Collection: 1:7 / Institution: Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.) / Topic: Periodicals - LGBT Detroit: Civil Rights in Michigan

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1. Fine Furniture; 1936-11

Notes:: Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It began publication in 1936. and NOVEMBER • 1936 V JESSE BENESCH. SR. . . . Publicly acclaimed No. 1 Furniture Merchant. (See page 30) Two dollars a year 20 cents a copy Grand Rapids, M i c h i g a n "Proof IS IN THE MERCHANDISE -TVV3 Federal American Junior Dining- Living Room Ensemble Features: 1. Cuban Mahogany, the finest known cabinet wood used exclusively in this group. 2. Styled to meet the need of the most formal occasions and traditionally from the most romantic period of the South, it has a beauty and dignity that serve a dual purpose — a beautifully appointed dining room and by slight re-arrangement an artistic living room. 3. No. 93 drop leaf extension converts into a din-ing table 78" long by 38" wide, by using two 13" center leaves. As a console table with mirror (as illustrated) it makes an attractive wall piece. 4. No. 175 drop leaf desk table can be used as a serving table when required. 5. No. 175 buffet serves useful purposes as a living room piece. It was originally called a Charleston Chest. 6. No. 175 chair may be used in living room, dining room, bedroom or hall. 7. No. 933 corner cabinet solves the serious corner problem. 8. By the addition of a few comfortable upholstered pieces the perfect two-purpose room materializes. GRAND RAPIDS CHAIR COMPANY Showroom at Factory Only T A K E A N Y Y E L L O W C A B appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FOR THOSE WHO DISCRIMINATE MUELLER OFFERS DISTINCTIVENESS <•=> All furniture merchants who cater to discriminating clientele distinguish their offerings of selected upholstered pieces with MUELLER'S distinctive line of 18th Century adaptations and Modern. The FLEETWOOD Group (Modern) has both seating and case pieces, tables, desks, bookcases, this group being distinctive in itself in their exclusive treatment of styling and design. Thoughtful planning allocates this entire line in price ranges that insure consumer interest and demand. Founder member G. R. Furniture Makers' Guild TRUE GRAND RAPIDS A ?!D43 MUELLER FURNITURE CO. 6 0 0 M o n r o e A v e . , G r a n d R a p i d s , M i c h . We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FUHNITURE DEALER PROFIT -~\ • >. f.v_ - - • - - BECAUSE. . . WOLVERINE PRODUCTS ARE STYLED RIGHT - PRICED RIGHT - AND BUILT RIGHT Dealers who invested in WOLVERINE UPHOLSTERY CO. line in the July market have reordered in an un-precedented manner. Our 18th Century and Modern pieces, both, are being received by the trade because they are right—in style, price and construc-tion. The No. 1282 chair, illustrated, is an example. Loose down pillow back and seat, with the latest fabric. And of generous proportions. It retails for $67.50. WOLVERINE UPHOLSTERY CO. • GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN FlN€ FURNITUR€ the Homefurnishing Magazine from the Furniture Style Center of America VOLUME 1 1936 NUMBER 7 GEORGE F. MACKENZIE. President PHIL S. JOHNSON, General Manager ROD G. MACKENZIE, Editor K. C. CLAPP, Merchandising Counsel NOVEMBER-Boiling Wake 6 Page Nine 9 One Season With Two Markets, by Rod Mackenzie . 10 Furniture Frolics, by Ray Barnes 13 Floor Covering Manual, by Harry G. Corot 14 Merchandise Pages 15, 17 and 27 New Family Needs 24-Hour Rooms, by Ruth Mclnerney . 18 The Sketch Book, by Margaret P. Seagren 20 Retailing Tips 22 3 Factors Make Newspaper Advertising Pay, by Joe Lynch 24 Pictures for Unusual Places 25 Metropolitan Pieces 28 Shafer Defies Readers 29 For Distinguished Service 30 Homefurnishing News and Reviews 32 Published monthly by the Furniture Capital Publishing Co., 155 Ottawa Ave., N. W., Grand Rapids, Mich. Acceptance under the Act of June 5, 1934, authorized April 30, 1936. FINE FURNI-TURE copyright, 1936. Eastern office: 545 Fifth Ave., New York City, phone Murray Hill 23909, S. M. Goldberg, representative, Chicago office: 307 N. Michigan Ave., phone CENtral 0937-8, Bassler & Weed Co., representatives. Subscription rates: $2 per year in the United States and American Colonies; $3 in Canada and foreign countries; single copies, 20 cents. We appreciate your mentioning yo« saw this in FINE FURNITURE f o r N O V E M B E R . 193G Increase in orders-JULY GRAND RAPIDS-96% FURNITURE INDUSTRY-52% These figures, recently released by Seidman & Seidman, certified public accountants, supply impressive evidence of the outstand-ing leadership of the Grand Rapids Furniture Market. A constantly growing number of progressive furniture and department stores find at the Grand Rapids Market, the furniture that meets their requirements exactly and profit-ably . . . furniture that sets the standards in quality and saleability . . . that definitely leads in styling and craftsmanship . . . and that is priced to attract both class and mass markets. The present mid-season Grand Rapids Mar-ket promises to be the most important since 1929. In this market you will find the "best buys" in furniture, whether it be for promo-tional volume, or exclusive trade. It will pay you handsomely. GRAND RAPIDS FURNITURE EXPOSITION ASSOCIATION We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE OUTSTANDING QUALITY VALUES • • • in MODERN KNEEHOLE DESKS • • • No. 97 No. 101 No. 96 No. 97 — Willow-finished Walnut, five-ply Walnut top, 38 x 2 1 ^ inches, retail priee $24.70 No. 101 — All surfaces selected Walnut veneer. Three drawer pedestal, one center drawer, top 42 x 24 inches, retail price $47.50 No. 96 Willow-finished Walnut, five-ply Walnut top, 40 x 22 inches, retail price $29.50 No. 95 — Willow-finished Walnut, three drawer pedestals, full center drawer, five-ply Walnut top, 42 x 23 inches, retail price - $35.90 No. 66 — Five-ply Walnut top, ends, front and back. Curved corner, chrome and black hardware, top 43 x 22 inches, retail price - $59.50 No. 95 No. 66 BAY VIEW FURNITURE COMPANY HOLLAND MICHIGAN We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE 3k; •ft? ^ . « • * •V- $ . $ 44 . i FINE ARTS BUILDING Newest and Most Modern Exhibition Building hi Grand Rapids Directly Across the Street from Pantlind Hotel Y E A R ' R O U N D E X P O S I T I O N S DAY o r N I G H T Your product shown in the FINE ARTS BUILDING, Grand Rapids, is on display in a "hotel" for merchandise. Constructed for furniture display, it is the only building in Grand Rapids devoted exclusively to turn.ture exhibits. Floor arrangement, lighting, ventilation and the hightest type of general service is conducted m the interest of the furniture and house-furnishing exhibitors The FINE ARTS BUILDING is in step with Three-quarters of a Century of Progress of the Grand Rapids Exposition. FINE ARTS CORPORATION operating FINE ARTS and PANTLIND EXHIBITION BUILDINGS FINE FURNITURE THE BOILING WAKE Barnes, the Magician After the liberties that nature has taken with my physiognomy I cannot conceive how Mr. Barnes can inflict further injury. J. B. H., Grand Rapids. That October Odyssey I want to commend you highly for the splendid article in the October issue of FINE FURNITURE devoted to our Southwestern Pilgrimage. We appreciate the manner in which you wrote this up and trust that it will show to the furniture trade in general that this is a group who is giving the retailers the finest kind of cooperation in the merchan-dising of their product. F. H. M, Grand Rapids. A Belated Inquiry On page 31 of your September issue you show a juvenile group which interests me. Will you please have the manufacturer of this line mail me a description of this group with prices. E. A. B., Jr., Philadelphia. With Pleasure In your October copy, page 43, there is a picture of a No. 1237 coffee table. We would like to have more information about this. Will you please either forward our inquiry to the manufacturer or tell us the manufacturer's name and address so that we may get in touch with him ourselves. I. C. L., Baltimore. Customer is ALWAYS Right! We have gone through your publication and think it is very fine. We appreciate your showing one of our vanities. A. V. B., Batesvillc, Ind. Stormy Weather We'd appreciate more photos of furniture and not so many faces. It will improve your magazine immensely. Your October number is a terrible example. Omit Shafer also. Anon, New York. Good Ol' Pricin' Slip I regard your pricing slip idea as a very excellent plan. Keep it up. C. M. A., West Lafayette, Ind. We certainly favor the pricing slip idea. A. F. C, Des Moines, la. A Helpful Hints The lead article in the October issue by- Ralph Spangler of the Harbour Longmire store, was certainly helpful. This is the kind of material we like to get in our busi-ness papers, as it comes from practical men and can be adapted to our own stores. Let's have more of them. A. B. K., St. Paul. "Read" Hot Dealers seem to be telling you what a great magazine FINE FURNITURE is. Well, I am a salesman on the road and don't mind telling you that FINE FURNITURE never gets old when I receive it, because I finish it the minute I lay hands on it. It is written in such an interesting man-ner and so many facts of the day are cov-ered that I find it very interesting and necessary in my sales work. Have given many dealers good ideas from your book. Keep up the good work! O. G., Cleveland. Barnes in Again We are in receipt of your very fine maga-zine. After reading through it and some of the fine articles we could not help sending in your card for a three-year subscription. We also noticed our cartoon on your "Furniture Frolics" page and you might say to Mr. Barnes that cartoons like that won't do any harm, and that we would like to see more of them in the coming issues of FINE FURNITURE. G. A. S., Omaha. Acclaim for Authenticity Glad to see the introduction of a page of authentic designs, taken from historic examples in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. I am of the opinion that this feature is of great importance to all factors m the furniture industry, m helping us acquaint ourselves with correct details in furniture design. There surely was a lot of good meat m the October issue. M. M. W., Los Angeles. A We Stand Corrected There are two points in the Los Angeles market story that appeared in your October issue, which due to some misfortune, are misstatements. These may have occurred from misunderstanding the material sent you. In your first paragraph on the Los Ange-les Mart you state: ''Owned, operated and controlled by 300 members of the Los Ange-les Furniture Manufacturers Association . . . " The Mart is in fact owned and controlled by the local manufacturers who make up the "active membership" in the Association. The second point to which I refer is in the fifth paragraph under sub-head "How Income Is Spent." It reads, "Forty-five per cent of all rental fees is applied to paying for the Mart. . . " The correct statement here is "Forty-five per cent of local rental fees is applied to paying for the Mart." The last issue of FINE FURNITURE as well as other recent numbers have shown a marked improvement over your first issues. May we congratulate you on your magazine which is certainly coming to the front in the furniture publishing field. L. B. W., Los Angeles. Likes Ruth's Writings That green-eyed gal that conducts your Customer's Viewpoint section certainly knows her women and pounds a wicked typewriter at times. We are heartily in sympathy with her comments in your Octo-ber issue about the average housewife not taking any interest in cheap, circular matter. If a direct mail piece is worth sending out at all it is worth the necessary time and expense to make it attractive mechanically and in an illustrative and copy way. Mer-chants sending out cheap circular matter, in our opinion, reap a very meagre return. R. H., Thomasville, N. C. Wheeling-Home Wail On your "Page Nine" for October you had an editorial entitled "Trailer Threat." I certainly agree that this new highway menace is also a not-far-distant voodoo for the homefurnishing industry. How are we going to interest people in furnishing homes when most of the population is on wheels? What sort of furniture are you going to be able to carry in your store? What will the procedure be for selling furniture in a few years? Will a family back up to the store in a deluxe outfit on wheels and ask you to furnish it complete? Of course, if it's a cash deal, that won't be so bad. But even so, I can't see where wheeling-homes are going to be of much help. P. J. T., Duluth. We Want Prices Why all the manufacturers advertising in your interesting magazine cannot see the ad-vantage of pricing all the suites and pieces they illustrate is beyond our ken. When we buyers see a piece of furniture attrac-tively pictured in your paper, if it appeals to us, the vital thing that interests us is the price. In our very humble opinion the price should be shown with every illustra-tion and we hope you can influence all your advertisers to use your price listing plan in future issues. H. J. C, Houston, Texas. Canned Releases Tabooed Just want to compliment you on the floor covering and fabric displays illustrated in your October issue. This type of material is infinitely better and of more value to the smaller dealer than a lot of hooey issued by wordy publicity men in the employ of floor covering manufacturers. There were plenty of ideas presented in those four pages. A. G. M., New Bedford, Mass. Those Market Dates All this agitation about confining furni-ture markets to one season a year doesn't register with the buyers in the smaller communities. Attending a market is an in-spiration to the dealer in the smaller store who is his own buyer, merchandise man and general store factotem. Upon returning from a market, and with new merchandise on the way, he stirs up his little organization to a high pitch of activity and increased sales result. If manufacturers who control this matter cut the markets down to one each year they will find a distinct falling off in volume from the furniture stores in the smaller communities. Let's have at least two market periods each year and fix the dates so they are best suited to the con-venience of a majority of the buyers. H. R. L., Bowling Green, Ky. Puff for Portfolio Thanks for the portfolio of floor covering and fabric displays in your October number. These are the kind of practical ideas we like in our business papers. And it's dif-ferent, too, than the usual run of floor cov-ering departments, which are so standard-ized. Why not give us an article on floor coverings by some man who knows what it's all about? B. H. F., Louisville. Pages 13 and 14 in this issue carry the answer to B. H. F.'s question.—Ed. l o r NOVEMBER, 1936 Readers OF THE QUALITY GROUP • IN the Grand Rapids Furniture Exposition the John Widdicomb Co. is recog-nized as the leader of the quality group. This prestige has been established over a period of fifty years, because, we believe in the purity of design, in workmanship and that our merchandise is a definite contribution to the livable American home. In reviving the charmingly simple French Provincial style, the John Widdicomb Co. has once again asserted its leadership. The integrity with which this group has been developed •— the dresser is herewith illustrated — is typical of this concern's craftsmanship. Beauty, meticulous in every detail, this group is sym-bolical of our desire to furnish the merchant with merchandise that is profitable and that will continue to be a source of credit to his store. JOHN WIDDICOMB COMPANY New York Showrooms, No. 1 Park Ave. Showrooms at factory, 601 Fifth St. