The sun., 1895-01-20

Facts About It Called rror. the Booh -
wages OF Cabiuetunakerr.


Facts About re Called rrou, the Book OF
wages of Cabinetnakerr.
There is n German cabinetmaker on the east
side much In love with the traditions Of his
craft and under the guidance OF this sentiment
he has collected n small but unique library bear
ing chiefly upon the trade He has several rare
and costly books OF the famous British writers
upon furniture in the last century, and many
old New York directories wherein he delights to
trace the movements Of early worthless in his
trade. He remembers with pride his appren-
ticeship to Charles Baudouine. forty years ago
the most famous cabnetmaker in the city.
With the aid OF the old books this lover of his
craft has saturated his mind with its local his
tory for hundred years
One OF the rare and curious books of this II
brary Is the New York book Of prices for
cabinet and chair work. IL seems at first
merely dry mass OF tabulated figures and mi
mute technical details, but the book really con-
tains much that Is interesting and significant.
Three editions Of the book are bound under a
single now cover. The edition bearing date
September 1902, seems from internal evidence
to have teen the first book of the sort issued In
this city. Such books were known to tho Lon
don cabinctmakers. and doubtless were issued
there before 1902. The title page of the first
edition declares that the schedule of prices
was agreed upon by the employees" 1t is
specified that men working by the day are TO be
paid in proportion to their earnings by the
piece and to II find their own candles"
The schedule Of wages enters into the most
minute details of the work. No modern scale
committee from a labor union could demand
more specific details than are here given, and
though the name OF no union appears In the
work the list sounds as IL 1t had been made up
after long haggling over trifes. The book is
also n valuable revelation of what went to make
up the furniture Of luxurious house in the
dawn Of the present century. Some OF the hun
dred and one articles enumerated are a
plain dressing chest bureau. round
front dressing chest, serpentine dress
ing chest, n knce-holc dressing chest, a
low wardrobe winged wardrobe, a
Pembroke table, card tables OF several designs,
high post beds and ow-post beds, cradles. easy
chairs, half dozen kinds Of sofas, dining tables
and sideboards in many forms, shaving stands,
work tables screens. washstands of several
forms. and half dozen articles whose names
would not appear upon any modern list
The wages are all set down in pounds, shil-
linGs; and pence. For a plain dressing, chest
with four drawers the front veneered and top
cock headed, and the edge Of the drawers
ceived 81 l2s. Appended TO the description OF
this article is a long list of extras. There
special rates for everything. even down to the
putting on of brass handles and escutcheons.
and there are parts which are specified with
careful detail as equivalent to other parts in the
Every detailed departure from the regular
pattern. unless on the side OF simplicity, in
volved additional charge. A knee-hUlo
dressing case, which doubtless was the modern
dressing table, at which one may sit, was made
ing table with square joints. four taper legs.
and one fly on each side, was paid for at rs. I'D.
to obtain the number or feet. For every addi-
tional leg there was an extra charge, and the
of
style cost in wages from "a to ts; Il high post
Sedstead Of whsf W9od ,od with plain enster
1t may he thought that the folding bed is
modern invention made to meet the conditions
Of life on Manhattan Isl land to-day, but the
book OF 1902 describes a bureau bedstead that
was undoubtedly the ANCESTOR OF the modern
bedstead, manifestly another form of the same
thing. These articles cost from t3 los. to t6.
The German cabinetmaker says that he has
never come across one OF these antique folding
beds. and it is hard TO imagine that they would
find sale in modern New York. The cradle.
which il now a hopelessly antiquated piece of
household furniture, was made with three pieces
in the top and two dovetails from arch to head,
How it long ny i the book Of 1909 served the trade
the German eabinetmaker does not know, but
that the labor union had since 1902. attained
degree OF Importance. for the book declares
employers and employees. while the preface
says that the late book having been found de-
nClent. owing to improvements ana alterations
in wort. the New York Society of Journeymen
Cabine makers had laid before the employers
this new scale of wages. The preface further
declares that the intent was TO equatze the
wages of mea employed on like work, the
inequality Df such wages having been source
of discomfort. The scale. according TO the
preface. was l21e per cent. above that OF the
previous book.
Not only had wages advanced in fifteen years,
but taste had somewhat changed II the list of
articles is to be trusted an indication on that
point. There are more articles described
French than in the first book. and doubtless this
means that the furniture of the empire was
initiated by the cabnetmakers OF New York.
The books of 1902 and 1917 were printed by
spicuous. but another wages book, Issued in 1894,
bears the imprint of tho Harpers. Wages in this
volume are expressed in dollars and cents. A
bureau feet Is inches long and feet inches
wide was made for S610. The book of 1884 and
that OF 1917 contain several pages of cuts show
ing the forms Of ornamental cupboard door !,
and parts OF furniture pieces. The book of
1884 has the same elaboration of detail as the
former books, but the title page does not mention
the union.
The German cabinetmaker has not taken the
trouble to compare wages as indicated in these
books will those of the present day partly be-
cause methods of work have changed and partly
English money in 1902 and 1877: but he hap
pens 70 know the selling price of some unusually
beautiful mahogany chairs, made between 1910
and 1918, and he believes that those chairs
could be made and sold to-day at that price and
yield the maker a sat isfactory profit.
REEVE h. HOWLAND'S SUCCESSOR.
+. j. Cartwright II Practically Director at