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- Michigan Artisan; 1908-12-25
Michigan Artisan; 1908-12-25
- Notes:
- Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It was published twice monthly, beginning in 1880. and Twenty=Ninth Yea.r-No. 12 DECEMBER 25, 1908 Semi-M~nthly --~-----_._-----------_._------_.~I
C. S. Paine Co.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
SAMPLES
Shown at our
Factory
Take·.our automobile to the factory.
Meet us
First Floor
Manufacturers'
Building
GRAND
RAPIDS
In January
..
Aulsbrook & Jones Furniture CO.
STURGIS, MICH.
• i
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Royal Furniture
Company
GRAND RAPIDS,MICHIGAN
Dining
Library
Bedroom
Suites
HALL CLOCKS in "Colonial" Style
NEW ADA!PTATIONS
Ready for
Inspection
.JANUARY
I, I909
SHOWN AT
FACTORY
SALESROOM
MICHIGAN ARTISAN ,.------_._---------------_. -------------., t •
weare iginntors ....,..l.m.ntool rs
GRAND RAPIDS CHAIR CO.
GRAND RAPIDS
EST ABLlSHED 1872.
High Grade Goods at Medium Prices
( WE DO NOT MAKE CHAIRS)
==·=WE
Sideboards
Buffets
Serving Tables
China Closets
Bookcases
Library Tables
Music Cabinets
MAKE====
Hall Racks
Hall Seats
Hall Glasses
Hall Tables
Den Cabinets
House Desks
Cedar Lined Chests
Our Line Ready Friday, January 1st, 1909
GOODS SHOWN AT FACTORY ONLY I• I.-----------'------------_._---------~ (Take Taylor St. Car. Nmth to Traverse Ave.)
1
z~---_._---- MICHIGAN ARTISAN ----_._---~---------------.
Entire Line on Sale in CHICAGO in January
ManufaCturers' Exhibition Building
1319 Michigan Avenue
Forty New Patterns of Dining Tables
MANUFACTURERS OF
The Famous "VICTOR" Extension Tables
DETROIT, MICHIGAN I
I
Posselius Bros. Manufacturing Co.
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
r --_. -------------------------_._---~
Horn Bros. Mfg. Co.
CHICAGO
TUE 1909 LINE I
NOTHING LIKE IT FOR THE BEDROOM
g In Mahogany, Circassian Walnut,
Birdseye Maple, and O!!artered Oak.
Not to see them is not to be posted.
g See the display in the Manufac-turers'
Furniture Exchange, 14th and
Wabash Ave.; alw at 187 Michigan
Ave., Chicago.
.~...----_-.-_---------_-.-__-.-_----.-__-.-,--------,------------_--.'.---- ...•. •
Conrey-Davis Mfg. Co. Shelbyville, Ind.
~lali;er8 Ma.li:en
of 01
Pedestal Costumers
and Medicine Cabinets
Five Le~~ed Plate Racks
Exten'ion Tables
Umbrella Stands
Office and Cafe Butlers ,
Tables Tray Stand
En~lish Breakfast and
TaMes O,her Novelties
We Make the DUO=STYLE Pedestal Dining Table
OUR NEW CATALOGUE READY JANUARY FIRST. SEND FOR IT.
I OUTcomplete line shown a.t GRAND RAPIDS. top floor. Furniture Exhibition Building. At CHICAGO. 1319 Miehigan Ave., 8tL floor. h-- __ --------------_. ------
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MICHIGAN ARTISAN
~_._-----------------------------..
A Pleasurable Trip to Market
Chicago's hospitable doors
will be open wide to Furn-iture
men in January.
Theatrical managers will
do their prettiest. Every-one
who caters to the pub-lic's
entertainment will have
special and unusual offerings.
The FURNITURE EXHIBITION at 14.1 I Michigan Ave-nue,
Chicago, with its 200 exhibitors will likewise be dominated
by an enthusiastic determination to make your visit memorably
pleasant.
The new management--- The Fourteen-Eleven Co. in charge
this year, has done wonders in arranging the numerous sections of
The Furniture Exhib;tion so that you can easily understand what
you see, so that you can have comfortable leisure to inspect your
favorite lines ~ithout distraction or disturbance.
rour trip will he pleasant---
ProJit also will surelyfollow---
Ifyou follow the crowd to
The Furniture Exhibition
1411 Michigan A yen ue
CHICAGO
•
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
t f II
Progressiveness is One of Our Hollllies
Constantly"striving to create new features is one of our ambitions. We be-lieve
inlleading and not following. Hence, our line is at all times in advance.
We will show in January an unusually large line of metal beds in plain,
Tee-Ball and Mission effects" also many new and original designs in scroll
and straight line patterns. The Finish is unsurpassed and our patented Rail
Connection is acknowledged superior to all others.
A Our
Posi Ve Ca rr nI d s
LWIII Martin
mOet Fi
Our n
C i
s
0 h
m Is p
O. K. Ie
W
t a
e rr
C a
a nI
t e a d
I 0 Nol
g to
u Turn e Oark
lIlo. 791
OUR BRASS BED LINE IN JANUARY IS PARTICULARLY STRONG
We will show many new and original designs both in
square and round tubing. We use only the Old English
hot process of lacquering. Each coat is roughly baked
on. Hence, our guarantee for reliability.
Writ! ror Catologu! i/!ustrdting complete line.
The T. B. Laycock Mfg. CO.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA ~-------
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6 MICHIGAN ARTISAN
Berkey & Gay Fumit~~C~:
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Correct Reproductions of Colonial
and Period Furniture
FOR THE
Dining Room, Bed Room, Library
Line will be ready for inspection at our salesrooms
Monday, January 4, 1909
•
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Grt"AND RAPIC5
FUllLlC UBRATl
29th Year-No. 12.
-=~~.~========--=
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH.• DECEMBER 25. 1908.
An "Old Saw" Amended.
George Frech',Tic Stratton, a \"'riter for the Saturday EVCll-ing
Post, proposes an al11(:nclment to the old saw, "'l\1on~y
makes the m;-lre go," or in language marc ornate but seldom
used by sensible people, ;'the coin of the realm induces the
equine of the female gender to p:·oceed." 1.\-1r. Stratton em-ploys
a number of instat1t,es in tbe history of busine"s to ,sup-port
the 8menc]rnent offered by bimself, ill which he declares
that "man" in these buoyant and better days, "makes the
mare go"· In his presentation of the proposition NIL Stra1-
ton recalls a once famous merchant, C. R. l\:[abJey, of Detroit,
now occupying his final home. 1fr. Stratton discusses Lvlr.
Idabley's venture in the furniture trade a,s fo11o-..vs:
Twenty-five years Charles R. )'lablcy Wi\S kno\vn as the
clothing king of the middle 'west. He haLl stores in Cleve-land,
Toledo, Detroit, and ant; Qr two srn.aller towns. He
was a pioneer in sC:lls:ltinnal advertising UlQtbods, a splen-did
business 1ran, u.I1d had lljade a fortune before he \vas
forty. To employ SOlY,e .idle capital he decided to cxploit
furniture, and stocked up an elaborate store,Yith tlH', fll1est
line ever seen in Detroit. Eig'hteen months afterword he
stretched a canvas across the front of that store, inscribed in
the following characteristic style:
" " ~, " * " " " " * * " " " *
" ! Know the Clothing Dusilless Up and *
" Do\vn and Throng-h the "'-liddle, *
" BUT " " ! Don't Know a Blamed Thing About *
" Ft1flljtUrc, and I'm -:-:rot Going to " * Sink Any ldore !I-loncy in *
* Learning. * * This Entire Stock ',Vill be Sold at Auc- *
" tion. Commencing Next 1-1onday and "
* Continuing Daily Until Even the Pack- "
" ing Cases are Closed OutJ *
* * * * * * *' * " * " * , * *
The stock W;lS sold and the key turned in the lock, when <l
quiet, llnassutr.ing l1:an from K81amazoo came along" and ar~
ranged to take the \1nexpired lease. He brought in a moder-ate
stock of fl1rniture, hired one of the fanner clerks and in-stalled
his wife at the desk. In three yeflrs he W'IS. car y-in;r
as fine ,L stock as ~Jahky had ('aLried. iwd doing a l"rgt:,
profttable business--a striking iUnstration, again, that the
money is in the man rather than in the business.
!II r. Stratton also gives a brief history of the development
of tbe ferry and plea!;ure boat business in Detroit, one of the
best paying entcrprises in the middle vI/est. ?\o one paying
a visit to Detroit in tbe summer time fails to take one of the
p1t:asmc steamers to Belle Isle Park, Grosse Isle, Sandwich
or \h.lalkcn-illc 2ml return. It is a delightflll experience.
lvfr. Stratton proceeds as follows; "At about the Si\me per-iod
in the history of Detroit the ferryboats funning [lcro.~s to
the Canadian town of \Vindsor were owncd by an English-ma.
n named Horn, who also ran a somewhat noted saloon on
the wbarf. The boats were two in number .. small sidc-
$1.00 per Year.
wheelers, l1nattractiH~ and ullcomtortabll::, with twelve-inch
plank seats affixed to the sidts and in odd corners. As
the boats \vere proving unprofitable, Horn, after trying for
bNO years to sell out, declared that he would take them off tbe
run and surrender his franchise. His eldest SOIl, who had
been a lake tllg-c8ptain for two or three years, calle home at
the dose of navigation and per"uaded his fa.ther to put in
more money and build a new boat. The old man consented
only when his son, who w.as his idol, agreed to stay at home
and manage the line. The boat was built from the young
ca.ptain's plans, and nearly paid for itself in the first season.
';'1'he upper deck v..·,as absolutely dear from stem to stern,
with the exception of the cased-in smokestack On the deck
were scats for four hundred people, everyone being a com-fortable
rocker or folding armchair. Not a plank seat ,)r
carnpstool was allowed 011 that boat.
"The. regular ferry fare was five cents, ::and Captain Horn
issued ten-cent return tickets which g,tve the privilege of
stayjng on board as long as one: wished. Every fine after-noon,
frum early summer until late fall, that upper deck was
tilled with v",omen who brought their sewing or their books,
and often their babies in carriages-for 'which no extra
charge was made-and rode back and forth on the mile run
across the beautiful river. A man was stationed at tbe stai:'-
case: to rUIl those baby-c.arriages up :ind down. In the e\'en-iug~
the boat was cro\:l,--ded with yOlIng people, enjoying, for
ten ctnts, a river ride lasting ulTtil ele,,-ell o'clock.
"Two llllndrcd and flity passengers was the a.fternoon av-erage,
and twice that number tor the evenillg:~. The income,
at tcn cents each, was clear profIt, for the regular ferry pas
senger:; and teams paid the expenses. The young capta,in
had .seen what no other man had then seen, that the combina-tion
of terry business with ex.cursions had splendid possibili-ties.
"Turing the five following years four new boats of the
samc type were added, and there was scarcely a day through
the st!lTln'et when one or two of them were not charte,ed lor
all-day picnics. The type of boat wh~ch Captain Horn de-signed
and his method of manag"ing them are in use today by
the COtTlpany whic,h succeeded him, and which owns th::: Iln('.st
fleet of local excursion steamers on the Great Lak~s."
Two brothers, partners ill the insurance business in Bllf-
Lllo, bad 8dvanc(>d some money to a manufacturer of bNl-springs.
The busiress wen wrong and, in order to pro-tect
themselve:;., the insurance men had to take it over and
dose it up. One of the brothers handled the matter, and,
although he knew so little of manufacturing that, as he said,
a "line shaft" and a "buzz saw" were SYllonomous tenns to
lJim, before he had proceeded far with the dosing-up proce~,;
he told his brother that he thought he "vould try a little build-ing-
up. He hired a good shop foreman and devoted himself
to the office work, with the result that in a few'months he
was making some well-advised changes and improvements in
hi~ equipment. And the husiness was gratifyingly successful
from that time on.
~----------------~-------- --
Sbown at
Grand Rapid.
fumitore Exhibition
Building
Pearland Lyons Streets
in tbe
Udell Space
Most Aggressive
Four Lines In One
You can order some upholstered, some with loose cushions-all interchangi
able. With foot-rest or without foot.rest-all interchangeable. Carr~
one-quarter ~ much stock '!!* four times the selling power. I
THE wide-awake dealer who is looking for. the biggest sales and bes
success in 1vlorris Chairs, will take advantage of the Royal line.
Royal chairs are natural sellers. Your CQllstomer can't get awa.
from the RC.ycll, "the Push-Button Kind." You can do a prosperous l\forr~
Chair business on a remarkably small investment if yo
handle Royal Chairs, because you have available in one lin
what you otherwise would have to carry four lines to secure
Roya
Chai
Co
Dealers Handle
o
The push-button feature takes the Royal away from the old-fashioned
~orris Chairs, and makes it a much bigger and easier seller.
Your salesmen can Push the Dutton and easily make a demonstration on
~ol1r floor which will impress and convince any c;Jstomer.
I Royal chairs are unapproached in this unique feature; they are adju:::t-
~ble to anyone of nine inclinations hy a finger touch on a button, without
~istl.lrbance to the occupant's comfort-no roel to fall out or bother with.
\Vherever Royal chairs are known, no other ]\{orris Chairs v,lill satisfy.
Royals arc fully guaranteed. (\'Ve furnish repairs free un any part
honld they be needed.)
Made in eighty-five patterns.
Remember, that the Royal is the only push~button chail- on the market.
fhe only lVIorris Chair "'lith an actual, individual talking point, something
a talk about and interest a customer.
Vie are inaugurating a great National Advertising Campaign which ,vill
nake it dOllbly easy for you to sell the Royal line.
All inquiries will be sent to local dealers. \IVrite
or catalog, prices, etc.
All
Inquiries
Referred to
Our
Dealers
10 MICHIGAN
A Live Mercbant in a Small Town.
E. 1t Austin lives a.nd transacts business fl1 Litchfield, Ill.,
a town containing 7,000 inhabitants. He is not informed,
however, as to the size of his trade district, and is quite in-diffe:-
ent Oll the subject. He Imo"·ls, however, that the trade
of 7,OQO people is not sufficient for his purpose; that no "pent-up"
Litchfield contracts his aspirations and ?ower; and he long
ago passed the imaginary bounda.ries of tr<>..deand spread in-formation
regarding himself and his business all Over the ter~
ritory described on the map as, soutlnvestern Illinois. Mr.
Austin is a clever writer of letters and it is said that he wears
out more writing machines in a yea.! than the over-worked
secretaries of President Roosevelt. Mr. Austin issues ten
thousand large, well itJustrated circulars every month mail-ing
the same to people residing 1n southern, ea~tern ;Ind west-ern
Illinois. Great care and excdlellt judgment is exercised
in the preparation of matter fcir the!:',e circulars and the plan
has paid well. Liberal space is used in the newspapers, but
Moos by Manistee· Mfg. CO., Manistee, M.ich.
it is as a letter w iter that Mr. Austin "shines." \Vhat couB
be more apprnpr:ate than the following welcome to the new-comer
to Litchfield?
"1 learn that yOll are a. stranger within oUr gates and be]:
to extend a very cordial welcome to Oltr dry. A new resi-dent
is at a loss to knew where to trade, for it is easy to fall
into deceptive hands. ~ly reputation is a~] open book to all
who wilt inquire into my record for. honest dealings. Any
wallt, however small, \viH be filled at n. very loW,..prlce. Com-mand
my services if I can tender you any information regard-ing
our city. \Ve occupy tw~ large stores opp(>site each
other at Numbers 214 and 215 North State street. It is a
department store comprising, among other lines, the follow-ing:
Furniture, Stoves, Carpets,' Matting, Rugs, ,\tVindow
Shades, Lace. Curtains, Portieres, Dishes,. Sewing 1\fachines,
Hardware, Ve'hides, Harness, Palnts, etc. \Vithhest wishes
and the hope thlt T may soon hav~ the -pleasure of meeting
you, I remain,"
The man about to erect a building he addresses as {oHows:
"I observe that you contemplate building. Whether small
or great, some house furnishing are, also, generally needed.
