Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
pointment '' we may expect Queen Victoria will
have an opportunity of hearing one of the Ann
Arbor organs in due time, and then, perhaps, it
may be " Sir " Lew H. Clement.
g*gFHICKERING & SONS are placing some
*** very effective advertising in the magazines
and a select number of the daily papers. In
last Sunday's Tribune we noticed a full page
advertisement, which, in addition to a synopsis
of the history of the house and a statement of
the marked recognition accorded the Checkering
piano in all parts of the world, contained cards
from the foreman of the manufacturing depart-
ments as to the quality of goods used, and from
the various supply houses, bearing on the same
matter. Quotations from the trade papers as
well as several testimonials from eminent pianists
also appeared. The advertisement through and
through was an excellent one. As the Tribune is
not noted for its mammoth advertising enter-
prise on Sundays at least, this advertisement
cannot have escaped readers. It must have been
read with some profit.
F. BEATTY was convicted of a
fraudulent use of the mails at Montpelier,
Vt, during the past week, by representing a
fifteen dollar organ as worth one hundred dollars.
The authorities might now turn their attention
to a number of reputable newspapers carrying
the Beatty advertisement as well as paid reading
notices of the Beatty goods. These papers are
also aiding and abetting in defrauding the public.
Mr. Beatty has appealed his case. He is, how-
ever, coming to the end of his tether, and news-
papers who preach one thing and practice
another should be made to understand that it is
bad enough to publish an advertisement of this
sort, but it is still more questionable to com-
mend the goods advertised. By so doing they
shake the faith of their readers in their veracity
and injure legitimate trade.
A HANDSOME PIANO.
j[E spent a very pleasant half hour one day
this week at the Chickering warerooms
examining the last of the Chickering " World's
Fair Grands " remaining unsold, which had just
arrived from the Boston house. This concert
grand was on exhibition at the Massachusetts
State Building at Chicago. It is certainly a
superb example of the piano makers' art. The
case is of mahogany, with a double border of in-
laid work of two light woods. On the sides and
ends are musical instruments—harps predomi-
nating—surrounded by green wreaths in marque-
try. On the top is the seal of Massachusetts,
also inlaid in colors. The double border is re-
peated on the inside of the top flap. The legs
are absolutely plain, Colonial style, and the
entire work, including the marquetry, was done
in the firm's factory.
Apart from the architectural attractiveness of
this instrument it possesses a magnificent qual-
ity of tone. Manufacturers are not always able
to produce a special tone quality like a special
case. While the strictest supervision and
greatest care may be exercised in the manufac-
ture of special instruments, yet it is well under-
stood that the production of an unusually fine
tone quality is problematical. In this concert
grand, however, the tone is wonderfully good,
brilliant and clear as a bell in the middle and
upper registers, and powerful and rich in the
bass. Again, we have a mellow, singing,
sympathetic tone delightful to the cultivated ear.
The scale all through is perfectly even.
Mr. Mayer should have no trouble in placing
this fine instrument in some rich New Yorker's
parlor. All who are interested in case work
should visit the Chickering warerooms and
inspect this instrument. There is one point to
emphasize in this connection. This grand piano
is a home manufactured product in every detail,
and it reflects credit on the mechanical forces
employed by Chickering & Sons.
Mr. Mayer informs us that he is experiencing
quite a demand for instruments of special design.
The "Brambach" Piano.
Mason & Hatnlin Organ and Piano
Company have taken the representation of
the Brambach pianos made in Dolgeville, N. Y.,
for Boston, Chicago and Kansas City. Around
the first of the new year other important agencies
now pending will be announced.
Third Musical Afternoon.
./gHICKERING & SONS announce that in
*X> response to numerous requests Richard
Hoffman will give a pianoforte recital at the third
"Musical Afternoon," Tuesday, December i8,
at 3 o'clock.
Becht with Brambach.
