Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
t | | T will be New York's turn next. The great
sfe> Prize Winner's Exposition, of which
Richard G. Halloman is President, will open
November 30th, at Central Palace, and will, in
effect, be a miniature World's Fair. We hope it
will be a means of bringing back to the city
many of our friends in the piano trade, who seem
to have fallen in love with the Columbian City.
is some misunderstanding concern-
ing the position of Messrs. Wm. Tonk &
Bro., American representatives of the Herr-
burger, Schwander actions, in regard to the
recent awards. It should be clearly understood
that they did not enter for awards in the World's
Columbian Exposition. There are certain man-
ufactured articles that are recognized and known
to be absolutely first-class and the statement
can be safely made that the Schwander action
came under such category.
'ESSRS. KELLER BROS. & BLIGHT
CO., of Bridgeport, display admirable
progress and push in the management of their
business. Their originality in advertising the
merits of their pianos at the Exposition has
attracted considerable notice in the West. Now
they are invading the metropolis. They have
recently received an order for one of their style
H San Domingo mahogany pianos for the
palatial Waldorf Hotel. The selection of a
piano for use in this magnificent hostlery is
certainly a tribute to the instrument and a com-
pliment not to be despised.
S
HE following editorial appeared in the
World of Wednesday. It ought to be
assuring to Dr. Dvorak: "Dr. Dvorak, the
eminent composer, who has been domiciled with
us for some time, takes occasion to complain of
the unsociable character of the American people.
" He cannot, he says, after a day's hard work
at his duties, stroll out and find a merry place
where he can join with the populace in drinking
beer and indulging in the friendly conversation
which so readily unbends the mind and relaxes
the muscles. The American people do not, he
thinks, take kindly to these harmless gregarious
pleasures. They like to be alone. They look
suspiciously upon the beer garden, and it is in
the beer garden that the European musician not
only finds relaxation but often inspiration.
'' These remarks are hardly applicable to New
York, where we have innumerable beer gardens
and respectable resorts to which a large German
population goes regularly with its wives and
conducts itself in the most harmless manner.
Dr. Dvorak must have obtained his impressions
of America from Boston or Salem, or perhaps
from Philadelphia. He could not assuredly
have formed them here, where musicians, both
vocal and instrumental, have their well-known
public resorts, and where one can see any even-
ing their families in their company all drinking
beer and discussing music and kindred subjects
with animation and perfect good taste.
'' New York is a very social and pleasure-tak-
ing city for those who know it well.''
such a celebrated and time-honored
house as Hardman, Peck & Co. are
driven to the wall, temporarily, it is hoped, the
unexpected shock must be seriously felt by all
members of the piano trade. The keen business
ability of Mr. Peck is not a matter of discussion—
it is undoubted. As soon doubt the nautical
ability of a master who directs one of the mam-
moth steamships that cross the ocean, as to
question Mr. Peck's sagacity. But there are
violent storms that sweep over the surface of
sea and land from which even a master hand is
unable to avert the disastrous consequences.
We can realize the effect of such cyclones, but
it is a vastly more difficult matter to determine
the cause. The primary reason for this firm's
cessation of business is clearly attributable to the
financial stringency throughout the country.
ffiHE attention of our readers is called to the
ST» announcement elsewhere of the great
triumph achieved by Messrs. Strauch Bros, at
the World's Fair. They have been awarded
the highest medal, and the diploma for the most
valuable original improvements, and numerous
points of excellence in their grand and upright
actions. We congratulate this dignified and
progressive firm on their merited victory.
THE TRADE JOURNAL.
UR bright contemporary, The Newsman,
has some very sound views on trade
journalism when it says :
With the onward march of civilization, the
ever-changing law that governs commerce finds
its historical bearings only in the trade press ;
the vanguard of every new method that gives
larger development and improvement in the
world of exchange.
f
It is within the memory of this generation,
the auspicious hour that ushered in the modern
trade journal. Let those who participated in
business activities thirty years ago, recall the
methods then and compare them with to-day.