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE GRAND RAPIDS' MOST POPULAR EXHIBITION BUILDING Here you will see the lines that represent the cream of the furniture industry. In the Waters-Klingman Building are housed FIFTY PER-CENT of all the exhibits in the Grand Rapids Market. EVERY BUYER who has attended the last two Grand Rapids markets has paid at least ONE VISIT to the Waters-Klingman spaces. Why ? Because only in the Waters-Klingman Building can he find a complete assortment of decorative home furnishing merchandise to meet his every requirement. « YOU'LL FIND IT THE WATERS-KLINGMAN BUILDING" EXHIBITORS ALLEN CHAIR CO. ARCADIA FURNITURE CO. AMERICAN AUTO-FELT CORP. BARTON FURNITURE CO. J. BART UPHOLSTERY CO. BECHTOLD BROS. UPH. CO. BOBB FURNITURE CO. BROWER FURNITURE CO. BROWN BROTHERS CO. COCHRAN CHAIR CO. CONANT-BALL COMPANY DA VIES FURNITURE CO. DOEZEMA FURNITURE CO. DUTCH WOODCRAFT SHOPS EAGLE-OTTAWA LEATHER CO. ESTEY MFG. CO. FALCON MFG. CO. FICKS REED CO. FINE ARTS FURNITURE CO. GRAND LEDGE CHAIR CO. G. R. FANCY FURNITURE CO. G. R. BEDDING CO. GRAND RAPIDS LOUNGE CO. GUNN FURNITURE CO. HART MIRROR PLATE CO. HERMAN FURNITURE CO. HERRMANN LAMPS, INC. HOLLAND FURNITURE CO. JAMESTOWN LOUNGE CO. KOZAK STUDIOS KUCHINS FURN. MFG. CO. LENTZ TABLE COMPANY LOEBLEIN, INC. MANISTEE MFG. CO. MENTZER REED COMPANY MURRAY FURNITURE CO. F. A. NICHOLS CO. O'HEARN MFG. CO. PIAGET-DONNELLY CO. RAND-McNALLY & CO. RED LION FURNITURE CO. RED LION TABLE CO. ROCKFORD CHAIR & FTJRN. CO. SHAW MFG. CO. SKANDIA FURNITURE CO. CHARLES R. SLIGH COMPANY THANHARDT-BURGER CORP. WARSAW FURN. MFG. CO. WEST MICHIGAN FURN. CO. W. F. WHITNEY CO. STICKLEY BROS. CORP. WILLIAMS-KIMP FURN. CO. WOLVERINE UPHOLSTERY CO. WOODARD FURNITURE CO. We appreciate your mentioning you saw tins in FIXE FURNITURE f o r NOVEMBER, 1936 NINE Though other pages bare the minds Of many men, the credit or The blame I'll bear for what one finds On this, Page Nine.—The Editor. PRICES vs. PROFITS The price situation in the furniture industry is becoming acute and some producers appear jittery about it. Since the July market price advances (wholesale) have ranged from nothing to 25% and on competitive merchandise that per-centage represents a sizeable spread. Most manufacturers realize that for the past several years the profit column has been so diminutive that a magnifying glass was necessary to distinguish the figures, if any. Prices on any type of manufactured article must con-sistently be based on cost plus a normal profit. The idea of arbitrarily advancing prices on furniture without those two essentials is hardly ethical. Advancing costs of materials, labor and overhead justify advancing prices, but such advances must be kept under control and not be sky-rocketed above the normal necessity. Manufacturers who merely guess at the situation and mark above a merited and justified advance are quite likely to find themselves out on a limb when their merchandise and prices are judged by competitive lines in the Markets. ff COURTESY, AT LEAST Once upon a time there was a furniture manufacturer who talked with every salesman who entered his front office, whether he sold veneers or varnish, mouldings or muslin, advertising or apricots. We know, because the boys who called on him told us. So we asked the F. M. how he man-aged to accomplish this feat during the hectic hours we knew he kept. Readily he replied: "I can't afford not to see these fellows. They cover a lot of territory. Meet a lot of people. Call on my competitors. They're itinerant clear-ing houses of ideas. Often they're responsible for creating new styles that sweep the country. If only for a few minutes, I see them. They're vital to my progress." Eminently successful, this producer is no different than thousands of other buyers. Except, that he doesn't keep men sitting on the mourner's bench for two hours only to send out word that he's "Not interested today." To a salesman, time is money, bread and butter. At its best, selling is a battering job, tough on mind, body and soul. Those who have wallowed through the past few years and retained a few precious ounces of guts and a smile, are entitled to an accolade. And at least, a chit of courtesy from the nation's buyers. ff X EQUALS MARKET The Furniture Market situation has resolved itself into a complicated mathematical equation. During the last two decades the processes of addition and multiplication have been potently in evidence. Now subtraction is coming into its own and the reducing machinery has been set in motion. It reminds us of the handsome but portly lady, who, upon the advice of her physician, subjected herself to a very rigid and unsatisfactory diet for three months. At the end of that period she tipped the scales at exactly five pounds more than when the diet went into effect. Said she: "From now on 1 am going to eat anything my appetite craves. I believe the Good Lord intended some of us to be fat and others thin and far be it from me to attempt to alter His intentions." Precedents are strong factors to contend with, trends are generally uncontrollable. We are sitting on the side lines intently watching the game but holding our bets in abey-ance. Our only hope is that the decision of the referee (the buyer) will work out for the best interests of the industry as a whole. ff ADVERTISE ADVERTISING If it can be brought home to the dealer that national advertising is HIS advertising, that he can use it to increase HIS profits, it will have increasing effect and value. Featur-ing nationally advertised products conspicuously in the store will step up sales profits and result in more advertising. The individual dealer is generally too concerned with his own profits to take a broad view of any advertising cam-paign conducted in a large, national way. He is prone to feel that the money spent in the town 100 miles distant is wasted. He has not been sold convincingly on the idea that national advertising, if it helps increase his profits in his town, is bound to have the same result in stores carrying similar products in other cities. His cue is to display his nationally advertised products attractively, conspicuously, thus securing attention of the consuming public. Results are what count in advertising and sales. Principally, what is needed are pertinent facts about the value and power of advertising in disposing of merchandise, rather than what it costs. If there is ten cents worth of food value in a loaf of bread and you pay a dime for it you have received good value and your money's worth. If a line of newspaper or business paper advertising at two dollars pro-duces enough in inquiries and sales to justify this expense on a sales and advertising basis, the money is well invested and will show on the profit side of the ledger when the annual audit is completed. ff PETTIFOGGERY IF, in these days of grading-up, super-merchandising and rising prices, the sight of one of the country's outstanding homefurnishing establishments promoting a "2-piece, home-spun covered, beautifully-tailored, reversible-cushioned, carved hardwood paneled" living room group for TWENTY-FOUR-FIFTY, does something to our calloused carcass, imagine what it does to the potential customer. Visualize the ebbing faith, the surging scepticism, regardless of the fact that the merchandise is available for "Monday only, C.O.D. orders, limit one group to a customer," and sold in the basement store. Picture the dither it throws smaller competitive merchants into, perhaps modestly patterning their policies after the big store. Not to speak of producers of living room furniture who know full well that such a 2-piece living room suite can't be manufactured and sold at a profit for $24.50. What chance has the medium-sized merchant to grade-up if his influential big brother insists upon injecting pettifogging, pop-gun tactics into his merchandising scheme? 10 FINE FURNITURE ONE SEASON WITH TWO MARKETS GOING on record with a unanimous vote favoring a single market season extending from May 1 to August 1, divided into two periods, purported to meet the needs of two classes of buyers, the National Furniture Manufacturers Association closed its eighth annual convention in Chicago last month. With the possible exception of NRA Administration days the 1936 meeting surpassed previous ones in enthusiasm, interest, accomplishment; sole low-note perceptible was the small percentage of association members attending, there being about 40% representation. Cooperation • High-note of the two-day convention was the adoption of the resolution reducing the num-ber of furniture exhibitions from four to one a year. In presenting the resolution hard-working Charles Kirchen (West Michigan Furniture Co.), chairman of NFMA's market committee, outlined the plan, rec-ommending that it be adopted. Said Kirchen: "We have worked in close harmony with the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Associa-tion and are assured of their support. Morgan Sim-mons (chairman of SMFA) and James S. Lynch (president of SFMA) have worked industriously in an effort to achieve this change. We now have a list of 335 manufacturers who have indicated their approval of the plan. . . . A questionnaire sent out by the National Retail Furniture Association shows 90% favoring a reduction in markets and 82% favoring two markets a year, preferably January and July." One Season—Two Shows • Kirchen pointed out that the two types of buyers who visit the mid-season and regular markets will receive similar consideration under the new plan, which in reality is a two-market system. The resolution asks the SFMA and market associa-tions in New York, Jamestown, Grand Rapids, Chi-cago and High Point to take action not later than Feb-ruary 1, 1937. (Since the annual meeting the James-town association has advised the NFMA of their intention to cooperate in the reduction of the number of markets.) Kirchen declared that only one manu-facturer in the Grand Rapids area had not signed the petition, but that this member was in favor of one market season with two periods to be held from November to January. Four-show Evils • In tackling what Kirchen and his committee calls "the furniture industry's largest barnacle—four major markets a year," he enumerated major reasons for discarding the present market set-up: (1) Impossibility of designers to develop more than a few hurried attempts at "something different" hoping that one or two of the patterns click; (2) Impracticality of showing new patterns before last sea-son's numbers have reached the merchant's floor; (3) "Closeouts" are an inherent part of furniture manufac-turing. One market a year should reduce this evil by at least 75%; (4) The accumulation of "close-outs" on dealer's floor due to the manufacturer's inability to supply necessary "fill-ins," resulting in the sacrificing of odd pieces at ridiculous prices, forcing the dealer to make his original mark-up high enough to cover this loss; (5) More designs, more "close-outs," force the By ROD MACKENZIE Editor. FINE FURNITURE manufacturer to produce "fill-ins" at a cost which is practically indeterminable; (6) The making of sam-ples is a tremendous expense and in addition retards production. Samples and Showrooms • Stated Kirchen: "We aim to recognize one market a year—the date to be determined later. This would not prevent any manu-facturer from getting out samples as often as he chose, nor would it exclude buyers from visiting factories or showrooms at any time. And we do not want to give the impression that we are trying to regulate the other fellow's business." Enthusiastic was the response accorded Kirchen following the adoption of the plan. "Best move the furniture industry has made in 25 years," shouted ONE-MARKET RESOLUTION WHEREAS the committees appointed by the National Association of Furniture Manufacturers and the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association have adopted a plan for reducing the number of markets a year and which reads as follows: "BE IT RESOLVED by the Market Committee of the National Association of Furniture Manufac-turers and the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association at a meeting held in Chicago, July 7, 1936, we recognize that the present schedule of furniture markets is working a tremendous hard-ship upon the entire furniture industry, both man-ufacturers and dealers, and in response to insistent demands of furniture manufacturers in all parts of the country, we pledge ourselves to cooperate in reducing the number of market seasons. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that as a solution of this problem, the furniture industry should adopt one market season per year, between May 1, and August 1, divided into two periods, so as to meet the needs of the two classes of important furniture buyers, and FURTHER, that the Chairman of the two above-named committees are hereby instructed to canvass the industry to secure an expression from furniture manufacturers as to their willingness to cooperate in making this resolution effective." THEREFORE, these committees having secured the ap-proval of the above resolution by the signatures of 335 furniture manufacturers, which number includes most all of the leading exhibitors in the several markets, we hereby approve of this action and recommend that such action be taken by the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association and the various market associations of New York City, Jamestown, High Point, Chicago and Grand Rapids, not later than February 1, 1937, to make this plan effective as of that date, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Associa-tion of Furniture Manufacturers and the Southern Furniture Manufacturers Association should conduct an educational campaign, pointing out the many advantages and economies to both dealers and manufacturers that this plan will effect. f o r NOVEMBER. 