Music Trade Review
Issue: 1916 Vol. 63 N. 3 - Page 47
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
43
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
POLISHING WOODJVITH CHARCOAL
ORDER SUPPLIES IN ADVANCE
FACTORIES CLOSED_FOR INVENTORY
French Cabinetmakers Use This Method to
Secure a Dead Black Color
Henry Haas & Son Impress Upon Their
Clients the Necessity of Anticipating Their
Wants by Placing Advance Orders Quickly
Pratt, Read & Co. Plant Closed for Semi-An-
nual Stock Taking—New Smoke Stack Being
Erected—Large Orders Received
The firm of Henry Hass & Son, manufactur-
ers of piano and player hardware, at 1909 Park
avenue, New York, has sent to its customers
a letter calling attention to the importance of
placing orders for supplies well in advance,
on account of the extraordinary conditions
which exist in the supply industry. The great-
ly stimulated demand for piano supplies of all
kinds, combined with the shortage of raw ma-
terial, should cause piano manufacturers to
realize the importance of placing advance
orders for their fall and winter supplies as
soon as possible, in order that the supply men
may in turn place sufficient orders for raw ma-
terial to enable them to iill the demands which
will be made for piano supplies in the months
to come.
The letter sent out by the Haas concern is
as follows:
"To Our Trade—Ten months of unprece-
dented activity on the part of the supply
branches of the piano industry make it appar-
ent that manufacturing facilities devoted to
this part of the trade are inadequate to fill a
prosperous demand. We are, and will con-
tinue, to improve our plant wherever, in our
judgment, it is necessary, in order to increase
our facilities.
"Will you do your part by placing orders
now, for next year's requirements to at least
July 1?
"As manufacturers of piano and player hard-
ware, most of our requirements for raw ma-
terials must be placed with the mills from six
to eight months in advance. This cannot be
all guess work—we must have a large propor-
tion of definite specifications to work on.
"Do not make it necessary in the months to
come to absolutely refuse orders that we
would willingly take were the delivery specifi-
cations far enough along. Think this over—be
on the safe side. This is not a pessimist's let-
ter, we are optimists and you will be too if
you have adequately prepared.
DEEP RIVER, CONN., July 10.—The semi-annual
inventory of the Pratt, Read & Co. factories
was taken last week, both factories being closed.
The west factory began operations again to-
day, but in order to complete many needed
changes, including the rebuilding of the smoke
stack, the main factory will be closed until
July 17. This concern, which is the oldest ivory
cutting and piano key making establishment in
the world, reports that orders have been coming
in in constantly increasing volume ever since
the first of the year, and that the prospects are
that the fall trade will be even greater.
The method of polishing wood with charcoal,
now much used by French cabinetmakers, gives
furniture a beautiful 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 dif-
ference is marked, says a writer in Veneers. In
charcoal polishing every detail in carving is
respected, while paint and varnish 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
covered with a coat of camphor dissolved in
water, and almost immediately afterward an-
other coat, composed chiefly of sulphate of iron
and nutgall. The two compositions in blending
penetrate 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 re-
mained in the charcoal this alone would scratch
the surface. The flat parts are rubbed with
natural stick charcoal, the indented portions and
crevices with a charcoal powder. Alternately
with the charcoal the piece of furniture is
rubbed with flannel soaked in linseed oil and
essence of turpentine.
JAVA GROWING MORE RUBBER
Production of Rubber From Dutch East Indies
Is Rapidly Increasing
The rubber production of the Dutch East
Indies, upon which America now draws to a
considerable extent, is increasing by leaps and
bounds. According to figures just published by
the Batavia Rubber Trade Association, the crop
harvested last year in the Island of Java alone
was 6,059,098 kilograms, as against 3,260,274 in
1914, and it is estimated at as much as 9,205,825
kilograms in the current year. Other parts of
the Dutch East Indies yielded 2,285,389 kilo-
grams of rubber, as compared with 1,321,320 in
1914, while the estimate for 1916 is 3,752,000
kilos.
