The Outlook for the British Silver and Jewellery Trades - 1906

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THE BRITISH BRASS, SILVER AND JEWELRY TRADES FOR 1905—OUTLOOK FOR 1906

BY J. HORTON


The year just ended, to quote the phrase of a large Birmingham manufacturer was for artistic metal workers, “like the curate’s egg, good in parts." Some houses found curious contrasts between consecutive months, but the most important fact is that it ends very much better than it began. The close of the year found all factories full of work, and many working overtime. This is especially true of the brass trade, in which makers say they are being “rushed out of the place for orders.” This is partly due to the very low condition of stocks. For all descriptions of cabinet brass foundry stocks had almost vanished when various signs made consumers realize that the time of the tide had come. The upward movement began about August, and since that time, owing to better trade and the higher price, both of copper and zinc, two advances of five per cent. have been made in the price of finished brass by the Associated Manufacturers. But for certain descriptions, made only by unassociated houses, the advance has been only five per cent. This applies to gas fittings and electric light fittings generally. In regard to the profitableness of these branches, that is another story. One house which formerly paid £32 per ton for its raw material now has to pay £52. But for increases of output and other economies their goods would be made at a loss. On all hands it is agreed that margins of profit are painfully small and that better prices must be had.

A useful test of the revival is the expenditure in respect of unemployed benefit by the Brassworkers' Union. In the first quarter of last year it was £948. This year the figure was £662. In the next quarter the figures were £852 and £556, respectively, and for September £1,032 and £639, respectively. The last quarter of the year, when the figures are issued, will show a still greater fall. Probably out-of-work pay would be much lower but for the fact that the capstan lathes and other labor saving devices are replacing male with female labor, very much to the disgust of the men. But the manufacturers’ point of view is put strongly by an employer who points out that an article which formerly cost 1s. 6d. to make, is now produced for 3½d. This kind of thing will increase, but manufacturers contend that it is not ousting the men to the extent the latter suggest, inasmuch as the cheapening of goods is generally enormously increasing the output and opening up new spheres of employment. But it is admitted that a boy at a few shillings a week can produce more work than a man, and a revolution is therefore taking place, rapid strides in this direction having been taken during the year.

Among the best branches has been that of brass fenders and bedstead mounts, which have shown a marked revival. Though the electrical line has left much to be desired, there have been some notable orders, among which may be especially named the equipment of a number of South African municipal and political offices with very handsome and expensive electroliers. In the fender and domestic equipment line there is a marked tendency to buy better goods. which is causing much satisfaction. Another matter on which there is some congratulation is that the extravagant designs. in some cases approaching caricature, which were in vogue a year or two ago, are rapidly going out. Buyers are reverting to more natural and wholesome tastes and discarding ugly and unnatural distortions. At the same time new patterns are continually being made, the public taste or fancy being arbitrary and inexplicable as ever. Why certain articles have a run and others are discarded is still an enigma.

Behind the scenes a good deal of controversy is going on in the trade with regard to tariffs. It was initiated by the Tariff Reform League, which issued a leaflet showing the comparatively large imports of brass into this country. But this was promptly met by the secretary of the Brassworkers' Association with another showing that imports of copper and zinc had increased between 1887 and 1902 from 249,000 tons to 365,000 tons. A tax of ten per cent. upon this raw material, it was argued, will add to the cost of production by 20 per cent., which would lose us the foreign markets, unless men were prepared to sacrifice the equivalent in wages. A further leaflet shows an increase in brass exports from £458,233 in 1893 to £613,441 in, 1902, and an, increase of 27 per cent. in five years. The leaflet concludes: “We have too much at stake to be fooled by misrepresentation. The brass work made in Birmingham makes its way all over the world and we send out much more than double that which is sent into this country. The foreigner will refuse to have your brass work if you will not have his. This would ruin the brass trades of Birmingham and throw out of work 1,500 men. In the dark days of protection only a few factories making brass work existed. Under free trade there are thousands, and much bigger than the old ones. Resist by your votes the cursed protection which comes to steal your bread and meat.”

The divisions of opinion on this question are astounding. Nothing is more common than to find two partners in a firm in completed disagreement on this question, or an employer advocating taxes, while his manager openly talks free trade. However, it is agreed on all hands that a prosperous year is in store in 1906 for the brass trade, and this is the main fact at the moment.