1936 11 IS ADOPTED BY MANUFACTURERS PURPORTED TO MEET DEMANDS OF TWO CLASSES OF BUYERS, AFFORD ECONOMIES IN PRODUCTION— LEADING BUYERS COMMENT ON SUGGESTED CHANGE 0. C. Hatch, Standard Furniture Co., Union City, Pa. L. S. Foulkes, of Indian Splint, elaborated on the economies that would be effected, which could be handed on to the merchant and ultimately to the con-sumer, "who we know feels the retail price of furniture is too high." Realizing the necessity for an educational program among producers and retailers demonstrating the ad-vantages of the one-market plan, a campaign of this character was included in the resolution. Buyers' Answer • Viewing the permutations of the market situation from the sideline, FINE FURNITURE asked a group of buyers for their opinions. On the basis of returns thus far 64% are in favor of NFMA's resolution adopting one market season yearly, 36% show preference for a continuation of the May- November dates, and discontinuing January and July. Only one vote was cast approving the present four-market system. Evidence of the interest in a change of market dates is exhibited in four buyers' letters re-printed here: May — July / have before me your letter of October 23rd, regarding the number of furniture markets to be held during the year. I am greatly in favor of reducing the number of markets and I believe one line a year is sufficient. I notice that you advocate one market to last from May 1st to August 1st; that would mean a ninety-day market, which is too long. I think no market should last over three weeks at the most and two weeks would be preferable. What you should have would be a market from May 1st to the 20th and then show the same merchandise again from July 1st to the 20th. It would be one line shown at two different times. The May 1st to 20th market to accommodate the large buyers; the July 1st to 20th to accommodate the smaller buyers. If that is not found to be practicable then I would advo-cate two markets a year—one on May 1st and one on November 1st. Whatever plan is adopted I believe we should do away with four markets per year, which are a nuisance and a hardship to everyone, to say nothing of the expense. One Show — Better Designs We are most pleased to reply to your letter of October 24th. We believe one market as outlined is sufficient. This should reduce the manufacturer's selling costs considerably, and also the dealer's costs woidd be somewhat decreased not only in his expenses to market, but desirable furniture would be continued in lines a longer time, thereby reducing the close-out loss on odds and ends that too frequently has to be taken. If a design is worth making it is worth keeping in the line longer than is the practice at this time. We believe both manufacturers and distributors should reduce their costs to as low amount as is consistent with good merchandising thus keeping furniture within reach, of the consumer who at this time is becoming more interested than for a long time. May — November In reply to your questionnaire of the 24th; the writer has been attending the markets for over thirty years and has always advocated two markets instead of four—one in May and the other in November. A large portion of the time in the present January mar-kets is spent by the buyers in selecting summer furniture. We hardly see how this can be done the date you mention between May first and August of the previous year. Or how you could drag along a market for three months, as obviously all the live buyers would complete the work dur-ing the first two weeks of May. I do not think the time they have decided upon will work. One Market Replying to your questionnaire of October 24th relative to the number of markets to be held each year. 1st. Four markets each year are a nuisance and more than that work a hardship on both dealers and manufac-turers. Furniture dealers never get much of a chance to cash in on sales efforts, because of the rapid changes in de-sign promulgated by the manufacturers. 2nd. The mid-season markets, that is the old May and November markets, are good for but little except the de-partment stores, who buy odds and ends, sub-standard mer-chandise, to offer in August and February sales. Dealers in furniture should oppose such sales if for no other reason. 3rd. If the manufacturers cut out so many markets, they would need fewer designs, and if they did not change de-signs so frequently, would not have this sub-standard mer-chandise which they have to sell. However, one market each year would seem like going at it too suddenly. Perhaps we should have at least two mar-kets, for the time being. Later, I feel sure we can go to one market very consistently. I am unable to see what the idea is of a market season extending from May to August. Would the manufacturer keep his salesmen off the road, hanging around the various markets during that period? fVotdd I for instance, be com-pelled to drop in any time during that period and do busi-ness with someone I never saw, and who did not cover my territory? With these thoughts I want to go on record as opposing MORE THAN TWO markets each year. Opposing any stick uSeason" as the manufacturers desire. Favoring, as soon as possible or practical ONE market each year, either late June and July, as now, or in January. NFMA Officers He-elected President—F. H. Mueller, Mueller Furniture Co., Grand Rapids. Vice-President—Harry C. Canfield, Western Furniture Co., Bates-ville, Ind. Secretary—Roy J. Miller, American Chair Co., Sheboygan, Wis. Treasurer—Frank J. Seng. The Seng Co., Chicago. Managing Director—Alfred P. Haake. Assistant Secretary—J. C. McCarthy. NFMA Directorate KE-ELECTED Embury Palmer—Palmer & Embury Mfg. Co., New York, N. Y. Harry C. Canfield—Western Furniture Co., Batesville, Ind. Robert W. Irwin—Robert W. Irwin Co., Grand Rapids. Leo Karpen—S. Karpen & Bros., Chicago. P. E. Kroehler—Kroehler Mfg. Co., Chicago. E. H. Mersman—Mersman Bros. Corp., Celina, Ohio. Nathan J. Anderson—Empire Case Goods Co., Jamestown, N. Y. NEWLY ELECTED G. A. Anderson—Rockford Republic Furniture Co., Rockford, 111. Allan T. Crutcher—F. S. Harmon Co., Tacoma, Wash. Charles Kirchen—West Michigan Furniture Co., Holland, Mich. Allen P. Page—Williamsport Furniture Co., Williamsport, Pa. 12 FINE FURNITURE PROMINENT SPEAKERS EXPOUND AT NFMA MEET Included in the two-day NFMA session were several prominent speakers: Editor • Merle Thorpe, editor of Nation's Business, emphasized the necessity for a better understanding between "business" and the consumer. A forceful speaker, Editor Thorpe declared: "In a depression the average man seeks some concrete 'villain' to blame for events he cannot understand. It is always possible to find some business leaders who are unscrupulous, some wealth which is "'predatory,' some employers who are oppressive; it's a simple mat-ter to convince the whole business group by exposing a few selected examples. This is especially true when business itself remains silent, and it is folly longer to ignore the fact that there is m this country a funda-mental misunderstanding of business, its functions, its philosophy, and its contributions to society. "It is unsafe to rely upon returning prosperity or a political change to correct that misunderstanding. That misunderstanding will continue and will grow so long-as business fails to speak in rebuttal. Business must keep before the public a constructive interpretation of itself." Analyst • John C. Gall, associate counsel of the National Manufacturers Association, outstanding analyst of federal legislation as affecting business, dis-cussed the much-disputed Robinson-Patman Act, ex-plained its purpose. Pointed out Counsellor Gall: " . . . In a statute aimed at price discrimination the word 'price' is not even defined. In a statute making differences in 'cost' of manufacture or sale a test of legality, the term 'cost' is not defined. In a statute arising directly out of alleged discriminations between classes of customers, such as wholesalers, jobbers, retailers, chain stores. mail order houses, not one of these terms is defined. . . . The common law rule of caveat emptor—'Let the buyer beware' has been changed to 'Let the seller and buyer beware.' " Illustrating the manner in which the act may be enforced against both seller and buyer, Gall called attention to a recent complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Montgomery Ward & Co. and Bird & Son, linoleum manufacturers, wherein an alleged price discrimination was involved. Designated as apparent violation were special discounts given members of buying syndicates who actually buy indi-vidually, in many instances not purchasing as much merchandise as other customers who are charged reg-ular prices. Sociologist • Principal address at the annual banquet was delivered by Dr. Allen D. Albert, eminent sociol-ogist, lecturer, vice-president of Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition. Eloquently, Dr. Albert reported on social changes occurring in the world, rebuked fur-niture industry for passing up a golden opportunity available at the Century of Progress for tying-up with the unit-home industry, which he averred will be one of the country's industrial leaders during the next decade. Appealer • Pleading for increased membership in NFMA, and extolling its subsequent value to mem-bers, H. T. "Tom" Griffith, Udell Works, Indian-apolis, brought the banqueteering manufacturers to their feet with the sincerity of his plea. Accountant • "Social Security 'contributions' are going to cost furniture manufacturers at least 1/4% of net sales during the next 13 years," said Louis J. Bosse, NFMA'S accounting chief. "Expenses involved in col-lecting and making these payments should be added to this amount and will increase the total cost of each article produced. These expenses cannot come out of profits or surplus and must necessarily be figured as cost items, and included in the price of the article." Dealer Aids • Reporting on a survey conducted by the association relative to furniture merchants' interest in dealer-aids produced by manufacturers, J. C. Mc- Carthy, NFMA's assistant-secretary, urged producers of furniture to give more attention to selling aids of this type. Quoted McCarthy: "Analysis of furniture stores show an estimated average total store business of 39% in furniture, 15% floor covering, 12% bedding, stoves and ranges 6%, radios 6% and electric refrig-erators 5%. Dealers are not unmindful that 'Furniture Store' appears on the sign above their entrance. They want to see the 39% of furniture sales boosted to a higher percentage." HOW - MANY - MARKETS - A - YEAR ? July FINE FURNITURE carried an editorial on "Page Nine" entitled, "How Many Markets?" Once regarded as good "filler" we remarked, per-haps with a bit of facetiousness, that as far as we were concerned, we'd covered it for a lifetime. But that was in July, now it's November and we're recanting. Since then we've consulted man-ufacturers and dealers, designers, salesmen and doormen, regarding the correct number of mar-kets, the most advisable months in which they should be held. With the National Furniture Manufacturers Association going on record as being in favor of a change from the present system (See resolution on page 10), supported by a poll of the National Retail Furniture Association, we are interested in ascertaining how those persons feel who have not been solicited on the subject. The question is vitally important. Its solution will affect every person connected with the man-ufacture and sale of furniture. What's the answer? Your opinion will help those who are sincerely attempting to unsnarl this oldest of all furniture marketing problems. -The Editor, Tine Furniture Magazine, 155 Ottawa Ave., N. W., Grand Rapids, Mich. f o r NOVEMBER. 1936 13 NX/.L.K-1MERL/ GP-AND CAPIOS FP-EE LANCE-PLAYS BP-lD£f£ AND CrP-OWS FLO\w£P-S-H PeP-IOD ST/L-ES AND EATS SHORT CAKE - JWAP-K-ET-~T\UO U/AV6 Doyo. DUTCH VUOOOCP-AFT SHOPS-HOLLAND./ MICH- PLAYED FOOTBALL AND BASKET-BALL AND fiOT AN 4.BAT /MICHIGAN. FISHES AND PLAYS T6NNIS . MUCH TP-AV&LE-D rtERg AND A&P-OAO. FlP-ST JOB - - TENDING CrLUE JOINTEP-IN A FUP-NITUP-E FACTOR./. RUTHERFORD, PP.ES. BKOS.STOP-ES. KNOXVILLE.TEHH. ONCE A &ANK6P- .LIKES TO FISH AND CrPOW FLOVW&P-S • A FOOTBALL FAN AND /WASTEP- OF THE PIANO. MIS ONLY PETS AP-£ A DOCJ • A PAP-P-OT AND AN CHARLIE. ED. SULLIVAN. 56C/-TP-EAS-CjeN- MCrR-AND OFFICE £>O/. RoyAL-WILHELM Fup.N Co. STUHOIS.MICM. ONCE A BANKER-- AIMS TO set THAT THE \UOPJ_D MAKES A PROFIT OM HIS LIFE . WORK- IS HIS HO&B/. &ATS US • ASH P-EADS DICKENS AND THE 6IBL£- 14 FINE FURNITURE SOIL, SOISSONS & SALES DID you ever hear about the salesman who sold the man-ager of a competitive furniture store a major appliance at regu-lar retail price: That was Harry G. "Adman" Corot. Then there's the story that won a prize for the most interesting contact with a customer, being in effect the sale of a complete home outfit totaling $1500 to a woman who lived 8000 miles distant. That. too, was Corot. But it was also smart selling. Seller Corot is sales and adver-tising manager of Rosenbaum's furniture store, Cedar Rapids, la.; has an ancestral background of two sea captains, one printer. Corot himself climbed from farm-ing to printing, to retail furniture selling, his first job in the later classification being advertising manager with Jones - Luberger- Pratt Co., Cedar Rapids, la., m 1915, rising to buyer of floor coverings, radio, refrigerators, ultimately becoming vice-presi-dent in 1927. Prior to his advent at J-L-P Co. he had become acquainted with furniture through association with the furniture publication business in Grand Rapids. The World War and the Sixth Marines pulled him out of the furniture business temporarily and dumped him into Belleau Woods, Soissons, Marbache, St. Mihiel, Champagne, Argonne- Meuse, from where he was final-ly evacuated with slight scratches, light gassing and a record of having been A. W. 0. L. more than any man in the outfit, with-out "decoration." Corot was born in Grand Rap-ids, Mich., November 18, 1890, married a Budapest girl, belongs to the American Legion, K. C, Ad Club, hopes to own a small estate and live as a country gen-tleman when and if he ever re-tires. Hunting and fishing, how-ever, will be "out" as far as Country-Gent Corot is concerned, having learned what it meant to be "hunted" during the War, albeit his favorite tune is "When the Caissons Go Rolling Along." Alexander Dumas is his choice of authors, Rudolph Friml ap-peases his musical fancy, while sirloin steak fits his gastron-nomical needs. Advocates knowl-edge of furniture history, con-struction, interior decoration. Facetiously he recalls early memories of the days of "Golden Oak," (mis) matched dmmg HARRY G. COROT . . . Sold $1500 order to customer 8000 miles away. suites, birch-mahogany "Parlor Sets" and misnamed "Colonial Scroll" bedroom suites. He be-lieves that the homefurnishing business is a social and educa-tional force because it so inti-mately serves the home, has a direct influence on the social standing of its inmates, can be made a factor in the artistic de-velopment and art-appreciation of the home-makers. MEDIUM-SIZED FLOOR COVERING M A N U A L for DEPARTMENTS by HARRY G. COROT Sales and Advertising Mgr., Rosenbaum's, Cedar Rapids. la. FOR the small or medium-size store the matter of establishing a floor-covering department is not as difficult nor as much a financial hazard as it might appear. It is one venture that does not require an investment demanding, in propor-tion, an amount equal to contem-plated sales; a large proportion of the business can be done on the wholesaler's investment, as "cut-order selling" looms large in its operations. First of all, the dealer must not only be sold on the possibilities existing for direct added income, but must recognize the profit accru-ing to the general business by the stimulus such a department will give to it. The sale of floor-cover-ings is the entering wedge into the new home wherein new or addi-tional furniture is a foregone con-clusion. Closer Mark-up • He must be sold on the policy of a closer mark-up in the merchandising of floor-cover-ings as compared with that of furniture. He must realize the neces-sity for educating some one mem-ber of the sales force to take execu-tive charge of the department; or rather, encourage someone to study floor-coverings and to make a hobby of it, so that he can buy and sell as intelligently in this section as in his furniture department. A floor-covering department can-not be expected to run itself with every furniture salesman attempt-ing to sell its offerings; someone in the organization must take the infant under his personal care if it is to thrive. And after you get him interested and enthusiastic about floor-coverings, do something in the way of extra remuneration to keep up that interest and enthusiasm. Carpeting • Growing demand for carpeting is cutting into the sales of conventionally sized rugs to a serious extent, and the alert merch-ant who has been stocking only rugs in standard sizes is missing a real opportunity to convert this seeming f o r N O V E M B E R , 1 9 3 6 15 1 — 18th Century dining room group by Colonial Mfg. Co., Z e e l a n d , Mich., displayed in the Keeler Bldg. 2 — Chippendale, mahogany dresser, No. 7 3 6, Holland Furniture Co., dis-p l a y e d in the Waters - Klingman Bldg. 3 — French chest by Kittinger Co., Buffalo, shown in the Keeler Bldg. 4 — 18th Century English bedroom g r o u p in crotch m a h o g a n y by John Widdicomb Co., Grand Rap-ids, exhibited in factory showroom. 