Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
the kind of a thing to catch them ; but you want to
hold it back and seem very reluctant to sell it. Wait
till they've found fault with the price or tone of near-
ly every instrument in the place, and then bring out
'OU see," said the piano man to his new help, your best bower, so to speak, but be sure and put it
as he touched up an old $3 stool with a little on the market with care. Ask a very stiff price first.
boiled oil and kerosene, till it looked like a Hint that you don't care to sell it at all, but rather
brand new $7 article, " everyone who comes here to than see a hated rival take trade from your store, you
buy or hire a piano knows more or less about a ma- would part with anything. If she takes the hint>
chine—principally less—and it's the duty of a good she'll try and beat you down a quarter or so. Meet
salesman to guide them, so to speak."
her gradually, fight for every dollar, and, mind you,
" I understand that," said the new man.
the second she does say yes, grab for the coin, for
"O, you do, do you ?" said the boss, softly, as he for fear she might change her mind."
rubbed his orush over a scratch. " How would you
" You can rely on that," said the new man.
go to work with a strong-looking woman in a turned
" Now, here's an old jingler that's paid for itself
silk dress and cleaned kid gloves, who wanted to hire five times over, and brought us in enough for cartage
a $700 piano for $5 a month, and not pay for sending to buy a new wagon. It's a beauty—a bonanza, I
it home ? "
always call it. Fair got back from North Beach only
" Why, I'd just tell her it could not be done, and yesterday. I'll have it varnished by noon and out at
let her walk out as soon as she could, that's all," said the mission before the end of the week. When a
the young man, with a look of supreme indifference party comes for a piano that I see don't know much,
on his face.
I trot out Fair. Beautiful instrument; first prize at
" You are like all the rest of 'em," said the boss, the Centennial."
sadly, as he keyed up a $200 imitation grand to sound
" Looks as if it might have won a prize 100 years
like a $700 Chickering. "All you lack is patience back," laughed the hired man.
and judgment, and about ten years' experience, to be
" Yes, sir; a beauty," continued the boss, frowning
a good piano salesman. Now you just listen to me, at the interruption. "Could not rent it under any
and I'll tell you more inasecond about piano-playing circumstances, only it was sold, and the lady's daugh-
than you know in a lifetime."
ter wanted an upright, and in moving, the back leg
"Spiel," said the new man, as he composed him- of the piano got scratched. One of the wealthiest
self to rest on a piano-stool the boss had just picked ladies in San Francisco, too, bought it. Of course, I
out to send to a Tahame street residence.
could not say who. That would be unprofessional,
"There you go," said the boss. " Dont you know and besides," said the boss, with a grin, " there ain't
that's a $10 stool ?"
no need to tell 'em when the name's on the label as
"Well, what if it is?"
large as life.—Brainard'a Musical World.
"What if it is ?" screamed the boss, breaking a
wire in the excitement of the moment. " Do you
A PIRATE KING.
suppose that $10 stool will stand sitting on? Now,
listen to me and I'll teach you some points about the
piano business. You see, every woman knows all
R. ROGER SHERMAN, of Philadelphia,
came before the Senate Committee on Pat-
about a piano. If she don't, someone else does, or
ents to oppose international copyright, and
thinks so, and is sure to tell her. There's a cool
announced himself as a publisher who flew
$100 profit to us on a $300 piano, if we get, it; but we the black flag at his fore, and was proud to be known
as
a
pirate.
