Music Trade Review

Issue: 1895 Vol. 20 N. 25

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
owe much to the inventor of this remark-
able instrument."
••;• , " •
EDWARD L\MAN BILL
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts . special dis-
count is allowed.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency for.*;. f->«ould
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at tht New York Post Office as Second- Clu , ? Matter.
"THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER.'
^ H E latest report of imports and ex-
ports of musical instruments as well
as ivory and sheet music, which appears
elsewhere in this paper, affords consider-
able encouragement. The figures for the
past ten months have shown a constant im-
provement, and so far are away ahead of
the same period last year. There is every
reason to hope that the gradual improve-
ment in export trade will grow to old-time
proportions during the fall—in fact, the
increasing activity in business makes this
certain.
T
• • • • • • • • • • • •
EVERAL New York firms that are en-
gaged in the export business, have
formed an association for the purpose of
engaging men to act as agents for them in
the different foreign countries where they
have business to some extent at the present
time, says the Boston Journal of Commerce.
They intend that their representatives, or
these agents, shall reside in these countries
and devote their entire time to the exten-
sion of their business. This is a very im-
portant move and one in the right direction,
and we fully believe it will succeed in our
rapidly gaining a foothold where at present
we have little, if any, business. It is im-
portant to have men in those localities
where we wish to capture trade, for in do-
ing so they are able to understand precise-
ly the class of goods we should make and
the jjmanner in which they should be put
up."
S
T
HE encouraging crop report issued by
the authorities in Washington recent-
ly, is another of the many evidences which
indicate a prosperous fall season. Great
commercial nation as we are, our prosper-
ity depends materially on the prosperity of
the farmer.
T
HE Music TRADE REVIEW is the only
publication in the United States de-
voted to music trade interests that pub-
lishes, weekly, illustrations of all patents as
rapidly as issued from the Department at
Washington. This in itself is a valuable
feature of the trade publication, as it keeps
readers thoroughly in touch with all that
is new in the line of inventions.
Y
SAYE, the celebrated violinist, was
greatly entertained by listening to
the ^Eolian last Thursday. He was very
eloquent in his expressions over the su-
perb tone qualities of this instrument, and
said: " I am glad to express my admiration
for the ^Eolian. In years to come, when it
shall have achieved the popularity that it is
destined to attain, the art of music will
progressive and prosperous plants, will be
exterminated, after having had their day,
in obedience to the accepted scientific dog-
ma that—"the fittest will survive."
An old saw says that "out of evil cometh
good," and one of the good results of this
evil of "cheapness" is that it will set the
manufacturers thinking and planning how
to master the condition that confronts
them.
The manufacturers of pianos, organs or
supplies—manufacturers who are leaders in
their line, and who have deservedly won
that supremacy by furnishing reliable and
honestly constructed goods—would as soon
retire from business as make inroads on
the reputation which they have achieved
after years of earnest labor, by lowering
the standard of their wares.
They cannot and do not feel disposed to
reduce the wages of their employees, for
competent and reliable workmen are neces-
sary to turn out first-class work, and are
worthy of their hire.
Then the landlord demands his pound of
flesh, and gets it, too. He cares little
whether school keeps or not. Nevertheless,
the trade at large say money is scarce,
times are hard, we must get cheaper goods
or we cannot sell them. A great many
dealers are not particularly concerned
whether the manufacturer has to pay the
same prices for his materials, the same
wages to his workmen, the same rent to his
landlord.
They want cheaper instruments.
Is it surprising that many, very many,
conscientious manufacturers strained a
point in this direction notwithstanding
their resolutions to "keep up prices?"
What has been the result in a great many
A VITAL QUESTION TOTHE MANUFAC-
instances?
TURER.