5 — Oak dinette. No. 102, designed by Percival Good-man for Kamman Furniture, Inc., Philadelphia, five pieces, $29.90. 6 — Modern van-ity. No. 890, by West Michigan Furniture Co., Hol-land, four pieces, $193. 7 — Twin double-deck beds. No. GC5000, by Gre-ilick Corp. Chair, No. GC7100; lamp, GC8010; end table, GC8011, by same firm. 16 FINE FURNITURE loss into increased volume of profit. The demand today is for carpeting, wall-to-wall, and carpets in rug form, with the majority of style-wise shoppers insisting upon wide-width, seamless broadlooms. Investment Small • The economy of investment from stocking on a "cut-order basis" is readily appar-ent. No huge investment in endless rolls of carpeting in both wide and narrow widths is necessary. Aside from actual selling samples a nom-inal investment in 9 x 12 samples to give atmosphere and adequate dis-play is all that is needed in the car-pet section. A complete line of samples covering all types is not a large investment, and much busi-ness can be done from them. In this connection it is suggested that samples be large enough to show the pattern repeat, to visualize the space effect and to give the right impression of weight and quality— in other words, to stock 27" x 54" samples and not the 9x9 and 27x18 vest-pocket swatches too often "stocked" in the past because of their cheapness. Rug samples are never a loss in any event; when they are discontinued or soiled, they can always be sold readily as throw rugs at a price sufficient to cover their cost. The small operator should have at least two groups of wool wilton carpets, numbering approximately twelve to a group, showing Modern and conventional patterns, retailing around $4.50 and $5.50 a square yard. Three Frise Lines • Frise weaves are in vogue and should be repre-sented by three lines of samples— a quality line employing a nine-wire velvet construction, with a three-and-three cotton and jute stuffer content retailing around $6.50 a square yard; a medium quality eight-wire velvet with a four-jute and two-cotton thread stuffer back construction retailing around $5.50 a square yard; and a popular-priced line employing an eight-wire, four-jute stuffer thread construction, retailing at around $3.95 a square yard. Plain, solid color velvets in three grades similar in construction to the frise velvets, comprising about twelve colors to a set, and retailing at $3.50, $4.50 and $6.00 a square yard, should adequately take care of this popular fabric. Figured velvet broadloom in two qualities—one a quality fabric sell-ing at $4.25 a square yard, the other a printed velvet of jute stuf-fer fabrication retailing at $1.75 a linear yard—give sufficient coverage for the existing demand. "Texture'' effects in velvet con-struction are needed to round out the plain carpet showing. One or two sample lines retailing at $5.00 and $8.00 a square yard are ade-quate for this novelty weave. Prestige Line • For a "prestige" line a showing of a "washed" fabric in a high pile velvet or wilton is de-sirable, and gives to the department a "Metropolitan completeness" that is worth its low cost. Such quality fabrics can be retailed from $6.50 to $11.50 a square yard. And now for the money-makers in the moderate price field — the colorful axminsters! In this day and age the lowly axminster has be-come a beautiful fabric with prac-tically unlimited colorings, and you will find a large part of your sales in this ever-popular weave. An adequate stock would consist of one or two lines, twelve or fifteen pat-terns to a line, of heavy seven-wire fabrication retailing around $4.50 a square yard; a medium grade line of five and two-thirds-wire con-struction retailing around $3.75 a square yard, and a four-and-two-thirds "price weave" at $2.95 a square yard. A small stock of six or eight rolls in the three-quarter width for in-stant delivery in stair and sewed carpet requirements is advisable. Popular selling qualities are plain and figured velvets and axminsters retailing at $1.50, $2.00, $2.50 and $3.00 a linear yard. Higher priced qualities are more economically sold and presented from the cut-order samples m great variety. Display • Where space is at a premium its most economical use is to pile folded rug samples one upon another in racks or on tables, rather than attempting to store them in "display arrangements;" obviously display arrangements cannot be kept in presentable form when used in selling. They are usually left in disorder. The idea should be to avoid attempting to show the entire line with one sweep-ing vista, but rather to dramatize each presentation of a sample much as the vendor of Oriental rugs un-folds each gem in his collection —• one at a time — for inspection and admiration. A space not exceeding 500 square feet is adequate for your cut-order floor-covering department. If rugs are stocked, larger space is necessary of course, and their phy-sical requirements are too well known to require comment here. Patterns • In the selection of pat-terns, both for rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting, the most popular types are the borderless creations. Border-less creations in Modern designs, hooked rug designs, plaids, leaf and scroll forms—with Modern straight-line small-repeat patterns taking the lead in popularity and sales. One of the noticeable trends is the falling off in demand of the so-called standard sizes. The 9x12 size does not today adequately fit the living rooms of the newer Amer-ican small homes. More carpets are being sold now than ever before in 9x15, 9x18, 12x15, 12x18 and 12x22 rug forms satisfactorily to cover space requirements of newer homes. Because every wall-to-wall carpet job means more carpet yardage than a rug for a given room, it is to the financial advantage of the mer-chant to convert prospective rug customers into wall-to-wall buyers. To do this requires a knowledge on the part of the salesman of the prin-ciples of interior decoration, and the ability to convey that knowl-edge to his prospect. Of course, wall-to-wall installation implies per-manent ownership more or less, they are harder to sell, and the field is restricted, but they are more profitable where they can be sold. Coordination • It is suggested that all sections of the store cooperate and coordinate their efforts in the sale of each department's units, but when it comes to the actual selling of carpeting it should not be a matter of everybody's business, all salesmen "taking a shot at it." The danger is that because of a lack of detailed floor-covering knowledge the sale will be agitated by the fur-niture- minded salesman, but not closed. The first carpet man that gets the customer will turn her in-terest and desire into buying action! Some one person in the small fur-niture store must study, master and sell the floor-coverings, or at least be available for T. 0. when a fur-niture- minded salesman is flounder-ing through the mire of measure-ments and entangled in the mazes of yardage, pattern repeat, color harmony and style suitability. A parting word about establish-ing the new department. Make it a distinct floor-covering section, sep-arate and isolated from other unre-lated merchandise. for NOVEMBER, 1936 17 8 — Modern bed-room group. No. 217, by Charlotte F u r n i t u r e Co., Charlotte, display-ed in American Furniture Mart. 9 — Solid walnut vanity. No. 194, by Aulsbrook & Jones, Sturgis, Mich., priced at $246 for lour pieces, dis-played in Mer-chandise Mart. 10 — M o d e r n dinette group de-signed by Donald Deskey f o r Estey Mfg. Co., Owosso, Mich., shown in the Waters-Kling-man Bldg. 11 — Bleached English harewood and leather Mod-e r n bedroom group designed by Herman De V r i e s for Sikes Furniture Co., Buf-falo, exhibited in t h e Merchandise Mart. 12 — W. F. Whit-ney Co. of Ash-burnham, Mass., c r e a t e d this charming maple bedroom group, de-signed by Clayton Hawk. 13 — Mahogany toilet t a b l e . No. 3024, from Robert W. Irwin Co. and displayed in the factory showroom. 14 _ Myrtle burl, walnut and maple Modern buffet (and chair). No. 2119, by l a n d - Strom Furniture Corp., Rockford, III., displayed in American Furni-ture Mart, priced eight p i e c e s , $249.50. 18 FINE FURNITURE THE CUSTOMER'S VIEWPOINT by RUTH McINERNEY Double-duty room in fur-niturp department of Kresge Store, Newark, N. J., a pioneer in move-ment to moot needs of small family. The twin studio couch by Sleeper, Inc., shown in American Furniture Mart is an i m p o r t a n t factor in "scaled-down" homes. NEW FAMILY NEEDS 24-HOUR ROOMS, DOUBLE-DUTY UNITS IT was one of their first evenings at home. The honeymoonlight was still shining brightly in the newly furnished three-room apartment. "Dinner," she said, "is ready." "Where?" he started to say, but remembered in time that tvro should now live as peacefully as one. No doubt, with practice he would learn how to climb into his chair at the table without pleating himself into the radiator, falling over the rug, collapsing against a knick-knack rack and knocking down the drapery rods. By Jetting out all his breath he could slide into the chair without doing more than upsetting the water tumblers and tipping the bowl of peas into the butter. You see, _the folks who had designed and sold this room's furniture still had the old idea that a castle is a man's home. Three families—one roof • Now then, trip along with us to the domicile of Mrs. Wed-Many-Years. The lady's married son and married daughter are "living in" with her, due to the depression. Now, three fam-ilies under the one roof mean just two roofs too few. It is with the tact of a European diplomat and a de-partment store floorwalker that Mrs. Wed-Many-Years is endeavoring to keep the home fires from burning things up. The big generous bedroom suites of furni-ture take up all the bedroom, of course, leaving no sitting room space. The young couples' assorted guests may not be entertained here without feeling crowded out. And the family living room is like a hotel lobby as far as privacy is concerned. Tearing ourselves away from this touching scene, let's meet Junior, who is in high school, beginning to feel his years, and wishes like fury that he had a den to call his own, where he might have the fellows in for an evening without the rest of the family sitting in on things, where he may even serve some he-man food when and if he chose, as he chose. What to do • A recent survey of the families in an f o r N O V E M B E R , 1936 19 average metropolitan area of residences and apart-ment buildings showed that 51% of the families had only one to three members each. About 23% of the families were "doubled up"—another family "living in" with them. And the rest had the problems of the modern family of today—-grown-up sons and daughters with desires for their own quarters in the house, free from family influence; the guest problem and the prob-lem of needing an extra room for recreation and game activities. What to do? Scaling down • The furniture merchant has the solu-tion in helping us plan furnishings scaled down to modern needs—little family size furniture for little homes, double-duty rooms, double-duty furnishings. And so, the newest verse to home "suite" home is to furnish the small house with small house things— small sofa, smaller upholstered chairs, dinette sets, smaller china cabinets, smaller bedroom suites and the working equipment of a kitchenette all selected for size. Space is precious in the one, two or three-room apartment. Storage space is even more at a premium. That's why we appreciate plenty of drawer space for linens below the china cabinet and bookcase-desk. That's why even the pair of shelves and the drawer on each end table is regarded with gratitude by any house-keeper. Corner cabinets, hanging shelves and all kinds of cabinets assume new importance especially if they have versatility and may adapt themselves to different quarters. Small families are a floating population, and their furnishings must be able to take to a moving van easily, too. Moving problems are tiresome enough without having to worry about how to get the sofa through the door. The idea of having to move over-stuffed furniture through the windows by means of block and tackle, a not unfamiliar occurrence in crowded city districts, is something a housewife takes weeks to get over. And once she recovers, does she pass a furniture display of massive sets without a shudder? Does she soon hurry to a furniture store to buy furniture? Not if she's a normal homemaker. Double-duty • And just as furnishings that mold themselves to new rooms, genially, are prized pos-sessions, so are those double-duty pieces regarded with affection. I mean, tables that can produce a drop-leaf in a hurry and seat guests comfortably, later, return-ing to a console table role. The book-case-linen-chest-desk unit is a worthy element, too. Sofabeds play a prominent part in the set-up. In fact, they are indis-pensable for the one-room, man's den, girl's room, boy's room, and guest facilities. Sofa-beds permit us the use of an extra room without actually having that room. A dinette or a recreation room, with a cleverly concealed night-time personality by means of a sofa-bed is just helping us put one over on the landlord who charges by the room, and not by the room-use. Do you ever hear your customers comment in this manner: "Oh now really, we couldn't use a great big chair like that. We move around so much." Or — "We're not buying our own home yet, Mr. Mer-chant. We're just renting an apartment. Haven't you something suitable for an apartment?" "I have a married son living in with me. I dunno— I was hoping you might have some ideas on the subject —" We come to you, dazed without end, bewildered. And because most of us do not have a too ready imagina-tion, model room set-ups help us visualize furniture, more easily. 24-hour rooms • There's need for a series of "Little Home" arrangements in which you will rave a chance to show off your merchandise in the language of the person furnishing a small menage — small-sized things, plenty of storage space, double-duty pieces, considerate use of room space, lightweight graceful pieces. Remind us of the features of each. These mean sales points to you — convenience features to us. You've an excuse for staging a whole showing of "24-hour rooms" such as one-room apartment, man's den, boy's room, girl's room, recreation room, dinette— all with subtle slumber identities. Knowing that one out of the four homemakers pass-ing your store may be puzzling about how to maintain a house-within-a-house at home, you've a chance to display ideas for the sitting room-bedroom, the kitchenette. And that's a part-portrait of the New Family and its home furnishing problems. Modern furnishings lend themselves ideally to 24- hour rooms, one-room apart-ments and small family arrangements. This group-ing by Herman Miller Fur-niture Co., Holland, Mich., is typical. 