1£ one can both build and furnish the home from the same
ARTISAN
store he can save considerable money; much more than if
he scattcrs his trade in smail bills at different places. Vv'e
buy for spot cash and sell ou payments. You need not be
troubled with but one account for both building and furn:sh-log
your home. Please notice the complete departments
below rnentioned and let us figure with you for all your
needs." The several departments of the store are. enumer-ated.
The newly married couples receive the following:
"I am pleased to learn that your hearts have been united
in the holy bonds of matrimony. Please accept my sincere
congratulations, with the hope that a life of happiness and
prosperity awaits you. As an inducement to furnish your
]wme I shall be pleased to offer you extremely low prices,
even though you may llced but a few articles. You wilt be
interested in knowing that because we undersell all other
dealers we ship complete outfits to sixty-four surrounding
towns in fifteen different counties and two states. Credit is
given if desired. There's nothing for the home we uo not
keep. Furniture, Carpets. !I{attings, Rugs, Lace Curtains,
Window Shades, Portieres, Sewing :\1achint's, Bedding, Stoves,
Kitchen Furnishillgs and Dishes. In fact, Austin furnishes
"all but thc girl." Freight always prepaid. If anything is
brokcn in shipment, which is not once a year, we replace it.
free. Our furniture has that taste aud coziness which make~
home seem really home. Mention this letter to clerk anfl
special attention will be given yO\.1. Bring your marriage
certificate ,with you and we will frame it free. You afe for-tunate
in needing house furnishings at this time as our prices
have been specially reduced for this month. In your case
we are pleased to offer you a still further reduction of ten
per cent for cash. Freight also prepaid and safe a;rival of
goods guaranteed."
The following letter in the course of time naturally fol-lows:
"Permit me to extend my heartiest congratulations upon
the a.rrival in yO\.\r home of the tende,r little rosebud to glad-den
your hearts and lives. As you look into its tiny face alld
press its dainty lips to your own, it will. be the means of ce-menting
still firmcr the bond of love that already binds you
together. Your needs for a Carriage or Go-Cart can he sup-plied
by me at a 110rninul sum, as we bought them before
the present high prices took effect. All our styles are the
newest pattern, and include many new conveniences not to be
found in other lines. Thanking you in advance for the call
I trust you will make, I remain with be:~twishes."
@ * @
Arranging a Divan.
Everyone does not know that a wide dival1 is made more
comfortable by having a.t its back two huge, hard pillows that
will support the softer ones. It is usual to heap up a great
many of these extra soft ones on a large divan so that any
one sitting or reclining may arrange them according to one';;
comfort. These a,re. needed, it 1S true, but they also need a
support. The wa.11is usually too far back from the front
edge of the div2.n to serve. The two large pillows mad{'. of
the material which covcrs the divan afe not only comfortable,
but artistic.
They may be stuffed with excelsior into coarse muslb or
ticking, then covered with the chosen fabric. They look bet-ter
with ;1. heavy cord around the edging. If the end of the
divan is against the wall as well as its side, a third pillow may
be added to give an added framework to the little pillows.
This is not an expensive trick, but it a housewife ever tries
it she will neyer let the divan go without this 'Part of lts
equipment.
@ * @
The article on the subject of elevator accidents on other
pages, is published through the courtesy of the Aetna Life
Insurance Compal1Y of Hartford, Conn.
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
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11
THE LEADING ROCKFORD LINE
Manufactured by the
Rockford National Furniture Co.
on sale in
Furniture ExchanJ(e BuiJdinJ(, Orand Rapids
BUFFETS, CHINA CLOSETS
and BOOKCASES
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MR. JOHNNY JOHNSON and OSCAR HALL will be in charge.
I Our complete line of
China Closets, BUffets
and
Bookcases
contains some of the best values
e\'er offered by us.
Entire Line shown In
Chicago only
-at-
1319MIchIgan Ave, first floor
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III
Itockford Standard Furniture Co.
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS I-~-------------'----------------'•
12 MICHIGAN ARTISAN
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The
Holland Furniture
Company
THE
CHAMBER
FURNITURE
LINE
Shown in the same place in the
MANUFACTURERS' BUILDING, GRAND RAPIDS,
~~~by~--
WILLIAM C. CROLL, EAST J. C. HAMIL TON ! CHICAGO PITTSBURGH
C. E. COHOES, MIDDLE WEST EV. S. BROWER f '
WALTER C. SCHAEFER, PACIFIC COAST HENRY F. SCHAEFER, SOUTH
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MICHIGAN ARTISAN 13
IEvansvilleF~rnitureC~~panyl
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
~= OURLARGELINEOF==
Chamber Suites
Wardrobes
Bedsteads
Chiffoniers
Chairs
Safes
and
Rockers
Will be Shown at the Wareroom of the
M. L. Nelson Company ~~:-~o
ALL THE YEAR ROUND
Also at Our Commodious Wareroom in Evansville.
Largest Manufacturers and Jobbers of
FURNITUREin the West
Evansville Furniture Company I Writo £0' C ... lo.... '00. to b. ,,, •• d. EV ANSVILLE, INDIANA
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14 MICHIGAN ARTISAN
IlESTAElLISHIlED 1880
I"UIil-ISHI:D ....
MICHIGAN ARTISAN CO.
ON THE 10TH AND 2&TH OF' EACH MONTH
OP'FICE-l0B, 110.112 NORTH DIVISION ST., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
ENTERED IN THE PO$TOFPIOE AT SIIAND RAPIDS, MIDH., "8 SECOND CLM8 MATTER,
Something of a sensation was created in the trade recently
by the publication in the Chicago newspapers of a statement
that a tn!st of manufacturers had been formed for the pur-pose
of selling furniture at retail, following the plan of the
United Cigar Stores Company. It was represented that
John J. Schneider of Grand Rapids had been chosen to pro-mote
the plan. It seems that too much prom1nence has been
given IVlr. Schenider, who, in a letter to the Artisan, declares
that there is no foundation UpOll which the article published
in Chicago was based more substantial than a reporter's
dream. Mr. Schneider is a clever gentleman of large ex-perience
in the furniture trade. He has been chosen presi-dent
of the United States Furniture Company, whose plans
and ptilposes ha've not, as yet, been fully rev~aled to the trade.
Mr. Schneider is not a resident of Grand Rapids, Mich., but a
representative of a factory located in Grand Rapids, Wis.
°to °to
A potential argument presented to the public by the Lar-kin
Company is the following: "If you purchase aU your
home needs of a local merchant, you are spending much
money needlessly. Larkin direct factory-to-family dealing
saves for you all cost that adds no value, and gives you all
the profits of middlemen." The local merchant, by properly
using the means at his command, can counteract the influence
of this argument by showing the public that he can purchase
goods as a.dvantageously as Larkin and that he offers better
goods for the same money.
°to °to
Pessimism pe~vades the furniture trade atmosphere. Re-tailers
report low stocks, \vhile manufa.cturers are just as
sure that the sun vlfill rise tomorrow that the coming year
will be a notable one for all lines of trade. The spirits of
the manufacturers are buoyant, and confidence is fully es-tablished
in the stability of the future. Many who with-drew
lines from the expositions last year have returned and
there will be complete exhibits in all lines of production for
the inspection of market buyers.
°t" °to
Grand Rapids will rank hereafter as the leading market
in llpholstered furniture. In addition to the scven strong
locnl lint:s, there ~vill be found 011 sale _in January the best
products of the best upholsterers in New York, Brooklyn,
Milwa.ukee, Toledo, Jamestown- and other furniture centers.
In the number and the quality of lines exhibited Grand Rap-ids
will be pre-eminent hereafter.
°to °to
The holding of the Yukon exposition in Seattle next sum-mer
will can for considerable outlays for furuiture to accom~
modatc the many thousands of visitors who will attend it.
°to °to
Portland, Oregon, has attained considerable prominence
as a furniture manufacturing center and will soon ~laim the
distinction of "the Grand Rapids of the West." .
°to °to
Something worth having, not junk, should be offered by
merchants when employing the prize distribution plan for
promoting sales.
"t"
All lines will be found in
ers on Monday, January 4.
fore that date.
"t"
readiness for inspection by buy~
Several lines will be rea,dy be-
°to °to
Don't be a "hardly ever." Be a "now."
markets, study the lines and buy intelligently.
while,
'.'Get" to the
It is worth
°to °to
Lawn, summer home and porch furniture form important
features in the mid-winter fn::n:iture expositions.
°to °to
The stay-at-home buyer is drifting, slowly but surely,
toward bankruptcy,
@:l * @
At AU Times in Advance.
The Thomas B. Laycock Manufacturing Company of In-dianapolis
have long been recognized as a leading corporation
in their line of manufacture. The bosiness was established
on a very modest basis more than twenty-five years ago, but
the purpose of the <:,-om-panyhas ever been upward and on-ward.
Commencing business with a small line of bed springs
the goods produced contained so many features of merit thd.t
the product waS easy to sell at a profit. The company's
business grew steadily and the great plant now oecupi..::d
covers many acres. In the manufacture of brass and in.,;,
beds the c_ompany have attained prominence and stability in
the favor of the trade.
@ * @l
Prepared for a Season of Unusual Activity,
For the present season of 1909 the Michigan Chair Com-pany
of Grand Rapids offer a line of 1,250 chairs of medium
and fine quality. The line embraces everything that could
be desi.red in the line of chairs, in imported anI:'. domestic
woods, carefully designed by Mr. Nash and a corps of 'able
assistants and built to afford security and comfort as well as
attractive styles. Anticipating an unusually strong demand
for goods, the company, which is possessed of a very large
manufacturing capacity. is prepared to fill orders promptly,
President Jordan, Treasurer Ga.rratt, Secretary Guest, Vice
President Cox, Salesmen WaltOll, Parmenter, Penney and R.
G. Calder will be in attendance upon the sale during the
month of January.
@l * @
Beautifully and Effectively Expressed in Photogravure.
The furniture trade was treated to a plea.sant sensation a
few weeks ago by the distribution of' ImrtfoHos containing
very handsome illustrations of the line of medium and high
grade furniture manufactured by the Berkey & Gay Furniture
Company of Grand Rapids. The portfolios are very much
larger than the average catalogue in size, evidently made so
for the -purpose of displaying a whole suite at sight to the
prospective buyer. Many ornate period styles are placed
before the eye of the buyer so effectivly as to command in-terest,
admiration and the desire to purchase the goods dis-played.
The Berkey & Gay Furniture Company sell the' port-folios
to responsible dealers on private terms that are worthy
of an investigation.
@ * @
For Sale at Once.
The best paying complete House Furnishing business in
Michigan. Old established, good prices, a gold mine for
a hustler. Address "Bargain," care Michigan Artisan,
Nov, 25th-tf,
MICHIGAN
Will Open When the Whistle Blows.
\Vhell the whistle blows calling the four hundred em-ployee:;
of dH~ Gr;llld Rapid:,; Chnir Company to l<\bor on the
n~ornil1g of January 1, 1909, Tre:\smer Poote, Secretary Ryan,
Superintelldent 2\lmv'ltt. Salesmen \V<ltkins and Ho\va'rd will
enter the warerooms prepared to greet tbc buyers of fUfl1illlr-::,
ARTISAN 15
YV.\V. Ayres received 1,000 business calling cards with an
intimation that he is expected to use them during the year.
He "" ...ill have to go some to make a thousand calls, but
"Billy" doesn't mind a little task like that.
@J * @
A Couch for the Crowd.
By the crowd we lUetin e\'e.rybody. Some people do not
like da\TcJ1ports, others do not have room for them,
but this I-[afner 3153 couch is neither too large, too
small or too expensive for the man \vhose sala.ry
or weekly \-vage is small, and yet so well made and
attractive in appearance that it will be a we1conl.C
piece of furniture in any homc. It is 76 inches
long and 30 wide. It does not nced describing, as
the picture does that.
The Hafner Furniture Company, 2620 Dearborn
strect, Chicago has heen making good upholstered
furniture for thirty-rive years, and \'...hen tlley guar-alltee
a piece of furniture it will stand up to the
guarantee cvery time. It is wOI-th \;vh.ileto do business \vith
a house like tbis as it does away with much explaining, and
the dealer is sure of fair treatment at all times.
@ *" @
No. COUCh. made by The Hafner Furniture Company.
·who appreciate the fact that the line is always ready Oll the
opening day at 7 o'clock in the: morning, the:reby coablillg' all
early sta:-t t.o be m,\dc in the examination of a very impor-tant
line. The COTI,pany offers lTJ<lnysp~.'cialtics--npwards of
200 ne\\-' pieces--in addition to their st;tpJcs, for the considera-tion
of h11YcrS. The goods are rnedillnl priced and made of
oak and mahogany_
@ * @)
Exploiting Grand Rapids.
The city of Grand Rapids is bcillg handsomely exploited
by a very ha,ndsome booklet which contains colored illustra-tions
of the following well known factories: Sligh Furniture
Company, Grand Rapids Chair Company, Fancy Furniture
Company, GUlll1 Furnitul-C Company, )l'1acey, PJ1ocnix, Im-perial,
Oriel. ~/richigan Chair, Ll1ce. That is a fine array
of modern factories and a good representative list of Gran:.!
Rapids funiitme. Jt.is a good book that the marc widely it
is circulated the more benefit it will be to the wonderful F11r"
llit11re City.~Furniture \VodJ.
@ * @
A New Catalogue in Preparation.
The :\I"elson-:Matter Furniture Company of Grand Rapid::;
have placed an order for a large and ;lttr'::,....:tJve catalogue of
their choice line of medium and fine fl1f1litl1rc. It will be
ready for distribution early ill the coming year of 1909.
@ * @
Re:nembered by Santa Claus.
"Pll.iJ" Klingman is happy over a, new writing machine,
which he greatly needed.
J. n. IIo\v<lrd is studyi1lg a new cook book.
An "original" design of a fOlWd end china closet satisfies
tbe artistic soul of Charley Black.
"Rob" Irwin received a model oi a single stick racer, with
v.:llich he hopes to build a boat that will beat all sailing craft
of its kind on fresh "\vater.
"Abe" Jennings is delighted with a pair of single sbell
sculls.
"Ed" Cald\~relJ, the farmer of Spring Lake. found a new
style plow in his stocking.
\'1. S. Emery is sho\ving his friends a season ticket for the
base ball games to be played in l"Iemphis next summer. It
is supposed to have been given by Ikc :Mcndle.
A bunch of heather direct froUl the "Hielands" caused
"Bob" Calder's pulse to beat a little faster.
"Jack" Neather found a new contract ior the coming yea:
in his stocking-the handsomest ever.
"Alex" 1'fcInt.yre received official notice of an addition to
-his trade territory and is pleased.
I------
The Brower Studio.
The Druwers -(they might be called the two Johns, but
John and "Jack" \vill anSWer the pllrposc:)--have fitted up a
very <::omfortable studio in the Shepa,rd building in front of
the elevator. The Browers are al~tists of experience, and "w·ill
be pleased to meet merchants needing designs for speeial pur-posts
or decorations [or interiors. A royal wekome awaits
callers Upon the t\\lO Johns.
@ * @
South Bend, \\Tash., will soon have a large furniture fac-tory,
to be erected by the South Bend Furniture M.aritlbc-turing
Company.
r------------------------------------~
!
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No.2. 30 jnehes deep. 30 inches wide. 45 inchel1lhigh.
A QUICK, EASY SELLER I
i w~lDa~ ot\ieq 100, Send for OUTCataloa and get aquainted with our Large Line, Low Prices and Lib"'ral Terms. IROW!~.!LD!~L~Fco£.~I ~-~ .
\6 MICHIGAN ARTISAN
It Won't Make Any Difference
Whether you go to market in
I Chicago, Grand Rapids or New York
I WE WILL BE TUERE
I with the strongest line of Frame and Fixture specialties in Dining Room,
Living Room, Parlor and Music Room pieces in Oak and Mahogany we
have ever shown, and we cordially urge your early and careful inspection.