HE cry of "keep up prices" is one in
Well, when the books were balanced up
which we heartily believe. It has they have found the figures on the wrong
been the text of many of our editorials dur- side of the ledger, and with very unsatis-
ing the past eighteen months. It is a well- factory returns for their time and labor.
known fact, however, that many piano and
Now, as we have remarked, this condi-
organ manufacturers have had to adopt an tion of things has set many manufacturers
elastic policy, so far as this question is con- thinking—and thinking hard. Pianos or
cerned, during the unprecedently dull period organs are not manufactured for mere
which is now happily disappearing. And pastime; there must be a fair return for
this is most natural, for a leaning to the money invested, and the reputation
"cheapness" in all lines of industry has which it has taken years of earnest labor to
prevailed. While this tendency has had its win must be sustained.
bad effects, it indirectly has had some good
Is there a panacea?
results, which will be more apparent later
Well, perhaps.
on.
Discussing this matter with one of the
In our opinion this era of "cheapness" leading and brainiest manufacturers in the
which we are now passing through, is but music trade recently, he uttered some opin-
a natural law of our commercial evolution ions on this subject which might be con-
—it had to come, and as it passes away the structed into a panacea. We cheerfully
thorns and thistles which have sprung up reproduce them. He said: "Your resume
by the wayside—in the shape of rattle-box of the situation is about correct. We must
pianos, etc—working injury to the healthy, maintain our reputation and the excellence
T
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Hatch less New York.
of our wares, sell cheaper, perhaps, and yet
make a little money.
N
"How are we to do it?
"In my opinion the reduction in prices
must be met not by taking- from the excel-
lence of the materials that enter into the
construction of the piano or organ, or the
wages of the employees, but by new ideas
in the government of business, and particu-
larly a more thorough study of its technical
requirements.
This will result in evolv-
ing valuable improvements in the shape of
labor-saving machinery and needed inven-
tions in the technical field, which will tend
not only to greater perfection in workman-
ship, but will materially bring down the
cost ot production—that is the point.
HANSING & SCOTT, piano manufacturers,
have moved from their old address to new
factory quarters at 410-12 West Thirteenth
street.
THIEVES entered the music store of W. T.
Bobbett, Olive street, St. Louis, Mo., on
June 8th, and made away with several
small articles as well as a complete tuning
outfit, the property of Robert Edwards,
Mr. Bobbett's tuner.
THE Marshall & Wendell Piano Co., Al-
bany, N. Y., have not as ) T et received
proofs that trade is slacking up. They are
quite busy.
THE piano manufacturers over the bridge
made
quite a showing at the opening of the
where the manufacturers' profit will in
Harlem
Ship Canal last Monday.
By the
future come in. That is where the think-
way, dealers up the State can now take a
ing and the practical man will have the ad-
trip on their steam launches down the Hud-
vantage over the man who turns out pianos son, cross over and visit the piano manu-
or organs as if they were folding beds, and facturers in Harlem, and New Yorkers
who has little respect for his own name or will be none the wiser.
"The reduction in cost of production is
his products.
"The general tenor of my remarks ap-
plies/' he added, "not to the manufacturers
whose instruments have and always will
command their price, but to the rank and
file of ambitious manufacturers who are
turning out first-class goods, and who have
respect for their name and a thorough
knowledge of the requirements of their
art."
We submit these remarks for what they
are worth. This question of how to cheapen
cost of production and yet maintain a high
standard of excellence, is a vital one to the
manufacturer.
Can it be accomplished
solely
by a
greater activity in the inventive field?
AN esteemed contemporary has been tell-
ing its readers that men like E. S. Conway,
Nahum Stetson, H. D. Cable, Geo. P.
Bent, Karl Fink and others do not "travel
in vain." This is a startling item of news.
Is it possible that any sane man would have
thought they traveled just to spend their
spare money or to kill time?
PLATT T.
GIKBS, president of
the
Chi-
cago Music Co., has been spending a few
days in New York.
L. E. THAYER, of the Ft. Wayne Organ
Co., reached town last Thursday.