The various artistic metal trades have an equally cheerful outlook. Prospects were never brighter. In spite of the dearness of silver, which is believed to be temporary, this metal continues to replace electro-plate for many small articles. One of our largest firms has during the year had an extraordinary run on table and ornamental ware for ocean liners, having had apparently a practical monopoly of this class of trade.

In the jewelry trades the year is ending with quite a rush of business. A curious coincidence, often noticed, is that the iron and jewelry trades maintain a fairly even parallel. The recovery of activity dates almost exactly from the late summer, when the iron trade took a decided leap upward. The figures of the trade. issued in July by the Assay Office, when the jewelry year terminated, were not specially encouraging. Gold wares had fallen from 329,572 ounces the previous year to 323.610 ounces. Silver, on the other hand, had increased from 3,682,920 ounces to 3,689,065 ounces. But the real growth of trade is best seen by comparing these totals with those of 1895, when gold yielded 239,472 ounces and silver 1,796,056 ounces. There are checks now and then, but the general trend is very decidedly forward.

Of the class of trade done the general quality has been medium. For really best ware there has been a falling off in demand. There is a strong feeling among jewelers on the question of foreign competition. especially with Germany, and one authority declares that if a canvass were taken ninety-five per cent. of the manufacturers would like to see Mr. Chamberlain’s fiscal policy adopted, with the object of keeping out the cheap German stuff. It should be noted that dealers pure and simple are not included in this calculation, their object being to buy in the cheapest market. From the purely artistic point of view, jewellers consider themselves in a better position than ever to cope with the foreigner who, in the past, it is admitted, has been able to send over a proportion of designs, though of inferior quality, that have taken the eye more effectually than the British articles. But the various art schools are now affecting the supply of skilled workman, and the influence of the schools is bearing better fruit every year. The artistic perception shown in the past by German makers will now be met on its own ground.

As in the brass trade, satisfaction is expressed as the improving taste of the people. What is called the new art style is decidedly on the wane, and a healthy reaction is manifested in the direction of adopting natural forms for ornamentation. The recent rush of activity has so affected the labor market that practically there are no skilled hands out of work. One large manufacturer states that for several days he has been advertising for a polisher and has failed to get a single applicant. A year ago there was a widely different state of affairs. The shops are all now full of hands, and in a great many cases are working overtime. A notable improvement is manifested in the exports to nearly all markets. the Colonial improvement being very acceptable. For a long time the Cape and Australia have been very poor buyers.

In regard to the effect of the Canadian preferential tariff, experiences vary a good deal. In some lines there have been some fair parcels sent out, but other makers express great disappointment. One house, for example, which turns out the best quality of sleeve links failed absolutely to get a footing in the Dominion, although they sent out a special traveling salesman. Yet in regard to its general trade this firm, one of the oldest in Birmingham and having a world—wide reputation, declare emphatically that the year just closing is far and away the best they have ever had. In regard to their Canadian failure. they frankly attribute it to the fact that their goods were not precisely of the kind which the Canadians prefer, and as the Birmingham house was extremely well off for trade, they did not consider it worth their while to cultivate a Canadian specialty.

It is admitted that Germany is a severe competitor in Scandinavia generally, but this is mainly due to the fact that the English dealers, almost without exception, have no travelers capable, by their knowledge of the language and the ways of the people, to push the British wares. Now the trade is improving, it is less likely than ever that enterprise will be shown in this direction. As to the cheapest class of goods of the gilt and paste jewelry kind. it is known that enormous quantities are being turned out. and apparently the local makers can hold their own against the world in this line. But of these commodities. of course, the Assay returns take no cognizance. On all hands the year 1906 is looked forward to with the greatest cheerfulness. the feeling being partly stimulated by the belief that, alike with silver and copper, the present dearness is a purely temporary condition, and the inevitable slump will bring a welcome relief to the important metal trades. which use such large quantities.

It should be added that a federation of metal workers, including gold and silver smiths. coppersmiths. electro-platers, Britannia metal workers and nearly thirty other branches of the light metal trades, has just been formed in Birmingham, with the object of raising the status of the workers and securing co-operation in emergencies. It starts with a total membership of close upon 37 .000. but its future operations are not causing the manufacturers much anxiety.

Source: The Metal Industry - January 1906

Trev.