CHICAGO GRAND RAPIDS
Wabash Avenue and 14th' Street
Sixth Floor
Furniture Exchange
Furniture Exhibition Building
Second Floor
NEW YORK
New YQrk Furniture Exchange
Lexington Ave. and 43rd St.
Charge oj J. C. and G. F. Weatherly
Rockford Frame 'and Fixture CO.
ROCKFORD., ILLiNOIS
•
-~-----------_-.-_-------------_._------_.-..,
WARDROBE DRESSER No. 16.
A Mi~hty Handy Piece of
Furniture at a Medium Price
--- WE MAKE ---
Sideboards Wardrobes
Buffets and
Chiffoniers Dressers
MEDIUM IN PRICE. GOOD IN
WORKMANSHIP AND FINISH
Complete line .hown at 1319 Michigan Ave.,
CHICAGO, 6th flQo••
Manistee Mfg. Co.
MANISTEE. MICH.
•
I,!I
G'ZAND RAPIDS
FUllLlC LIBRARY
MICHIGAN ARTISAN 17
IThe Udell "Worh.s
I
You still have time to
get some Udell Good
Furniture on yOUTfloors
for the Holiday trade.
Complete lines of
Library Bookcases
Ladies' Desks
Sheet Music Cabinets
Piano Player Roll Cabi-nets
Disc Record Cabinets
Cylinder Record Cabinets
Medicine Cabinets
Commodes
Folding Tables
Will be ready with their new line atsamples
in Grand Rapids only, January, 1909.
Exhibit 4th Floor, Furniture Exhibition
Building.
No. 12&2 Mission Deak.
Heigllt, 4,5iJJches. Whlth, i'i inches_ Depth, 19 inches.
Weathered and Early English Oak.
WORns,
~---------_._------_._---...
Late Stock Sheet tells
you just what we have.
Write for it and Catalog.
•
The ford &. Johnson Company
Dealers don't k e e p
U delI Good Furniturel
they sell it.
III
..._T--H-E---U-D- ELL
The line includes a
very complete
assortment of Chairs,
Rockers and
Settees of all grades,
Dining Room
Furniture, Mission
Furniture, Fibre-Rush
Furniture, Reed
and Rattan Furniture,
Go-Carts and
Baby Carriages.
No. 805 C 2
Our complete line of samples are displayed In The
Ford Ii. Johnson Co. building; 1333·37 Wabash Ave.•
Including a special display of Hotel Furniture.
I
~
All F'wrnitu'J'e Dealers are cordiaUy invited
to Visit owr bUilding.
, --------------'
Indianapolis, Indiana.
GEO, SPRATT
& CO.
Manufacturers of Chafrs
and Rockers. A complete
line of Oak Diners with
quarter sawed veneer backs
and seats. A large line of
Elm Diners, medium priced.
A select line of Ladies'
Rockers. Bent and high
arm Rockers with solid
seats, veneer roll seats, cob-blerseats
and up-holstered
leather
complete. High
Chairs and
Children's
Rockers.
rou 'I.vill get
in an the ground
floor 'When you
buy from 115.
SHEBOYGAN, WIS.
I,II
III
I III
II
No. 542
Oak, S&lio Seat.
Price,
$IH~;.
No. 540%
Same as No. 642
on I)' Quartered
Oak Ve neer
Seat.
$18 ~:~.
~---- No. 542
MICHIGAN
New Plans for Building and Furnishing an Apartment
House.
In New York city a new apartment house is to be built
by a company of eight men to be known a824 Gramercy
Park. It will be twelve stories high and a new idea of inter-ior
arrangement will be carried out on the duplex plan. The
owners will occupy suites of rooms.
Nearly every suite will occupy two floors, the sleeping
rooms being placed over the library, foyer hall. and dining
room, with connecting staircase. Arranged in this way, the
apartment takes on the appearance of a private dwelling
while it retains all apartment house conveniences.
The co-operative plan will be used as the owners tastes
are identical, though their occupations differ widely. The
building will be their permanent residence and. will cost
$350,000. The owners are; Richard Watson Gilder, editor
Century Magazine; his son, Rodman D. Gilder, Secretary
Crocker-Wheeler Company; Herbert Lucas, architect; Fran-cis
Wilson comedian; Charles H, Lee, of the United States
Leather Company; Jules Guerin, artist, and John B. Pine,
lawyer and Treasurer Columbia University.
A description of some of the apartments is interesting,
showing the variety of tastes to be considered in the furn-ishing
of different suites.
Francis Wilson will have one of the most elaborate
apartments with an entire floor of ten rooms and three baths,
including one very large room to extend up through a story
and a half. This innovation had its origin in studio apart-ments
built for artists' use, but of late the advantages of
such a room for purposes of entertaining are being recog-
, nized and insure growing popularity. Mr. Wilson's idea in
building so large a living room is to accommod"ate his books
and pictures. The room will be 33 by 20 feet and 14 feet
high. An adjoining room will also be set aside for a study
and library, with bookcases around all sides and to ceiling,
with bal~ony to reach the high shelves.
Although Francis Wilson is not generally known as a
literateur, it is an interesting fact that his library is a fine
one, embracing a collection of over 10,000 carefully selected
volumes, among which are many rare editions arid valuable
reference books. This entire library, together with Mr.
Wilson's paintings, wilt be removed to the new apartment
from his present home, The Orchard, New Rochelle. In
fact, the entire house will be dismantled and permanently
closed. His valuable art collection includes all modern Dutch
masters and is recognized as one of the finest in the world.
Among the artists are found Jacob 1'1aris, William Maris,
Mathew 1hris, Israels, Eosboom, 1",fauve, Weissinbruch,
Masdog" Euer, Jurres, Elommers, Neuhurjs, Tholen, Debock.
Mr. Wilson has met most of the Dutch artists personally,
and is especially fond of Bosboom, "vhom he calls "The
Painters' Painter." It was during his close friendship with
the late Joseph Jefferson, who purchased many Dutch pic-tures,
that Mr. Wilson became partial to this school.
In furnishing his luxurious living room it is Mr. Wilson's
plan to work out some pleasing effects. Before the fireplace
old mahogany sofas will be backed up against a long library
table on both sides, and in the space at each end of the table
will be placed a Ch;ppendale chair. Another part of the
room will be similarly equipped. Florentine lamps will be
conveniently arranged for reading.
In the English dining room will be found six remarkable
iold black oak chairs made from the pew doors of Christ
,Church at Stratford-an~Avon, where Shakespeare is buried,
also a settle made from an old choir seat. All bear the arms
'iof Stratford-on-Avon, and are surmounted with the Prince of
~Wales plu~e, elaborately carved: The~e chairs will render
{,Mr. Wllson s new home doubly tnteresttng, as there are but
i:three other persons in this country who possess antiques of
).!justthis character.
;~ Mr. Richard Watson Gilder's apartment of -twelve r'ooms
al1d .three bath.s prornlses to be one of the most interesting
ARTISAN
that New York has seen in many a day. There will be a
rare old mahogany cabinet at which Mr, Gilder used to
write for the editorial department of Scribner's Monthly,
under tIte head of "The Old Cabinet." Mr. Gilder wrote
this editorial matter for twenty yearsl always using the saine
desk, and he fondly retains in his library to-day the cabinet
which gave the name to that department. The new library
will be somewhat like the present one, having the same ar·
rangement of fireplaces and books. Mr. Gilder has a large
library, andl while he is riot a collector of old books, he likes
to ilswap books with other men," as he puts it, and has a
great many autograph copies. The new library will be
situated in the front of the house, overlooking the park,
while overhead is a large music room and playroom for the
younger children. One of the chief features of interior
decoration in the new Gilder home will be the old mahog-any
doors and columns. Many pieces of fine old mahogany
furniture which have been in the family for two or three
generations will be used.
When Rodman Gilder, who has the smallest apartment
in the company, but the largest stock of humor, gave out
his plans, he said:
"The others althave larger apartments than mine, but,
a.s David remarked just before his encounter with Goliath,
'Do you think that I'm too small?! There will be four rooms
besides kitchen and bath. The largest room is to be a din-ing
room, parlor, music room, studio, smoking room, study
breakfast room, and living room,
"I shall carry out some ingenious effects with mirrors,
although not in any sense a maze. Mirrors, will be placed
opposite each other, giving an effect of a larger room. I
would also like two mirrors in a corner placed at right ang-les.
In my bow window will be placed a window seat ten
feet in length. upholstered, with two big chests on rollers
under it. There will als·o be two little latticed windows 2
by 2" with boxes arranged for flowers." ,
In discussing his arrangements young Mr. Gilder smil-ingly
emphasized the idea that his need not necessa.rily be
a bachelor apartment, at least, it need, not remain so.
Mr. Herbert Lucas will have an apartment oi eight rooms
and three baths, built on the duplex plan. The staircase will
be an adaptation of the old stairway in the Longfellow
house at Cambridge, and the living rooms will have large
fireplaces, bookcases, window seats, &c. All of the interior
will be in keeping with the collection of old mahogany
furniture which Mr, Lucas has been collecting with much
interest during the last fifteen years.
Mr. Guerin will have the only studio apartment in the
building-a room 25 by 34 and 14 feet high-with a unique
arr.angement of staircase and gallery overlooking studio.
Mr, Guerin is now in Italy and will bring back many
interesting pieces of furniture, &c.
@ * @
From the Big Bend Bazoo"
If the idiotic walloper who put concentrated lye in :our
shaving mug; causing us to lose a few handfuls of skin, is
caught, he will be properly lemonized.
The young lady who changes the sheets from one bed to
another at the Globe hotel has received word that her uncle
had died and bequeathed her a fortune of $22 and a picture of
her grandmother. Annie hopes the money will all come to
her in onc chunk so that she can buy things wjth it. Same
here.
Vie have always said that Major Young was the stingiest
man in \Vyoming. He makes his children hop to Sunday
school, changing feet every block to save 'shoe leather. Iso"t
he a pee-wee.
The new Bapttist minister stutters so painfully that it
takes him two hours and a haUto rip off a one-hour sermon,
and he is l6sitig.'all his trade. Those' who" chip in the ha.t
get their money's worth as he sayS everything two or three
times.
...-------- ,I
1250
:vrrCHIGAN ARTISAN
•
1883===1909
Grand Rapids, Michigan
THE MICHIGAN
"Foremost in Chair Malt.ing"
THE feeling is universal that a season of extraordinary activity is before us.
To meet unceasing demands means large equipment and all around fitness.
Such possession is OUTS in marked degree and furthermore we will exhibit on
our wareroom floors January 1st, 1909, a most attractive line of Chairs in every
department satisfying and complete.
No middle ground. Best always at "The Michigan."
EAST
Chas. H. Cox
Robt. E. Walton
Representative Salesmen
SOUTH
W. R. Penny
WEST
Chas. B. Parmenter
Robt. G. Calder
1250
Sample
January,
1909
Michigan Chair Company
Michigan Chair Company.";
Sample
C
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January,
1909
I
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,,"II
III!
C
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20 M~CHIGAN ARTISAN
1.-Looking ove-r Gate into Elevato't Shaft.
THE ELEVATOR SHAFT.
Fatalities Result From Looking Downward.
Do 110t put your head into the elevator shaft. Of COUf:;e,
you would not be so foolish as to do such a thing. Still,
you night. Aryway, the warning is sound and should be
heeded.
Many serious and fatal accidents have occurred, aud con·
tinl1e to occur, because people are curious and want to poke
their l:cads into places """here they have 110 business to be. An
elevator shaft is one of these places. It is dal,gcrous to
leak through an open door into the shaft. You are Ibhle
to becoll e dizzy, or something else may happen to cause yOll
to fall ill. It is dangerous to lean over a gate or bar a11'l
gaze ida the shaft. The elevator may come down and catch
you between the gate and the platform floor.
It is decreed that we <111shall die, There are a thousand
and O1~e ways in which the "taking off" process can be ac-complished,
None is pleasant, and few there are who die ;n
the manner the~r would choose if the
question were left to them. To "shuf-fle
off this mortal coil" by falling or
~eing knocked into an elevator shaft
dlr by being decapitated by an elevator as it descends while you are leaning
(wer n gate or bar is perhaps as un-comfortable
a way of dying as can
well be imagined. Yet accidents of
this character are avoidable, that is,
they could not happen if you did not
put yOllr head into the shaft. They
are sometimes unavoidable if you do.
It must, of course, be -admitted
that there is some undefinable and
uncontrollable feeling which impels
a person to look into any kind of an
opening. You get on the top of a
tall building and yOU immediately g0
as near the edge as you dare, to see
how far it is to the ground. Passing
along the street where a ditch is being
dug, yOll, of course, have to go and
see for. yourself how deep it is. So
it is 'with an elevator shaft. If the
door is open, or jf it is guarded by a
low gate or rail, it becomes your
bounden duty to look into the hole.
Now, a person looking iota an open-ing"
of any teind seldom if ever looks
upward, Tt is always down. And
there is where the danger lies. It
is the space betow that causes dizzi-ncSs.
al1d it is in looking down that
011e fails to observe what is above. If the elevator is below
in the shaft, it can be see"' if it is approaching. If, howevE'"
it is above al~d is cordn.q- down onc will not be aware of the
fad until he is struck by it.
On freight elevators there is sometimes placed a warnin~
signal arrangemcrt, in the nature of a ben which automati-cally
rings as the elevator moves, but more often no sl1ch
devlre is provided. On elevators used for the carriage of
passengers warning signals are seldom installe.d. They <Irc
qat considered necessary, owing to the elevator being gen-e:
ratly in charge of an operator and the hoistways being
gnardec1 by enclosures and locked doors. Accidents due
to looking into the shaft usually occur therefore in connection
with freight elevators. As to just how they occur, a fe\v
cases are b.iefly cited in illustration.
Picture No.1 accompanying this article shows the en-trance
to a freight elevator hoistway. It is guarded by a
semi-automatic gate, four feet four inches in height. This
gate is raised by hand a.ud descends automatically as the ele-vator
leaves the landing. An employe in the building where
thls elevator is located, being curious onc day to know where
the elevator was, looked over the gate just <:!sthe elevator
was eorring down, and, not being observed by the man on
the ca.r, his hea4 was caught between the descending platform
and the gate, breaking his r.eck and killing him il1stant~y.
The pi.cture also shows the position the man was in when
tl:e elevator struck him.
A similar case, except that it did not terminate fatally
owing to the prompt action of the ope ator, is the following:
A girl en:ployed in a, hctory, wit110nt any special reason for
doing so, looked over the guard rail i:-:to the el~vator shaft.
The elevator just then descending cJ.llght her on the back of
the head, forcing her neck against the top of the gate. The
operator, catching sight of the girl just as the elevator struck
or was about to strike her, prompt:y reversed the lever and
stopped the car, but not before the platform had scalped the
girl from the base of the b:"ain to the forebead, and from ear
to ear, her scalp being pushed over to the front part of her
he8d,
Occasionally a person will do some
untow~u.-d thing to get into adange.-r-
OilS position, and thereby meet wit.h
what rr.ight truthfully be termed an
unfo:'eseen accident. Picture No.2
shows another entrance to a fre:ght
elevator well which to all appearances
is adequately protected. As a matter
of fact it is much better guarded than
hundreds of hoistway entrances that
have come under the writer's obse~-
vation, and which werc considered
reasonably safe. The gate is semi-al1torr:
atic, stands a little over five feet
from the floor and is composed of
horizontal and upright bars. The
rectangular openings in thc gate tllU5
forwed arc about Seven inches in
width.
Ninety~nil1e persocs in a hundretl
would say that this gate was sufficient
to keep persons from falling into the
well or coming in contact with the
n:oving elevator, and yet a fatal a.cci-dent
den::onstrated bcyond all question
that while the gate mi.ght be cOll!:'.;id-ered
as "reasonably safe," it was not
absolutely safe. A person of medium
height could not look over this gate
into the well without climbing ot1"the
gate, but a boy working on the prem-ises
got aroll.nd the difficulty by thrust-ing
his head through the narrow op-ening
where it is marked X in the picture. Of course, it
so r.appeced the elevator was on its way down, and, catchin~
the boy's bead between the platform and the bn, it crushed
him to death.
