The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1904
Young Furniture Maker is Genius
Henry Carlson Designs and Makes Furniture Which is Unequaled
Uses No Pattern Whatever
Young Man Who Has Only Been in This Country a Year and Who Has Had No Previous Experience is Very Skillful.
Henry Carlson, a young man employed in the furniture repair room at the A.D. McQuilken furniture store has proven that he is an excellent workman in furniture manufacturing. He has made several articles of furniture which exhibited in the window of the McQuilken store show the designer and maker to be a man of genius in this line.
The first that his talent was discovered by the other employes (sic) in the store and by Mr. McQuilken was when he asked some of the employes to come to his room and see a chair which he had made in the evenings after his working hours were over. The employes as a rule accepted his invitation and went to the room to see the chair. When they saw the chair they were all delightfully surprised as the chair was indeed a beauty. The chair was a large rocker made solely with the use of a saw, knife and hammer. The chair is an enormous one and is beautiful in design. It is said o be one of the most comfortable chairs imaginable.
After this he was given more work of this kind and in no case has he failed to do as good a job as is done with the must uptodate (sic) machinery, while he uses only the saw, knife and hammer. He has made several articles for people who have wished something made by special pattern. He is quick to catch any one’s idea as to how a piece of furniture is to be made and as soon as he understands the design he is able to go directly to work on it and without the use of a pattern or any other design to make the article. His work is speedily done and is very neat with finished. He has made book cases, hall trees, music cabinets and magazine stands which are now exhibited on the McQuilken window.
One of the most beautiful pieces of workmanship is a gentleman’s shaving stand which he has just finished. The stand has a mirror on the top which can be turned or revolved in any direction. A music cabinet which he also recently finished was designed by him from a description of one he received from a man who wished one made for himself.
A magazine rack which he made, he designed wholly himself. He has made several others from pictures he has seen of them but this one he designed himself and is a great improvement over any of the others. It can be used as a small bookcase to contain books which one needs in any part of the house away from the large bookcases. The stand although seemingly being small has a capacity of a large number of books or magazines.
The shaving stand which he made was a surprise to Mr. McQuilken, as he had had several of similar appearance before and while he was in Chicago this last time on his purchasing trip this stand was made. It was feared for awhile that Mr. McQuilken would buy one while on his trip as he was much pleased with them, but he returned without one and was glad to find that he would have one in stock although he had neglected to buy one while away.
Another piece of furniture which probably attracts the most attention of any is a large upholstered couch. This couch was designed by this young gentleman after a picture of one he had seen in a magazine. The couch is a very beautiful one and is upholstered in leather. The couch is made in the style so universally popular now, that of the massive old time furniture. The couch looks as though fastened together by wooden bolts, and in every way its appearance as a couch made one hundred years back is carried out. The upholstering is of felt and is made to that it can be taken off, if desired. The couch is the most comfortable couch that has ever been carried in stock according to Mr. McQuilken.
The story of the life of this talented man is very interesting. He arrived in this country less than one year ago from Sweden and as yet it is hard for him to understand some points of English grammar. He understands perfectly what is said to him and is also able to read newspapers and books, which is very remarkable for one who has been in this country as short a length of time as he was. From the artistic work turned out by him one would think he must have been a furniture maker in his own country but until he commenced work at the McQuilken store he had never done any work of this kind. The work in fact comes natural to him and he is able to do as good work as is done in the leading furniture factories of this country with the aid of skilled workman and the latest machinery.
Tags: 1904, Carlson, McQuilken
