Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
3 clever anecdotes and interesting reminis-
cences of the early days of piano making
help to hold the attention of the reader from
the first to the last line.
During his career—from his labors at the
bench up to to-day, when he is recognized
- ^ . E D W A R D LYMAN
as the most distinguished figure in piano
Editor and Proprietor.
trade annals—he has played a prominent rdle
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
in the most important events connected
with the history of the trade. He has been
3 East 14th St.. New York
blessed with a marvelous memory, hence in
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and
Canada. $.voo per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
this article he speaks largely from personal
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single* column, per
Insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts » special dis-
experience and knowledge. He has rescued
count is allowed.
from oblivion a number of facts relative to
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
Oe made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
the early days of piano making which make
Enter id at ths New York Post Office as Second Ua.s Matter. this contribution of enduring value.
It is unnecessary to select any por-
NEW YORK, APRIL 4, 1896
tion of this essay for special praise or com-
ment. Every paragraph is of interest, and
"THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER."
is worthy the closest study by our younger
generation.
In this materialistic and matter-of-fact
age it is really invigorating to find a public
man such as Mr. Steinway, whose multifa-
rious duties engage every hour, finding time
to give to the world a work which throws
not only cathode rays on the origin and
progress of musical instrument manufactur-
ing ? but compels for our art industry an ad-
vanced place among the great industrial
forces of this nation.
#
T
HE important article which appears
elsewhere in this paper from the pen
of Mr. William Steinway, entitled "Ameri-
can Musical Instruments," is a most not-
able contribution to music trade literature.
In a limited space he has given a plethora
of facts and figures—many of which have
never before appeared in print—which re-
veal much of value and interest anent the
evolution of the musical instrument indus-
try of this country from historical, technical,
industrial, national and personal stand-
points.
The essay is conceived in a broad and
liberal spirit—a desire to be fair to all—to
give credit to whom credit is due. That is
perhaps one of its strongest points. The
great technical minds that have contributed
to the perfection of the piano, as we know
it, are duly honored and their achievements
recorded.
Mr. Steinway wields a facile pen. His
essay is admirable in style—breezy and
vigorous—while the influence of his charm-
ing personality is dominant. In addition,
#
There ate "all sorts and conditions" of
imposture in this great city of ours. Last
week we made reference to the success of
unscrupulous parties in selling, through
advertisements in the daily papers, cheap
rattle boxes entirely new as "good second-
hand pianos, by eminent makers."
A sequel to this has now come to our
knowledge. This time it is a number of
so-called "professors" who are plying a
lively trade in this same field.
Notwithstanding that the majority of pi-
ano houses are willing to give a liberal
commission to teachers for any trade which
they may happen to influence, yet it seems
the "professors" have not been able to
make money fast enough, and a number of
them are making a practice of palming off
stencil pianos by false representation on
unsuspecting pupils, and inducing them to
pay three times their actual value for these
rattle-boxes—that is, provided they have
any value.
To enable the "professor" to develop his
plans the factory from which he secures the
piano "stocks him up," so his private quar-
ters are virtually an emporium of cheap
pianos.
There must be an enormous trade trans-
acted in this illegitimate way in this and
other cities. A short investigation brings
to light some startling facts which demon-
strate the extent of this imposture right
in New York. These frauds are evident in
auction rooms, in the advertising columns
of the Sunday papers, as well as in private
houses.
This entire matter is a fit subject for in-
vestigation and action by the Piano Manu-
facturers' Association of New York and
Vicinity. The evil is growing, and unless
eradicated in time it is destined to work a
decided injury to the retail trade of this
city. Rattle-traps are foisted on the public
as the products of reputable makers and a
false standard of prices and values is en-
gendered in the public mind.
The exposure of the parties engaged in
this fraudulent work would do much to
warn the purchasing public against being
so easily "caught," and it would moreover
demonstrate that the piano men have an
organization which is alive to their best in-
terests.
#
#
The joint resolution which has been pre-
pared for Congress by Representative
Smith, of Michigan, is a very important
one to the business men of this country.
It aims to create a standing Reciprocity
Commission, which shall devote its atten-
tion to the origination and perfection of
trade treaties with European powers and
the governments of the Western Hemi-
sphere.
The proposed commission is to consist
of five members, not more than three of
whom shall belong to the same political
party, one being appointed on account of
distinguished consular service, one of
whom shall be familiar with the administra-
tion of customs laws, and the remainder
shall be equally distinguished in commerce
or manufacturing.
It is an open question whether such a
commission, if created, will be able to ac-
complish the ends for which it was devised.
Meanwhile, manufacturers without ex-
ception are strongly in favor of the re-en-
actment of treaties of reciprocity. They
will enlarge our export trade to all parts of
the world, especially to South American
countries.
#
#
A gratifying sign of the times is the in-
creasing demand for high grade pianos, not
only in this city, but in all the important
trade centers throughout the country. Mr.
E. A. Potter e'mphasizes this fact as far as
it refers to Western trade, when he says
elsewhere in this paper: "Last year we sold
more Steinway pianos than were ever sold
before in one year from Chicago." The
reports from other sources for the first three.
i