The elevator shaft is often used 8S a means of c::1mmunica·
tion from. one floor to ar.other. This is a dangerous practice
as the foHowing' accident will show: A rran on the first
floor of shop wished to talk to a man in the basement. He,
therefore, le<>ned into the elevator well and "hdtced" to at-tract
the other wan's attention. The elevator guard con~
sisted only of a rail set in slots at each side of the entrance,
and, as the elevator coming down struck the man, it broke
the rail over which h~ was leaning afld ptecipitated him t0
the bottom of the shaft, a distance of about twelve feet. The
man's back, face and head were badly injured, and one arm
was broken.
Still another case: A man hea.ring some one calling in
the shaft, went and looked over the gate to see who it was.
I~----------_._--
\I!CHIGAK ARTISAN" 21
Richmond, Ind.
Double Cane Line
"Slip Seats"-the latest
and best method of double
cane seating.
Catalogues to the Trade.
__ . --i
At that instant the elevator descended 011 the back of the
man's head. pressing him ',vith such force against the g2b.'
tbnt the gate ga,vc \vay. To the breaking of the gate the
man probably owed his life, <IS otherwise his head must have
betH crushed. /-\s it was he was nearly scalped, and his chin
311d tho oat were badly bruised and torn.
The danger of looking- do\vn an elevator shaft, is not,
pened because of the open door is illustrated by an incident
tlwt recently caIlle to the writer's attention.
A 111an, approaching the elevator and desiring to take pas-sage,
observed that the door w·as partly open. He rang the
bell for the elevator, <lnd then, curious to know where the
elevator ,·vas, opened the door wider, thrust his head in and
looked down the shaft. The elevator was, however, not
2. Gate Through which Boy Thrust his Head to Look Into Elevator Shaft.
however, conl1ned exclusively to freight e1cv:lto1's. How
often is it 1h8t the entrance doors to a passenger c1e\?ato,
have failed to latch, due to negligence on the part of the op-eraiur,
or to defective latches, and are left standing part ,vay
open! v\That is mOTc natural than that a person observing
the open dOOl- should open it still "iider. or a child, p8.ssing
by. run through it? Picture No.3 shows the enclosure cloor
on a sixth floor, which the elevato;· operator neglected to see
tightly clo52d before le.:n,ing. How em i1cciderit nEarly hap-below,
but above him, .<Hldin response to the can was rapidly
con-,ing duwn. The IT;).lJ, having satislied his curio:-;ity .•
vvithdrevil his bead from the sbaft just as the elevator shot
past, missing l1im by the closest possible margin.
The operator :lfter stopping his car, his ebony counten:1ncc
blanched alt"r.ost to v,ihiteness, remarked to the man, "Gee,
but that was a close shave." "Not so," replied the man,
"·you don't think I was such a fool as to put my head in the
elevator shaft, do you?" The man, spcakinci nbout the in-
22 MICHIGAN ARTISAN
cidCl1t afterwards, said he knew better than to look into the
shaft, but '3.1the moment he was thoughtless and impelled by
a feeling of curiosity. He knew the danger; indeed, he had
often warned persons against doing that very same thing, and,
From the few cases here given, the danger attending an
elevator well unless it is completely enclosed and the doors
kept tightly dosed, is obyio\.lS. In cases where the opening
is gua.rded only hy a bar or a gate, to a height of four or fiv;;,:
3. Entrance Door to Elevator Shaft Left Open.
when the operator called: his attention to the narrowiless of
his escape, he was Sf) ashamed of himself that he would not
admit his folly. Pillture No.4 shows the position the man
was in and the approaching elevator.
•
feet from the flooT, th~re should be an automatic signal ben
provided which will watn persons of the approach of the ele-vatoT.
In addition to the signal bell, a very simple warning
device is to attach chains or straps to the under edge of the
~~el~JYilleDes~
==(om~anJ===
SHELBYVILLE, - INDIANA
MANUFACT{7RERS OF
OFFICE FURNITURE
t
Write for 'latest catalOGue
~---_._--~-------_.
~IICHIGAN
platform, pla,cing them about six inches apart and letting
them hang down about three feet. 1£ a perSOll leanlng over
a gate feels these chains falling on his head, he will draw
back before the elevator strikes him, it having the SBme effect
as the "low bridge" guard on the railroad tracks ,vhich causes
the trainman on top of the car to duck the instant he ('.omes
in contact with it.
It might be well to say that the use of a chain or a rail
as a guard to an elevator opening is not a proper guard. The
main reason why they are used at all is that they are cheap.
That is true, and it is also true that they constitute a mighty
chea.p guard. Niggardly economy should not be weighed in
the same scale with personal s,~lfety, for nothing is too good
when it comes to the matter of safeguarding life and limb.
But as the question oi expense ent<'.rs into almost everything,
and rightfully so, 'when it .is considered judiciously, it is sug-gested
to those desiring an inexpensive and serviceable guard
ARTISAN 23
toilet articles, furniture and all sorts of personal belongings,
'There are over a thollsa.nd articles in the collection, most of
them not only interesting, but beautiful and costly as· well,
All these things are arranged historically, so that one sees
together the belongings of LouisXIV., of Louis XV, of
Louis XVI. and :.vlarie Antoinette, of Napoleon, of Louis
Philippe, of Napoleon III. and Empress Eugenic, and finally
examples of furnishings used Lluder the present republic.
1\ot long ago the directors of the museurlt decided to take
an inventory of its treasures, not a third of which are on
public exhibition. rvfany of them have been hoarded care-fully-
so carefully, it appearsl tbat the very existence of some
of t1]e111had be{'.tl forgotten, for an interesting discovery h2:'>
been made in one of th'e hOllSCS where the overflmv is stored.
This is a collection of materials in silk, velvet and brocado:.'.
of the greatest magnificence, which '''''ere ordered in 1811 by
Napoleon r. for the refumishing of the great chateau at. Ver-
4. Leoking Through Open Door Into Elevator Shaft.
t.hat they insta.ll the s~n-,i-al1tonJ.atic go.te. This gate gives
general satisfaction, is simple. in operatioll, and, ii built suf-fIciently
high and close, it lY,<lkes a good g-l1ard.
As to passenger e!eyatcrs, the door should be provided
with a door-locking device "\vhidl ",'ill prcv~nt the elevator
being n-:;oved until the dO(LS are securely dosed. In Rhode
Island and Pennsylvania such a del/ice is rcqu;l-cJ by law Oil
all elevators used for the carriage of passengers.
A safe rule to follow is this, "Do llot put your head in tllC
elevator shaft. Ring· the bell and ·wait."
RICH FIND IN PARIS.
Costly Palace Furnishings Ordered by Napoleon, but Never
Used.
Among the many curious museums in which Paris is rich
the one caned the Garde Meuble has it unique inte.rest. A
visit to its galleries makes one feel as if one had touched
hands with dead kings and queens. It is the most intimate
collection of its size in all Europe.
The reason is that it contains a multitude of objects which
were in use by the· dead and gone rulers of France-clothing,
saille:;, ulloccupied since the tragic departure of Marie Antoi-
1Jette.
:Napoleon had been living i the Trianon a,cross the park
hom the grand chateau, bl1L decided that he was cramped
there and that he would reign at the huge palace in a splendor
not second to that with ,vhich Louis XIV. had filled it. Su
he sent orders to the silk and velvet merchants of Lyons for
imrncllse quantities of costly fabrics for hangings and uphol-st.
ering.
The idea was a trifle too late. The war with Russia
came soon, and the next two years were spent on a hundred
battlefields instead of in silk-hung chateaus. In April, 1814,
Napoleon abdicated and all the gorgeous materials have lain
in obscurity for almost a century_-Exchange.
@ * @
Will Travel in the" East.
Elton Daniels, a nat.ive of Grand' Rapids, who entered
the comlnercial field a few years ago as a traveling sales-man
a1t-d"made good" in a surprisingly short time, will re-present
the Phoenix Manufacturing Company, 01 'Covington,
Ky., during the coming year in the eastern territory. He is
YOU1lg,. <lctive, ambitious and possessed of all the qualities
that ",,'in success in the business world.
24 MICHIGAN
RUDOLPH'S RANK COMPETITOR.
The Star Salesman Submits That it is a Crime to Put a Man
Up Against a Game Like That.
Rudolph came up to the July Exposition joyfully and in
a new forty-dollar suit. Rudolph is one of the furniture
salesmen who gain a pound a week riding nights to make
small towns and feeding at railroad eating houses down by
the hacks.
"You take it from me," he said to the clerk at the Morton,
"I'm playing for all the chips in the rack this aip. I've got
a stock of dope and a line of office furniture that will breed
hot boxes in OUI" little old shop do\'vn by the whispering
O-h-i-o. I'm going to spread OUT product all over the
scenery. vVhen you Grand Rapids fellows get your skyline
in plumb again and the pieces of your little old bu~g put to-
, .,
! Grand Rapids Caster Cup Co.
2 Parkwood live., Grand Rapids, Mich.
We are now putting out the best Caster Cups with cork bases ever
QBered to the trade. These are finished in Golden Oak !'Iud White Maple
In a light finish. The~ g<)()dsare admirable for polished floors and furn-iture
rests. They will not sweat or mar.
PRICES:
Size2U inches..•... $4.00 per hundred
Size 2.Y4inches' ...•. 5.00 per hundn~d
Try a Sample Order. P. a. B. Grana RapfdR. •
getber so as to make a consecutive ma.p, I'll be getting word
from the house to go and rest a year, witb salary and ex-penses.
That's the way I'm going to cut up right llOW."
The clerk rea.chcd back to the letter rack.
"It occurs to me," he said, "that there's a tele.Tram here
for you. Can~e in yesterday_ Didn't lost, yOl1r w.ay in th~
dark, did you ?"
'iYour Dnde Dudley reads fine print in the dark," replied
Rudolph. "On the way up I stopped off at 1I1eddow. Man
named Flint had a cillch on furnishing tbe ncw county build-ing
there. Now he's in-the also rans. I've got him in the
b<l,(".k yard, under the sawdust."
Rudolph tore open the yellow envelope and read his mcs-s.
agoe. Then he fan his fingers througn his hair alld
frowned.
"YOlt look sorrowful," said the clerk. -ls your girl com-ing?"
"Little RUdolph is wedded to his art," replied tIle sales-neall,
"the gentle art of selling office furniture.. Cash on
delivery and no boodle goes."
He pondered over the message for a moment and then
turned to a railroa.d guide.
"Funny thing," he said to the derk. "House wires me to
go back to 3,1eddow and cinch that contract. New salesman
on the scene. One B. L Ferris. New party, I take it.
Ratsl I hold the chairman of that building committee in the
hotlow of my hand. He's at the present time in his third in-carnation
as a keen, level-headed business man. Wonder
where this Ferris party b1.1tts in from?"
The clerk didn't know. The house sent a long message
to Rudolph, telling him to hurry, and the hopeful man who
sought to plaster the landscape with curtain-top desks and
ARTISAN
things shot out of town on the Midnight Limited, half
asleep in a parlor car with visiollS of acquiring the scalp of
one B. L. Ferris in his mind.
"Look here," he said, next day, to the chairman of the
building committee, "what new brand of dictionary is that
buttinski of a B. L. Ferris measuring out to you .boys? Oaf
imported artists in wood a.re sawing up lumber rignt now to
make stuff to fit into the rooms of this modern temple of
beanty. Where is this Ferris creature, anyway?"
"You sce," said the chairman o-f the building committee,
"the new drummer got hold of some of the members of the
committee of which I am chairman, and it looks to me like
decent burial for aU our fond hopes."
"Well/' said Rudolph, "it seems to me that a. man who can
play two jacks as high as you can without showing a map
of mental conditions on your manly front, ,ought to be able
to put it all over the other members of the committee, who
are mostly fresh from the glad summe-r morning in the dewy
hay field. Can't you get up a little party with plenty of fizz
stuff and a small hot bird for chaperone? I'd like to see
this Ferris buttinski in action."
iiI don't think Ferris mixes it any," replied the chairman
of the building committee, with a friendly smile_ ·'No. we
can't do anything that way. You hang about here for a.
few days aJld I'll see what can be done."
"And while I'm loitering here, waiting to put this Ferris
nondescript all to the bad, the boys up at the Grand Rapids
Exposition will be sending out goods that I ought to have on
my order book. Can't you think of some way we can get
rid of this Ferris mollycoddle? I'll do ?uything in reason
to get him out of the running right now, so I can get back
to the Valley City and see the wheels buzz."
"I'll think it over," said the chairman of the building com-mittee.
"You've got to give me time, though, There may
be a way,"
Rudolph strained away at the English language for a few
minutes, and the chairman of the building committee looked
out of the window to hide a smile which was spreading over
his face.
"Go ahead," said the salesman, presently, not having time
to hunt up any new words with which to describe his feelings,
"and I'll wait. I've got a room in the Empire on the first floor
from the skylight, and I'll take pride in watching the shining
orb of day rising and setting over the rustling corn. You
haven t got anything handy to read about the quiet life, have
you? In order to get in with the highbrows here have I got
to wade in the dew in my bare tootsies? Tell that Ferris
creature to name his weapons if you see him."
"Say," said the chairman of the building committee, ignor-ing
the clamor of tbe saleSmaJl, "here comes a little peach
of a girl I'd like to have you meet. She's all right and as
bright as a new moon. She's coming up to the h01;1seto
dinner tonight, and if you want to do penance for your sins
in that way you may come up, too. Good morning, Miss
Leonard," he added, as a dream of a girl stepped into the
office. "This is Rudolph Hastings. I don't vouch for him,
understand, but I think he'll do to depend ou. in an emer-gency."
Rudolph stepped back and looked Miss Leonard over.
\Vould he go up to the chairman's house for dinner? With
Miss Leonard there? WeIll Before the dinner was over
he knew that her name was Bertha, and that he was to drive
her over the country the next day, and he also found himself
hoping that the Ferris person would keep things muddled up
for a month or two at least.
"If you don't keep in sight more," said the chairman of the
building committee, at the end of three days, "this Ferris in~
dividual is likely to run off with this contract. The other
members of the committee are bucking on your offer, and it
looks like you'd better tend to business or get out of the
ring."
"Give me a couple of days," urged Rudolph.
!
• •
}[ 1 CHI G A f\
"\Vilat for?" demand the chai.man.
yourself on l'vliss Leonard?"
"Bet your life!" replied Rudolph. '"I'm going to :;tea1 that
girl! She's Venus and Solomon wrapped ill one package.
Look here, old friend, I'll give that Ferris person llLOlley to
get out of to\'Vll with jf he'll go. And I won't ask ho,," far
he wants to go. I'm busy with little Bertha Duckl1n~s at
present, and can't fool with contracts."
"I SLC your tinish," said the chairn.an of th::: CUlllili-ictee.
"\Vilen yon get things Jixed with )liss LeOl:ard jU5t let 111e
know."
"Do you think yOll can get this buttinski out of tm-vn:->'
"Yes, I think 1 can. VVuuldll't do it {or allY one but yo~!,
old 111a11."
"I'll be tickled to death to see \'1111Oil his way: said Ru-doiph,
a.nd then his thoughts went b;:Lk to 11iss Levnanl. the
girl he n.eant to marry if he cou:d.
She ,vas ad aU the next cay, and at evening when Ru-dolph
called to see ber she WelS (ngaged in packing a cut..:
little suit case. She looked up with a snjle ..nl! sa:d it was
too bad she had to go Qway, as she 'V;H; having the time of
her life.
She didn't feel any more Leart-broken over her departure
thnn Rudolph did. He carriEd Lcr cute little snit case to
the station and stood Oll the platform lluil the train faded
from sight. I-le met the cha:rman of the co.nn.ittec at the
big door.
"\Vell," he s;,id, "that Ferris perSCH has gone at last. It
wasll1~e of :you to clny the Ferris luggage to the train. The
contract for supplying the furniture for the new county build-ing
.vas in that suit case."
