Evening star., 1933-12-26
ATTENTION TURNED
To JANUARY SALES
Store Executives Busy TAX
inq inventories and PIac-
ing Recorders.
BY JOHN A. CRONE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. December 26.-While
many gift recipients were exchanging
their Christmas presents at local stores
today, the stores were taking inventory,
reordering swift-selling items or pre-
pairing for January clearance sales.
Their activities were reflected in the
various wholesale. jobbing and manu-
featuring districts.
January orders for print cloths we're
brisk, as was the case just before the
holiday, with mill agents generally re-
fusing bookings for FebruaryMarc
without inserting protective clauses in
contracts. Preparations for the usual
white goods clearance sales brought
some orders into primary channels,
stocks left over from the holiday being
in many cases less than last year. New
towel orders also improved.
Residential buying offices reported
that many buyers would be here within
the next week or two, as cautious pur-
chases and brisk Christmas business
had depleted inventories, which, con-
trary to belief only fortnight ago. will
not be sufficient to last through Janu-
ary This town had quite few cotton
yarn visitors today in advance OF to-
morrow'S meeting of the Cotton Yarn
Merchants Association.
Greeting Cards Cleared.
Greeting card stocks were well cleared,
according to leaders in that trade, who
was already displaying their 1884 lines.
Volume of to 25 cent cards this year
was above expectations. There was less
formality to greetings this year and
that trend will continue in the 1884
season. Modernistic cards moved less
briskly than the old-fashioned type.
Small homewares buying today was
better than a year ago. probably be-
cause these wares. contrary to season,
moved in goods volume right up to the
last Christmas shopping day. Kitchen
crockery. tin, enamel and aluminium
ware and kitchen cutlery were among
items ordered. LoW-end cotton curtains
also moved freely. but furniture. rugs
and similar large home furnishings re-
mained quiet.
Last minute sales OF various types OF
gift wares proved swift enough to en-
courage manufacturers to go into raw
material markets for larger supplies and
to announce an expansion in lines. This
was true especially in such fields as
metal-mounted glassware. dresser sets.
pewter and silver hollow ware, novelty
picture frames and the like. These nov
city gift wares for the Spring and Sum-
mer of 1884 are likely to emphasize
white metals. including silver. The lat
ter, as result Of the presidential
proclamation, was in better demand the
last two Christmas shopping days.
Iamps on Display.
Lamps for the January sales were
put on display today. Most of them
we're in the range that would retail
from 81 95 to $3.50 or $40. Prices are
10 to Is per cent higher than a year
ago Expansive lamps proved popular
holiday gifts.
Although luxuries and semi-luxuries
we're well taken during the Yuletide
season. there was continued emphasis
on useful presents. The result today
is that dress-goods inventories have tC
be replenished. Several of the promi-
nent mems clothing chains here are
opening their clearance sales today. a
full four weeks later than usual. This
tardineSs. the result of the N. r. A
code, proved profitable, as this typt
of purchasing was good even last Sat
urday-
While the demand for won1en's coats
remains disappointing. there was a
good call for w0mens dresses, and moi
of the TACK variety either. Sport suits
and the "windswept" silhouette suits
are moving quickly in the Spring lines
real buying in which, however. is not
expected to start for two weeks.
fConvrirht 1o22)