Thereis no accounting for tastes, though
don't; there's the trouble. We have to divide, just
the same as if we were politicians. A lady comes it certainly does not seem to the plain minded ob-
server that book piracy is a business to be proud of.
into the store and says she wants to buy a piano. Mr. Sherman, however, according to his own showing,
After trying every instrument in the place, or having has some claim to be regarded as the pirate king, for
us try thorn, and getting all the prices, she says, 'I'll he has engaged in one of the most extensive acts of
yet attempted. He is reprinting the En-
not make up my mind to day. I'll get my daughter's piracy
cyclopaedia BrUannica, a work upon which the
music teacher, who knows all about pianos, to come Edinburgh publishers, Messrs. Black & Co., have
down and try them.' Next day along comes the expended probably $500,000. Mr. Roger Sherman
music teacher, with a card which says she is from cooly steals this costly publication, and then he
comes forward and impudently endeavors to impli-
the Conservatory at Milan. Why, I've had cards cate the American people in his theft, by arguing
enough of old Milaners here to iill the conservatory, that they demand stolen publications because they
let alone leave room for teachers and pupils. Says can be supplied cheaper than such as are honestly
the teacher, 'I'll be down to-morrow with Mrs. So- purchased.
This is a gross and slanderous imputation upon
and So to pick out a piano. Of course, I expect the
the American public. It is not in any way true. The
usual commission.' 'Yes, ma'am,' says I, 'ten per public are, and always have been, ready to pay for
cent,' and away she goes. Next day the buyer and their books, and to pay the proper owners of them
music teacher come and pick out a piano. The music fairly. Mr. Roger Sherman prates about cheap ed-
being helped by his abominable system.
teacher does some heavy standing around, tries every- ucation
That is another piece of hypocritical cant. The
one opened, and gives her opinion as wise an owl. education which involves paralysis of the moral sense
Of course, she can't tell the difference between a good is to be shunned, not desired. Education which
piano and a poor one. When she gets through teaches that it is not wrong to steal is vicious. If
the American people cannot afford to pay honestly
wasting our time, she'll advise the one nearest the for their education, they will never get one that will
lady's price, quarrel with me about getting a music do them any good. But there is no truth in Mr.
stool thrown in, and that's all. Wo have to give her Roger Sherman's shameless pretense. Nobody
piracy protected but the pirates, and the de-
ten per cent, for doing that, and, besides, she'll want wants
moralizing nature of their business was never more
a commission on every bit of music the lady buys."
clearly exhibited than in the audacious and unblush-
" Suppose you did not give up, would not the cus- ing defence of it put forward by this their spokesman.
Mr. Sherman wants the American^ Government to
tomer buy anyhow? " asked the new man.
refuse to protect authors against such spoliation as
" You are a nice one, you are," said the boss, with he practices. He says, " It would be wrong to force
a look of contempt. " Buy? " Suppose she did buy, the people to pay for what they can now have free."
right interpretation of this remark is that " it
and pay, too? It'd be a nice thing to have on your The
would be wrong to force the pirates to pay for what
mind, wouldn't it—to have a mad-house teacher a- they can steal with impunity."
hovering over your piano and giving it a black eye,
It is an insult to the whole country to make such
and making the lady and her friends all weary of it? an appeal to it. It is in no respect a less dishonest
proposition
than would be one to abolish the laws
Fancy a sweet thing in a gingham dress saying to one
of your customers: ' Mr. Bland did not treat you right against larceny, in the interest of the burglars, sneak
thieves, and pickpockets. Why should these people
about that piano, ma'am. I am sorry to say that its be forced to pay for what they could have free but
first tone is so bad that dear Ethel's ear is being for the intermeddling statutes? Certainly there is
ruined.' The first thing you'll know, the lady'11 want exactly as much reason and equity on their side as
on that of Mr. Roger Sherman, and the class he rep-
you to take it back. If you don't, you're a cheat, and resents.
As to his observations about the American
she'll not only take her trade away, but she'll ruin author and his relation to international copyright,
you among her friends. You are a smart one, you they are wide of the mark. Whether the American
are, to talk about quarreling with a music teacher. author can or cannot meet foreign competition, does
not affect the fact that piracy is dishonest, and fla-
Why, I'd sooner give 'em half the profits."
grantly wrong, and that a pirate can have no right to
" I see, sir," said the new man, humbly.
discuss the ultimate consequences of his piracy, with
"That's all simple," continued the boss; "but the a view to finding arguments for maintaing and pro-
it. A pirate, even though he be a pirate king,
fine art comes in with a tough customer. One that tecting
can only be regarded as a man whose greed of gain
wants three half dollar pieces for a dollar. You have is far stronger than his honesty, and as one, there-
got to play that kind mighty low down, or some one fore, all of whose arguments are certain to be based
else will oatoh their trade. A cheap, showy piano is upon the most utterly selfish considerations. But
AN OLD HAND A T THE BUSINESS GIVES A
GREENHORN SOME POINTS.