"\i\That's that ;'" shouted Rudolph, turning many colors.
"Sure. Bertha Lco;lard Ferris. Cutest saleswoman on
the continent. You said yqU ,,,,ere going to steal her, you
know, and so we thought it didn't make any difference ,vhich
one g-ot the contract. When does it come off, old man?"
"It would have come off riglJt here ill the street if there
hadn't heen a policeman in sight. As it ,vas, Rudolph shook
his fist in the face of the cbairOla.n of the building committee
and n~ade promises ",.-hichhe hopes to keep some clay. If he
does the chairman will go to a hospital.
"You see,' said the chairman, "I lJeglected to give you
Bertha's full name. Come up next winter and she'll have a
new name. One I won't be likely to forget."
"Oh," said Rudolph, "she worked you, too, did she? That's
good!"
"Oh, it is on the square with me," insisted the chairman.
"There's one born every day," said Rudolph. "I don't just
ren,ember the name of it dght 110wl Say, you, you're a big-ger
fool than I am."
"A ,voman ,vho ,,,,ill put up that kind of a game on an in·
nocel1t drummer," mused Rudolph on his way back to the
big Klingman building, "ought to be pinched. It sure is :l
crime. Anyway, a salesman ·who will neglect his business
for a pretty face ought to lose out."
He wrote to the house that he had lost the contra.ct be-cause
of bare faced fraud! ALFRED B. TOZER
''To go blowing
@ * @
Studies in Ancient Furniture.
A recent acquisition to the collection of books relating to
furniture in the Ryerson Library, Grand Rapids, is called
"Studies in Ancient Furniture" by Caroline L. Ransom. It
is devoted to couches and beds of the Greeks, Etrusc:ans and
Romans.
The Greek lexicographer Pollux was the first writer t.o
attempt to give extensive information about furniture. In
his subject dictiol1ary embracing many phases of public and
private life is a ~ol1ection of words and quotations from ear-
I:er writers about beds al~d their furnishings.
The best detailed description of :t bed ouecrs in the Odys-sey,
Odysseus being the lucky ov.'l:cr. The bed w~s of olive
wood. built \vith the help of a plumb line, polished and ctec-
,
I
L
-- --- -----------------------------
ARTISAN 25
orated ,"vith gold, silvC1"and ivory. Its design is not given.
The e<l,dy''\-'riters sometimes mcntion the materials used, such
as iron and later principally woo(l decorated with ivory, sil-ver,
gold. tortoise shell and sometimes b::::autifLedby veneers.
Tortoise shell came into use about 100 B. C. Couches of
bone handsomely carved have been found. Ivory was very
genera.lty used for decoration.
The principal sources of information concerning ancient
fnrniture were the wall paintings, sculpture, interiors of
tombs, reproductions in terra cotta of older piec::s and the
Greek vases. Some Etruscan heds of the seventh century
before Christ still exist. There is one dating from 200 B. C
also. Tlw te.ra cotta reproUl1l::tiol1Srange from the sixth cen-tury
before Christ to the third or fourth centu;·y A. D. Et-ruscan
,va.ll paintings show couches of the fifth and sixth cen-turies
before Christ. They were often n~ade of bronze.
TJ·.e Greek and Roman bed was used for reclining at
meats. Italians had couches for .sleeping and eating both.
In Latin literature we hear of couches for reading and writ-ing.
lI'lost surviving couches of Greek and Ron~an date
arc for banqueting. Most of the small terra cotta couche;
of the Hellenistic period and later and Roman couches know11
in reliefs arc more like modern couches and sofa.s than bed,;.
Narrow, piled up ",...ith cushions and usually having people ly-ing
On thcm or seated on them conversing .• for daytime
and night use both.
Among Mycenaean remains therc is evidence for a furni-ture
industry (probably including beds) in various terra
cotta models of arm chairs. People sat in chairs to cat and
slept on the ground, yet beyond a doubt beds were a com-mOil
household article. Very little is known as to their
forll:s except some had turned legs; some were portable, oth-ers
occupied fixed positions.
In tbe Greek period better made couches appeared, divided
into two general classes, those with legs built on a rectangular
plan and those with turned supports. In the Roman period
turned legs a.-e the rule. At first couches were mere frame
work of legs bearing flat surfaces on which bedding wa:;
piled. Then low head boards nnd foot boards appeared, then
the back vms added by the Romans. Possibly upholstered
later.
Beds \vithout head rests appeared in the sixth century.
Turned legs were much elaborated. Then draped beds with
no head rest appeared. Rectangular legs are of great impor-tance
as showing earliest samples of what became later the
most popular and widespread design for elegant chairs and
conches. Known in Attica in the 6rst half of the sixth cen-tury,
Spartan influence in the fifth century led to almost com-plete
banishment of luxUriOllS couches in favor of plain styles.
Fourth century beds were adapted from older styles.
The Romans did not. use the Greek style of couch long. It
went ont of style in the first century A. D. Beds had turned
legs; they used rosettes and animals for decoration. Couches
with curved j"est at two extremities, differed greatly from
earlier Roman couches. Dolphin was a favorite motive on
couches-head resting on frame body and tail swinging aloft.
Backs introduced by Romalls were open rather than solid and
had a middle rail, a bracing bar above floor level between legs
and at'ms and lower than back. More like a settee. The use
of upholstery is doubtful. No resemblance to modern single
bedsteads 1-vith high foot and higher head boards. Draped
Greek couches looked like modern college divans.
The book contains so much of novelty and interest that ,1
thorough study of it is necessary to appreciate it properly.
"In English Homes" by Charles Latham is a collection in
book form of photogrnphs and reading matter concerning the
homes of the English nobility. It treats of the interior dec-oratio1ls,
describing their character, furniture aJld ado:'nmeJJts
in many notable houses and castles in the beautiful English
country. Among those written of and photographed are
Hadden H~.11.I-Iardwick Hall, Derbyshire, Old Place, Land-field,
Sussex, and Hatfield House.
26 MICHIGAN
The Ideal "Boss."
Morrison is looked upon by his employes as an ideal boss,
not so mtH,:li- on account of his ability as boss as on a':couut
of his pracd'cal working knowledge of the details of th~ bus-iness
in which he is cllgaged and his ability to impart that
kno-wledgc clearly to bis employes, who are really his as-sistants.
Now, Morrison is one of tho~e bosses who is always on
the job. He may be sauntering about the factory or store
or he may have dropped for a minute into a chair in his
private on-ice, but he is at all times available for the head of
a department or his messenger after informatioll. Nobody
ever think of becoming familiar with Morrison, though he
always has a smile of welcome when he sees one of his men
approa.ching him with that look on his bee which indicates
that he \~7ishes to interview him. He has Wall for himself
the magic title "Successfuf!' and he wears his hOllors so
easily that i~is~the other man's own fault if he does not
learn rapidly from being associated with him. To the men
in his employ.".he is a leader. He has done what they axe
ambitious to J~,.and done it well.
It does not take a dose observer to realize that this in a
great degree ,is what the workers in every house are doing. --~'------'----------"
Henry S~hmit ff Co.
HOPKINS AND HARRIET STS.
Clo<lhlDati. OL.io
makers of
Upl.olstered Furniture
fo'
LODGE and PULPIT, PARLOR,
LIBRARY, HOTEL and
CLUB ROOM
It is natural for the department head to look up to the boss
and to be influenced by him. Of course, there is the scoffer,
the caustic critic of his employer, whom we all know, who
says: "He's a lucky dub, that's all." But as his life on the
payroll is short and ever apt to terminate with great viol-ence
and suddenness, he dosn't count in the great average.
The average employe is an imitator and the boss is the ob-ject
of his imitation. The boss is the last word. His word
is law. What he says and does is right, by the creed that
governs the comfficrcial world, for were it not he, would not
be boss. The boss is the makcr of the standard by which
he and all that he does is to be judged. Sma.ll wonder that
he can do no wrong, in the eyes of the employe.
So it is a natural consequence that the nature, disposition,
character, habits and life plan of the boss influences, if it
does not govern, the ways of the young man below. And
this is why Jones, who represents another type of manager
and whose name is legion, is no more fit to serve as this
ideal than a barkeeper.
Jones isn't vicious, or anything like that. The trouble is
only that he isn't aware of bis responsibility as the boss.
He feels that he is responsible to the firm, but tha.t's alL He
refuses to recognize or to admit that he is responsible to his
employes. Beyond this, a blank. And it is beyond this,
realty, that the more vital portion of the responsibility of
employer to employe is to be found. For here are f0!-1nd
the actions from which the underling draws his estima,tion
of the character of the boss, by which light he sees the road
which he deems it best to travel.
Kow"to be strictly honest, we've got to admit that JoneS~
conduct is not a shining example of what the conduct of a
leader should be. First of all, the fact that he isn't'broad
enough or deep enough to see and admit his responsibility to-ward
thosc under him is against him. A real leader sees
ARTISAN
these things. There are just enongh employers of this type
extant today to furnish a contrast to Jones. But this is a
matter of inheritance, perhaps, and it may not be Jones'
fault that he isn't a born leader. He can't help that. But
he can help a lot of things. rnost,of the other things, in fact.
He can avoid the small, sharp practices which so many of
them resort to in their business dealings; he can impress
npon the plastic mind of his young clerks tha.t honesty means
honesty to customers, not merely to the firm. He can avoid
profanity in moments of slight irritation-it was only the
other day that the. writer heard within one hour the original
cuss word of an employer and its repetition by a clerk. He
can avoid any number of things in the office, things which he
docs every day in his life, and which distinctly are not indi-cative
of a leader of size character.
But, perhaps, it is outside the office that he has his best
chance to not do what he does. Docs Jones ever think what
his clerks think when they see him imbibing strong drinks
across the street?
\\-'ell, this is about the substance of it: "Boozing is all
right; the boss does it." l\·ow, Jones, personalty, may not be
hurt by what he drinks; probably he isn't! because few men
get to be boss who drink unwisely and unwell; but it is quite
certain that his clerk will be, if he follows his bibulous ex-ample.
But the boss does it, so it is all right; and Mr. Jones
has helped to give a.nother young man a wrong point of view
of <'onviviality.
As the bo!'>s,so the bossee. And some day, when Jones
wakes up and finds that a trusted clerk has been stealing
goods or drunk and gambled away several thousands of his
Jones', malley, it will never occur to him that he himself laid
the seed for that harvest. No. But, O! how angry he will be
as he e};.presses hitilself on the character of the clerk which
he helped mould.
Well, of course, in this day of the get rich today regime
we can't be expected to take time to stop and go carefully
enough to furnish examples to everybody. But really, in the
increased standard of honor and conduct among employes,
in their increased efficiency and faithfulness, the employer
who would take this trouble would find that the trouble had
"paid."-:\tlodern Methods.
j
@) * @
His Motto.
A vcry small boy a.pplied to a great manufacturer for a
situation.
The great man sized him up carefully and asked what pos·
ition he wanted.
"A chance to grow up in the business."
"Well, what is your motto, my son?"
HThe salHe as yours."
"What do you mean?"
"Why, on the door there, 'Push.'''
He got the job.
@ * @
A Trade Slogan.
"Double the capacity one-half the waste and one· half
the labor," is the slogan adopted by the Grand Rapids Veneer
Works, in the manufacture and sale of dry kiln apparatus.
The drying of lumber ha.S been revolutionized by the com-pany's
system of construction and operation, and hundreds
of manufacturers, by written testimonials, endorse the claims
of the company as regards economy and efficieny. Operators
of wood working: Dlants using old style kilns will find it to
their interest to investigate the Grand Rapids Veneer Works'
system.
@ * @)
When the lady on the dollar talks the average man is
ready to listen.
-------------------------------------- -
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
r-------.-.---------------.
i
L
------------ ..
Well, Here They Are Again...Good Ones, Too
If this hunch can't get your com you need never lear the hold-up man.
if they do; their goods will get your customers' COIn lor you.
But never mind
They're all here in
Thirteen Nineteen· The Big Building i
Adrian Table Co., Adrian, 1\lich.
AdvauclOl Beddlng Co., LaCr()~~e, l\'hl.
Alwin )ffg. Cll •• Elkhart, Ind.
American Chair Co" 8eYJUour, Ind.
_4merjcan 1\f~t.a1\\'3"'1" (:0., Cbil~ago.
Art.'llidta Furniture Co., Arcadia, ~tich.
AudeFurnItuZ'e (,'0., St. I.ouis, Mo.
Banta :FUJ'niture Co., GOllhen, Ind.
llillow-I.upter fXJ" CqJumbus. O. ,
Bissell Carpet Sweeper Co" Grand k,apidS,
l\1ieh,
Bbncbard-Harnilton Furniture ('0., Thy,
8helhyvUlc. Ind.
Buc1~e;\:eChair Co., The, RaveuDlI, O.
Buffalo Chair ""ol'ks, Buffalo, ~. y,
Burkhardt :Furnitl1re Co., The, lhl}·ton~ O.
BWltl11an Art Co" Chicago,
Cabl~ ManD I~oJJsh Co" CWcago.
Cadllla(J Cabinet (0., Iletroit, J\Hch.
Caloric Co" Th~, Janeliville, ll'is.
Campbell Fu-rniture Co., C. H., Shelbyvme,
Ind.
Campbell, Smith & Rit{~hie, J,ebanon, Ind.
Capital Rattall Co., Tile, Indiu,napolis, Iod.
Ca$tru(~ci Co., The, Cincinnati; O.
Central Be.lding Co. of nIinol8, Chicago.
Chicago Distributing Co., Chi(~ago.
Chicago Lamp & Reflector Co., Chicagn.
ChiclIgIJ :.\(jrror & Art Glass Co., Cbio:~ago.
ChicagtJo 8tove & Range Co:., Chicago.
ChJpI~I¥a .1·'»l1s Furniture Co., ChipIWW,1
"Flills, "·is. Choate~IIollister li'urniture Co., JanesviHe,
"'is.
Columbia Feathel' Co" ChiCHg"(t,
Conrey & Bitely TlI.hle Cu., The" Shelbyville,
Ind.
Conrey.Davil'l Mfg. Co., SheJb:niUe, Ind,
Co-Operative Furniture Cn., Rockford, DI.
DJwis-Blrely °J"able Co., Tholl, Shelhyville, Ind.
'Davis, lIorwich & Steinmall, Chicago.
Umlngham Mfg. Cn., Sbel::oygan. ',"'i'l.
Dunn Co., .John A., Gardner, lialiS., U:l:l
Chicllgo.
Eckholt :l'urniture <"0., St. I.ouis, Mo.
Emmerich &- Co., Chall., Chkrtgo.
l<--:InrichFurniture Co., The, Iodiatlapolis, lnd
Eureka Fumitur~ n'mks, Sd1Ooleraft, Jlkh.
J<;x('c1 ~lfg. Co., Rockford, Ill.
E~'les Chair Co., l~. G., Cedar RUllidfl, fl-l.
Falcon ).Ug. Co., Big Rapids, :!'!lit:h.
)<'all Creek :L\1fg.Co., J.lonre",,·ille, Inll.
Fillwett J\1fJ;. Co., Uloomfteld, Ind,
:l'eige nesk ()o., Saginaw, Mi(·h.
FensJie nr08., <"hil~ltgo.
l"erguson Dr<IS. }lfg, Co., Hobokell, X. J.
l'i.sher ("'" C}-JUs, .4.., Ljllcoln, IJl.
:Fostcr Hros. -:\Ug, (:0., ('ti('Il, 1'. Y., and 81.
Louis, .:Uo.
VOYt"r Bros. & Co., 'J'nledo, O.
:t'o;yel' J\Hg. Cu., St\lr~is, Midi.
l<'l'(\cflman Bros. & Co., Chicago,
FH'lllont "Furniture Co., l"relllllnt, O.
Fuller. \\'arren Co., )li1waukee, '"is.
l''1tlton l\Ug. Co" Chicl,gO.
Garvy (:0., The, Chicagll.