J W | R . CHAS. BECHT, the well-known road
-***- representative for the Pease Piano Com-
pany, has signed a contract with the Brambach
Piano Company, of Dolgeville, N. Y., and will
represent that house on the road after January
the first.
Praise for the Blasius.
& SONS, Philadelphia, have re-
ceived a very complimentary testimonial
on the merits of their grand and upright
pianos from Edouard Hesselberg, the Russian
pianist, who gave a recital on a Blasius grand
last week in Philadelphia. Mr. Hesselberg in-
tends to use this instrument on his concert tour
of this country. In this connection he sajs:
"Your Mr. Levin Blasius has promised to con-
struct an instrument for my exclusive use which
will be even more brilliant than those I have
been using. I cannot see how he can do this,
for the piano is even more brilliant than any
other I have ever seen."
The Merrill Advocate.
:RS. SHERBURNE, who is one of the
shining lights in John N. Merrill's ware-
rooms, in Boston, is equal to any man in the
trade in ability to sell a piano or win a '' doubt-
ing Thomas " over to become enthusiastic about
the Merrill pianos. She is making many friends
for the Merrill instruments, and Mr. Merrill is
fortunate in having such an eloquent and capable
advocate.
Trade Conditions With
Hamilton S. Gordon.
Busy in all Departments.
ft|j?AMII/rON S. GORDON has a few words
'-'**• to say to piano dealers on another page
of this issue, and like all that Mr. Gordon says,
it is worth reading.
Dealers do not always discriminate between
so-called high class, popular-price or " cheap "
pianos—do not estimate a piano for its own
intrinsic worth ; in other words, do not "sepa-
rate the wheat from the chaff.''
This is the text of Mr. Gordon's " talk."
And a good one it is.
Mr. Gordon is a quiet but earnest worker in
the piano trade field—a believer in the old saw,
"deeds not words." Hence no long drawn out
or flamboyant statements as to the Gordon piano
being superior to all others made, and so forth,
can be credited to him.
Nevertheless his position in this connection
does not imply that he is at all behind hand in
making definite claims for the Gordon piano.
These claims, however, he says are real,
legitimate, and can be verified. And that is the
line of demarcation to be drawn between the
Gordon piano and other instruments on the
market.
Dealers who were not born yesterday and who
can appreciate an attractive and otherwise care-
fully constructed piano possessing a good tone,
should look up the Gordon.
There are no claims made that it is the best
instrument in the world, or even in the United
States, but considering its special grade and its
price, it is admitted to be eminently capable of
selling itself and making customers for the push-
ing dealer.
Mr. Gordon has well equipped manufacturing
quarters at $7 to 45 Ninth avenue, corter 14th
strtet, which, by the way, was the former home of
the well known Conover piano, and his facilities
there will enable him to cope with the certain
enlargement of his wholesale trade the coming
year.
As far as retail warerooms are concerned, it
will readily be conceded that Mr. Gordon has
one of the finest in the city.
It is now six months since he left the old
Gordon landmark on 14th street and took
possession of his present spacious and handsome
emporium, and it is satisfactory to state that
during this short time his business has rapidly
increased, while the products of the house in all
departments have gained in prestige and popu-
larity.
At the time of Mr. Gordon's removal we said :
" This change will mark a new era in the busi-
ness of Hamilton S. Gordon, and it is bound to
give the Gordon piano a decided prestige both
in a retail and wholesale way." We are pleased
to know that our prediction has been verified.
In the other departments of Mr. Gordon's
business—the organ, guitar, banjo and other
small goods, as well as music publishing—he is
winning a large measure of success by the
adoption of methods in the government of his
business, which we have briefly referred to be-
fore—a freedom from bombast in statement and
a desire to give value for value. This may be
termed "conservatism." Perhaps it is. Any-
how it is a progressive conservatism which is
respected and, as we see, supported.
THE United German Piano Manufacturers'
Association have sent a petition to Dr. Miquel,
the Prussian Minister of Finance, protesting
against the proposed tax on pianos in that coun-
try.