Music Trade Review

Issue: 1896 Vol. 23 N. 10

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ey's Music Rooms in Burlington, Vermont,
Col. Hall is accorded ample opportunity to
judge of the outlook, and he is elated
over the brightening business conditions.
* *
*
Retail trade in this city has shown decid-
ed improvement during the past two weeks.
When I saw Clifford Coxe at Steinway Hall
Thursday morning he had a neat little pile
of tabs on his desk which indicated a good-
ly number of sales, among which I noticed
the sale of a Steinway grand to a young
minister who is going to Japan. Just to
show the accelerated trade conditions, I
might add that Mr. Coxe told me that last
Saturday the sale of thirteen pianos was
effected at Steinway Hall. It doesn't look
like dull times, does it ?
* *
*
There is a superstition among many peo-
ple of the stage that a yellow clarionet in a
theatre orchestra, or when used on the stage,
is one of the most positive omens of ill-
luck and failure that is to be found in the
whole category of "voudoos" pertaining to
the theatrical profession. Canary birds, a
raised umbrella on the stage, the use of
peacock feathers, the whistling of Macbeth
music, are some of the other ill-omens usu-
ally avoided most scrupulously by those
who hold an abiding respect for the Book
of Fate and the influence of the Evil Eye.
In the first act of the new opera, "Half a
King," which Francis Wilson's company
is producing at the Knickerbocker Theatre
every evening, Wilson and Peter Lang
sing a duet, the latter accompanying the
song on a mandolin and the former play-
ing interludes on a clarionet. Wilson gave
the property man instructions to supply him
with an instrument with bright yellow dec-
orations. When it was b: ought forth at re-
hearsal a chorus of exclamations came from
the company, but Wilson explained that
"The Merry Monarch" attained great suc-
cess, in spite of the peacock feathers he or-
dered placed over his throne in the second
act, and also used in the decorations of the
prima donna's dress, and he intended to
brave the power of the yellow clarionet
with equal composure.
fore the fundamental principles of child
nature in their application to music. In-
deed it furnishes, in epitome, a complete
treatise on pedagogy as applied to music.
With his years of experience as a com-
poser and teacher of music and musical the-
ory, the author, John W. Tufts, is preemi-
nently fitted for the task he has undertaken;
while in the books of his two music courses
he has an abundance of the highest class of
music from which to draw illustrations.
The "Handbook" is intended to serve
as a guide and standard for the teaching of
music in public schools, and will be of great
value to both special teacners of music and
regular teachers who are giving instruction
in music in connection with their grade
work.
The book contains 308 pages, and is
handsomely bound in cloth and amply il-
lustrated with musical selections.
The mandolin seems to be a special fa-
vorite with society people nowadays. The
leading music dealers in the principal cities
are experiencing quite a demand for the
better grade of these instruments, and
manufacturers are commencing to feel the
beneficial results of the "craze." Would
it not be a good thing for piano manufac-
turers if a piano ' craze" were to start
around this time? It would help along
that "boom" which has been on ice for the
past couple of years.
AUSTIN & HYATT, of Belton, have opened
a music and jewelry store in the Yoe block,
Cameron, Tex.
THE grand old Steck piano, with its
splendid reputation for tone quality and
artistic design, is going to be a prominent
factor in the music trade arena of this coun-
try the closing quarter of the present year.
In a retail, as well as a wholesale way, Geo.
Steck & Co. are at present experiencing
quite an impetus in business.
A. J. BROOKS, a man whose fame is Ster-
ling, and who is Sterling all through, is
now on a trip through New England call-
ing on his old friends, and he has a host of
them wherever he goes.
THE Mason & Hamlin Co., of this city,
have issued an interesting pamphlet con-
taining editorial extracts from the New
York papers concerning the free coinage of
silver and kindred subjects.
A. SLOMOSKY, who has been in the em-
ploy of Hardman, Peck & Co. for the past
ten years as a successful salesman, has
taken the management of Jacob Doll's
warerooms at 113 East Fourteenth street.
Mr. Doll is to be congratulated on acquir-
ing such a popular and capable piano
man.
WM. E. THORNTON, formerly of the Stet-
son Music Co., is contemplating opening a
music store in Plainfield, N. J.