Golden Vunlitur(' Co., JUllJestnwIl. N, Y.
GOlibell .:lUg. Co., GOJWen, I.nd.
('o~hen Novelty & ll:-u~h Co., Gosben, Iud.
Gnrue:1' Refrigerlltor 0,., Fond du I.Jw, \""'s.
-and
others.
we couldn't get all of
Look them all up.
Hausske & Co., August, CbicllgO.
Heroy GIllSS Co., Chkugo.
Herr.og Art Furniture Cn., 8agiua·w, J\lich.
Hod~lI Furnitq~e Co" 'rhe, Sb~ll1;rviUc, lmi.
Hollat<z Bros., Chicago.
Humpltl'ey Book(~lIse Co., Detroit, llich.
Indiana Brass & Iron Bed Co., llol'gantown,
Ind.
Indianapolis Chair & Furniture Co., Indian-apolis,
Ind.
,Jacoby l"ll1'niture Co., Y(t~k, PlI-.
JllJIlestown Chail' Co" Jaluelltown, N. Y.
Johnson It S{)US l"nrn. Co., A • .J., Chicago.
Ken~·, iSorcn!!ien Furn. Co., Clinton, Ia.
Remnitz :l"lHU.Co., Theo., Grcep lb". \\'is.
Kincaid Fumiturl~ Cll., iStatesYille, N, C.
Killg Furniture (,'0., ''''U1'J''('D, O.
l:llnleY ~Ifg.Co., Cbtcal;"o.
Knol::-,,'1l1e Table &; Chair Co., J{ntlxl'JIle,
Tenn.
Koenig FUl'1liture Co., St. Louis, :\'[0.
J,IID_b, Gcol'ge L., ~aIJPanej.', Ind.
LandllY, ,Joseph I., St. I.ollis, 1\'[0.
Landu,1t 8t.~el Hange Co., St. Louis, ~lo.
I.angslow-,Fo~\'ler Co., RocbeHter, N. Y.
l.evel Furnitllre Co., JaJUeHtow,n, K. Y.
I ..ibeny :Furuitul"e Co., Junlollstnwn, N. Y.
1.(I)"dJUg. Co" ~lenf1mhlee, Wis.
l,ust.re Chemical 'YorkS, Chicago.
:\Ianistee ~1fg, Co., ilfu,nistee, :J-lieh.
):r(~Cread): & \l'headoIl, Chi('llgO.
UcDougaII & Son, G, P., IUdlanapdlls, Ind.
~leeballics Furniture Co., !to('kford, TII.
Jnersman Broll.-Rrandts Cll., 'l"lle, Celina, O.
3-liiShll.walu\ :Folding Carriage Co" 'lishaw-aka,
Ind.
j[oou )lfg-. ('0" The J. L" Belle"'ue, O.
l\'[ount Airy Mll,ntet & Table Co., )lount Airy,
N. C.
Naperville Lounge Co., Naperville, ilL
National }t'urnitur-e Co., Jame~tl)WD, N, Y.
~atinnlll",beel Co., }'el'ry~blll.'g, O.
Norquist Co., The A. C., ,Jame-ston-n, N. Y.
~orth St. Paul Table Co., 1Jillueapnlis, )fjoll.
Oberbed{ Bro!l. 3ffg. Co., ('rand Rapid;.;, W1r.-.
Olbl'idi & ('olhel~k Co., Cbiellgo.
Pll1111erFurn. llfg. Co.• A, E" /\drian, l\Iich.
I'almer .\ffg. Co., Detl'flit, ~lh'h.
I'enn Table eo., Huntington, 'V. VII,
rhflcJljx Clmir CQ., Shebo"'gllIl, 'ViII.
them In
If you
at that.
don't you
Pioneer Mfg. Co., DetroIt, l\fich.
PUmptolt l\'If,l:". Co., F. T., Chicago.
Possdlu8 Bros, F·urn. Mfg. Co., The, Deb-oit,
.Uil'"h.
I're8ton & Khouri, l'ew York.
Prufrock-lAttoo F'urn. CfJ., St. 1A)uls, Mo.
Pullman Couch Cn., The, Chit,"llgo,
Ranney Refrig-cru,tor CQ., GreenviUe, Web.,
and Chicago.
Ruttan l\'Ifg. Co., New Haven, Conn.
Rockford Furniture Co" Rockfol'd, DI.
Rockford Standard Fum. Co., Roekford, ilL
nome Metallic Bed;o;tead Co., RODle, N, Y.
Roos ~1fg. Co" Chicago.
Root. :Furnlture Co,) Shelbyville, Ind.
Royal Mantel & Flun. Co., Jtockford, Ill.
Sag-nun- T'lble & Cubinet Co" Saginaw l\lich,
Saint Paul Table Co" St. Paul, -:\linn:
Sanitary Feather CQo" Cbil:ago,
8cbneidel' & Allman, Chicago.
Sdlranl Bros., Chicago.
Schultz &: Hil"8ch, Chi<~ago.
8ecger-GaJlaseh Refrigerat"r Co., St. Paul,
Minn.
Se:dro l\lfg. Co., The, Cincinnati, O.
Shelbyville Wardrobe ]\Olig. Co., iSbelbvviile
Ind. • ,
8hre-,,'c Chair Co., {:nion City, I'a,
Sidway "(crl~aIlUle Co., Elkh'lrt, Ind.
Sikes ConljoJjdated(~bJlir eo" New York,
Philadelphia and BUffalo.
Ska.ndia FurnitlU'e Co., RQCkford, Ill.
Spencer &, Bal'lles Co., The, Henton Harbor
.aIich. '
Spiegel Furniture Co., Shelb3:viJle, Ind.
Sprague &: Carleton, Keene, N, H,
8tantlal'd Chair Co., lJnion City, Pa.
~tl:lams & FOflter Co., Cincinnati, 0,
Stickley &. Branclt Chair Co., The, Blng_
hanlton, -S, Y.
8tom"bs-BQI'khardt Co., The, Dayton, 0,
Stone Ohllos Co., Chicago,
StUlJ.t J<'urniture Co., &dem, Ind.
Streator l\lctal Stumping Co., Stl'eator, IiI.
:-itreit l\ltg, Cu., The C, F., CJ1)einnatl, O.
8tul'kin-N~hoD· Cabinet Co., Loganspl,rt, Ind.
Suitt DrOll. ~lJfg. Co" The, Cambridge, O.
Thayer Co., lI. )l., Erie, Pa,
ThomasvUle Furn. Co., l.·homus\"il!e, Y, c.
Tnledo 'Ietal "\Vheel Co., Toledo, 0,
Tomlinson Chair Mfg. Co., High Point, N. C.
'I'l·ll.phagen & Hull :L\Ifg.Co., Kingston, N. Y.
Trlwer"e City Chair Co., Traverse Cft:)·, l\tieh.
llnagulolta. Ufg. Co., Asheville, N, C.
Upham )[fg. Co., ~Iu'i'lblield, Wis,
'l'a~J)l"r Mfg. Co., North l\Iilwaukee, "'"is.
\Yait-l?uller Cahinet Co., Portsmouth, 0,
ll'a ..b..illgttm -:\Hg. Co., 'l-'ashingLon C. H., 0,
"'ebde Co., The, New:f!-rk O.
n'clltern I'ktlJre }t'rame Co., Chicago.
\l.'he('1tI(~k &: Co., 0, R .• Cle-,,·elllDd. O.
'Vhitn(W & Co., W. F" South Ashburnham,
:Mass.
"'ldman & Co., J. C., Detroit, l\1ieh,
-U'i!!c,obsin Cabind (~n., Fond du Lac, ",·ill.
\l'ise-onsin Chair Co., '.rhe, port ''\Iasbing-t611,
U·i....
\YoU & Kra,croer Film. Co., St. I.uuis, 1\[0.
\\'olverinc lllfg. Co" Detf'<,it, iilkh.
Yeager J::urniture Co" The, Allentown, Pa.
Watch the next
will overlook some
for the
bets.
Issue
good
Manufacturers' Exhibition Building Co.,
1319 Michigan Ave., Chicago.
27
I
I
~-------------------- --- ---- --- --
28 MICHIGAN
SOLD AT AUCTION.
Oriental Art Objects Collected by Count Von Sternburg.
The collection of oriental art objects owned by the late
Baron Speck von Stern burg will be sold at anction in New
York in January. This collection was started by the baron
during his re.sidence in Pekin some years ago while he was
secretary to the German Ambassador Baron von 'Brandt.
Works of European at tare also included and are valwlble and
interesting.
There is one extraordinary object in the Van Sternburg
collection which may be the most remarka.ble of its kind out-
•
Fred 1. Zimmer
39 E. Bridae St.,
Grand Rapids. Mich..
Maker of
HIGH GRADE
UPHOJ..STERED
FURNITURE
Writefor
CUM ana Price6,
Evel'1 Piece Guarant_d
PERFECT. -------_.__._------'•
side of China, It is certainly a notable one and has attrac-tions
distinguishing it from two similar productions in the
possession of the South Kensington Museum which Dr.
Bushell describes. This is a screen of twelve panels which
unfolds to a length of about fifteen feet. It is eight feet
high.
The screen was made in the reign of K'ang-hsi. Its dec~
oration is more elaborate and more gorgeous in the sceneS
dep.icted than that of the two South Kensington screens of
similar workmanship. The decorations picture the interior
of the Summer Palace, ,,,1th ceremonial fetes in the pres-ence
of K'ang-hsi and notables of the court. The wood
panels are carved, inlaid with lacquers and painted in bril-liant
colors. of the famiHe verte, the painting enamelled as in
the case of similar painting on porcelains and the whole or-namentation
embellished by ·gilding. On the backs of th~
pands are some of the inscriptions which the Chinese amba.s-sador
at Washington has interested hin~self to have trans-lated.
The South Kensington screens of this class, which
were purchased many years ago, are said to have cost re-spectively
$10,000 and $12,000.
When Von Sternburg was traveling with Von Brandt in
Tibet he gathered in some Buddhistic idols of bronze, gilded
some porcelains and carvings and an interetsing set of fif-teenth
century illuminated scrolls illustrative of the thous-andth
incarnation of Buddha. In India as well as in other
of the Asiatic countries, China included, he secured some rugs
in keeping with the general character of his collection for
household use and adornment, among other purcha.ses in this
list being an Agra carpet which was made in the prison fOI'
the palace of the Viceroy of India. It did not fit the hall
for which it was designed in the 'palace .. and Baron Von
Sternburg took the opportunity to buy it.
The textiles inclUde further some beautifu1 Mandarin robes
and old Chinese velvets and brocades. One tapestry was
made for the imperial palace in Pekin in 1750. It is of
Chinese manufacture, but with the GoheEn stitch, which gives
Mr. Kirby and others an excellent opportunity to renew their
interesting contentions as to whether the three century old
French industry, which later took its name from the Gohe1in
family, derived this stitch from the ancient Chinese or
ARTISAI\
whether comparatively modern Chinese copied the stitch
which became famous under its French name. The partic:-
ular hanging in the Van Sternburg collection pictures China's
former capital, Hangchow, and expeditions of Western har~
barians, tribute la.den.
Among the miscellaneollsobjects is a repousse wine cool-er
used in the days of August the Strong of Saxony and pieces
of Augsburg silver and a number of oriental weapons.
The collection includes a Rembrandt Peale portrait of
Washington.
@ * @
Robert Mitchell was a Great Workman.
Robert Mitchell the founder of the great furniture in-dustry
bearing his name, which has flourished in Cincinnati
many yearS, was a master of his craft. Beginning his busi-ness
career with little besides a pair of trai:"ted and willing
hands, he acquired a fortune' and died with the respect and
11Onordue to a useful and worthy citizen. On one occasion
a ellston-.er ordered two extel1sion nbles, to cost $30.00 each.
~Ir, Mitchell carried a pair of saw bucks, a buck and a rip
saw into the yard where he kept his little stock of lumber,
pulled the lumber necessary to make the tables out of a
stack and cut the stock to meet his requirements. At the
end of the sixth day he delivered the tables to his customer
who remarked, "You have earned $10.00 per day. Why.
that is as much as a senator of the United States receives."
Mr. Mitchell acknowledged the truth of the statement, but
intimated that he at least, had earned the money,"
@ * @
A Veteran Manufacturer.
Charles H. Cox, the vice president of the Michigan Chair
Compa.ny, Grand Rapids, engaged in the manufacture of par-lor
frames in East Boston, Mass., before he was out of his
"teens." The panic of 1873 soon commanded his. attention,
and when the question presented had ben prope.ly dispose.d
of Mr. Cox united his fortunes with Frank Rhoner, in Ne,,\;
York. VVhen in a reminiscent mood 1'lr. Cox' relates man.r
interestil1g exper-ienc.es in his 1ife as a manufacturer and sates-man.
Of all the great upholstering houses engaged in busi·-
n.ess in New York a quarter of a c-en-tur_y .ag_o -bu-t -tw-o-fe~- i Big Rapids Fumi-
I lure Mfg. Co.
BlG RAPIDS, MIOH.
SIDEBOARDS
BUFFETS
HALL RACKS I
No. 128. Price $12. I 2 Off 80 days/'.. Q. b.
Big Ra]ndS. -l
In Quartered Oak, Golden
and Early English Finish,
•
main. 1\fr. Cox predicts a great future for Grand Rapids a.s
a. furniture market. Its importance will grow with the pass-ing
of the years. Local manufacturers wiIl take advantage
of the great opp.ortunity now offering for extending their
trade. .
@J * @J
Product 1,100,000 Chairs.
The Murphy Chair Company operate one of the largest
plants in their line of manufacture in the world. The output
is 1,100,000 chairs, ranging from cheap to medium in quality,
annually.
!II I CHI G A 1\ ARTISAN 29
r~I~~-~O~~LLEIN;~-·E-O-S-F-·----------l
I REfRIGERATORS
I RIGHT a~RICES
I
Opalite Lined.
Enamel Lined.
Charcoal Filled and
Zinc Lined.
Zinc Lined with Re-movable
Ice Tank.
Galvanized Iron Lined;
Stationary lee Tank.
Sad for New C2!tJ!"gue
d/fd let t.u 114me)'Pu trite,
'-------
Sturgis Lines in Grand Rapids.
The Aulsbrook and Jones vurniture Co., olre having a fair
run of bL",sit;(ss, aul preparing to show their full line Oil t;;c
llrst floor of the Ivr anufactur~~s' building, l;rand Rapids, in
J:wuary. This \ViI{ be a pcnranent exhibit, with Shank &
Sheltoe. [n addition to their large line of quartered o:lk
charcber furniture they will add new patten's in In,;,hogany.
The Grobhisc:--Cabinetmakers Cowpany, will nwkc an in-tere1;
til18" display of ma.tchcd dining room and lihrary suites,
in quartt,oed oak, plain n-allOgany, Circa",sian walnut and
crotch l1iahogallY; al!'io a large line of extension, library, dir-ectors'
office, dcn alld odd tahles, book cases and ladies' desk;"
in their permancllt show room, second floor 1Janufacturers'
building, Grand RDpids. Both the Clbiuetmakcrs Company
and the old firm of Grobhjser and C·osby have been "\vcll-kno'wll
mnkers of good furniture for years, and this combi-nation
will make it better for the buyer, as it will give him
an oppo;-tuoity to select n~atched goods. to a,dvantage.
Talking ahout hustle, and goods the people want--Con-sider
the Royal Chair Company. During the dull period
when many factories were running on balf time with a re
duced force, the Roya1 Chair company ..\.'.Qr~ actually running
nights to keep IIp with orders. The ROYed 11.or~is push but-ton
chair bas such a hold on the confidcnce of the people
that it seems as if the demand will 110t t:ease until evny
mother's son and daughter has secured one. At any rate it
is certainly going some when that big factory, (nearly 400
feet long) is operated night and day to meet the demand for
Roy::l1 and Regal cha.irs, In January the company will dis-play
their whole line in the Furniture Exhibition Building,
Grand Rapids,
@ * @
The triumph of right is preached by men on the winning
side.
