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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
ing popularity of their instrument, they have
perhaps been unable to devote as much atten-
tion to the pushing of the Steck business as
formerly. Hence the new move will be ot
mutual advantage all round. It will leave the
Krell Piano Company free to push their own
instrument exclusively, and in their new repre-
sentatives the Steck Piano Company have se-
cured a wide-awake house that is giving every
evidence of becoming known as leaders through-
out the West.
trade which became so noticeable last month
still continues. The increase in the total value
of domestic exports of musical instruments over
the same month last year amounts to over
twenty thousand dollars, while the decrease in
dutiable imports is more than half of what it
was for the same month last year. It may be
expected, however, that imports in general will
show an improvement later on, now that the
tariff bill is a law.
In the musical instrument line, at least, ex-
ports have been holding their own and gradu-
ally increasing their lead over imports. This is
mahogany trust which was organized
due largely to the excellence of the home manu-
in 1893 and known as the National and
factured instruments, which are not only finding
Mahogany Cedar Company has been dissolved,
a foreign market, but are being more appreciated
and the different firms forming the combination
every day in the home market. In the line of
have decided to immediately resume business
small musical instruments especially the export
under their separate firm names. Mr. William
trade has been surprisingly good all through
E. Uptegrove, one of the leading members of
the dull times, showing a gradual growth, and
the trust, said recently : '' While in many ways
it is very evident that this improvement will
the combination facilitated business, still, in
continue.
other ways it was found to be cumbersome, and
The comparative estimate of imports and ex-
after a fair trial it was unanimously decided by
ports of musical instruments for the past year
all the firms that the best results were to be ob-
have, as might be expected, fallen far below
tained after all from individual enterprise and
those of previous years owing to the depression
effort."
in trade, which was world-wide, but if the pre-
This is an important and forceful explanation, sent improvement, as evidenced in our two latest
and is as true to-day, not only of the mahogany reports, continues, it is not unlikely that at the
trust, but of all similar combinations that hin- end of the present fiscal year they will be able to
der the expansion of individual effort and for- compare very favorably with old time figures.
cibly curtail absolute freedom.
weeks ago we referred in complimen-
tary terms to a small parlor grand which
A K H E R E is no truth whatever in the report
was in process of construction by the Pease
<5T» that John Boyd Thacher succeeded in get-
Piano Company, 318-322 West 43d street. This
ting his name proposed as nominee for Governor
instrument is now on exhibition at their factory
of this State at the Democratic Convention last
warerooms. It comes up to expectation in every
Tuesday by promising to present each delegate
respect, and reflects much credit upon the Pease
with one of those handsome World's Fair
Piano Company. It is not only a handsome, but
Medals which he has been withholding from ex-
a carefully built instrument. The scale is
hibitors for the past two months. No matter
drawn with scientific exactness, resulting in an
how truthful this rumor may seem we are glad
evenness from extreme bass to extreme treble,
to say it is not a fact.
which is exceedingly pleasing. The volume of
Mr. Thacher earned this honor in a legitimate
tone is somewhat remarkable and the musical
way. He was the only man at the Democratic
quality is exceedingly fine. The high treble is
Convention who had sufficient faith in his
brilliant, there is an extreme richness in the
•' tenderly nursed boomlet'' to take along a
middle register, and a powerful bass entirely in
brass band, and like the now historic Jones
sympathy with the fine quality of tone through-
"pay the freight" like a little man. The
out. Add to this, careful regulation of action,
Albany band did not succeed in finding any
and extreme attention to the minutest details—
" music in the soul " of the militant democracy,
all these essentials have helped to produce an
however, and John Boyd Thacher has to rest
instrument that should become a marked favor-
content with the questionable honor of know-
ite with musicians who are able to realize what
ing that i t ' ' might have been '' had not Senator
a good instrument really is. This parlor grand
Hill's well calculated and clever scheme matured,
is a credit to the Pease Piano Company and
thereby sinking Mr. Thacher into oblivion. We
should prove a great favorite with dealers who
sympathize with Mr. Thacher at the bursting of
desire a good instrument which can be sold at a
his " boomlet" for it is hard to be placed thus
reasonable and not extravagant figure—an in-
early " outside the breastworks." Mr. Thacher
strument which can be appreciated by purchas-
has the consolation of knowing, however, that
ers. The Pease Piano Company will undoubt-
he will have many more companions next
edly make a great hit with their new style parlor
November.