20 FINE FURNITURE FAMILIAR DESIGNS, INTERPRETED By F A M O U S DESIGNERS Swedish ^Peasant BECAUSE furniture of Swedish trend is enjoying increasing popularity, this month's Sketch Book presents a 17th Century Swedish cabinet, its commer-cial adaptation designed by Margaret Page Seagren, Swedish by marriage. Produced in maple, oak and chestnut, many of the simpler forms have pieces with painted panels, brownish yellow backgrounds with such vivid colored decorations as red, green, blue and yellow, the blue and yellow of the Swedish flag pre-dominating. Outdoor people, the Swedes farmed during the sum-mer, spent the long winter building furniture by hand. They cut their own logs, for the most part oak and nutwood, whipsawed them, dried them in the lofts of their crude homes and barns, acquired great skill in handcarving, inlaying, hammering iron. Decorative motifs range from barbaric to biblical. By nature peasants, often wanderers, fighters, foreign influence is frequently traced in the varied ornamenta-tion, including classical Greek and Roman, tudor rose, fleur de Us. Most outdoor folk are deeply religious, hence the carving in solid wood of biblical quotations, prayers. Originating source for Mrs. Seagren's inspiration is in the Northern Museum, Stockholm, Sweden, dated during the 17th Century, has strong French Renais-sance influence, despite Tudor rose on pilaster bases, with marqueterie, mitred moulding, heavy cornice. The paneled doors and lower drawer front, carved top drawer of the illustrated commercial buffet should be antiqued, carrying painted ornamentation around wrought iron pulls, while carved top drawer, structural parts, top, take a natural brown finish with worn high-lighted edges. Entire group should consist of credenza board, drawtop table, hutchtype cabinet, server, chairs with colorful upholstery. The estimated retail price on this group would approximate $250. TALENT & CHARM AUGMENT "WOMEN IN FURNITURE" GALLERY MARGARET Page Seagren's early memories of the furni-ture business include a scarcity of women in the industry, plus a necessity for better commercial fur-niture design. Joining FINE FURNI-TURE'S gallery of "Women in Fur-niture," Merry Margaret brings an enviable background of furniture and business training. Attending Riccardo Iamucci's and Mathais Alten's drawing classes in Grand Rapids she made contacts with furniture designers, studied de-tailing and rodmaking at night school. Dissatisfied with the pace of her progress, accepted position with John D. Raab, outstanding designer and manufacturer, who presently encouraged her to start on her own. Following a course in Decorative Design at the Chicago Art Institute, where she met George Seagren, furniture designer skilled in archi-tectural modeling and hand carving, she returned to Grand Rapids and entered the free lance business, ultimately associating with Seagren, c > MARGARET PAGE SEAGREN . . . enjoys horseracing, Hugh Walpole, broiled lobster. and marrying him in 1918. Three years later he died, suddenly. From that time on Margaret Seagren has assiduously attended to her design-ing business, maintaining an office in Grand Rapids until 1932, then locating in Lenoir, N. C. Margaret's philosophy on which she avers her career has been built is that effort is always rewarded, sooner or later. She has a daughter, age 16, talented in drawing, who is being trained to follow her mother's vocational footsteps. Like most women Mrs. Seagren refuses to divulge her age but ad-mits being born January 5. She is 5 feet 4 inches high, weighs 150 pounds, would rather travel and paint portraits than design furni-ture, despite the fortunate fact that she has traveled extensively here and abroad, calls horseracing her favorite sport, Hugh Walpole her favorite author and broiled lobster her choice dish. Says Mrs. Seagren: "Regardless of the fact that I am Swedish by marriage and my daughter has the map of Sweden on her face, I am sorry to say I am unable to read or speak the language." 22 FINE FURNITURE RETAILING TIPS . Canvassing by Definite Leads—Sales Response to "Dressed" Beds—Violin-Shaped Cabinet Eliminates Vibrations—First Baby Wins—Linoleum Sold by Sample—Treasure Hunt Promotion. Follow-up Only OUTSIDE effort on appliances and other items usually iden-tified with canvassing is now con-fined by Harbour-Longmire to the follow-up of definite leads only, as advocated in the September issue of FINE FURNITURE. Yet the Okla-homa City store has found its sales in departments which might employ outside promotion to have enjoyed healthy increases. Says J. F. Har-bour, "Under the canvassing sys-tem, we had too many joy riders! Then, too, canvassing in our city had been overdone to the extent that it has aroused the antipathy of housewives." Now departmental sales groups build carefully on leads obtained from other customers already sold. Clerks demonstrating washing ma-chines, for instance, ask housewives for the names of friends and neigh-bors, which they invariably seem willing to give if they are pleased with the product they have bought. "This gives us a basis for friend-ly approach with the new prospect, which is much better than if we apply from door to door," Harbour points out. "Salesmen can refer to the fact that they understood from Mrs. So-and-So that they might be interested in a washer, and ask if they might make a demonstration." Most of these "approaches" of other customers obtained through leads are made over the telephone. "Calls are by the sales people indi-vidually, upon their own personal customer list," says Harbour. "We do not use a regular caller, but find it best to make such calls as per-sonal as possible as between sales persons and customers." The electric appliance depart-ment, particularly the small appli-ance "shop" recently installed on the homewares department floor, With inspired foot-ball teams driving toward the Rose Bowl and National recognition, Satur-day afternoons find the air filled with drama. Stew-art- Warner's No. 1731 compact, magic-dialed table unit will bring these t h r i l l i n g moments with amazing distinct-ness. benefits most heavily from the tele-phone campaign. Coupled with the fact that small electric goods were isolated in a separate unit and that radio and newspaper advertising promotion were employed, the tele-phone calls trebled small appliance sales during the season just past. Show Beds "Dressed" IT pays to show beds, in adver-tising, fully equipped! R. A. Cuvilke, advertising manager of the American Furniture Co., Denver, Colo., tell why: Recently, in a display advertise-ment, five distinct types of beds were shown, each fully equipped. Copy stated definitely that only the beds were offered at a sale price. Response to the advertisement was excellent, a large number of the beds being sold. But, not a single one was sold without mattress and springs. Thus was each sale raised from $15 to around #40! Cuvilke is convinced that had the sale bed been shown stripped, appeal would have been limited to the comparatively few who wished to replace an old bed with a new one, while continuing to use the same old springs and mattress. Seeing the bed complete aroused desire for a complete new bed. Linoleum Sold by Sample ANOVEL platform designed for showing linoleum samples in proper relation to border strips is one of the most important features of a linoleum department modern-ization job which has stimulated sales on custom-built floors for Nor-ton's Furniture Co., Fort Wayne, Ind. Use of the platform is dependent on the sample display plan adopted. Like most other departments, this one formerly carried a stock of complete rolls for display purposes. Experience proved that they unnec-essarily took up a lot of room and were not effective from a selling standpoint. The large rolls were moved to the stockroom and one-yard square samples substituted in the depart-ment. They are kept in wall cases each about one foot wide. The sam-ple is bent so the two ends come to-gether, leaving a rounded surface at the front which gives the appear-ance of a small roll and shows the pattern to good advantage. This plan increases display space so it is possible to show almost ISO f o r NOVEMBER. 1936 23 \ Skilled workers lift new Grunow violin-shaped cabinet irom press which has bent rotary cut walnut into cabinet form. patterns. The danger of a heavy roll falling and injuring someone has been eliminated. Formerly it was impossible to show a pattern to good advantage. Under the new plan it is shown as it looks on the customer's floor. The platform is an estimated 18 inches wider on each side than the yard square samples shown on it. In this additional space an attrac-tive border strip shows up to good advantage with a majority of pat-terns. The top of the platform is completely covered with linoleum, a square in one popular pattern being laid in the center and the stationary border designs laid around it. This provides an individual set-ting for patterns and borders shown. They are removed from competition with the floor linoleum and patterns arranged in the shelves. The plat-form is so placed that in examining it the customer looks away from all other linoleum. Vibrations Eliminated 7\ PHENOMENAL discovery, a Z i . "Violin-Shaped" radio cabinet, used exclusively by General House-hold Utilities Co., manufacturers of Grunow radios, has been made by Peter J. Nordby, Sheboygan, Wis. The shape of the cabinet eliminates wood vibrations through its circular tone chambers, thereby solving a baffling engineering problem. As remarkable as the innovating design is the efficient and speedy production method used. Since the inception of radio, designers, engi-neers and craftsmen have sought a process of bending wood in such a manner that it would not break nor crack. Under this new patented method, a single operation includes the wood bending and application of top, bottom, ribs and corner blocks of the radio. Nordby's creation not only proved to be revolutionary in the radio in-dustry but in the furniture business as well. At present several national-ly known furniture manufacturers are seeking licenses to build chairs, tables and cabinets under this new process. One, the Landstrom Fur-niture Co., of Rockford, 111., has been granted a license. In previous attempts to manufac-ture circular cabinets and furniture, expensive patterns and machinery were necessary and manufacturing processes were slow and costs were high. Now, factory executives say, because of the efficient and inex-pensive production methods a marked reduction in radios can be effected. This also holds true in the manufacture of furniture. Nordby, a craftsman who has plied his trade in 47 foreign countries and has been acclaimed an outstanding furniture designer, has solved the problem through a rotary cut wal-nut, which, even without the opera-tion which bends the walnut panel into shape, naturally would assume its original circular or "log shape." Treasure Hunt "TNESIRING something new to J ' arouse general interest in fall openings, the Redondo Furniture Co., Redondo, Cal., and IS other local firms, offered a free theatre party and treasure hunt. Based on the theory that people have more money to spend than they did a year ago and desiring them to view the good qualities of the new lines, the participating firms ran full page ads for three successive days, giving details of the plan. The stores were given a supply of tickets, and with each purchase amounting to 50c or more, the patron was given a free ticket to the leading motion picture theatre of the city. As the guests entered the theatre, each one was given in exchange for her ticket a numbered card. In each of the stores were several articles of merchandise with num-bers corresponding to those on some of the tickets. Whenever a person found a number on any merchan-dise that corresponded to the ticket he held, he could claim it free of charge. All the merchants also offered a number of good bargains in their stocks so that whether a person found his number or not a reward was received. Said the manager of the Redondo Furniture Co., "Crowds milled through the stores and up and down the streets, comparing num-bers, laughing, looking, and the new lines appearing both in the windows and in the stores were excellently publicized. The crowds that came the opening day told their friends with the result that the following day, without any special inducement except good values and up-to-date fall stocks, the crowds were larger and the volume of sales greater." First Baby Wins ADVERTISING in the smaller JTi. community is often made more profitable by using a personal touch that will arouse human interest. New babies hold a universal appeal and contests always invite interest. Realizing this, the Richardson Fur-niture Co., Chico, Cal., developed a "First Baby of 1936" contest by which they called attention to their line of nursery furniture. An offer was made of a free baby jumper for the first baby of 1936 to be born in Chico and thereby capitalized on this interest in advance, only re-striction being an affidavit from attending physician and proof that parents reside in Butte county where Chico is situated. 24 FINE FURNITURE JOSEPH P. LYNCH . . . Advertising ceases to function when the customer enters the store. T^HREE things are absolutely X necessary to make retail news-paper advertising pay. First. To draw attention. Second. To hold that attention until you have told your story. Third. To tell your story so well that you persuade your reader to put your suggestions into action. Just how well this must be done can be judged by the fact that the life of an average morning news-paper is 29 minutes and an after-noon paper 45 minutes. We have proven conclusively by a systematic check that unless merchandise is purchased the day after it is adver-tised, time, money and newspaper space are wasted. Impel desire • In other words, re-tail advertising must be written to create a desire to purchase at once, and when you stop to realize that you must sandwich your message between the front page news, edi-torials, sport page, financial page, society page, etc., all of which takes the reader from 29 to 45 minutes for a complete reading—the atten-tion- compelling force of your adver-tisement is a big factor. Appearance • With the current news, prize fights, football news, society news, special feature pages, want ads, etc., your message must have an appeal by its appearance that compels the reader to stop and immediately cement his attention on your advertisement. If this happens you have accomplished the first step in creating interest. This can be accomplished by illustrations and art-drawn headings. Again that veteran of innumerable sales salients, foe Lynch, contributes from his fathomless font of experience. With an increase in newspaper advertising space reported, Joe reminds us that the life of the average morning paper is 29 minutes and that the afternoon journal consumes only 45 minutes of the average reader's time. Says Lynch: "Unless merchandise is purchased the day after it is advertised, time, money and newspaper space are wasted." Smothered and sandwiched between editorials, sports, society and scandal, the attention force of your ad is a tremendous factor. Reduced prices do not necessarily assure successful sales, even coupled with good advertising, because, as Lynch points out, "Advertising ceases to function the moment the customer comes into the store." 