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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
IO
"Our lease expires some time this spring
here, and it is a matter which we have not
definitely settled yet as to whether we will
renew the lease or move our warerooms to
the factory. If the latter move, it will
mean that we shall pay more attention to
the development of our wholesale busi-
ness."
The Bourne piano has always stood well
in Boston and throughout New England,
and, I may add, wherever it is known. It
contains many improvements and special
inventions of Mr. Bourne, some of which
have interested other manufacturers. I
refer especially to the fall-board, known
as the "Bourne fall."
when the dealers will fail to appreciate
meritorious goods at a fair price."
In many parts of America the Vose
pianos have many strong admirers—in
fact, Vose pianos have fairly won their
way into a strong position with the trade
in all sections of the country.
* * *
There has been considerable talk in the
trade press about a new piano, which, it is
said, the Emerson Co. are about to manu-
facture. I may say in this particular that
notwithstanding all this paper talk, affairs
have not progressed beyond an experimen-
tal stage regarding the new piano. While
chatting with Mr. Fred. Powers on this
matter, Mr. Powers, Sr., came in, and after
going through his mail, I engaged with him
in a conversation regarding the trade mat-
ters of the day. Mr. Powers, while he does
not take an over optimistic view of the
situation of the country, is still of the
belief that a fair amount of business will be
transacted during the present year. The
Emerson agents have attested their be-
lief in the Emerson piano by placing
large and frequent orders with the com-
pany and thus the Emerson business goes
merrily on. In my travels I have noted
this, that dealers who have handled the
Emerson for a term of years are enthusi-
astic over its merits. The Emerson piano
possesses a certain individuality which has
caused it to become greatly admired
throughout the trade.
* *
Mr. E. N. Kimball, of the Hallet &
Davis Co., with whom I enjoyed a pleasant
chat in a sequestered little nook in the H.
& D. warerooms, spoke in an extremely
satisfactory way of the business which was
being done from the Chicago branch.
Considering the dullness of the times, he
has been most agreeably surprised in the
volume of trade which had been transacted
at that point. As years have rolled on the
Hallet & Davis piano has added to its
prestige. None of its old-time popularity
seems diminished on account of the influx
of newer stars in the piano firmament. It
has a host of admirers, and has a warm
place in the hearts of the American people.
From Mr. Bourne's I stepped across the
street to see how matters were progressing
with Mr. Geo. M. Guild. Mr. Guild has
succeeded in organizing a company in
whigh many prominent capitalists of Lynn,
Mass., are interested. The Guild Piano
Co. to-day is composed of men who have
been largely instrumental in making Lynn
a manufacturing city of note, and propose
that it will also be heard from in the piano
field. They have a large and well-ap-
pointed factory at Lynn. They have been
subjected to many annoying delays in the
manufacture of the first lot of pianos, but
Mr. Guild informs me that they will in the
near future be in readiness to fill orders with
B fair degree of promptitude. The Guild
stringer system and other patents will be
incorporated in the new instruments.
With Henry F. Miller I enjoyed a long
and reminiscent chat. We reviewed the
trade situation for some time past, and the
wondrous changes it has undergone. Mr.
Miller has great faith in the future of the
high-grade pianos of America. Said he:
"Our business has perhaps been as large
and satisfactory as we could have hoped
for in the contracted times through which
we have gone. I feel, however, that the
era of cheapness will be short lived. I
have abiding faith in the fact that the
people will purchase the instrument of
artistic value. As for this company, we
propose to manufacture pianos as good as
they can be built. It has long been our
aim to manufacture pianos of a high and
artistic grade. These will not be deterio-
rated or our policy departed from. We
propose to make these instruments just as
well as we can, using the choicest of mate-
rial, and if people do- not wish to buy
instruments of that character, why they
will have to remain here, that is all. We
shall build that class of instrument, and no
other."
* * *
Willard A. Vose is a manufacturer who
believes firmly in the policy of manufac-
turing instruments of merit, the quality of
which shall not be deteriorated for the
mere temporary cry of cheapness. He
said to me:
" I have been engaged in piano manu-
facturing for a long time—a great number
of years—have studied it in many phases,
and I do not believe the time has gone by
* *
*
A few of the well-known members of the
Boston trade are absent, building fences in
the West and South, among whom I may
mention E. W. Furbush and Geo. W.
Dowling, of the Briggs Piano Co.; W. H.
Poole, of the Poole Piano Co.; Chas. A.
Hyde, of Norris & Hyde, and some others.
* *
*
claimed him last Sunday. I have known
John N. Merrill for a number of years, and
have always considered it one of the pleas-
antest incidents of a trip to Boston, to drop
in for a few minutes' chat with him. He
possessed such a joyous, happy tempera-
ment that he seemed to diffuse about him
that peculiar charm which comes from con-
tact with a healthy optimistic nature. He
was neither warped nor narrow in any of his
views. A charming personality, a true
friend—every inch a man was John N.
Merrill. Alas, the world can ill afford to.
part with men of such a type.
* *
As I wrote you last week, the Mason &
Hamlin Co. have decided to manufacture a
piano in the future containing the pin-block
system. Mr. Mason added, however, that
it did not mean a discontinuance of the old
stringer system.
*
At Meriden I had the pleasure of inspect-
ing the new piano attachment lately placed
on the market by the Wilcox & White
Organ Co. There is one thing which must
particularly impress itself upon one who
listens to the music produced by this new
attachment, and that is the power to give
individual expression to music.
The Wilcox & White attachment renders
it possible for the player to produce indi-
vidual expression which adds to the value
of the attachment, both as to selling and as
to artistic qualifications. Another thing,
too, about this attachment, it does not
require a motor to operate it. Beautiful
tone shadings can be produced in a way
which gives decided pleasure to the man-
ipulator.
All with whom I have conversed about
this new attachment seem enthusiastic in
its praise. Mr. E. W. Tyler, of the Oliver
Ditson Co., who is always conservative
about new inventions, was particularly
enthusiastic over the Wilcox & White
attachment. Orders have been coming in
from all over the country, and as fast as
possible the company are enlarging their
force of skilled operatives. There is a big
future ahead for the Wilcox & White new
attachment.
At Bridgeport I missed the pleasure of
meeting my old friend, W. M. Blight, who
is laid up at his residence with a severe
cold.
* *
•*•
At Brown & Simpson's factory, in Wor-
* *
cester, I met Mr. W. M. Plaisted, who has
*
When I called at the Merrill warerooms recently-been doing some excellent work
I missed the bright expressive countenance for the Brown & Simpson piano. Mr.
of John N. Merrill, and regretted to learn Plaisted will leave for the West next Wed-
that his absence meant for him a serious nesday, where he will journey as far as
illness, that he was confined to his home Milwaukee and possibly St. Paul, covering
with a sickness which was very serious, many points en route.
necessitating the presence of a trained
nurse. Mr. Merrill's many friends in the
JOHN BELL has embarked in the organ
trade will look anxiously for his speedy business at Port Huron, Mich.
recovery.
THE Estey Organ Co. 's factory, Brattle-
Since writing the above, I have learned
with exceeding sorrow that Mr. Merrill's boro, Vt., now commence work at 7 a. m.,
illness terminated fatally, death having instead of 8 a. m., as heretofore.