Evening star., 1937-05-22
FURNITURE BUYERS
ACTIVE IN MART
Chicago Show DiscIoses
Styles Reflect World
Events.

again Q1SCaTQlnS aI 1OTmeT eStdD-
lished records and previous midseason
highs-buyer attendance at the Spr4ng
national home furnishings market at
the American Furniture Mart in Chi
cago continued on its record-break-
ing marathon, establishing another
new record when 2,749 buyers regis
tered during the one-week period end
Ing May 8.
Even the most optimistic forecasts
Of market prophets came nowhere
near this figure, which is 37.59 per
cent greater than that established
during the May market of 1886 when
1898 buyers were registered, and
1911 per cent greater than the No
vember market of 1886 when an all
time high of 2,483 was set.
Buying, in the majority of cases,
kept in step with attendance; popular
case goods lines enjoyed record
volume. Upholstered lines reported
business better than anticipated' and
novelty lines, lamps and related home
furnishings lines enjoyed a salts
factory volume, a check-up of the $50
manufacturers showing their lines
disclosed.
Warned of Price Increases.
Despite an average price increase
Of 5 per cent to 10 per cent and
warnings of an anticipated further
increase in July, when cost sheets are
made to balance higher wages and
advanced costs of raw materials,
buyers made it clear they were pri-
marily filling their normal require
ments and not committing themselves
to large protective inventories.
The general attitude of both buyer
and seller indicated healthy market
conditions. Buyers, encouraged by
an excellent volume of business dur
ing the first quarter of the current
year, and manufacturers, still enjoy
ing the effects of a heavy January
market with orders for capacity
production still on the books, seemed
satisfied with the normal business
transacted and did not press heavy
inventories. The delivery situation
has for the most part been salts
factorily cleared for the manu-
facturers, and they do not seem anx-
ious to again overload their capacity
while buyers seem to have taken a
suspended attitude on future COM
mittments, awaiting developments on
subsequent prices.
The outlook for the Summer market,
opening July S, was reported on the
whole very encouraging and an un-
l1,, T.
tendance records of the Spring show,
Is expected.
In my opinion, the current show
has been one of the most successful
midseason markets we have had in
long time" Lawrence H. Whiting,
mart president, commented. Fur
thermore, reports I've received from
both manufacturers and buyers FORE
cast a tremendous attendance at the
Summer market opening July 5. The
trend is definitely upward
England Affects Styles.
World events and economic condi-
tions had definite effect upon the
style trends of the Spring market.
Interest in England and the corona
ton brought to prominence furniture
of royal birth and styles of English
origin, Queen Anne, Victorian and
eighteenth century styles, as well as
the coronation colors of ruby red,
Buckingham blue, gold, royal purple
and fuchsia shades baSked in reflected
glory Of events across the sea.
The return of better times, higher
hot Hor
interest in French furniture which
usually rides the crest of the pros
perity waves, and considerable French
furniture, resplendent with satins,
damasks, inlays, marquetries and
carvings was shown. A general trend
toward traditional furniture, fine up
holstery and quality merchandise
heralded the return toward better
times and more graceful living.
French provincial styling, while not
definitely expressed in entire suites to
any great extent, was shown in Ger
tain refined lines on legs of tables
and chairs and case pieces, touches Of
hardware and new "Provincial' fin
ish. Only few case goods lines
showed suites which they claimed to
be entirely French Provincial in ma
ture, but the provincial influence"
as it was expressed, spread itself into
upholstered as well as case goods lines
Modern Styles Perfected.
Bed room and dining room lines for
the most part stressed eighteenth CEN
tury English, Queen Anne and French
in the higher price brackets. While
the eighteenth century groupings pre-
dominated in mahogany strong tend
ency toward walnut in French suites
was noted. Modern, which has now
become entirely rationalized-fre-
quent experiments and repetition of
good basic designs having corrected
most initial faults-has almost COM
pletely replaced borax and settled In