3 FACTORS MAKE NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING PAY . . . Says Joe Lynch Attention • This next step is to hold this interest. This can be accomplished by connecting the art cut or headline with your caption. The cut and caption should be so designed as to be part of the edi-torial in a long, unbroken sentence so that the reader will be carried on to a complete reading of your ad-vertisement. As an example: In a campaign we conducted for a large furniture store in a city of 600,000 people we used $5020 in daily news-paper space over a period of nine days. Of this amount $1379 or 729 inches of newspaper space was de-voted to art-drawn cuts made espe-cially for the campaign. The adver-tising expense was 2/^% of total sales. Here's how • Now let's see if the campaign paid. This furniture store sells in the neighborhood of $1,500,- 000 in one year, having been estab-lished for 42 years and recognized as the largest exclusive furniture house in the country. On the opening day of our cam-paign with the above advertising we sold $53,073.34 or at the rate of $15,000,000 a year. In a nine-day campaign we sold $206,574.48 or at the rate of $6,800,000 a year. On the opening day of the cam-paign we sold 101 of a certain make washing machine before 2 p. m. We devoted three columns, two and one-half inches deep, to the item in a big double-page advertisement. In this same advertisement we devoted two columns wide, two inches deep to stoves and ranges. On the open-ing day we sold 65 stoves. You might say that the prices were re-duced. We admit quite frankly that prices were reduced from 5% to 10%, but that together with the ad-vertising would not have made this sale a success, because advertising ceases to function the moment the customer comes to the store. The selling of the merchandise adver-tised is up to the display of the merchandise and salesmanship with-in the store. SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEN KNOW Successful advertising men who through actual experience know the ways of gaining public confidence, apply certain definite principles to their advertising. They tell their story from the reader's viewpoint—they put them-selves in the background, and tell their story clearly, simply, convincingly and truthfully. They know that they, like the reader, are an average customer. They know that if the advertising does not create interest, confidence and action within themselves that it is not good adver-tising. They know that the purpose of advertising is to create demand—to sell goods — to build good will — to make profits — and not merely to inform. EVERY RETAILER should study his advertising — the ideas behind it — its costs in percentage to sales volume — and to blend it with window display— merchandise displays — and see to it that before it appears in print its purpose and what he expects to accom-plish with it has been explained to every employe of the store. For, remem-ber, the greatest selling asset, business builder and profit maker is your adver-tising, and it should never be considered as anything but a good and necessary investment in insurance for immediate and future profits. J. P. L. f o r N O V E M B E R . 1 9 3 6 25 PICTURES for UNUSUAL PLACES ^ Nationally known artist dis-plays a creation at the Amer-ican Furniture Mart. Water colors for wall decorative pur-poses aio gaining in popu-larity and sales and have been greatly increased by suggesting such pictures for use in kitchens, bathrooms, door-panolK and other over-looked places. EVERY wall in every room, how-ever humble, is entitled to respect!" With that theory, the Broadway Department Store, Inc., Los Ange-les, has greatly increased the sale of pictures for use in unusual places. A. H. Randall, buyer for the pic-ture department, sees volume in picture sales through this broaden-ing of the use of pictures. For instance, behold the kitchen! Few people have thought of kitchen walls as places for pictures, but in various demonstrations houses fur-nished by the Broadway, pictures are featured conspicuously in all kitchens. "Personally," says L. G. Shatney, the store's interior decorator, "I do not favor great splashes of color in kitchen linoleum, nor do I care for colorful decorative tile in the kit-chen. I want a plain background. I put in color through the use of curtains, contrasting shelving, china and other dishes, utensils, and more important yet, pictures! "The kitchen usually is not a place for large pictures, but I use two 8x10 above the sink in many instances, and the recess between the upper and lower sections of the cupboard gives space for two small pictures, say 3 or 4 inches square. "In most kitchens there is the narrow perpendicular space between the stove and the broom closet. Why let this space remain plain and unattractive? I have used as many as nine pictures, each 3 inches square, one above the other in a symetrical, perpendicular row. We have had many compliments on this little idea ! People like it immensely once they get used to it and once the real purpose of pictures comes home to them. Themes • "As to themes for kitchen pictures we do best with florals and cut-outs. Pictures of famous pieces of china done in natural colors, usually 3-inch, work in splendidly. On Door Panels • Shatney believes in using pictures on door panels— that is, on doors that lead into closets and do not have two-way traffic. "Such a door," he declares, "is little more than an ugly square, unattractive unit! On such doors I like to place from two to four botany prints, say 15 inches wide. Can anyone tell me why not? In my own home all such doors are so improved and in our demonstration houses we have won many compli-ments and incidentally made many sales by this plan. In Bathrooms • "We are selling a good many pictures for bathrooms nowadays following such displays in demonstration houses and in model rooms. For this purpose I first of all prefer colorful maps, framed and glazed. I might say that these may be of various sizes and should, I think, have a definite meaning to the owner of the home, preferably maps of places he has visited." Living Room Mantels • Getting back to the living room, Shatney finds several overlooked uses for pictures. The fireplace to him is a magic spot and theme pictures have a place there as well as smaller florals. "I often find it wise to place a horizontal row of small oval pic-tures just below the shelf of the mantel and just above the line where the detail work begins. There is a vacant space there and it is at the eye level of a person seated be-fore the fire. "We have no hesitancy about grouping a large number of pictures on a wall. W7e place as many as nine in a group. Such groups admit of different arrangements. They sometimes are placed in conven-tional straight rows — sometimes diagonally. Straight perpendicular rows are good when the space per-mits of such treatment. "From the merchandising angle the idea is pictures and more pic-tures. There is no excuse for an ugly space on any wall. Every wall is entitled to respect." 26 FINE FURNITURE New appreciation • As evidence that the American public has learned to appreciate good pictures during the past few years, witness the phenomenal increase of etchings in the department stores. Smart buy-ers search endlessly for suitable pic-tures and frames to tie in with the new trends in American home dec-oration. Not so long ago, good pictures were not within reach of the average customer, but due to improved methods of reproduction, color fidelity and satisfactory tex-ture, decorations of this nature now are available to the most modest pocketbook. Your picture section can be made a profitable member of your store, providing it is not left to run itself. It requires merchandising, adver-tising and selling just as any other department. Profitable possibility • In selecting stock for this department select regular sizes, avoid irregular shapes. Keep a well-balanced stock of ovals as they are important factors m Early American or Victorian set-tings, when used for old photo-graphs and prints, silhouettes and needlework. For the Modern sophis-ticate carry a supply of narrow white or silver framed, wide matted items, suitable for displaying con-temporary decorative prints. And check constantly with woods and finishes in prevailing furniture styles, occasionally displaying fur-niture in your department demon-strating the relationship between the materials in the furniture and pic-ture frames, affording the salesman an opportunity to promote new ideas in frames. There's a genuine opportunity for profit in a well-handled, correctly-stocked, merchandised picture de-partment. MERCHANDISE ILLUSTRATED ON PAGE 27 Six interesting Currier & Ives prints, in full color, 10% x 16% inches, pack-ed in attractive box, suitable for Christinas selling, retailing at $1. 15—Cabinet-stand, No. 1321, by Imperial Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, top 14 x 20, 26 inches high, shown in factory showroom. 16—Kneehole desk. No. 1476, leather drawer fronts, top 23 x 46 inches, manufactured by the Colonial Desk Co., Rockford, 111., displayed in Mer-chandise Mart, priced at $82. 17—Bookcase cabinet. No. 7278, 19x11, 54 inches high, by Ferguson Bros., Hoboken, N. J., exhibited in Amer-ican Furniture Mart. 18—Triangular, piecrust table, top 14x22, 18 inches high, carved legs, brass shoes, in mahogany or walnut, priced at $11, made by Wood Prod-ucts Corp., Grand Rapids, displayed in the Keeler Bldg. 19—Mahogany and maple or walnut and maple nest of tables. No. 1860, top 22x14, 24 inches high, priced at $15.50, made by the Hekman Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, dis-played in Waters-Klingman Bldg. 20—Drum table in mahogany. No. 3649, by Brandt Cabinet Works, Hagers-town, Md., priced at $23, shown in Merchandise Mart. 21—Corner group. No. 4585, by E. Weiner Co., Milwaukee, displayed in American Furniture Mart. 22—Type-table Winthrop secretary. No. 524, with portable typewriter com-partment in top drawer of base, 33 inches wide, 80 inches high, priced at $48, made by Northwestern Cab-inet Co., Burlington, la., displayed in Merchandise Mart. 23—Ralph Morse Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, makes the Modern chair. No. 13581/2. displayed in the Keeler Bldg. 24—Nest of tables by Brandt Cabinet Works, No. 3582, priced at $19.50. displayed in the Merchandise Mart. 25—Wolverine Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, makes the davenport. No. 385, shown in ihe Waters-Klingman Bldg. 26—Georgian kneehole desk by Bay View Furniture Co., Holland, No. 83, top 48V2 x 25y2 inches, priced at $79.50. displayed in American Fur-niture Mart. i o r N O V E M B E R . 193G 27 •Hi? 28 FINE FURNITURE HISTORIC EXAMPLES from the METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART AS an aid to the stimulation of interest in American furniture and an appreciation of historically correct details, FINE FURNITURE inaugurated this page of Metropolitan pieces last month through the courtesy of Richard F. Bach. While much of the 18th Century American furniture was adapted from prevailing styles in England, many cabinetmakers and upholsterers were plying their trades in various manufacturing centers in this country. The pieces illustrated represent (1) a mahogany sideboard, early Georgian period, 1730-40; (2) a mahogany mixing table, Sheraton influence, inlaid with satinwood, Baltimore about 1800; (3) mahogany on pine sideboard, oval handles of Sheffield plate, 18th Century American; (4) mahogany sideboard, Sheraton influence, American 18th Century. f o r N O V E M B E R , 1 9 3 6 29 E X T R A ! SHAFER DEFIES READERS "LAZIEST HUMORIST IN THE WORLD" DEFENDS SOVERIGN RIGHTS out and demanded: "Now, when are you goin' t' down t' Roody's I" git CHET SHAFER . . . "I'll get down to Roody's when—" Three Rivers, Mich., Nov. (Special dispatch to FINE FURNITURE). The other day in an unguarded moment I visited Grand Rapids to discover that there are certain disgruntled readers of FINE FURNITURE who are siding in with Edcutter Mackenzie —and are demanding that I shake a leg and get down to Roody Cul-ver's Undertaking Parlors & Furni-ture Emporium. Wooditor Mackenzie told me this himself in the privacy of his new editorial sanctum and he came right Irk-Irk • For a moment or so I was a little bit abashed and then I began to get irked. I could feel the irks rising—one by one. The scruff of my neck got red and even my bald and furrid brow flushed a deep crimson. Then I gave my answer to the great editor—in clear, crisp Pennsylvania Dutch patois! And it's my reply to all those who are on his side of the fence: "I'll get down t' Roody's when I get damned good and ready — an' not b'fore." I've been conscientious. I started to go down to Roody's along last April — or whenever it was — and I've been starting down there every fiscal month since then. But I just never got there be-cause I always ran into somebody who had some particularly pithy and important message of interest to the tycoons of the furniture in-dustry. Bunting boas • Here the other day —before I went to Grand Rapids— I started down there again—and I ran into Bill Duke. And what did Bill have to offer: Just this—Bill was in a funny business fifteen years ago selling boa constrictors to zoos. He sold boa constrictors that wouldn't bunt because he said, at that time, that a boa constrictor would bunt—-and the best thing to do when you are around a boa constrictor is not to get in front of it so it can bunt you. And now—• although Bill hasn't been selling boa constrictors for IS years — he just gets an order for one of his bunt-less boa constrictors. I didn't go any further when Bill told me that because I knew right away that the 345,000 paid-in-advance subscribers of FINE FUR-NITURE would draw a lesson right to themselves from Bill's experience. And that's just the way it's been every time I started for Roody's. My intentions were honorable—my motives were exemplary — I fully expected to carry out my assign-ment — then Fate intervened a horny hand. Defiance • But the intolerant read-ers now stand up and insist—insist that I brush right by Bill Duke and all the others—and bust right in on Roody! They would force — compel — coerce — and jam this duty right down past my full-floating, valve-in- head Adam's Apple! SCOOP! Roody Culver was slumbering. C , cajolery, the threat of V^ public exposure and even the cor-rupting of his headless female wooden Indian having failed to get Correspond-ent Shafer down to Roody Culver's, we tackled the assignment ourself. That we weren't 100% successful can be attrib-uted to the fact that Roody was slum-bering at the exact hour of our advent. However, WE refused to accept defeat. We whetted our woodcutting adz and carved a portrait, herewith reproduced. NOW what we want to know is WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THIS ROODY BUSINESS? We want to know. Shafer wants to know. And according to our readers, many of them want to know. VOTE! 1—Who wants Shafer to get down to Roody Culver's? 2—Who don't? 3—Who don't give a tinker's damn? VOTE! . . . and give Shafer a chance to defend himself. It's the least we can do for him—The Edcutter. 