grand, and they deserve to, because they are
ever striving to improve their instruments archi-
jS can be seen in our regular monthly report tecturally and acoustically.
of exports and imports, which appears in
another part of this paper, and which has been
MR. A. BRAMBACH, manufacturer of the Bram-
compiled specially for T H E MUSIC TRADE R E -
bach Piano, Dolgeville, N. Y., intends making
VIEW, the gratifying improvement in export a Western trip in the interest of his firm.
MR. GEORGF B. ARMSTRONG, associate editor
of the Chicago Indicator, is in town.
MR. HUGO SOHMER made a flying trip to
Boston, last Wednesday, for the purpose of look-
ing over the new warerooms of Chas. H. Hanson
& Co., 178 Tremont street, who are making a
splendid display of the Sohmer piano. Mr.
Sohmer expressed himself as delighted with the
new warerooms, and quite pleased with the con-
dition of business in Boston. He was absent
just a day.
MR. ROBT. M. WRBB arrived from Europe last
Saturday on the '' Paris.'' Mr. Webb left some
four weeks ago on a business visit to the Billion
felt house, for which he is the American agent.
WHAT the Wellington Hotel is to the music
trade of Chicago Jack Haynes' warerooms is to
the music trade men in and out of New York
City. During the past week Jack Haynes had
no less than twenty visitors all talking '' piano.''
Among those from out of town we may mention
the names of Mr. A. Bristol, of Chas. Parker &
Co., Meriden, Conn.; J. N. Pratt; C. A. Ahl-
strom, Jamestown, N. Y. ; S. C. McGrath, On-
ancock, Va.; N. D. Smith, of N. D. Smith Sons,
New I/ondon, Conn.; Mr. James Pearce, of the
Pearce Music Co., Yonkers, N. Y.; William L,.
Lafavour, Salem, Mass.; Mr. Holtzman, of
Pittsburg, Pa., and W. N. Park, Brooklyn,,
N. Y.
E. W. FURBUSH is out West; he will be absent
about three weeks.
OTTO WISSNER, FRANK KING and EDWARD
H. COLELL were in Worcester, Mass., during
the week for the purpose of witnessing the suc-
cess of the Wissner piano at the Music Festival.
JAMES M. CUMSTON returned to Boston last
Wednesday night after a flying trip West. Mr.
Cumston journeyed as far as Burlington, la. He
reports an exceHent trade and encouraging con-
ditions everywhere.
HARTWELL R. MOORE, of the A. B. Chase Co.,
Norwalk, O., is receiving congratulations from
his many friends upon the latest addition to his
family. It is a boy, weighs ten pounds, but it
will be a few years before he learns about the
" A . B.C."
EMIL WUI.SCHNER, the well known dealer of
Indianapolis, Ind., has been passing the week
in Boston. He has been making goodly pur-
chases, which means that he believes in a good
trade for the Fall.
HENRY B. FISCHER, accompanied by his
family, was in Boston lately.
BUFFALO, N. Y.—C. Kurtzmann & Co. cele-
brated, September 22d, the manufacture of their
15,000th piano by that firm since its foundation
in 1848. The number of employees in the fac-
tory is 115, and they have been working on full
time since January 1st.
CANTON, ITJ,.—W. B. Stevens has purchased
S. D. Enoch's entire stock of pianos, organs,
&c, and has opened up In the Abbott block on
South Main street.
SAGINAW,. MICH.—Mr. Erd, piano manufac-
turer, will add a new department to his business,
which will be the manufacture of harps.