August Calendars & Furniture Advertising

Above is a postcard advertising dining furniture from James A. Scully, "Complete House Furnisher," of Manchester, New Hampshire. This card has an August 1914 calendar on the front along with an advertising message and picture of dining room furniture. Note that the dates for August 1914 were the same as those for 2015--August began on a Saturday in both years.

Scully used monthly advertising postcards with calendars for several years. Below is another August advertising postcard from James A. Scully. This postcard has a verse appropriate for August and summer furniture on the front, and has an August 1913 calendar and advertising message on the back.

"Copyright 1912, Grand Rapids Furniture Record Co." is printed at the bottom of the card. Grand Rapids, Michigan was an important center for furniture manufacturing prior to WWI.

At its height, the Grand Rapids furniture business was as huge success, largely due to Arts and Crafts designs. "Furniture City" boasted the largest furniture showroom in the world. To protect their interests, the major producers joined together in 1911 to create the Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association, and published the Furniture Record, a trade publication. Its decline as a leader in furniture production corresponded with the decline of Arts and Crafts furniture. After the major forests around the city were depleted of resources, the industry moved to cheaper labor markets in the South. During World War I, fifteen of the Michigan manufacturers joined together to build airplanes, a venture that was far from successful. After the war, neither Arts and Crafts furniture nor its Grand Rapids producers recovered. (source)

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