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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
292
be susceptible of further developments, but the dis-
tinctive, generic idea attaching to each will, by develop-
ment, be still more clearly denned.
It is not in human nature or art to abolish the piano.
Too much brain and brawn and heart-effort have been
successfully spent upon it for us to abandon it now;
and, as we have said, its abolition would leave " an
aching void " in human life. Even when we fly across
space in air-ships and succeed in colonizing Mars we
shall demand the inspiration, the consolation, and the
stimulation of the piano, " the harp, the viol, the tabret,
and the pipe."
INCORPORATED.
IN our last number we stated that we were in pos-
session of important information concerning impending
changes in the constitution of the New England Piano
Co., which changes we undertook to explain in this is-
sue. We now fulfil our promise, and leave our readers
to judge as to the importance of the alterations pre-
dicted.
The New England Piano Co. of Boston, Mass., has
been formed, under the laws of the State of Maine, into
a stock concern carrying a capital stock of $750,000.
Under the laws of the state of New York, the New
York branch of the Co. has also been formed into a
stock company, the capital in this case being $200,000.
The charter of the New York house has been ob-
tained. Business under its provisions was commenced
on the 1st day of April instant. The officers of the
New York Company are as follows : President,
Thomas F. Scanlan ; Treasurer and General Manager,
W. A. Kimberly; Secretary, George E. Kimberly.
The territory controled by the New York concern
comprises ten of the most important states, viz., New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Dela-
ware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and
South Carolina. All communications from these states
with The New England Piano Co. should be addressed
to the New York House.
The New England Piano Co. of Boston will control
the remainder of the United States, all the Territories,
and all foreign trade.
During the brief period that has elapsed since the
first establishment of The New England Piano Co. in
New York city, under the able superintendence of Mr.
W. A. Kimberly, its success has been of a phenomenal
character. To examine the list of sales and rentings from
the Fifth avenue store is to be stricken with wonder.
Under the new auspices, these sales will undoubtedly
increase by leaps and bounds. We predict, deliberately,
that in order to fill the first year's orders from the ten
States above enumerated, two thousand pianos will be
supplied by the Boston factory, through the New York
Company.
The New England piano is, beyond question, one of
the most saleable instruments in the market; and its
present popularity cannot fail to be enormously aug.
mented, under the re-organized state of affairs, in com-
ing years.
*
*
•
A SUGGESTION TO MR. TABULATED
STATEMENT FOX.
MR. TABULATED STATEMENT FOX, compiler of the ln-
dicatot, who suffers from considerable leisure, will find
it interesting to apply his measuring-tape to this issue
of THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Let him first measure
up the number of square inches occupied by advertise-
ments, and then calculate the extent of the space cover-
ed by reading matter of real interest to the trade. This
done, he will find it amusing to ascertain the average
amount of reprint appearing respectively in THE MUSIC
TRADE REVIEW and the Indicator. [Fox is very gener-
ous to his contemporaries—advertises them liberally,
regardless of expense.] Having concluded these sev-
eral operations, let him calculate how much of the In-
dicator of March 30th, 1889 is copied, word for word,
from the Indicator of October 27th, 1888. When this
also has been accomplished we shall be able to suggest
other means whereby Mr. Tabulated Statement Fox
may be occasionally kept out of mischief.
We assign these important tasks to Mr. Tabulated
Statement Fox, being really too busy to undertake
them ourselves. We believe that his performance of
them will be highly edifying to him as a gentleman of
ease and leisure, given to arithmetical amusements.
THE MUSIC TRADE IN THE SOUTH.
THE LUDDEN & BATES SOUTHERN MUSIC HOUSE DIS-
CONTINUE THEIR ART AND STATIONERY DEPART-
MENT IN CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR INCREAS-
ING PIANO, ORGAN, AND SHEET MUSIC
BUSINESS.—-A BRANCH HOUSE TO
BE ESTABLISHED AT KNOX-
VILLE, TENN.