I
I~
Celina Tables.
The l\JerStIWll Brorhers, Brandts Company, have macle
Celina, 0., pron:inent by reason of the. big ta.ble business they
h.:n:e built up ill the Jast fe\'>! years. They manufacture a line
of one hundrcd twenty-fl\'e patterns of pillar and five leg
dining tables 'also 1ibn:]l"y tables-and have teased 2,700 square
feet of Boor space on the fifth floor of rhe 1\1allufacturers' Ex-hibition
building, 1319 Ivlichigan avenue, Chicago. Ed H.
~Iersrnall, the president of the company, will be in chargc,
assist cd by C. Georgt:' \Varner, their western representative,
and C L. :\lerce .. eastern representative. This company is
getting out a new catalogue which is intended 10 outshine any
table catalogue ever gotten out by anybody. It will be ready
for distribution in January.
@ * @
Johnson Furniture Company.
This is the name of the la.te<it addition to the Grand Rap-ids
list of high grade furniture makers. The Johnson boys
have a reputation as fine cabinetmakers that is the envy of
rr.any ..v..ho have been long ill the business. They will show
a line of sixty patterns of library and dining room suites in
plain and crotch mahogany, on the second floor, south half,
of the Furniture Exhibition Building, Grand Rapids, in Jan-uary,
in chat'ge of ]. Criss welL east, ]. Hamilton, middle west,
and T. H. Camp, far west. It wjJJ be a superior line in every
respect, and 'will comm:'l.1ld nwrked attention from a.1l discrim-inating
buyers,
@ * @
The sa.lesman who "nags" his employer will not receive
an increase of salary next year,
"to °to
A source of loss in salesmanship is the misinterpretation
of a customer's intentions.
------'
-------------------------------- -- - -
30 MICHIGAN
"Revamping" Old Furniture.
Housewives delight in rummaging among old furniture
stored in attics, bringing it out to the llght' of day, taking it
to a cabinet maker and "l1Upfoving" it by converting parts
of it into something it was never meant for and setting it
up in the living-rooms of houses in its new guise but looking
the worse fol' its transformation. An old-fashioned bureau
was converted into a freakish looking sideboard with several
drawers removed leaving an open shelf below two small
drawers. The heavy knobs on the corner posts look as if
some bed posts had been found and· put together for the
frame work of the piece. A mirror was purchased and
hung above it and it was ready for future use as a side-board.
An old organ was converted into a writing desk by tak-
ARTISAN
ing away the center panel below, removing the keyboard
and inner workings, adding shelves, pigeon holes and two
cupboards and presto the deed was done. But it was not a
thing of beauty. "A thing of beauty ,is a joy forever" and
surely these things never can arouse a feeling of that sort,
Better have left them as they were.
@ * @
Pre:niums Distributed by Ret:.ih:rs.
The Use of premiums seems to have become general
throughout the country. Merchants have adopted the plan,
giving purchasers of goods of many kinds an ex.tra incentive
to buy and in addition "get something for nothing." Some
of t11e articles "given away" are as follows;
Knock Brothers, Peoria, ItL, placed a rocking chair in
their store window with the announcement that it would be
given to the purchaser of the largest amOUnt of goods (pay-ing
cash) .during two days. A doubtful proceeding to under-take,
25 p~trchasers ha.ve no way to be sure of fair play.
Smullin" B-:-os.,Kane, Fa., are giving away a certain make
of kitc.hen t:'.abinet.
Lit Brothers, Philadelphia, arc glVltlg a large high class
music cahinet with every purchase of a specially advertised
piano.
The Hub Furniture Company, of 'Nashington, D. C. with
a sale of $50 or more arc giving away a 26-pl(:ce chest of
\Vm. Rogers silverw<Lre and a 32-piece dinner set with every
Purchase of $25 or more. The \Vebber Furniture Company,
Leominster, .;vI ass., offer a $65 cooking range to the person
presenting at their store the largest number of newspaper
clippings of their advertisements on a certain date specified
by them. Breuner's, of Oaklal1d, Ca!., house-furnishers:, give
a five room bungalow and a 40 x: 125 foot lot. vaiued at $4-,000.
Hartman's store in Peoria, 111.,had a two days sale of stoves
and with ea.c.h sale gave away a "weathered oak finish Morris
chair.
Gusdorff & Joseph. of Baltimore in their ads offer it golden
oak French bevel mirror dresser for one cent-with th(; pur-chase
of $100 or more. L H. Cohn & Company, Youngs-town,
0., dealers in furniture, in their newspaper ads an-nottnce
"a premium witth every sale." Offers of recent date
,>\rerea set of Rogers silver free with a $50 purchase cash or
credit; a sewing machine with every $150 sale. Even way
out in Washington in the tmvn of Everett, Smith & Boeshar
ltottsefurnishers, have been giving away a ha.rdwood mission
stool of quaint design upholstered in imitation leather with
eve,y $10 purchase. The condition was that the newspaper
ad be brought to the store or mailed with the order.
A fabrikoid rocker went with every $100 purchase cash or
credit in Cleveland, witth Bradleys', housefurnishcrs. In the
ads the regular price is stated with the illustration and de-scription
of the goods.
A fifty-two piece dinner set was the attraetion Gevurtz &
Sons, of Portland, Orc., offered to the bargain hunters who
purchased their special all steel range. No restrictions were
made and they gave out the goods either on cash or credit.
A Streit davenport is the inducement offe-ed by the Beau-champ-
Polk Carpet & Furniture Company, Little Rock, Ark.,
on certain days.
The John IVr. Smyth Co., of Chicago, give a safety razor
with every purc11ase of a special grade chamber suite. Siegel,
Cooper's go them one better. ""'ith the sale of every $10
'worth of goods they allow each person to have their fortune
told by a competent card reader who makes $3 on each
reading.
Gates & Rich, of \Vashington, D, C., give with every
purchase worth $5.00 or more a Wilton covered hassock.
The Hub Furniture & Carpet Company, of Colubml's, O.
offer as a special premium a Bohemian gold filigree water
set free ''llith a purchase of $10.00 or over, cash or credit.
They believe that furniture houses should offer other things
than furnitlt:,e as premiums, something not in their regular
stock being a big inducement.
------------------------ --
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
FURNITURE
31
OF THE ANCIENTS
The ancients used motE!and better furniture than they are generally credited
with. The illustrations below· represent the styles of the early centuries.
Altar in tbe Museum lit Rav('nna.
JI rJdenl hronze table in the
museum at "Naples
~
~
Ancient footstooL
Old Indian furniture.
- Club found in Puri. ~Chair of the Dagobeto made of gilt bronze.
Ancient couch with table
Old Indian CJlair
Bed, twelfth century.
Old Indian chair.
Assyrian Chair.
Chair of the statue of St, Foy io the
treasury at Couques.
Old Egyptian wooden chairs.
Ancient marble ann chait.
I
I
I
-------------- --- - - _.-
32 :,J I CHI G A 1\ ART I SAN
Styles. of Ornament.
"Styles of Orname11t" by Alexander Speltz is'a most val-uable
addition to the furniture collection in the Ryerson
Pubtic Library, Grand Rap-lus. In it is traced the history
of all styles of ornament from those of the early Egyptians,
Syrians, Ba,bylonians and others, down to the present timc.
It is a most intere.sting study for either the professional or
amateur, The fact is brought out that art and the artistic
spirit bas always been present in the people of all races, and
the flora and fauna of each nation was used for art pttrposes,
Tn Egypt art flourished 4000 years before Christ.
The Syrians and Babylonians went back to an even earlier
date, their terra cotta glazed mosaics used as wall decora- rST~.!:L!?t\~r~.£!:!!!..!::,•.Co.
I,I
j
(PATENT APf'LIEP FOR)
We have adopted celluloid as a base for our Caster CtlpS, making th-e
hest cup on the market Celluloid is a great improvement over bases
made of other material. When it is necessary to move a piece supported
by cups with cellu.\oid bases it can be done with ease, as the bases are per-fectly
smooth. Celluloid does not sweat and by the use of these cups
tables are never marred_ These cups Brc finished in Golden Oak and
White Maple .. finished light. If you wW try a sample order oj tk~e
goods you will deGireto !iu/f/Jdlethem in quantities.
PRICES: Size 2~ incbes__ $5.50 per hundred.
Size2U inches 4.50 per hundred.
f. o. G. Gra7td Rapid8. TRY.A SA.MPLE ORDER. I~----------
tions show their artistic attainments. The Egyptians \1sed
as motives for ornaments the lotus flower, papyrus flower,
date-palm, -reed and a kind of withe. Their a.rt is character-ized
by marked order and regularity and to this is due the
"clearness, exactness and dignity which distinguish it from
the Greek." The great quantity of stone found in Egypt
made it convenient for use in sculpture. Egyptian art was
cold and stiff compared to the Greek. The interiors of tombs
were often ornamented with wall paintings.
The art of Persia, India and the Mediterranean Isles was
influenced by the Babylonians and after Persia was con-quered
by Alexander the Great, BeHenic art was in the
ascendancy.
Hellenic art of 1000 B. C. received its inspiration from
mythology, giving it its predominating character of idealism
The Oriental styles were put in the background by the
Hellenic which developed in its own characteristic manner
and became the ruling one from 470 to 338 B. C.~The golden
age of Grecian art, also called the age of Peri.des.
The Erechtheion is the most beautiful monument of Grec-ian
art in existence. The three styles of architecture were,
successively; Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The latter lasted
until the" fall of Corinth from 338 to 146 B. C.-the down-fall
of Greek indepclldenceand the union of Greek and
Roman art.
Etruscan art (1000 B. C.) reached its highest develOp-ment
from 800 to 400 B, C. when the Tuscans were subju-gated
by the Romans. The antecedents of the Tuscans are
unknown, but they had a separate and distinct stylc in art,
and a civilization of their own. They were influenced by
Carthage a,hd Phoenicia and ,ancient Ionic styles and them-selves
influenced the art of Rome then in its infancy.
The Romans were devoted to money making and land
getting and so their ,art was largely developed under Greek
•
influences and teachers. They excelled in architecture in
such structures as basilicas, thermes, palaces, monuments,
etc., and have always been the teachers of succeeding gener-ations.
They used the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Etruscan
styles to \vhich they added a composite style of their own.
The art of making mosaics reached its highest development
under the. Romans. With the decadence of the Empire art
declined. Ornaments were heaped on Greek outlines causing
its exquisite harmony to be lost. With the fall of Rome
classic art also met its fate.
Other styles followed such as the Early Christian and
Byzantine. The latter is a conglomeration of other styles,
its most noticeable feature being the use of orname11ts in
great elaboration. The church of San Marco at Venice is a
good illustration of th:s style .
The eastern Roman Empire greatly influenced the deve-lopment
of a new art among the Christian German states
which rose from the ruins of the western Roma.n Empire.
Pompeiian art was derived from the Roman and also
sho'ws a leaning towards Helleni~tic prototypes from Alex-al~
driaJ although their artistic independence is in evidencc
in many single o"naments in pure naturalistic style.. MUT<\.1
painting~ were a favorite form of decoration with the Porn-peiian,
many of their beautiful panel pictures with rich
bright coloring are seen today. The. walls were -panelled and
each panel had a central figure of some subject of mythology.
The freize~ above were beautiful representations of the
trades such as floriculture, art of dyeing, etc., as in the
house of VettL
Art strongly influenced religion. The early Christian art
may be spoken of as a period of transition..:.:-trying to free
itself from the old Classic and Byzantine influences. At
about 900 A. D. art began to be more settled, to n~ove along
more sccu '·e lincs. The Roman style of architecture began
to develop itself and spread from Italy to France and Ger-many,
Spain ard England. It was followed by the Gothic
about 1200 A. D. This originated in northern France and
spread to Genrany where some of its best examples are.
The Cathedral of Kotrc Dame in Paris is a perfect example.
The Italiars called it "Gothic" as a term of derision for
all people north of the Alps and Italy. It took 1,000 years
to develop the classic styles from oriental and Egyptian ut
and 1,000 years to develop the Gothic from the classic. 'This
style was followed by the Renaissance in Italy or return to
classic styles. In the book other periods such as the Ba-rocco,
Rococco, Louis XVI. and Empire are described, he-
<:ides others of l~orthern Europe and our own Colonial.
@ * @
An Essential Feature Omitted.
This is a Sargent story: A millionaire of coarse extrac-tion
went to 2'vTr. Sargent's studio and.haad his portrait done.
When the portrait was finished the millionaire looked at it
closely, and then said with a frown:
"Not bad" Mr. Sargent; not at all bad, but you've left
out onc most esscntial feature."
Mf_ S:'lrgent bit his lips to hide a smile,
"Excuse me, sir," he said, "but I thought you wouldn't care
to have the-er-er-warts produced!'
The millionaire, purple with rage, shouted:
"Confound it, sir, I'm talking about the diamond rings and
pin-flot the warts!"
@ * @
A Double Writiug Table.
The furniture makers have put out a very good writing
desk for a sitting room. It has an upright centre piece filled
with pigeon holes on both sides; There is a lid on each side
which is large enough to be fitted out with the usual desk
implements. Two people can sit at it comfortably without
staring into each other's faces as the centre upright is higher
than the head.
-~
-------- -- -- - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MICHIGAN ARTISAN 33
.t..-------------------------------------.
PARLOR FURNITURE
Our line for 1909 is entirely new and will surpass anything ever
shown. We invite all dealers to call and see us or write us
before making purchases.
l THOSeMADDEN, SON & COMPANY t
Davenport Beds for 1909 will surprise every wide awake dealer. Prices and styles to suit
every one. A hundred patterns to select from.
Show Rooms 35 to 41 N. Capital Ave., Indianapolis, Ind.
3+ MICHIGAN ARTISAN
~--- -- ----- -.
I ,
I OUR OAK AND MAHOGANY
I I DINING
I EXTENSION ! TABLES II
ARE
BEST MADE ,
BEST FINISHED IVALUES I
All Made l,om Tbmoughly 5<""0«1 Slod<.
LENTZ TABLE co.
NASHVILLE, ,MICH.
No. 567
• •
The manufacturers of furniture in Evansville are fully
prepared for a long and prosperous season of trade which
they feel assured will follow the opening of the new year.
Fun lines of samples, numbering many thousands of pieces,
have been prepared and dealers will' find samples of many
of the same on exhibition in St. Louis and Chicago, A great
majority of the people of the United States need the furni-ture
that is marlUfactured in Evansville and dealers wna are
not acquainted with EvansvjIJe goods, if there are such, afe
not alive to their own interests. Not to know the merits of
Evansville furniture must be considered an admission that
the dealer .who acknowledges the fact belongs to the "has
been" or "never was" class.
The Karges Furniture Company have pla.ced 3n order for
a large and handsome illustrated catalogue.
Catalogues will soon be issut:d by the Bosse, the Globe
and the \Vorld Furniture Companies.
Manager Fellwock, of the Bockstegc Furniture Company,
reports a steady demand for the high grade medium priced
tables manufactured by the company.
Quite a number of factories have beell operated to capa-city
and others ..v..i.ll go upon the ten hour work day early in
the coming year,
The Eli D. Miner Compa.ny are closing a very success-ful
year and ,vill enlarge their manufacturing facilities very
largely in the near future. :Manager Miner has been en-gaged
in the furniture business from boyhood up! he having
commenced work in the factory when but nine years of age.
As a workman, a rr.annfactnrer and a salesman he has won
success through his inteHig'ence and industry.
@> * @
Forest City Sectional Bookcases.
The Forest City Furniture Company of Rockford, Ill.,
manufacture sectional bookcases as a specialty. In their
construction period styles are effectively· employed. Noise-less
and removable doors are used and the cases are air
tight flmJ dust proof.
One Hundred and Fifty Dining Tables.
The Stow & Davis Furniture Company, of Grand Rapids,
will exhibit-a line of one hundrcd and fifty dining tables on
the fourth floor, north side of the Blodgett building. Twen-ty-
five patterns were recently designed. The line will be
sold during the coming year by N. B. BJ'<)oks, (formerly of
the Imperial Furniture Company,) in the cast; Edgar W.