"Yours truly,
HENRY HAAS & SON."
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 Ave. & 13th St.
MURPHY A CANDIDATE FOR SENATOR
Former Governor of New Jersey, and Head of
the Murphy Varnish Co., Is a Candidate for
the Office of United States Senator
NEWARK, N. J., July 10.—Former Governor
Franklin Murphy, president of the Murphy Var-
nish Co., has announced his candidacy for the
office of United States Senator on the Repub-
lican ticket. In a statement regarding his
candidacy, Mr. Murphy said that he believed "in
a protective tariff, not only for the manufac-
turers, but for the workmen, in order that the
American standard of living may be main-
tained, with a surplus for old age" He also
declares it to be his strong belief that "a larger
representation of business men in Congress
would be of great benefit to the country."
FEW SHIPS FORJttAHOGANY TRADE
The shortage in mahogany is due more to a
lack of bottoms than to a shortage of the lum-
ber itself. The mahogany-producing countries
are turning out all the timber that can be
shipped, but the enormous advance in freight
rates has drawn away the ships where their
owners can make more than they can make in
transporting logs, even mahogany logs. The
fact that the allies are now better able to supply
their own wants in several lines will soon re-
lease many ships which can revert to the log
carrying business, and mahogany will again be
plenty, with carrying rates lower. The Hard-
wood Record also points out that in the future
there will be less shipping of mahogany to Lon-
don or Liverpool, but that it will come direct to
the United States from Mexico and Central
America. New York and New Orleans have
been handling most of the mahogany, but it
may now be necessary to handle some of it
through other Atlantic and Gulf ports because
of the frequent congested freight conditions in
New York.
NEW KILNS FOR VENEER CO.
MICH., July 10.—The Grand
Rapids Veneer Co. has recently taken orders for
the installation of fourteen new dry kilns, ten
to be put in by the Luce Furniture Co., and
four by the Widdicomb Furniture Co. The two
orders amount to $40,000.
GRAND RAPIDS,
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturers of
"iano Cases
EmtablimhmJ 1991
LEOMINSTER
u
ti
MASS.
43
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
POLISHING WOODJVITH CHARCOAL
ORDER SUPPLIES IN ADVANCE
FACTORIES CLOSED_FOR INVENTORY
French Cabinetmakers Use This Method to
Secure a Dead Black Color
Henry Haas & Son Impress Upon Their
Clients the Necessity of Anticipating Their
Wants by Placing Advance Orders Quickly
Pratt, Read & Co. Plant Closed for Semi-An-
nual Stock Taking—New Smoke Stack Being
Erected—Large Orders Received
The firm of Henry Hass & Son, manufactur-
ers of piano and player hardware, at 1909 Park
avenue, New York, has sent to its customers
a letter calling attention to the importance of
placing orders for supplies well in advance,
on account of the extraordinary conditions
which exist in the supply industry. The great-
ly stimulated demand for piano supplies of all
kinds, combined with the shortage of raw ma-
terial, should cause piano manufacturers to
realize the importance of placing advance
orders for their fall and winter supplies as
soon as possible, in order that the supply men
may in turn place sufficient orders for raw ma-
terial to enable them to iill the demands which
will be made for piano supplies in the months
to come.
The letter sent out by the Haas concern is
as follows:
"To Our Trade—Ten months of unprece-
dented activity on the part of the supply
branches of the piano industry make it appar-
ent that manufacturing facilities devoted to
this part of the trade are inadequate to fill a
prosperous demand. We are, and will con-
tinue, to improve our plant wherever, in our
judgment, it is necessary, in order to increase
our facilities.
"Will you do your part by placing orders
now, for next year's requirements to at least
July 1?
"As manufacturers of piano and player hard-
ware, most of our requirements for raw ma-
terials must be placed with the mills from six
to eight months in advance. This cannot be
all guess work—we must have a large propor-
tion of definite specifications to work on.
"Do not make it necessary in the months to
come to absolutely refuse orders that we
would willingly take were the delivery specifi-
cations far enough along. Think this over—be
on the safe side. This is not a pessimist's let-
ter, we are optimists and you will be too if
you have adequately prepared.
