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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Strange Career of an Emerson
Piano.
MUST HAVE BEEN FOUND BY M GINTY.
I
T is interesting to trace out the career of
a piano from the time it leaves the fac-
tory until it succumbs to the encroachment
of hard usage and finally disappears. Fre-
quently it passes through many hands, and
oftentimes a complete change of name, as
well as of case, occurs.
We have in mind the recent career of an
Emerson.
A lady came into the Emerson ware-
rooms recently, on Fifth avenue. Mr.
Kimball was present, and the lady stated
that she had a piano which was sold to her
as being practically an Emerson, but it
bore a different name. Mr. Kimball was
at once interested to such an extent that he
looked up the piano and its history. There
was no mistaking the fact, it was a genuine
Emerson plate, the name being cast there-
in. It was an Emerson back. The front
of the piano was changed somewhat, and
a different name was placed upon the fall-
board.
Mr. Kimball became interested further
in the matter after looking at the number,
and, communicating with the home office,
he found that the piano had been shipped
to Thos. Goggan & Bro., the well known
Emerson agents of Galveston, Tex.
From them later he learned that the
piano bearing that number was lost with
the steamer "Eldorado," in August, 1891.
Mr. Goggan surmises that McGinty must
have been implicated in the rescue of this
instrument from the bottom of the sea.
Mr. Kimball very aptly puts it, that this
is the first time that he was aware that
McGinty had gone into the piano business,
and he states further that if the trade paper
men desire to get all the news they must
obtain telegraphic communication from
McGinty from the depths of old ocean.
Madame Besson a Mother.
RECENT cablegram from London
says Madame Fontane Besson, the
wife of a manufacturer of musical instru-
ments in London, New York, Paris and St.
Petersburg, who in October last was ar-
rested in Seville, whither she had fled with
a Spaniard, and extradited to England, on
the charge of having robbed her husband
of ,£1,000 worth of securities, has given
birth to a child.
Further hearing of her case has conse-
quently been adjourned for a month. In
the meantime Madame Besson is under
,£5,000 bail, furnished by herself.
A
New Style Bourne.
ILLIAM BOURNE & SON have got
a "winner" in their new style " S "
piano. It contains all the latest improve-
ments, and the tone quality is charming,
while the case design is most attractive. It
is an instrument that should make money
for wide-awake dealers. Better look it up,
hadn't you?
W
Krell Conditions.
T
HE Krell Piano Co. have adjusted their
insurance satisfactorily with the va-
rious companies in which they held policies,
and their loss will be paid without reserva-
tion. They have secured temporary factory
quarters for six months in a location ad-
joining their former factory, and will be
prepared to ship pianos inside of forty-five
days. It should be understood that their
lumber yards were saved, also fifty pianos,
thirty-five of which will be available for
immediate shipment.
The stock carried by the Geo. C. Crane
Co. in the East has been drawn upon, and
large shipments have been made from New
York. The funeral of Alexander Krell,
who perished in the flames, as we stated
last week, occurred on Dec. 16th, and was
largely attended by members of the trade
and the deceased's many friends.
WE ASK AN
UNPREJUDICED
COMPARISON WITH ANY OTHER
PAPER PUBLISHED IN OUR PAR-
TICULAR FIELD.
In TheJWest.
CHRISTMAS TRADE NOT LARGE THE CHICAGO
COTTAGE ORGAN CO. RENEW THEIR CON-
TRACT WITH THE SCHUBERT PIANO CO.
ANOTHER FIRE THE STORY & CLARK
BUSINESS
"CROWN" HAPPENINGS.
THE BALDWIN PIANOS
ACTIVE
DEMAND FOR THE CHASE
BROS. PIANOS.
/ ^ H R I S T M A S trade is over, and it has
\^/
not been an overwhelmingly heavy
one. Meanwhile a very fair business was
transacted by Lyon & Healy, W. W. Kim-
ball Co., Lyon, Potter & Co., Conover
Piano Co., Hallet & Davis, Steger & Co.
and Clayton F. Summy. In fact, high-
priced pianos have been in demand. This
is a good sign, and portends a decline of
the very cheap piano. December trade on
the whole has not come up to expectations,
but we are an optimistic people out here,
and are looking forward to brighter days.
As I remarked last week, the talk about
the non-renewal of the contract between
the Chicago Cottage Organ Co. and the
Schubert Piano Co. was simply "rumor."
I received definite information Tuesday
that the old contract has been renewed, and
the Schubert piano will be sold as formerly
by the Chicago Cottage Organ Co. It is
hardly necessary to say that this is a feather
in the cap of Mr. Duffy, for it means that
the output of Schubert pianos will be largely
increased the coming year as compared
with the year just closing. Westerners like
the Schubert piano, and the renewal of the
contract is a good move all around.
Fires have become so popular out here
that we now expect one at least every week.
Last Saturday night the Giles Building, on
Wabash avenue, next the Auditorium, was
partly destroyed by fire, the damage
about $60,000. Among the tenants suffer-
ing loss I notice the McMaster Music Co.,
who had quarters on the fifth floor.
The Story & Clark Co. are closing a very
prosperous year. Their organ business has
been unusually large, and at the present
time they are behind in orders. The Story
& Clark pianos have been great successes,
and the company are rapidly opening up
new territory and extending their trade.
They expect to turn out about twenty in-
struments a week after the first of the year.
A branch store of Tryber & Sweetland,
of this city, has recently been opened at
Ottumwa, la., under the management of
J. O. Loch.
A big volume of business has been trans-
acted by Geo. P. Bent during the past
twelve months. He has not only developed
a home trade of surprising magnitude, but
his shipments to foreign countries have
been exceedingly large. Mr. Bent is a
"hustler" in the true meaning of the word,
and dealers should watch his movements
closely during the year of 1896. By the
way, Herbert O. Fox, son of Editor Fox,
of the Indicator, has accepted a position
with Mr. Bent as city salesman. Fred. W.
Primer will leave about Jan. 3d, for an ex-
tended tour through Mexico and other
South American countries.
I had the pleasure of examining recently
some of the pianos which are being manu-
factured by the Baldwin Piano Co., Cincin-
nati, and cannot help paying a tribute to
their beauty of design, solidity of construc-
tion, careful finish and better than all, their
superb tonal quality. The Colonial style
which they are turning out, is certainly as
artistic a sample of piano making as I have
seen.
Manager Dodge, of the Chase Bros.
Piano Co., has been experiencing a good
lively demand for Chase Bros, pianos for
the past ten days. He has a fine display
on exhibition. The new style Chase Bros,
pianos are most attractive instruments.
The C. C. O. C—Past and Future
HE Chicago Cottage Organ Co. have
made a splendid record during the
year just closing. They have extended
their business in all parts of the Union, and
not only have they sold more pianos than
ever before in the history of the house, but
the merits of the "Conover" have been
brought to the attention of the public in-
telligently and effectively. Their books for
the present year will show a phenomenal
trade in the face of the commercial quiet-
ness which prevailed during the early part
of the year. It is safe to assert that their
business for the new year will show that
constant augmentation which is the result
of progressive methods.
T
J. A. KIESELHORST, one of the best known
music trade 'dealers of St. Louis, died at
his home in that city last Sunday, Dec. 22d.
Mr. Kieselhorst was fifty-two years old, and
is succeeded by three sons, who will con*
tinue the business, .