BEGINNING on Saturday, July 6th, the
Alfred Dolge mills and factories at Dolge-
ville, N. Y., will close at noon during July
and August.
In consideration the em-
plo)ees will work half an hour later five
days in the week. -.
EW YORK is, of course, the foren^pst
city of the continent, no matter by
what test the comparison is made. But
not everybody is aware how very far fore-
most the metropolis is.
Few persons know, for example, how very
largely New York owns the railroads, fac-
tories, industrial establishments, etc., on
which other cities pride themselves. The
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad,
for example, is more largely a New York
than a Chicago affair, as was shown by a
recent statement of its stock distribution.
The usual measure of the importance of
cities is population. Even that test puts
New York, with its 1,900,000 people, and a
million more at its doors, really a part of
it, far in the lead. But it is a very falla-
cious test, because the qualities and capaci-
ties of men vary widely, and a mere count
of noses by no means determines a city's
influence or right of influence.
In our industrial and commercial age
money is the implement of all achieve-
ment, or nearly all, and it is the minister
where it does not reign.
Measured by
money, says the World, New York has "no
rival even distantly challenging her great-
ness.
To illustrate: A recently published sta-
tistical table gives the gross amount of per-
sonal deposits in the banks of the different
cities on May 7, 1895. The figures for New
York are $302,398,494. Boston comes next
with a little more than one-third as much,
or $106,890,282. Philadelphia stands third
with $88,507,944. Chicago, though second
in population, is fourth in wealth available
for business, and her record is 1574,015,258,
or less than one dollar to New York's four.
If statistics of invested capital were avail-
able they would still more impressively il-
lustrate the matchless superiority of New
York as a center of commanding influence
over all other cities of the continent.
And the Greater New York is coming to
increase all this.
Melloid, a New Alloy.
RETAIL trade for the opening weeks of
June has not been as duli as was antici-
NEW alloy has just been brought pated. With few exceptions, salesmen re-
out in London, and is said to jus- port that business is in advance of the same
tify its right to be called new, by pos- period a year ago. Many substantial cash
sessing qualities not previously found in sales have been effected, and, on the whole,
an}* of the bronzes. It is the invention the early summer season has exceeded ex-
of Mr. Bull, already known as the inventor pectations.
of Bull's metal. Melloid may be described
THE John Church Co. have on exhibition
as a malleable bronze; it is a mixture of in Cincinnati the aluminum violin which
copper and tin, which is entirely free from is to be presented to Eugene Ysaye. With
zinc, aluminium or iron, and it differs from the exception of the finger board, chin rest,
prosphor bronze, manganese bronze or box and tail piece, which are of ivory, the
Bull's metal, in being tough and ductile at instrument is composed exclusively of
all temperatures.
Many descriptions of aluminum. The tone is rich and sweet in
brass and bronze can be forged or welded, quality, and has the merit of not being
but Mr. Bull states that with all of them susceptible to atmospheric changes.
there is a temperature at which they be-
come brittle. This may vary from 400 to
900 degrees Fahr., and when it is passed
they again become tenacious and malleable,
if their temperature be raised still higher.
A
Comstock, Cheney & Co.
T
HE piano actions manufactured by
Comstock, Cheney & Co., Ivoryton,
Conn., are always in demand by manu-
facturers who have come to understand
that the Comstock-Cheney action is care-
fully and honestly manufactured. Hence
Comstock, Cheney & Co. are adding to
their customers and enlarging their plant.
This is the logical result of making a
good action.
J. HENRY LING, music trade dealer, De-
troit, Mich., reports having sold more
Weber pianos this year than any year since
he has been in business.
Lindeman Pianos
THE agency for the A. B. Chase piano in
Portland,Me., has been placed with Cressy,-
Jones & Allen.
FACTORY, 727-37 E . 147th St.
WAREROOMS, 116 W . 125th St.
HEW YORK

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