30 FINE FURNITURE They would club me into it. But I defy 'em! I may get down to Roody's some day. I may saunter in and emerge with some priceless gem of com-mercial philosophy that will elec-trify the furniture industry from spindle to spindle an' cornish t' cornish! But I'll never allow myself to be driven down there by any reader or any editor of FINE FURNITURE! I'll get down there when I get distinctly good and ready and not an iota sooner. I'm irked. And with me an irk's an irk. "They shall not pass" • I fling down my gauntlet! My brown work-pants and my finuncular fedora are in the ring! My back is against the wall! And I will defend my sovereign rights and inalienable privileges until I sink at the base of Fred Rohrer's wooden Indian under the blows and thrusts of my adver-saries. But get on down to Roody's! No! By Crack}'! Xot until I get damned good and ready! yrs (sgd) CHET SHAFER. Nature's priceless heritage — and let Woe Betide! FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE for buying, displaying and advertising homefurnishings (The Man on the Cover) T ONG a leader in the furniture l_i and homefurnishing business, Jesse Benesch, Sr., of Gomprecht & Benesch, Baltimore, was publicly acclaimed during National Furni-ture Week (October 2-10) as "No. 1 Furniture Man," an honor awarded him by popular vote of 9000 dealer members of the National Retail Furniture Association in Chicago during the July furniture market. No. 1-Man Benesch was presented by Baltimore's Mayor Jackson with the Cavalier trophy, a five-foot sil-ver column emblazoned with etch-ings symbolic of furniture construc-tion, design, merchandising, offered by the Tennessee Furniture Corp. in recognition of the furniture mer-chant performing the most distin-guished service to the furniture industry. Gomprecht & Benesch, in which Benesch is a partner, is one of the outstanding retail furniture estab-lishments in the country, handling a wide range of homefurnishings. In awarding this signal honor the judges took cognizance of Benesch's sagacity in purchasing merchandise, methods of display and the char-acter of advertising put behind it. Commented the judges of the award: "Partner in a fine store; father of two competent sons who are helping in the business; a power for good in Baltimore and the country as a whole—he served the National Retail Furniture Associa-tion as president during the hectic NRA days—he is a man who well deserves the honor." A native of Baltimore, "All- American" Benesch attended the JESSE BENESCH, SR. . . . A power for good. local public schools, grew up in the furniture business with his father, is active in NRFA affairs, Jewish charities, real estate, untiring in his efforts for cooperative civic activ-ities. Assisting him in the business are Jesse, jr.; buyer and Ad-man Ed-ward, artist and writer, winner of numerous advertising awards during the past three years. In second position for this unique award was R. L. Mehornay, Sr., North-Mehornay Furniture Co., Kansas City, Mo., followed by B. F. McLain, Hart Furniture Co., Dallas, Tex. (FINE FURNITURE, July, 1936). Others named "All- American" were Godfrey Baum, Spear & Co., New York; David Levenson, Reichart Furniture Co., Wheeling, West Va.; Arthur Gug-genheim, Spear & Co., Pittsburgh; Mike Monroney, Doc & Bill Furni-ture Co., Oklahoma City; W. L. Longmire, Harbour-Longmire, Okla-homa City; John M. Smyth, John M. Smyth Co., Chicago; Clarence Niss, C. Niss & Sons, Milwaukee and C. C. Rutherford, Sterchi Bros. Co., Knoxville, Tenn. Feature of National Furniture Week was the presentation of addi-tional trophies to the "All-Amer-icans,, in their home communities with fitting programs. Supervised Specialized Selling 1 I 'HE manner in which the per- J_ sonnel is handled is a prime factor in the appliance merchandis-ing success of Frederick & Nelson, Seattle. All appliance departments are in one location, the basement, including electrical refrigeration, radios, records, washers, ironers, stoves, ranges, heaters, oil burners, sun lamps and vacuum cleaners. Each of these departments is sub-headed by a supervisor; in some in-stances more than one supervisor is assigned to a department, there be-ing one head for every four sales-men. While each supervisor works selling-wise within departmental boundaries only, he gains valuable sales help from other supervisors through sales meetings for all. These are staged in addition to the regular sales meetings of each department personnel. They are experience meetings for exchanging ideas on how to handle men and sales problems that are common to all selling in the department, and this results in a co-ordinated selling group that still preserves the impor-tant factor of specialization. New Mahogany Book p Mahogany Book, by George J. N. Lamb, is a recent publication of the Mahogany Association, Inc., which gives information relative to mahogany and mahogany products in story form. It traces the history of the wood—carrying through from the first cutting stages to the finish-ing touches of the completed article, including a comparison of the vari-ous periods of design. l o r NOVEMBER. 1936 31 IT'S TAILORED No. 303 Sofa TO WIN FASHION'S FAVOR and impel purchase by discriminating customers MICHIGAN FURNITURE SHOPS, INC. GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN Justifying our belief that close study of consumer-preference in purchases of upholstered pieces should precede even the sketching of a new piece, merchants report that their generous orders during the July market were repeated again and again on their floors . . . that the desires of their customers were fully met by the beauty and obvious superiority of MICHIGAN FURNITURE SHOPS' chairs and sofas. Our Eighteenth Century groupings will be aug-mented by many new creations at the November market. They are priced to sell at the figures which are distinctly in line with consumer-preference. Display at the showroom o£ the Grand Rapids Chair Co. Representatives: A. L. Brackett . E. C. Gamble . R. D. Thomas G. R. Gamble . W. C. Evans We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE 32 FINE FURNITURE Homefumishing News and Reviews Acquire Englander Co. The Englander Spring Bed Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., was acquired by Frank D. McKay and Abe Dembinsky, Grand Rapids, Mich., when their plan of reorganization for the bankrupt company was approved by the District Court. The Englander firm maintains showrooms in Xew York City, is one of the oldest bed-ding firms in the East, having maintained plant operations in Brooklyn, Boston and Chicago for nearly 40 years. Said McKay, "Although the nucleus of the company will continue to remain m the East, it is expected that the marked gain in volume which should result from an aggressive sales promotion program, will necessitate the establishment of a branch factory m Grand Rapids." Despite the financial difficulties of the Englander firm, it has continued operations throughout the reorganization proceedings and at present is reported doing a business in excess of $1,000,000 a year. McKay said that prior to depression, the Englander firm volume ranged between #4,000,000 and £5,000,000 annually. The company will be refinanced and re-organized and an intensive program of national advertising inaugurated so as to take full advantage of current business up-turn and provide a volume of business com-mensurate with the quality of the company's products, according to McKay. He explained that the Englander Spring Bed Co. will m no way be identified with the Berkey & Gay Furniture Co., in which McKay and Dembinsky also have an in-terest, but will continue as a separate entity. He concluded, "The purchase of assets of the Englander concern includes the machin-ery, equipment, accounts and notes receiv-able and all the Boston and Brooklyn real estate subject to the $190,000 lien. Furniture Museum Plan Grows Preparations for the opening of the Grand Rapids Furniture Museum are going for-ward rapidly. William Millington has been appointed chairman of a committee of fur-niture designers to rule on antiques: John M. Brower will be in charge of furniture manufacturers who will exhibit a display of processes of manufacture. A committee has also been appointed to exhibit the history of Grand Rapids furniture manufacture and Robert W. Irwin is chairman of a "house of today" committee which will have charge of the unusual current furniture exhibits. Mape Leaves West Michigan Resigned from West Michigan Furniture Co., Holland, Mich., Vance C. Mape joins the Wurlitzer Products Co., San Francisco, as manager of sales and distribution for northern California, Washington, Oregon. — o — Suggests Designers' Show In Grand Rapids, last month, Stewart Beach, associate editor of House Beautiful, seeking material relative to the furniture industry, dined and spoke with a group of Grand Rapids furniture designers. In Ed-itor Beach's notebook were several pertinent questions that he hoped to exchange for answers, dominant question being "Where do furniture styles originate?" Designer Evans and colleagues disclosed for Editor Beach several sources of furni-ture style origination: in order of impor-tance being, Xew York decorators, impor-tant store furniture buyers, furniture manu-facturers, designers themselves and combina-tions of the factors mentioned. Beach suggested as a stimulus to fresh designs an annual furniture designers' exhi-bition devoted to the display of original, innovational designs; predicted editorial and illustrative cooperation in consumer maga-zines and compared such an exhibition to the women's fashion shows conducted in Paris and Xew York which indicate the style trend in dresses, shoes and hats. Brooks Heads Conant Ball Remarkable success has been achieved by the Conant Ball Co.. makers of popular blond maple pieces, with the marketing of its new Colonial pieces known as the Gloucester group. The rush of orders has been so great that on some lines delivery cannot be promised before December. Reorganization of the company and the transfer of its Boston sales and credit offices to Gardner, Mass.. will be accomplished this month, with Herbert Brooks as president, succeeding Richard Eaton of Boston. B & G Re-open Plant 3 Unable to keep pace with production de-mands despite much overtime work in the various plants. Berkey & Gay Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, will rc-open plant Xo. 3 to meet its need for additional manufacturing facilities. It is proposed to have everything ready to begin operations and place the first orders m cutting by Xov. 1 or as soon there-after as possible. The most modern motor-ized equipment will be installed. Frank D. McKay, chairman of the board, announced. Mahogany Demand Up Responses to a questionnaire sent out by the Mahogany Association, numbered ap-proximately 80% of the total mailed. Twenty-seven states were represented, 155 manufacturers finding that mahogany was increasing in demand. 17 that the demand was decreasing and 21 reporting there was no change. In finishes, the manufacturers preferred the dark red above all others with the "Old World'' type second, dark brown third. Xatural finish took fourth place and not one manufacturer specified full bleach or fruitwood among the first selection for fin-ish. Fruitwood finish took third place in second choice with brown first. "Old World" second, dark red, fourth. Bleached finish was first among third choice, with "Old World" second and fruitwood third. In dining room furniture. Hepplewhite led in style choice with Chippendale. Sheraton. Modern, Eighteenth Century English and Duncan Phyfe styles evenly divided as to popularity. In unupholstered living room furniture. Chippendale again led the parade with Colonial American and Modern sharing similar positions. Chippendale was way in the lead of popularity in upholstered living room furniture, with Modern second, 18th Century third, Phyfe fourth, Queen Anne fifth, and an even number selecting Colonial American, Sheraton and Louis XV. Among the manufacturers canvassed, 76 said their lines were more than 50% ma-hogany and 116 said their lines were under 50%. Fulton Returns to B & G Walter Fulton has been named sales man-ager of Berkey & Gay Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., the position being a new one, created in order to properly service dealers m view of the detail growing out of the re-cently announced expansion program. "The position of sales manager at Berkey & Gay," Edgar O. Landstrom said, "is a new one which we have found it necessary to create in order to property service our dealers under the rapidly growing volume of business and particularly in view of the detail growing out of the recently announced expansion program." Mr. Fulton was with Berkey & Gay in 1920 as advertising manager and as sales manager from 1922 to 1924. Thereafter until acquisition of the company by the Simmons company he was assistant to the president of Berkey & Gay and one of the last executives to leave the organization under the Simmons management. In recent years he has been associated with several Grand Rapids furniture factories. Dealer-aid Program Announcement is made by Tomlinson of High Point of a most comprehentive pro-gram of dealer aid to be developed around their Williamsburg Galleries, Kensington Shop, and other Tomlinson lines. C. Carroll Cooper, prominent East Coast retail furniture executive, has been selected to head the new department which will be placed in cooperation with several retail functions, including merchandising, advertis-ing, planning and review, display and sales motivation. Armstrong's Spring Show Set Showing of the spring line of floor cover-ings of the Armstrong Cork Products Co., will be held at the company's showrooms, 295 Fifth Ave., New York City, on Mon-day, Dec. 14, according to an announce-ment by C. J. Backstrand, general manager of Armstrong's floor divisxm. Armstrong's New York opening will fol-low immediately after the 19th annual con-vention of Armstrong wholesale distributors to be held at the general offices of the com-pany, Lancaster, Pa., on Friday and Satur-day, Dec. 11 and 12, and Armstrong will hold its Chicago showing at the Merchan-dise Mart on January 4. "Armstrong feels that there are a number of advantages to be desired by advancing the date of its New York opening to Dec. 14," Backstrand said. "A New York show-ing in early January conflicts with the taking of inventories and final closings for 1936, as well as with the holidays. Insofar as the Armstrong line is concerned, wholesalers will be spared the difficulty and inconveni-ence of simultaneous openings in New York and Chicago and on Jan. 4 Armstrong will repeat its Xew York opening with the full line on display. This will also enable Arm-strong to plan its manufacturing operations for the spring to greater advantage, there-by eliminating inconveniences and inade-quate representation." It is believed that the earlier showing of the company's line will be welcomed by Armstrong wholesalers and that the step will have the support of retailers as well, because it will enable the company and its distributors to give them better service. f o r NOVEMBER. 