M
when such a person, to shield himself from the just
obloquy attaching to his acts, undertakes to assert
that the American people are interested in his delib-
erate theft of literary property, and that they demand
the perpetuation of the bad system under which such
theft is possible, it becomes necessary to repudiate
the injurious assumption with emphasis, and to char-
acterize it plainly.— The Tribune.
[The above represents our ideas exactly, and it ap"
plies to musical publications as well as literary
works.—EDITOBS MUSIC TRADE RETIEW.]
MR. EARHUFF'S STYLE OF DOING BUSI-
NESS.
HE following circular has been sent us with
the request to publish it.
T
TO THE REV. CLERGY AND TEACHERS OP AMERICA.
-HONORED SIRS :—I beg leave to inform you, that I
have concluded hereafter to transact all business per-
taining to the sale of Organs, to Clergymen, Teachers,
and Congregations direct through my office, 1G1 Superior
street, Chicago, instead of through a General Agent as
heretofore.
Thereby I guaranteeing you a saving from $15.00
to $25,00 on each and every organ bought by you,
and as there are unscrupulous dealers who are now
advertising a Peerless Organ, and expect to sell the
same on the reputation I have gained on my make
of the Peerless Organs, I therefore deem it but justice
to myself and to you, and to ask you to be on your
guard, and see to it that every Organ you buy for my
make of Peerless has the name of J. G. Earhuff,
Chicago, on the name board.
A great number of you know what my Organs are,
as you are using them, both in your families and
congregations, but to those who have never heard of
them or seen them, I would state to them that I have
nearly 14,000 in use, and they are giving universal
satisfaction, and I will be pleased at any time to
refer you to several hundred clergymen, and thous-
and of families who are daily using them, which fact
I think goes further than all the praises I could here
bestow on them.
If you should desire something different from what
is on this circular, I will be pleased to mail you my com-
plete Catalogue on application.
Prices herein quoted are subject to a trade discount as
per inclosed slip.
Hoping to be favored with your orders, I am
Yours truly,
JOHN G. EARHUFF.
TESTIMONIAL TO THE SWICK PIANO.
GUYMARD, N. Y., Feb. 8, 1886.
MESSRS. SWIOK & Co,:
GENTS: Your concert upright piano shipped the
26th January, arrived here on the 27th. In all ap-
pearance of finish and tone, it more than meets our
expectation, and I shall bo happy to recommend it
to my friends. Since receiving your piano, I received
through a certain firm, The Musical Courier, which is
trying to belittle your instruments and your business,
and which I consider an insult to common decency,
and the perpetrators deserve to be met with condign
punishment.
Your price brings it within the reach of many
worthy people, who cannot afford to pay the exhorbi-
tant prices asked by long-established firms, much of
the profits going to agents and middle men. There-
fore the people owe you a debt of gratitude, and
ought to patronize and sustain you in your efforts to
live and let live.
With kind wishes for your success in business, I
am,
Very respectfully,
P. L. GUM8EB.
PATENTS AND INVENTIONS.
Upright piano action, No. 334,768, I. Fuse.
Upright piano case, No. 334,933, S. Brambach.
Musical instruments valve, No. 235,271, J. H. Chase.
Mechanical musical instrument, No. 335,272, J. H.
Chase.
Mechanical musical instrument, No. 335,534, R.W.
Pain.
Mechanical musical instrument, No. 335,549, J. E.
Treat.
Design for organ case, Nos. 16,497 and 16,498. L. K.
Fuller.