses lac to some ex- men is the same. There will also be a difference in
Stick lac is the name given to the crude lac before tent, and in some establishments it is one of the prin- grades which are supposed to lie alike, because the
it has been subjected to any manufacturing process. cipal raw materials consumed. In addition to the mill which has better timber will make better lumber
Shellac is lac after it has been manufactured or re- uses already mentioned, it is employed in the man- than it is possible for the mill with a poorer grade
fined, stretched into thin sheets, and then broken into ufacture of abrasives, pianola rolls, sealing wax, hats, of logs to produce. It takes so long to make a good
small pieces. The term, however, is used mainly to rubber tires, paints and glass, tiles, drugs and chemi- inspector, that it seems like a wasted effort to keep
include all forms of refined lac, including the but- cals, composition billiard balls, picture frames, him forever unsettled by constantly making changes
ton lac, seed lac, or grain lac. Garnet lac gets its brushes and brooms, sporting goods, and toys. in the rules. I believe that lumber associations can
name from its dark red color and is manufactured
Bleached shellac is used in making all white insulat- very profitably employ their efforts in standardizing
by a machine process with the aid of wood naphtha. ing materials, varnishes for paper and leather, imi- the operation of the rules and policies they now have
in force. Undoubtedly, action along this line will be
Tachardia Lacca, the lac-making insect, is found tation ivory, toothbrushes, and poker chips.
in various parts of China, French Indo-China, Siam,
The United States is the largest consumer of lac, more conducive to cooperation of buyers, not only
individually but collectively and cooperation of this
and the Straits Settlements, but it thrives best in taking normally about sixty per cent of the Indian
kind should be mutuallv beneficial."
India, giving to that country a virtual monopoly of
export.
HOW SHELLAC IS PRODUCED
WESSELL, NICKEL & GROSS
Manufacturers of
MOVING TRUCKS
for
PIANO ACTIONS
HIGHEST GRADE
ONE GRADE ONLY
PIANOS
The Wesseil, Nickel & Gross action is a
guarantee of the grade of the instrument
in which it is found.
FACTOR5ES:
45th St.. 10th Are. & W 46th.
YORK
Orthophonic Victrolas
Electric Refrigerators
OFFICE
457 W , 45th S|Me ,
Write for catalog and prices for End Trucks, Sill
Trucks, Hoists, Covers and Special Straps.
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, INC.
DOLGEVILLE. N. Y.
Manufactured by
Self-Lifting PianoTruck Co*
Manufacturer* of
FINDLAY, OHIO
Piano Backs, Boards, Bridges, Bars,
Traplevers and Mouldings
i BRECKWOLDT. Prtm.
W. A. BRECKWOLDT, Sec. & Tr«u.
THE O S. KELLY CO.
Manufacturers
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
TELLS ALL ABOUT ALL PIANOS
of
High Grade
PIANO PLATES
SPRINGFIELD
XH E CO MSTOCK, CHENE^ Y
-
-
OHIO
& CO.
IVORYTON, CONN.
IVORY CUTTERS SINCE 1834
MANUFACTURERS OP
Grand Keys, Actions and Hammers, Upright Keys
Actions and Hammer , Pipe Organ Keys
Piano Forte Ivory for the Trade
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