Hunting in the middle territory; Phil S. Raigucl, in the cen-tral
west and George W. Calder on the coast.
DELAWARE
CHAIR CO.
DELAWARE, OHIO.
Will exhibit theirfull line of
Double Cane Seat -Chairs
and Rockel~~ather Chairs
and Rockers. Diners, Bed.
room Chairs and RockerS.
Mission Chairs and Rockers
on the
5th Floor Furniture
Exhibition Bldg.
GRAND RAPIDS.
1__ J
__ MICHIGAN ARTISAN
MANUFACTURERS OF
HIGH GRADE
OFFICE CHAIRS,
DINING
CHAIRS
RECEPTION CHAIRS and ROCKERS
SLIPPER ROCKERS
COLONIAL PARLOR SUITES
DESK and DRESSING CHAIRS
In Dark and Tuna Mahogany,
Birch, Bird's-eye Maple,
Quartered Oak and Circassian
Walnut
You will find our Exhibit on the
Fourth Floor East Section, Manufacturers' Building, North Ionia Street.
I~
Exhibit in cbarge of J. c. Hamilton, C. E. Cohoes, }. Edgar Fosler.
35
-------------------------------- --
.\6 MICHIGAN
A TAME LION.
An Experience of the New Man.
\\rhe\v! \\'hat do you know ahout this?
Left Ahbington late last night, and say I was scared stiff
when I hit that town-so stiff my hair broke when I took
my hat off. T·won't need a ha.ircut for six weeks.
They all told me what a terrible man that big merchant
was, and I "\\'as some worried when I found myself On the
depot platform, Ri.ght ahead of me I could see a big store and
acr05S the front of that sto:-e I could see the sign:
***********
*
* *
JAMES Q. PEERS.
*******
*
* *
I looked about for some other store to tackle first, but
didn't see auy. I wanted to get limbered up before 1 went
ill to action with a terror. But there was nothing to do but
huck up, trust in providence and shut my eyes.
\Vhcn I got to the door I set my grips down and wiped
my perspiring forehead. T was cold and clammy, all right.
Finally I mustered up what I ha.ve al"..-ays referred to as my
courage and walked inside. It was a big store and no mis-take,
and there were not very many people in just then.
Fact is, I was hoping there'd be a fe,v, so I could h;tve a dis-traction
for the old gentleman if he should get too much
enraged and try to chew my ear off. I looked around cau-tiously'.
There he stood talking to a farmer's wife. He was
not very tall, but of good heft-had shoulders like the circus
• --- I I Plonm
I Manufadurin~
(om~any
DF.TROI'l', MICH.
Reed Furniture
Baby Carriages
Go-Carts
~
t ~,,_._- at the factory. ---
PALMER MFG. CO. 115 to 135 Palmer Ave.•
DETROIT, MIOH.
Manufacturers of
FANCY TABLES
PEDESTALS TABOURETTES
for the
PARLOR "'I'4D LIBRARY
Our flimoUI ROOKWOOD FlNISH Il"rowa I in PClP\lLu:ity llWl."CY day. Natb.in-a Ii.lr.e it.
Pede.tal No. 412.
Write for Pieture. and Prie.,.. I
~ I
ARTISAN
strong man, His hair was- grizzled; his beard was hea.vy
and unkempt. His eyes looked out from under his shaggy
brows, and it seemed to me that they shot fire and that his
nostrils dilated as he got a scent that rem1nded h1m of a sales-man.
The evening before, some of the choice spirits on the roa.d,
that I met on the train. had regaled me with tales of what
this particular town held in store for me. They had told me
of one fellow that had been thrown out bodily, another that
had been kicked out and of still another who had run for his
tife. I took it all with a l~ttle salt, of course, because I
thought they!d try to get me scared. In spite of the sodium
chloride they had sucecded very well, ,though.
After a while the farmeress moved on and I felt those
cold, sharp eyes hit me like a dipperful of icy water. I of-fered
up four silent but earnest prayers, and faltered for-ward.
"What'li ye have?" be growled, sizing me up, I thought,
ferociously, picking out the places where a crack with ;1
wagon spoke would hurt worst.
I managed to stammer out that I was traveling for The
House, and tha,t I thought maybe he'd be in line for some
goods. Before I could say any more, he snapped his teeth
and told me gruffly to come back again at 1 o'clock. when
there wouldn"t be anybody around.
I thanked him and told him I'd be there. But, honest. I
didn't intend to show up. I thought, what's the Use of tempt-ing
fate. I'm out and still sound' in wind and limb. Will I
go back? Not on your tintype!
I found two morc stores in town and got one for an order,
but not a very big one. As n0011 passed I got more and
more anxious. Should I or should I not? At last, I worked
myself up to hero size and went back and walked in just a3
the clock struck one,
He looked up from the paper he was reading, and grunted.
"Thought you wasn't comin' back," he said.
"Why. r said I would, didn't I?"
"Yes, you sajd it, but you didn!t look it."
That seemed 50 fnild that Iistarted in about some of th,,:
goods, and to keep my upper fip stiff, I opened up, keeping
l1p a shower of g~b all the tilfe for fear I'd lose my nerve
and hott for it. He sat stlll, eyeing me and never said a
word till I ran down. Then he shrugged his shoulders and
said:
"Set down."
There was a chair there and I sat down, waiting for the
torture to commence.
"Got yer pencil an' paper ready?" he snarled.
In a daze I produced 'em.
Then he reeled off one of the best orders I've taken yet.
I wrote and wrote and wrote, and finally he snapped out
that that was all. I ~,ctamble:d to my feet, va-cked my grips
• ...
Murphy Chair Co.
MANUFACTURERS DETROIT, MICH.
IIA I•
COMPLE.TE LINE.
.\1 I CHI C; A l\ ARTISAi\:
...-------------------------- I Woodard Fumiture Company
I
OWOSSO
MICHIGAN
Manufacturers of High erade
Medium Priced
BEDROOM I
FURNITURE I
I In all the Fanry Wood, aod
Finishes ..
Very strong in Colonial and French Period Suites and
Cin::assian Walnut. You are cotdially invited to inspect
our line during the January exhibit in Grand Rapids.
SAME LOCATION
THIRD FLOOR, FURN. EXHIBITION BLDG.
~ew Catalog ReadY illl January.
WOODARD FURN. CO.
owosso, MICH. ----------.-.-------_.
and started out. He called out to me before I got tp the
door. "Come back here, you," and back 1 wenL
'''Hev a seegcll"," he said, producing a black O1le about :\
foot long. I tock it <111d poked it into the cortler *f my
mouth.
"\Vha,t's the matter \vith yc?" he queried. "Takin" ,'dO\"tll
with grip? You look sorter pcekish. Got any quinine?"
I found my tongue agaill after a while and told him I
was all right and thanked him for the order. He sho"Jed all
his teeth and he ha,d two hUlleLed, it looked like.
"Soine of the fresh guys must a heen stuffin' ye about me."
he hazarded. I ackll0wlec1;{ed that he wa5 correct.
"Corne on hack 011' set ~nvhile an' I'll tdl ye how ;:\bout."
he volunteered, so vvc squatted by tbe .side of the state and
he told me.
He said that about four year~, before a real 5assy dqtmmer
marched into his store .."..hen it was full of customers. iIt wa.s
a busy time Cl1lJ he had just stocked up pretty hcavib< Be-sides
which he had the toothache combined with a dose of
cramps and one of his feet had chilblains. A smooth chap
had worked a bogus dollar all llim the day befm-e, ~nd the
house this man traveled for had loaded him up with! goods
he could not sell. The "drummer" stayed by him and vvonld
not take no for an answer, and at last, in desperation j!he had
ordered him out of the store, emphasizing what he s~dwjth
violent gestures. '
And that story had grown and grown until it was ~hc side
of thc mountain back of us. That and his surlyapp¢arancc.
fIe felt sort of bad about it, be said. Said his nciighbors
knew he was good at heart and that he wouldn't hurt ia living
soul. Declared that. while his looks were fierce, hd wasn't
altogether to blame, but he said that, while he diel!l't mincl
cutting the wing feathers of a few of tbe real sassy \boys, he
felt it wasn't ha,rdly right to have that kind of a reputation, I
and when he saw I was ready to dodge every time h~ moved ,
37
I
he decided to ;;d LiIT.self right for once. The old man had
a streak of hutT:or in !Jim somewhere, for he remarked that
the situation was \lot without his compensation sometime".
'''ihy, before 1 got through there, he was ca.l1ing l11e Bob,
and 1 was calling him Jim. ""Vent out to supper, "sllpper."
n~ind you, this time, and we had a regular love feast. He is
all right, is Jim, and he told me never to pass him out. \!ll-~
cottoned to each other from the word go.
On the train out J met up with :-1.nother traveler. FIe
grinned \"'hen he sa\' ..· me and asked me what I get. I told
him offhancl that I got a good order 011t of Jim. I{egrinned
and said T was a cbeerful one, hut he was glad to see :me sti11
tlncrippled. I had an impulse to show him the order, but on
second thoughts I didn't. It isn't good policy and besides
why not have Jim ke.ep his reputation? \Von't the boys ;It
The House open their peepers when they see that order,
though!
\Vell, rye lea,TIled one lesson, and that's not to belie\'.,;,
everything I hear. Also, 1 have cJiscove:red that retail mer-c1Janb
<lre good hearted folks down at the bottom. Further_
more, I <1111 convinced that fre'~,hlle~s does \lot pay a knight of
the grip. Two more to\";"n5 and then I'm headed for home
and, it seems to Ille, a few words of commendation from thE"
Big Noise of The I-Iollse.-The Oregon Tradesman.
@ * @
A Complete Change in the Holland Line.
The H ollat'd FurnitUl'e Company makes a. long step in ad-vance
in their Hew line of chamber furniture designed by
John E. Brower and SOIl. It contains features never hefore
attempted by the company and buyers ,,·...ill be agreeably sur-prised
\vhen the opportunity shall be offered to inspect the
Jine. IV. C. Croll, J. C. Hamilton, E. S. Brower, V>l. C.
Schaefer, Henry F. Shafer and C. E. Cohoes will furnish full
information in rega,rd to the new features when buyers· call
at the Manufacturers' building, Grand Rapid:>.
38 M!CHIGAN
.j /
President J. S. :Meyers, of "1319-tlle Big Building" tells
us everything is practically in readincss for the coming Jan-uary
exhibition, which he says is sure to be a most satisfac-tory
exhib;tion from every point of view. The men coming
in from the road report a lUuch better temper of business
in the retail trade a.nd the dealers all express their intention
of coming to the market in January. Stocks are uniformly
low and some f1oo:s -practically empty.
The big building has been re-decorated throughout and
the general ,effect will be even more cheerful and homelike
than ever, The tobby is in Turkey red, as is also the buffet,
lunchroom and ante rooms. The restau:"ant is in German
blue and terra cotta. The effect of the whole is pleasing in
the extreme.
George Jackson, the secretary, has been waging a strenu-ous
can~paign of advertising among the retail 'dealers through-
Ollt the country, as was done last season and the season before,
and this will result in bringing more new buyers than ever
to the building.
There ..\':\1 he seen many new exhibits in the huilding this
season, most of them their first time in the Chicago market
and others coming baek after an absence of one or more
sea5011S. The following are among them:
Advance Reddillg Co., La Crosse, Wis.
Arcadia Furniture Co., Arcadia, 2\lich.
Aude Furniture Co., St. Louis, Mo.
Buffalo Chair Vlorks, Buffalo, N. Y.
The Caloric Co., Janesville, ''Vis.
The Castrucci Co., Cincinnati, O.
Chicago .l\1il-ror and Art Glass Co., Chicago.
Chicago Stove and Range Co., Chicago, Ill.
Eureka Furniture \,yorks, Schoolcraft, Mich.
Feige Desk Co., Saginaw,Mich.
Gurney Refrigerator Co., Fond Ju Lac, \-Vis.
Aug. Hausske & Co., Chicago, Ill.
King Furniture Co., \-\Farren, O.
Kinley l\Janufaeturing Co., Chicago, Ill.
Koenig Furniture Co., St. Louis, :\'10.
Liberty Furniture Co., Jamestown, N. Y.
Lloyd .l\-fanfacturing Co., Chicago, Ill.
McCready & Wheadon, Chicago, Ill.
The Mersman Bros., Brandts Co., Celina, O.
1fishawaka Folding Carriage Co., Mishawaka, Ind.
Olbrich & Goldbeck Co., Chicago, Ill.
Penn Table Co., Huntington, \-V. Va.
Phoenix Chair Co., Sheboygan, Wis.
Roos Manfacturing Co.! Chicago, Ill.
Sprague and Carleton, Keene, N. H.
StOt1t Furniture Co., Salem, Ind.
Toledo Metal \Vheel Co., Toledo, O.
Tomlin.son Chair Manufacturing Co., High P0int, N. C.
Traphagen & Hull l\lanufacturing Co., Kingston, N. Y.
Traverse City Chair Co.. Traverse City, Mich.
Upham Manufacturing Co., :Marshfield;' Wis.
\Vagner 1Janufacturing Co., North Milwaukee, Wis.
Wajt-Fuller Cabinet Co., Portsmouth, O.
O. K. VVheelock & Co.} Cleveland, O.
W. F. \Alhttney & Co., South Ashburnham, l\Iass.
E. G. Eyles Chair Co., Cedar Rapids, Ta.
J a.cob Keim, Chicago, Ill.
Unagttsta Manufaduring Co., Ashville, N. C.
The building is sold. up solid and a large number of appli-cants
were turned down because there was no space for them.
ARTISAN
This, of itself, is not only evidence of the upward tendency
of trade, but additional proof (as though more were nec-essary
1) of the great value of exhibition-the only logical
and efficient method of exploiting furniture.
The Fot.trteen-Eleve.n Compally have named their big
buildings "The Furniture Exhibition." Everybody who goes
to Chicago knows that "fourteen-eleven" means 1411 Michi-gan
avenue, and under the new management, with two hun-dred
Jines, ne ..v offices, and many changes in partitions, ele-vator,
and decorations, the buyers will be agreeably snr-p:
·ised. The Furniture Exhibition promises from this time
on to be more popula.r than ever.
Henry Hafner, president of the Hafner Furniture Com-pany,
reports that business is much better than olle year ago.
The company always has a line of upholstered furnitu:c that
Made by Woodard Furniture Co., Owosso. :Mich.
appeals to the intelligent buyer who considers values as well
as style. The Hafner upholstered furniture is tre reliable
kind.
The Horn Brothers .Manufacturing Company ,will bring
out a large number of patterns of chamber furniture in ma-hogany,
Circassian walnut, birdseye maple and quartered
oak, and exhibit the same in the Furniture Excl;ange, Four-teenth
and WabaSh avenue, and at 187 Michigan avenue. This
will be the swellest line Horn Brothers have ever offered.
"The 1909 line" will be in the frbnt rank of the. chamber
furniture displays,
The Manufacturers Exhibition Building Company. 1319
Michigan avenUe, are sending to the dealers a little Wustrated
booklet that is worth preserving. It contains a !wonderful
array of facts and figures about Chicago. We quote just
one paragraph: "Figures show that Chicago's annual volume
of business in furniture and kindred lines aggregath the en-ormous
sum of $75,000,000, with an annual ratio of increase
of over ten per cent., for the last decade." The big! buildings
at 1319 Michigan avenue, the booklet says, conta~n 400rOoo
square feet of floor space. That would make a single street
one hundred feet wide not far from three-quarters of a mile
long. Think what a displa.y of furniture that would make~
--------------------------- -- -- --- - - - -
MICHIGAN ARTISAN
The mason work on the new Johnson Chair Company's
factory is practically complete, and it is expcd'ed that
- Date Created:
- 1908-12-25T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
- Collection:
- 29:12
- Subject Topic:
- Periodicals and Furniture Industry
- Language:
- English
- Rights:
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