T
HE Savannah (Ga.) newspapers publish interest-
ing matter in connection with the great music
concern of the Ludden & Bates Southern Music
House in that city. Mr. J. A. Bates, Treasurer of the
firm, being interviewed in reference to the new departure,
*
* *
remarked that the growth of the firm's local piano and
THE libel case of Mr. Frederick A. Schwab, or rather organ trade made it absolutely necessary for them to
use their ground floor as a piano salesroom. " When
" The People," against Messrs. Blumenberg and Floers- we leased our present stand it seemed to us that the
heim, of the Musical Courier, drags its weary length local trade of the city in pianos and organs would not
along. On Thursday, the 21st ult., the parties to the warrant the rental of so large and expensive a building,
suit appeared before Judge Gorman, at the Fifty-seventh hence we ad,ded our Art and Stationery Department,
partly to fill the space which we did not then need, and
street Police Court, when two witnesses were examined
partly to make our store attractive. But the surprising
concerning Mr. Schwab's relations with a series of con- growth of our local piano and organ trade shows that
certs given by Mme. Pappenheim's company in the dim we were in error. Why, in the year just ended, we
and distant past. Mr. Henry R. Cassel, who described have sold nearly twice as many instruments in this city
himself as "a capitalist," testified that Mr. Schwab had as in any previous year, and we are absolutely forced to
enlarge our show room to meet the demands caused by
spoken to him in regard to an advance of money to the our present extraordinary offers to piano buyers—
company, and had remarked that the success of the en- offers that are more liberal than those of any house in
terprise depended very largely upon the character of this country." Further, the house have determined still
the press criticisms. This witness was subjected to a further to increase their stock of fine instruments for
the growing trade and to go more extensively into the
raking cross-examination, lawyer Hummel being ap-
importing and jobbing of musical instruments, and also to
parently convinced that he was dealing with a very enlarge their music publishing business. " Hence," con-
important witness for the defense. Mr. Edling, com- tinued Mr. Bates, " valuable as the Art and Stationery
mission merchant, also subpoenaed for the defence, Department was to us, it was of secondary importance.
declined to testify on the ground that he could not We have, therefore, decided to move it out and devote
the space it occupied, and our entire energy, to the
trust his memory. No other witnesses being at musical trade first, last and all the time, and shall try
hand, an adjournment was taken until the n t h inst. harder than ever to deserve the local patronage so
Speculations are rife in the betting market as to whether freely and kindly given us."
this libel or the practice of stenciling will be first dis- " But," asked the reporter, " what will you do with all
posed of.
this immense stock of art and fancy goods ? How will
you ever dispose of it ? "
" Easily enough," said Mr. Bates. " First, we have
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
sold out to Mr. M. T. Taylor our stock of artists' mate-
rials, picture mouldings, picture frames, engravings,
CUSTOM HOUSE, BOSTON, MASS.,
)
etc , and he will occupy a small space with us until Oct.
Collector's Office, March 19, 1889. j
1, unless he can sooner find suitable quarters elsewhere.
Exportations of Musical Instruments from this port Next, the remaining stock of stationery and fancy
during the month ending February 28th, 1889:
goods will be taken at once by Mr. F. E. McArthur to
Knoxville, Tenn., where we shall open under his man-
To French West Indies:
agement a large piano and organ house, to which he
One (1) organ,
-
$50
will add the stationery and fancy goods business.
To England:
" We shall thus move out quickly the entire stock and
Two hundred and six (206) organs,
$14,671
gain two most important ends : First, the ground floor
All other and parts of,
- 375 space so imperatively needed, and second, establish a
large agency for our instruments at a most important
$15,046
Total,
business center upon which we have long had our eyes."
" Well, that certainly looks like a good stroke of bus-
To Scotland:
iness ; but tell me, you cannot mean to give up your
Six (6) organs,
magnificent piano and organ salesroom on your second
To Nova Scotia:
floor?"
Two (2) organs, -
£410
" Not a bit of it," replied Mr. Bates, " we shall run
One (1) piano, -
35O
that just the same. We couldn't put one half our stock
All other and parts of,
161
of instruments on the ground floor, nor would we if
we could, as on many accounts upstairs warerooms are
Total,
321
very desirable. We need them just as much as ever."
T o Br. W e s t I n d i e s :
" From what you tell me I judge that you must think
O n e (1) o r g a n ,
-
.
.
.
.
- $27 the general business outlook encouraging ?"
'' Most assuredly, and not only encouraging, but
T o B r . P o s s e s s i o n s in Africa:
worth being enthusiastic over. Why should we not en-
Thirty-five (35) o r g a n s ,
.
.
.
$1,447
thuse when our sales for this year are $50,000 over
T o Br. P o s s . in A u s t r a l a s i a :
those of any previous year ? Savannah is reaching out
O n e h u n d r e d and fifteen (115) o r g a n s , -
$6,615
tremendously, and will ere many years, show a popula-
tion of 100,000. That means a continually increasing
Combined Total, - $24,706
demand for musical instruments and music, and of this
future trade we expect, of course, to get our share as we
Importations of Musical Instruments, month of Feb- have for the past twenty years." Thus this enterpris-
ruary, 1889:
ing and honorable firm's pianos and organs will march
From:
Value. majestically to the front, and their entire first, second,
France,
- - - - - - -
$889 third, and fourth floors will be occupied by musical in-
Germany, -
-
-
- , -
-
-
- 7,492 struments. The new South is to be heartily congratu-
England,
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
218 lated upon having within its borders so noble a temple
of music, and such abundant means of adding to its re-
Total, -
generate happiness and joy as are provided by The Lud-
$8,599
den & Bates Southern Music House of Savannah, Ga.
F. W. TIETZ, of Albany, N. Y., dealer in musical in-
struments, has removed his stock into larger quarters
nearly opposite to his former store.
BRYDON & MCINTOSH, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, deal-
ers in musical instruments, have dissolved partnership.