While the comparison will fortify the friends of
the past with facts and figures to prove that the
good old methods were the best, the point of
the tremendous stride in machinery and com-
binations, must not be lost sight of. The past,
with its long credits, social commingling, calm
patience, lack of bull-dog competition and greed,
offers a pleasing picture. All this is changed—
the trade press came with the revolution, but is
not responsible for it. It had its advent with
the telegraph and railroad. It is not a friend of
greed or combination. It is an educator and
co-worker with the weak and struggling.
g | O H N N. MERRILL, of the Merrill Piano
(2/* Co., Boston, is pleased with the improved
condition of business. He is turning out a first-
class piano that is destined to become widely
known.
JI^
& SONS are very busy at
<^}i£ their 5th avenue warerooms. Apart from
trade in their general styles, they have lately
disposed of a large number of instruments of
special design. One of their recent important
sales was a duplicate of the Louis XVI. upright
which graces the ladies' parlor at the Waldorf.
Mr. Shillito is the purchaser.
DOTU£TS.
SHERMAN MUSIC CO., of Anaconda, Mont.,
has been incorporated with $100,000 capital,
Edward H. Sherman, J. M. Bowes, G. E. Wen-
dell, T. C. O'Meara.
THE music store of R. T. Sperry, at No. 220
West Water street, Elmira, N. Y., has been
closed by virtue of two chattel mortgages. One
in favor of Carrie B. Sperry for $895 to secure
the payment of borrowed money. The other
mortgage is to be given to Chicago Cottage
Organ Co. for $1,600, being the purchased price
of merchandise and luoney loaned.
J. M. RICHARDS will start on a Western trip
this week some time, making a wide circuit in
the interest of the R. M. Bent piano. Mr.
Richards will display his wares in a unique
manner, as he carries a small model piano, thus
being able to illustrate, practically, the claims
that he will make. An easy and courteous
salesman, with a well-made piano cannot fail of
gratifying restilts at the home office.
ONE of the exhibits at the World's Fair that
received special attention from the musical pro-
fession and expert piano manufacturers was that
of Strauch Bros., one of the leading piano action
manufacturers of America. They have been
awarded the highest medal and the diploma for
the most valuable original improvements, and
numerous points of excellence in their grand
and upright actions.
Miss M. E. RICHTER, of Spartanburg, S. C ,
wrote to The Tribune to learn if the Wagner
Piano Co., at 114 Nassau street, was a responsi-
ble concern. Miss Richter states in her letter
that the company offered an upright piano to
the first 100 persons who sent their names to
the company. She being one of the 100 was
informed that she would have to forward $3 to
pay for boxing said piano. The supposed
upright piano proved to be merely an imitation.
On the top of contract forms was written a
'' miniature piano,'' but one would have to look
very close to see the word " miniature."
FIRE was discovered in J. W. Cliffe's music
store about three o'clock Tuesday morning. It
was found to be burning in the rear of the room
The trade press has its functions clearly de-
behind and under a piano, and how it should
fined. Its circle of influence may be more limit- have started is a mystery. The proprietors say
ed than the daily newspaper, but its connections no matches were in the room nor anything else
are far more close to its readers than the news- that could have produced combustion, which
paper. The average bookseller takes up his makes it appear to have been the work of incen-
favorite newspaper and only remembers its con- diaries. The fire had gained considerable head-
way before the fire department could get it un-
tents for the hour. The newspaper is the re-
der control. The damage done was very heavy.
ceptacle for all kinds of news ; not so with the One piano and four organs were burned up, two
trade journal. It appeals to a class who are pianos, two organs and eight Singer sewing
supposed to know as much about the matters machines were made entirely useless and a great
the editor treats of as he does himself. No deal of sheet music was destroyed. The owners
buncoer, no fraud can pass the readers of a trade estimate the damage to goods and building at
about $2,000.—Ashland, Ohio, Times, Sept. 28.
journal.