DEEP RIVER, CONN., July 10.—The semi-annual
inventory of the Pratt, Read & Co. factories
was taken last week, both factories being closed.
The west factory began operations again to-
day, but in order to complete many needed
changes, including the rebuilding of the smoke
stack, the main factory will be closed until
July 17. This concern, which is the oldest ivory
cutting and piano key making establishment in
the world, reports that orders have been coming
in in constantly increasing volume ever since
the first of the year, and that the prospects are
that the fall trade will be even greater.
The method of polishing wood with charcoal,
now much used by French cabinetmakers, gives
furniture a beautiful 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 dif-
ference is marked, says a writer in Veneers. In
charcoal polishing every detail in carving is
respected, while paint and varnish 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
covered with a coat of camphor dissolved in
water, and almost immediately afterward an-
other coat, composed chiefly of sulphate of iron
and nutgall. The two compositions in blending
penetrate 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 re-
mained in the charcoal this alone would scratch
the surface. The flat parts are rubbed with
natural stick charcoal, the indented portions and
crevices with a charcoal powder. Alternately
with the charcoal the piece of furniture is
rubbed with flannel soaked in linseed oil and
essence of turpentine.
JAVA GROWING MORE RUBBER
Production of Rubber From Dutch East Indies
Is Rapidly Increasing
The rubber production of the Dutch East
Indies, upon which America now draws to a
considerable extent, is increasing by leaps and
bounds. According to figures just published by
the Batavia Rubber Trade Association, the crop
harvested last year in the Island of Java alone
was 6,059,098 kilograms, as against 3,260,274 in
1914, and it is estimated at as much as 9,205,825
kilograms in the current year. Other parts of
the Dutch East Indies yielded 2,285,389 kilo-
grams of rubber, as compared with 1,321,320 in
1914, while the estimate for 1916 is 3,752,000
kilos.
"Yours truly,
HENRY HAAS & SON."
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 Ave. & 13th St.
MURPHY A CANDIDATE FOR SENATOR
Former Governor of New Jersey, and Head of
the Murphy Varnish Co., Is a Candidate for
the Office of United States Senator
NEWARK, N. J., July 10.—Former Governor
Franklin Murphy, president of the Murphy Var-
nish Co., has announced his candidacy for the
office of United States Senator on the Repub-
lican ticket. In a statement regarding his
candidacy, Mr. Murphy said that he believed "in
a protective tariff, not only for the manufac-
turers, but for the workmen, in order that the
American standard of living may be main-
tained, with a surplus for old age" He also
declares it to be his strong belief that "a larger
representation of business men in Congress
would be of great benefit to the country."
FEW SHIPS FORJttAHOGANY TRADE
The shortage in mahogany is due more to a
lack of bottoms than to a shortage of the lum-
ber itself. The mahogany-producing countries
are turning out all the timber that can be
shipped, but the enormous advance in freight
rates has drawn away the ships where their
owners can make more than they can make in
transporting logs, even mahogany logs. The
fact that the allies are now better able to supply
their own wants in several lines will soon re-
lease many ships which can revert to the log
carrying business, and mahogany will again be
plenty, with carrying rates lower. The Hard-
wood Record also points out that in the future
there will be less shipping of mahogany to Lon-
don or Liverpool, but that it will come direct to
the United States from Mexico and Central
America. New York and New Orleans have
been handling most of the mahogany, but it
may now be necessary to handle some of it
through other Atlantic and Gulf ports because
of the frequent congested freight conditions in
New York.
NEW KILNS FOR VENEER CO.
MICH., July 10.—The Grand
Rapids Veneer Co. has recently taken orders for
the installation of fourteen new dry kilns, ten
to be put in by the Luce Furniture Co., and
four by the Widdicomb Furniture Co. The two
orders amount to $40,000.
GRAND RAPIDS,
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturers of
"iano Cases
EmtablimhmJ 1991
LEOMINSTER
u
ti
MASS.
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