Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
The Cheap Piano.
The Ann Arbor Factory.
ITS
OCCUPANCY
BENEFICIAL THAN INJURIOUS TO THE
SALE OF THE HIGH-GRADE
INSTRUMENT.
W
E had an interesting conversation this
week with a casual visitor to the
city—a dealer and a man who has paid
particular attention to the present condi-
tion of the trade bearing particularly on the
demand for pianos at a medium price.
His remarks are worth reproducing, and
without placing ourselves on record as
supporting his view of the situation, yet it
will be admitted he makes his point clearly
and logically. He said: "One of the great-
est existing fallacies is the belief that one
class of the piano trade has an injurious
effect upon the others; that the cheap piano
hurts the sale of medium instruments, and
both prevent the larger sales of the first-
class article.
"The effect that each has upon the other
is more beneficial than injurious as a gen-
eral result. The clerks, mechanics and
laborers of this country do not exist here so
distinctly as a class as in England, France
and other transatlantic countries, and the
American, as an idividual, however lowly
his lot, is not without aspirations, and, in
many cases, manages to climb beyond the
sphere to which he was born and educated.
Therefore, in his ambition to reach a
higher estate, the workingman seeks to
cultivate his children's talents and prepare
them for a better circle of society than he
himself has been accustomed to.
"Music, being an inborn talent, must
need find expression; but if its develop-
ment depends upon a poor man's ability to
purchase a grand piano, the talent never
would be cultivated. As his purchasing
power is limited, he buys a cheap piano.
The taste for music, which would have
been destroyed by waiting a few years, is
thus expanded in a child and creates a de-
sire for a better instrument.
"Those in better circumstances, with the
same object of cultivation,purchase medium
instruments, and thus create a wish to
advance their talents by expression of their
ideas on instruments of the finest quality.
" I t is the same with pianos as with all
other instruments. The first rude attempts
to produce harmony have been improved
in successive years until musical instru-
ments have attained their present perfec-
tion.
"The presence of a piano in a working-
man's household incites a desire to under-
stand music, and influences the development
of musical ideas. As a family is bettered
in their condition of life, more attention is
paid to the culture of the younger members,
and upon their success in life their tastes
become aesthetic and they demand the
better.
"Every piano sold benefits future trade."
BY
A "HOUSE
A TALK WITH THE INVENTOR, W. H. FROST.
WARMING."
SOME REMARKS BY A DEALER WHO IS OF THE
OPINION THAT THE CHEAP PIANO IS MORE
SIGNALIZED
Zobo Patent Granted.
NE of the worst fires in the history of
Great Barrington, Mass., occurred
last Friday morning in the Parker Block,
causing a loss of $125,000. Two big busi-
ness blocks were burned down, and among
the sufferers was J. M. Baldwin, dealer in
pianos and other musical instruments, who
estimates his loss at $5,000. He was par-
tially insured.
URING a recent call at the establish-
ment of W. H. Frost, of Zobo fame,
62 White street, THE REVIEW man found
that gentleman in great spirits. He had
just returned from a successful Western
trip, and had been granted the patent ap-
plied for on the Zobo by the authorities r.t
Washington. Speaking of this matter, Mr.
Frost said:
"As you can see from the wording of the
patent, ray claims have been fully admitted,
and everything is covered to the fullest ex-
tent. There has been some delay, caused
chiefly by the similarity of the resonant
diaphragm used in the Zobo with that of the
phonograph, aurograph and several other
instruments on the same plan. After mi
investigation, however, the patent office
experts have been fully convinced that thu
diaphragm used in the Zobo is entirely di-
fferent from any other in use, and I now
hold the exclusive right to use it.
"Yes, I found business very good in the
West, at least in my line. Lyon & Healy
and other large houses are selling a great
many Zobos, and are quite enthusiastic
about them. Candidly, the demand has
been such that I find it impossible to catch
up with orders, and the coming month I
intend to increase my facilities so that I
can fill all orders promptly and prevent de-
lays which have hitherto existed, but were
unavoidable.
The Reimers Piano.
Capitalized at $100,000.
T
HE Ann Arbor Organ Co., Ann Arbor,
Mich., gave a "house warming" in
connection with the opening of their new
factory, on the night of January 16th.
Over a thousand people paid their respects
to the popular manager, L. H. Clement,
Superintendent Allmendinger and Fore-
man Cady, and were much interested in
the building, the machinery, the mode of
doing the work and the products. An
orchestra was in attendance, and the com-
pany were heartily congratulated on their
occupancy of such handsome and spacious
quarters, which will enable them to turn
out orders without being hampered for lack
of room. The factory cost $12,000, and
it is five stories high. Some weeks ago
we gave a description at length of this
building in these columns.
J. il. Baldwin Burned Out.
O
WHY
IT SHOULD BECOME POPULAR.
T
HE business of the Reimers Piano Co.
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., is in a satisfac-
tory condition. Mr. Tylor, their road
representative, during his recent trip
established a number of agencies for these
instruments, which is bound to accentuate
the output of this concern very materially.
The Reimers piano is a decidedly meri-
torious instrument and aside from its beau-
tiful tone and handsome design of case,
possesses many "speaking points" which
commend themselves to commonsense
purchasers and can be effectively used by
intelligent dealers. During the present
year the Reimers piano should become
widely known, for it is honestly construct-
ed and an instrument that will sell on its
merits every time.
Appreciate the Behr Pianos.
S a token of apreciation for Behr
Bros.' kindness in loaning a piano to
the Lucy Cobb Institute, of Athens, Ga.,
for their room at the Atlanta Exposition,
Mrs. M. A. Lipscomb, the directress, has
written a personal letter to the principals
of the leading Southern schools in which
she recommends in very complimentary
words the Behr Bros, instruments, should
the purchase of pianos be contemplated by
these institutions at any time.
A
D
HE London branch of the Story &
Clark Organ Co., whose amalgamation
with Messrs. F. Kaim & Sohn, Germany,
we mentioned in our last issue, have
announced their capital stock as placed at
$100,000. They will continue at the old
address, 70 Berners street. The capital
stock will be about equally divided between
both houses.
T
Big Piano Deal.
LOUISVILLE COMPANY BUYS THE BUSINESS OF
SMITH & NIXON.
STOCK company, composed of
Louisville citizens, have purchased
the business of Smith & Nixon in that city.
This firm was formerly a branch of a
Cincinnati house. The business will be
conducted under the name of Smith &
Nixon. The capital stock of the new com-
pany is placed at $40,000. Mr. Llewellyn
Smith, who established the house, will be
the president of the new compan)\
Messrs. Charles Vaupel and Virgil N.
Rutherford, manager and cashier respec-
tively, have purchased stock in the new
company. They will retain their old
positions. The same lines of instruments
will be sold. A warehouse for pianos will
be built.
A