LITTLE evidence of depression is notice-
able at the factory of the Weaver Organ &
Piano Co., York, Pa. Their foreign trade
is exceptionally good, and local orders are
commencing to pick up. A large shipment
was made this week to Birmingham, Ala.,
Philadelphia and Scranton, Pa. The
Weaver organs are being exhibited this
week at the Newport Fair in Ferry County.
ON inquiry at the warerooms of Kranich
& Bach yesterday we were informed that
A NOTICE of dissolution has been filed by
Mr. Louis P. Bach was very seriously ill, the Mclntyre & Goodsell Piano Mfg. Co.,
being confined to bed at his home in this of Grand Rapids, Mich. There are no lia-
city for some days.
bilities or assets.
PAUL G. MEHLIN & SONS have sent out a
THE partnership existing between Ford
circular letter notifying their friends and & Relf, dealers in musical instruments at
patrons that owing to the steady increase Jamestown, N. Y., has been dissolved.
in their business, and requiring additional
PAUL G. MEHLIN & SONS have on exhibi-
* *
space at the factory, they have moved their
tion
at their Union Square warerooms, the
*
general offices and warerooms to No. 27
first
of
the new "Colonial" styles about to
If A. M. Wright opens up an extensive Union Square, from which address all busi-
be
placed
on the market. The instrument,
music emporium in this city for the John ness will hereafter be transacted. The
designated
the "Prince of Wales," is a
Church Co. he will be a factor in the mu- latest products of the Mehlin factory are now
unique
specimen
of the piano maker's art,
sic trade of New York who will be large- on exhibition.
artistically
conceived
and superbly finished;
ly heard from. Mr. Wright is well-en-
THE Knight Music Co., of Denver, Col., further particulars of same, with half-tone
dowed with physical as well as mental vigor
has been closed on a chattel mortgage.
cut, will shortly appear in our columns.
and there will be no languishing by the
WM.
JOHN
&
SON,
music
trade
dealers,
wayside with him. I would not be sur-
THE following dealers and music trade
prised if he were joined by a well-known Huntington, Ind., have made an assign- men have been in town during the week:
Fifth avenue salesman and musician as ment.
Wm. Knabe of Baltimore; H. W. Hall of
well.
ROBERT A. WIDENMANN, of Strich & Zeid- Burlington, Vt.; G. Herzberg, Philadel-
* *
ler, is back in town after a very satisfactory phia, Pa. ; H. A. Tonolla, Sing Sing, N. Y.
An epoch in intelligent musical percep- trip in the interest of his house.
tion and instruction in * our schools is marked
CHICKERING & SONS, of this city, con-
IT is not improbable that the Emerson tinue to report excellent business. The
in a recent publication which has reached
me from the publishing house of Silver, branch house in this city will soon be given demand for Chickering pianos during the
Burdett & Co., 110-112 Boylston street, up.
last three weeks is not only extremely sat-
THE mandolin attachment, which is a isfactory but indicative of a really prosper-
Boston, entitled "A Handbook of Vocal
Music." In it are developed more com- feature of the Weser Bros, piano, is making ous fall trade with their well-known instru-
pletely and yet more simply than ever be- quite a "hit." Dealers everywhere like it. ments.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
to specially emphasize that Mr. Heuer has
been perhaps more loyal to American in-
struments than any other dealer in the en-
tire Republic of Mexico, having handled
them in greater variety and in greater
quantities.
It is true that the excessive duty charged
at the Mexican frontier on musical instru-
ments is detrimental to trade interests with
our sister republic, but it should be under-
stood in this that there is no discrimination
between goods of American manufacture
and those of European make. It is alike,
whether entered from America or Europe,
fifty cents per kilo.
Europe, however, has maintained a
steady advantage over America in her
commerical conquests in Latin America in
the fact that through her Consular agents
Mr. Heuer's methods are live, progress-
ive and energetic, and he is constantl) 7 in-
creasing his output in all parts of the coun-
try, controlling, as he does, a large outside
trade as well as a steady trade in the City
of Mexico.
Trade in Latin America is conducted in
different lines than in the United States,
and the method of delivering pianos is par-
ticularly novel and striking. Instead of
having the ordinary piano trucks for mov-
ing pianos, half a dozen swarthy Mexicans
hoist the piano, which is placed on a frame
on their shoulders, and start off on a dog
trot, carrying the piano. These men will
maintain a steady trot for miles without
once breaking. Their endurance in this
particular is something astonishing. Over
mountains they carry the pianos with the
greatest of ease, whether they are uprights,
square or grands. This mode of convey-
ance is the popular one in the Republic of
Mexico.