1936 33 PROVEN PROFITABLE . . . new blond Modern At the summer market ESTEY presented Prinzwood as a solution to the problem of the blond wood trend. Its wide acceptance has proven its merit. In the November market ESTEY will add another blond wood group. Different, beautiful and sophis-ticated. You can not afford to miss seeing this recent development of ESTEY'S crafts-manship in modern interpretation. . . . promotional Sheraton ESTEY'S exquisite 18th Century collection has also been augmented for the November showing. The "Cripplegate" series, that in July offered the merchants something finer in the upper price brackets of late 18th Century designs, will include two smart Sheraton groups. The new suites, however, will enhance the interest already exhibited in this collection, as they will come in a truly promotional price range. AT THE GRAND RAPIDS MARKET FIRST FLOOR WATERS-KLINGMAN BUILDING ESTEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY OWOSSO MICHIGAN SUPER BLEACH THE ULTIMATE IN WOOD BLEACHES GRAND RAPIDS WOOD FINISH-ING COMPANY'S SUPER BLEACH-ING SOLUTIONS now used by leading cabinet manufacturers are STANDARD of QUALITY by which other bleaches are measured. With SUPER Bleaching Solutions you are assured of the utmost in bleaching satisfaction in the produc-tion of Platinum-Blond Mahogany, Maple and Pine; Pickled Pine and Mahogany; Harewood Mahogany and all modern bleached finishes. Hard-to-bleach woods such as Bra-zilian Rosewood, Bubinga, Cuban Mahogany, Vermilion Wood, re-spond to these SUPER Wood Bleaches with amazing results. Work bleached with this outstand-ing product STAYS bleached, and with no loss of the original character of the wood. EVERYTHING FOR V FINISHING , ' • WOOD ' Be INSURED against bleaching hazards by adopting the process of SUPER BLEACHING Solu-tions. Manufactured by GRAND RAPIDS WOOD FINISHING COMPANY Grand Rapids, Mich. IV e appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE 34 FINE FURNITURE Resinous Wins Award In the awards for decorative design an-nounced by the first annual Modern Plastics competition, the second prize was won by the home of Morris Sanders, New \ ork architect, in which outstanding use was made of Formica in tables, shelves, buffets and wall panels, the light colored and mot-tled Formica panels made by the Formica Insulation Co., Cincinnati, being produced from Uformite, a molding resin of the urea formaldehyde type. This is supplied by the Resinous Products & Chemical Co., Inc., Philadelphia, and both companies will par-ticipate in the award. The Resinous Products & Chemical Co. have manufactured urea formaldehyde for more than a decade, and an important field of application of their products is the lam-inating industry. Recently, under the name of Uformite F-224, a new resin was an-nounced belonging to this class, particu-larly adapted for use in the paint, varnish and lacquer industries. It is anticipated that this new resin will find extensive use in baking finishes where color, light and sol-vent resistance are of particular significance. Long known to the paint and varnish in-dustry is the Resinous Products & Chemical Co. as suppliers of the Amberol resins, the Duraplex resins and the Paraplex resins. Recently this range was further increased by the addition of Aquaplex—a water emulsion of a snythetic resin — and by Acryloid—polymerized acrylic acid eater— which heretofore had not been available for use in coatings. In addition to resins for coatings indus-tries, the various products of the Resinous Products & Chemical Co. are used in a number of miscellaneous fields, notably as adhesives and binders. Of great importance are Tego Glue Film (a phenol formalde-hyde resin in sheet form for the production of waterproof plywood) which is rapidly effecting an important change in the ply-wood industry, and the Uformite resins, for which the present award was made. A Asco for Polish Asco polishing paste wax for cleaning, polishing and preserving furniture, wood-work, leather goods, parquet and linoleum, is manufactured by the Asco Chemical Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. Made of imported waxes and pure turpentine, it is an excellent polish for delicate surfaces. Chicago Prices Rise The principal factor affecting market attendance being, of course, the volume of retail sales, officials expect a tremendous attendance Nov. 9 at the fall market open-ing of the American Furniture Mart, Chi-cago, 111., based on the fact that retail sales have been remarkably successful this year. Prices prevailing at Chicago in November are expected to be from 5% to 8% higher than in July—which most observers believe to be merely a prelude to still another rise effective in January. The price situation is considered sure to spur active buying and, with nearly all furniture factories well stocked with unfilled orders, production fail-ing to keep pace with incoming orders, the time is, obviously, advantageous for bring-ing prices up to the point where a fair profit may be made. Furniture, statistics show, largs far behind most other commod-ities in the extent of price advance. Chromsteel Furn. Catalogue A 36-page catalogue on modern Chrom-steel furniture has been issued by the Howell Co., St. Charles, 111., a full color presenta-tion of their latest designs for homes, offices, stores, theatres, club rooms and other types of public and business institutions. Business 35% Better Business is 359r better than last year at S. Karpen & Bros.. Los Angeles. Cal., and September saw the best business over a five-year period, according to Michael Karpen. Triple-Purpose Love Seat The Simmons Co.. Los Angeles, has brought out a triple-purpose studio love seat which contains two inner-spring mattresses which opens part way into a double youth bed or full length into a double adult bed. It is also being sold in fireside groupings. groups of two for umiminimnmimmmimnmiimmin Myers Transferred Charles W. Myers, formerly with Sealy Mattress Co.. Kansas City, has been trans-ferred to the Los Angeles factory, represent-ing the company in a sales capacity. Kulp with Cowen Vice president in charge of designing and production for Cowen Furniture Co.. Chi-cago, 111., is Leo B. Kulp. formerly con-nected with the Weiman Co.. Rockford, 111. Bauman Adds Popular Line Owing to the increasing popularity of Early California Furniture, Bauman Bros. Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, are adding it exten-sively to thcii line. New suites will be brought out at the January market by the company, the most salient features of which include in- White Oak « • • Split-Bottom Chairs No. 1 Split-Bottom, per doz. - $45 Rush-Fibre Bottom, per doz. - $55 Prices F. O. B. CULPEPER, V A . M. F. BLANKENBAKER « » • » « • • » • terestmg ishes. n c w fin- Nesco Broil Rack wire broiling rack for wire boiling rack for the NESCO electric roaster is now on the market and will be sold with the roaster to retail complete for $26 or as a separate unit for #3.50, ac-c o r d i n g to the National Enameling & Stamping Co., Milwaukee. Wis. Troy Radio Bar A walnut radio bar, now on display at Los Angeles Furniture Mart, has been brought out by the Troy Radio Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, who claim that it will retail for £150. About four feet in height, it has shelves for liquor, a five-tube super-hetro-dyne radio. "5 Markets in I" The week of Feb. 1-6, 1937, has been designated by the Board of Directors, West-ern Furniture Exchange, as Spring Market Week in San Francisco. The Western Home Furnishing Markets sponsored by this or-ganization will include in addition to the 43rd Western Furniture Market, four major markets; Floor-covering Opening, Radio and Appliance Show, Curtain and Drapery Show, and Lamp and Giftware Show, to be classi-fied as "5 Markets in 1." Each of these enjoys separate billing and contributes to the complete marketing facilities available to Western retailers of all items of home furnishings. Kittenger 18th Century Book The Kittinger Co. has issued a new cata-logue featuring 18th Century furniture that supplements this firm's larger catalogue which includes many 16th, 17th and 19th Century reproductions. The book includes well defined photos of furniture, usually against a suggestive background, also Kit-tenger's new "heirloom finish" is featured. New Assn. Officers Newly elected officers for the Winston- Salem, N. C , Furniture Dealers Assn. are: L. F. Herndon, president; A. E. Fowler, vice president; F. C. Disher, secretary; J. J. Gray, treasurer. Elaborate programs are being planned for the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. New Wood-ware Line A new line of wood cheese trays, salad bowls and hors d'ouvres trays, manufac-tured by the Posey Mfg. Co., Hoquiam, WTash., has been introduced by H. W. John-son Co. at the Los Angeles Furniture Mart. It includes mosaic, nautical and Mexican designs and is being merchandised as a gift line for Christmas deliveries. A Three-in-One Store A "three store in one" idea has been effected in the new home of the Rosenthal Furniture Co., Fort Worth, Tex., by add-ing, at either extreme, an economy base-ment and a line of fine period furniture, showing complete furniture groups in three price classes. Rosenthal's recent move to Fifth St. marks its fourth expansion of its 34-year establishment and will necessitate an increase of 25% in the store personnel. To Represent Nesco The Wm. Volker Co., Los Angeles, will represent the National Enameling & Stam-ing Co., Milwaukee, Wis., as furniture job-bers. The latter company has its western headquarters at the Los Angeles Furniture Mart where the Volker Co. also displays and will distribute NESCO electric broilers and cookers. Cellophane House An unusual feature at the Los Angeles Furniture Mart exposition will be a house of cellophane with studding, wiring and connections showing through transparent walls. f o r N O V E M B E R , 1 9 3 8 35 C L A S S I F I E D ADS Classified rates: Undisplayed, 5 cents per word. Minimum charge $2. Display rate, $5 per column inch. One inch minimum. Minimum display advertise-ment accepted, 2 inches. Classified charges payable in advance. Ten per cent discount for three or more insertions. Do you have calls for unusual fur-niture? Are you looking for sales-men, wholesale or retail? FINE FURNITURE'S classified ads bring results. SALESMAN WANTED to cover Eastern and New England states for high-grade, medium priced upholstered line made in Grand Rapids. Must be experienced. Straight commission. Box 100. WANTED • Experienced salesman to cover Southern states for a Grand Rapids line of upholstered furniture. Box 110. WLKIMERLY — STl/DI O — WATERS-KLINGMAW BLD, Gr«MVt> COST MAN who has had several years of experience in factory office. Woodworking experience especially desirable. Knowledge of rods and time study helpful but not necessarily essential. Must have a working knowledge of general accounting, also of overhead distribution. Not over 30 years old and free to travel. Apply in own hand writing. Supply all details you believe a prospective employer should have. Address Box 51, care of FINE FURNITURE. WANTED • Floor covering, drapery, lamp and housefxirnishing departments for one of foremost furniture stores in thriving Ohio city of over 100,000. Box 115. BUYER with many years' experience in some of the biggest stores in the Middle West is seeking a new connection. Capable of handling duties of merchandise manager. Address Box B-131, FINE FURNITURE. William Furniture 42 East New w. Flusser Representative 32nd York Street City PLYABLE-LAK-ER-FIL (Patent Pending) Sixty glazes in natural and colon for furniture, boat bungs, canvas decks, im-perfections in wood} metal and concrete* Fast drying, non-shrinking* stainable; water, alkali, lacquer and highly acid proof. Sample ean parcel post 15c anywhere in the U.S.A. (Give color and purpose. > PLYABLE-LAK-ER-FIL COMPANY LANSING, MICH. POSITION WANTED • Upholstery fore-man, 25 years' experience with largest man-ufacturing concerns in the country, is will-ing to locate anywhere in the United States or Canada. Married and 47 years old. Box 120. Long Distance Hauling, Packing and Crating. Large Trucks, Guaranteed Ser-vice, Reasonable Rates. Biodgett Packing & Storage Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan •."-.JHT 1 1 Ai- ". ^ . : \G L--T;..:. ." - V r .. j , \ • • - -r We a-p-prec'xate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE 36 FINE FURNITURE SPECIAL FOR FALL SELLING The Grand Rapids Lounge Co. is featuring this handsome lounging chair and ottoman as a special number for merchants desiring to stimulate their fall selling events. It is an outstanding value when the price is considered for the features included. ONLY $41.50 for the Chair —$9.00 for the Ottoman (crated) With these features: • Strong construction • Water stain with lacquer coating • Super sagless base, 8-way tie • Attached seat cushions with 81 coiled springs • Birch frame, mellow mahogany finish • Form-fitting back • Plain or figured velours, blended friezes, mohair cloth any shade. GRAND RAPIDS LOUNGE CO. GRAND RAPIDS EXHIBITING AT WATERS-KLINGMAN BUILDING MICHIGAN Crecfi/s and LYON MERCANTILE AGENCY ARTHUR S. LYON, General Manager Est. 1876—Publishers of LYOIS-RED BOOK The nationally recognized CREDIT AND COLLECTION AGENCY of the FURNITURE INDUSTRY and trades kindred—Carpet—Upholstering—Baby Carriage — Refrigerator — Stove — Housef urnishing and Undertaking BOOK OF RATINGS—CREDIT REPORTS—COLLECTIONS OFFICES New York, N. Y. 185 Madison Ave. Boston, Mass North Station Industrial Building Philadelphia, Pa 12 South 12th St. Cincinnati, Ohio 6 E. Fourth St. Chicago, 111 201 North Well. Street Grand Rapids, Mich, Association of Commerce Bldg. High Point, N. C .Wachovia Bank Bldg. Los Angeles, Cal - 12th St. at Broadway RADIO LOUD SPEAKER CIRCULATING ICE WATER TUB BATH OR SHOWER In Every Room . . With Direct Entrance to Hotel $2.00 Single $3.00 Double HARRISON HOTEL HARRISON STREET (Just OH Michigan Blvd.) ANDREW C. WEISBURG, President EDWARD W. JACKS, Manager I L L U S T R A T E D B O O K L E T S E N T U P O N R E Q U E S T We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FIXE FURNITURE f o r NOVEMBER. 1936 37 The MOST ECONOMICAL ROOM HEATER MULTIGLO ELECTRIC HEATER The MULTIGLO is unlike any heater you have eyer seen before. It is the first genuinely practical device ever created for auxiliary heating needs. The MULTIGLO is only 15" high, weighs but 5>2 pounds. It is round and contains six heating elements with a convex chromium reflector behind each. The MULTIGLO represents an entirely new departure in room heating devices and does not throw a beam in one single direction. It heats the entire room. Plug into a wall socket and immediately the cold air is absorbed, heated and diffused in every direction. This constant diffusion and air replacement causes a natural circulation of healthful warmed air that penetrates every part of the room. The MULTIGLO can be placed anywhere or used any-where with no possibility of damaging fine furniture. A handle on MULTIGLO, which folds snugly away when not in use, makes it possible to conveniently carry the heater to any part of the house where heat is needed GUARANTEE. The MULTIGLO is guaranteed for two years against defective workmanship or parts. The company agrees to replace or repair any defective parts which may develop under normal use provided the MUL-TIGLO is used on the voltage circuits marked on the name plate. Quick heat when you want it, in any room. Warm floors to protect the children from drafts. No room is "hard to heat" if you have a Multiglo. Easily car-ried from one room to another. Handsome appearance adds beauty " to any room. Harmonizes with any color scheme. The perfect heater for trailer and '{ the home. Can be used in both. Retail price $16.50 — subject to regular discounts as indicated in this Magazine. Patented and Manufactured by C. T. ELECTRIC CO., Div. J. C. Mfg. Co. Jackson, Michigan, U. S. A. We appreciate your mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITUKK 38 FINE FURNITURE IMPROVED BUSINESS AND PROFITS Through Ethical Sales Events In Your Store The Joseph P. Lynch plan of success-fully merchandising furniture and housefurnishings merits your very careful consideration, for the follow-ing reasons: JOSEPH P. LYNCH . . . president of the Joseph P. Lynch Sales Company, who personally supervises all sales plans of his successful sales company. I You will convert merchandise into cash, with a satisfactory - margin of profit, more quickly than by any other method. 2 At the same time that you are reducing inventories and build- - ing up your cash balances you will be increasing the popu-larity and prestige of your store in your community. 3 Your sales-people will rec
Date Created:: 1936-11-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
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