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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
and distortion, and the position taken by some er than the American because wages are lower
of them, particularly the Chicago Herald, is here than in the United States, although, thanks
notable for its absence of truth and common to free trade, the purchasing power of the
honesty. They have been so blinded by wages of the English workman is considerably
partisan feeling that they cannot see the ab- higher than that of his American brother." (?)
surd position which they occupy. However,
Mr. Dolge can afford to laugh at such small
fry. The leading men of the press of the country
are few instruments so popular with
estimate his speech as one of the ablest argu-
the trade as the seven octave organs
ments on protection ever presented, and it manufactured by H. Lehr & Co., Easton, Pa.
cannot fail to have a distinct bearing on national , If you closely examine the different points of
issues in the near future.
excellence claimed for these instruments you
will not be surprised at their popularity. One
of the most attractive features of the L,ehr organ
are informed thAfe-^Wegman & Co., of
is the piano style of case, which we have spoken
., have been incorporated
of before. It is unusually handsome and always
as a stock company, and will hereafter be
attracts purchasers. By constant endeavor and
known as the Wegman Piano Co., with a capital
experiment H. Lehr & Co. have produced a
of $125,000, divided into 1,250 shares of $100
quality of tone that closely approaches that of
each. Mr. Henry Wegman, who controls the
the pipe organ, and the action mechanism is so
majority of shares, Warren Crocker and Wm.
well regulated that the touch is as responsive as
C. Burgess are the directors. The growth in
that of a piano. But more important than all
popularity of the Wegman piano for the past
are the numerous improvements which they
few years has been such as to render it neces-
have embodied in this instrument and which
sary to thus enlarge its scope in order to better
have contributed largely to its success. Among
push these instruments through the trade.
them may be mentioned a new pedal arrange-
The Wegman piano received marked recog-
ment and a novel coupler connection, which will
nition at the World's Fair, special mention be-
be highly appreciated by performers on the in-
ing made of their patent tuning pin, and they
strument. It is not surprising to learn that H.
have a large clientele of admirers. Mr. Weg-
Lehr & Co. find a gratifying demand for their
man, the head of the business, is a practical
organs, and the fact that they are working full
and competent man, and the other members of time to fill orders is a proof positive of their
the company have had a long connection with popularity.
the piano trade. There is no doubt that this
move will have a distinct bearing on the growth
KNABE & CO.
and development of the business of the Wegman
firms have contributed so much to the
Piano Co., and we can expect to hear a great
development of the piano makers' art as
deal of the progress of this house in the near
Knabe & Company. This is conceded by all
future.
broadminded craftsmen. A visit to their ware-
&feN an article on '' Protection in the United rooms would demonstrate and confirm the state-
Stb> States " the London and Provincial Music ment. The splendid collection of pianos on
Trades Review comments on a trade item which view there is certainly unequalled for beauty
appeared in an American paper, as to the impos- of design, perfection of workmanship and musi-
sibility of English pianos withstanding the cal worth. This does not apply solely to the
American climate, and says : "Of this we have splendid and costly chef-d'ceuvres which were
heard a good deal before, and yet curiously made for the World's Fair, but to the general
enough many an English piano by Broadwood products of their house. Knabe & Co. have not
and other makers has managed to survive for been content with making their pianos a
nearly a century the climate of the United grateful and pleasant object for the eye to con-
States. Indeed, it is found necessary for the template, but they have paid equal attention to
protection of that delicate plant, American home the accoustic features of their instruments.
manufacture, to keep European goods out of They have succeeded in producing a tone de-
the country by means of a prohibitive tariff. velopment which has evoked the highest ex-"
Whether felts can be sufficiently cured in Eng- pressions of admiration from connoisseurs in
land to bear the exhausting dryness of American this special line. At the different concerts in
air need not now be discussed, partly because this city where the Knabe Grands have recently
steam radiation and hot air are by no means un- been used their many points of superiority were
known in British houses—in the residence of most favorably commented upon.
the editor of this Review the music-room and
The recent move of the Knabes in transferring
passages are heated by steam radiators without their Boston agency to the great house of Oliver
the slightest injury to the piano—partly be- Ditson & Co., following closely on their North-
cause a considerable portion of our hammer and western deal with Dyer & Brother, demonstrate
damper felt already comes from the United that the Knabe piano will be a strong and ag-
States.
gressive factor in the trade during the present
All that is really necessary to fit a first-rate
European piano for the American climate is that
the instrument should be of sound make, with
iron frame, and that the case shall be varnished
instead of polished. The English piano is cheap-
year. Wherever the Knabe piano has got a
foot-hold it has won its way to the top solely on
its merits.
It is satisfactory to note that the retail trade
for the month of January was most gratifying
and fully up to the standard ; this is a good in-
dication that the long expected " good time " is
in our midst.
SOHMER vs. SOMMER.
has taken Sohmer & Co. a quarter of a
century of hard and faithful work in the
piano field to build up the splendid reputation
which they now hold as makers of an art pro-
duct, maintaining a distinct individuality in
the musical world. Yet to-day they are con-
fronted with an annoying situation through
the persistance of a firm recently started to put
on the fall-board of their piano a name so
similar in sound—in fact bearing the identical
euphony—that they are compelled to resort to
the courts of law for redress.
It was supposed a short time ago that this
would not be necessary, for the offending parties
made a statement to the effect that they would
henceforth discontinue the name "Sommer "on
their pianos. But it appears they have not done
so. Sohmer & Co., through their attorney, Mr
Gilbert R. Hawes, have applied for an injunc-
tion to restrain Sebastian Sommer & Co. from
using the word '' Sommer '' on their pianos or
in their catalogues and advertisements. Sohmer
& Co. have little desire to enter law courts, but
in this case they have been forced to take formal
steps to protect themselves.
This is a free country and every man has a
right to use his own name on the piano he
manufactures, but this apparent endeavor to
trade on the fame of others should cease. It is
neither honorable nor just.
If the Sebastian Sommer Piano Company
were desirous of avoiding the popular con-
struction which is placed upon their action,
they should have taken the honorable course—
which it was supposed they would—and have
placed their full firm name on the fall-board
of their pianos. As they refuse, Sohmer & Co.
have taken a justifiable course in applying for
legal protection. It is a case that will be fol-
lowed with a great deal of interest by the trade.
THE annual report of the Nelson Piano Co.
makes the following showing: Capital stock,
$200,000 ; paid in, $50,220 ; real estate, $14,774 ;
personal estate, $14,564 ; debts, $21,089 ; credits,
$8,664. The following officers have been elected
for the ensuing year : President, C. L,. Barrell;
vice-president and trej
-"ell", lurectors, Messrs. C. L. & J.
E. Barrell and H. A. Wolff.
THE proposition to increase the capital stock
of the C. F. Zimmermann Co., of Dolgeville, N.
Y., from $100,000 to $500,000 was adopted at a
special meeting held January 27th. This was
rendered necessary by the large increase in
foreign trade. Indications are that a large in-
crease in business will take place this year.
A. H. RINTELMAN, of Chicago, is now pushing
the McCaotmon pianos in the " windy city."
He has made a good choice, for the McCammon
is one of the popular pianos of the day.
THE handsome and genial Mr. John Sommers,
of Erie, Pa., honored our sanctum with a visit
during the week.
CHAS. JOHANN has bought the interest of W.
L. Edwards in the music store, Mapello, la.,
and hereafter will conduct the business alone.