The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
WOODS Used ~ FURNITURE.
Points About NahoGa any Fsrmeriy
Neglected. but EnpLoyed Vow.

Experts in old furniture are much guided in
their Judgment as to particular pieces by The
wool OF which they are made. Mahogany fur.
nirIre purporJinS to be- ~ much a. two centuries
old IS subject TO suspicion, because mahogany
was little used IN furniture until about the mid
die Of The eighteenth century. \ colonial New
England piece is much more likely TO be Of oak
than OF mahogany unless IL belong TO the late
colonial perio.i. Mahogany was a luxury even
then. and oak was used in ordinary households
as being at once moderate in price and durable.
IL ia easy 20 tell whether Il professGd European
piece Of walnut turniture is genuine by the Gual-
ity Of the walnut. European walnut IS a denser
and hner wood than most o. our walnut. A
piece OF furniture made Of ash At unexposed
points is almost certain 10 be- ot American man
u~facture. bur a piece having beech vt such
points is likely 20 be Of European manufacture.
Beech il plentiful in Europe and relatively
scarce in this country. and with American
makers Of furniture ash is a cheap substitute
Tor beech and oak. \ chair made entirely OF
beech is almost certain TO be OF European manu-
~facture. Such chairs are often beautiful in
form. and extremely durable. Modern taste de-
mands, however. that the beech he stained To
initiate mahogany,
Near A. New York Is 70 the mahogany forests
OF the West Indies. the best mahogany comes
from Liverpool. The Liverpoo! timber mer.
chants have long controlled the mahogany trade.
and they get most u the BEST logs from the Vest
Indies and latteriy even from Mexico. Much ma
hogany is brought TO New York directly from the
mahogany ports, especially those Of Mexico, but
for especially choice logs New York importers
still look 10 Liverpool. Indeed. English timber
msTe NAM at 3m pbs I S sie . ars. i in- me- hsH9 9ssd!
some OF II has lain there nearly ten years, sub
Jest to DAMAGE ~ the elements: while the Brit
New woods have come into use OF late years,
partly because timber OF the sort long used IN
furniture making has become scarce, partly be-
cause modern machinery makes 10 possible to
prontnbly worked. Birch. which il tough.
use for tactory-made furniture. This wood
warps easily. but IL looks well and serves the
needs OF the factory makers. Aspen also il
coming into use for the manufacture OF
furniture, though it, too, Is a Grabbed
cutting machinery. Another OF the woods that
the furniture makers have been driven 70 use h
sycamore. II IS fairly abundant and cheap in
the United states, ana its markings are dIstinc-
uve and beautiful, but il IL untrustwOrthy be-
cause OF its tendency 10 warp. IL - sometimes
used a. a veneer. over less beautiful but more
Trustworthy wood. some OF the North River
ferry boa u are veneerrd with sycamore. All Of
these troublesome woods have been improved
fOr use in furniture by modern methods OF rapid
Birch. sycamore, and the other Grabbed
woods are not used by the cabinet makFss be-
ca use their furniture IN hand made and m: labor
and expense II working these woods without the
eahinet-made furniture. Mahogany is much
softer and more easily worked Than these woods.
Some New England folks, before The middle OF
the present century. had a craze for furniture
made OF IRON wood, otherwise known as horn
oeam. and cabInet-mhde furniture of this
| material Is found now and then in CoGaeccicut.
The wood is regarded by mOcern wood workers
as utterly unht for working into turnI-
ture. New York cabinet makers avoid
| the use OF beech, and II is used in this country,
mainly for ine tool handles, in planes and the
| Ike, Just a. !ignum vitla Is in turnlLure casters,
| blocks for pGlleys. and other small articles.
Very Odd furniture in cherry Is almost 40 high
| maple fetch high prices. The best walnut fur
| niturs OF good old pattern ID also highly prtEed
1 BY the cabtnetuAkara, as WAlnut has bOconao .
VaEy ScAres wood N thts country.