Enrique Heuer, as may be imagined from
his progressive methods, is a firm believer
in the efficacy of printers' ink. One can
hardly pick up a paper in the entire Re-
she has constantly worked to the advantage
of European commercial interests, while
America has done really nothing to foster
or encourage trade relations with the coun-
tries south of us.
The music trade is conducted in a differ-
ent manner in Mexico than in the United
States, but it seems that Mr. Heuer has
thrown into his business a certain amount
of dash and eclat which has steadily ad-
vanced his business on firm lines and has
given him a position which places him as
one of the prominent young business men
of Mexico. His agents traverse the Re-
public, and he controls a large trade out-
side of the capital city's limits.
There is no doubt a big future for the
sale of musical instruments in Mexico. A
piano to-day is quite as necessary in the
haciendas of the wealthy Mexicans as in
the homes of the cultivated Americans.
public without seeing the display advertise-
ment of E. Heuer & Co., acquainting the
Mexicans with the name of some of the
American pianos which he handles. In this
way Mr. Heuer has produced surprising
results; in fact all of the instruments which
he handles receive great notoriety in the
press of Mexico.
Mr. Heuer has many warm friends in
official circles, and is of that genial dis-
position which causes him to at once make
friends and hold them as well. Next month
he expects to visit the United States, where
he will probably conclude some business
arrangements.
We are enabled to present a very excel-
lent view of his establishment, which is lo-
cated on San Francisco street, the main
thoroughfare of the City of Mexico. The
photograph hardly does justice to the
building. It is finished in granite, polished
A Mexican Music Trade Hustler.
ENRIQUE
HEUER OF E.
HEUER & CO.
LOYAL TO AMERICAN
INSTRUMENTS
HANDLES THE
WELL-KNOWN MAKES METHODS OF TRADE IN LATIN AMERICA — HEUER
BELIEVES IN PRINTERS' INK AS A MEANS
TO OBTAIN BUSINESS.
I
T was in 1880 when Enrique Hetier paid
farewell to the German fatherland to
seek his fortune in foreign lands. He had
been educated for a commercial career.
After arriving in America, his tarry was
short in New York. He went to Balti-
more, from thence to Texas, where he was
engaged for a while in the importing busi-
ness.
Believing in the commercial future of our
sister Republic on the south, in 1890 he
embarked in business in the City of Mexico.
His knowledge of the importing business
gave him a thorough insight of the com-
mercial possibilities of the City of Mexico.
His experience with the products of the
United States caused him to believe that
American pianos and organs could be
handled to advantage in Mexico.
At the time of Mr. Heuer's entree in the
music trade, nine-tenths of the pianos sold
in the Mexican Republic were of European
manufacture. Mr. Heuer has been remark-
ably successful with American instruments.
Perhaps the most popular in this line may
be included the Sterling pianos, the agency
for which he has held a long time. His
annual sales of Sterling pianos are exceed-
ingly large. In organs he has had the
agency for the Estey for the entire Repub-
lic of Mexico. Some two years ago he took
the agency for the "Crown" pianos, manu-
factured by George P. Bent, of Chicago.
He has made satisfactory sales with these
instruments. The orchestral attachment
seems indeed popular in the Mexican Re-
public. It is possible to imitate with this
attachment a number of southern instru-
ments, and this has brought the "Crown"
into special demand.
It is something over a year ago that he
secured the agency for the Knabe pianos
These instruments had already occupied a
high position in Mexico—a position which
has been considerably augmented since Mr.
Heuer has secured the agency.
He has also handled for a number of years
the Wilcox & White Symphony. Lately he
has been successful with the new attachment
manufactured by this concern designated
the "Angelus."
Mr. Heuer writes us: "We are doing a
nice trade with the new Wilcox & White
attachment, which, I am glad to say, is su-
perior to all automatic inventions up to to-
day without exception."
His latest piano acquisition is the Mexi-
can agency for the Kranich & Bach pianos.
Mr. Heuer has only held this agency for
a short time, but he sends us a communi-
cation in which he mentions his success with
these instruments in eulogistic terms.
Thus we see how this energetic young-
man has built up a vast and steadily grow-
ing trade for instruments of American
manufacture in Mexico. In this we desire

Download Page 6: PDF File | Image

Download Page 7 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.