Music Trade Review

Issue: 1897 Vol. 25 N. 22

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
67,000,000, is'now 67,000,001. ^Congratu-
lations are in order on the arrival of this
valuable addition to the young lady ele-
ment in New York society. The columns
of The Review will always be available
for the recording of successful enterprises
of this praiseworthy character within the
limits of the music trades.
•f*
This week it was my good fortune to be
piloted by Mr. Nahum Stetson through the
art department of Steinway Hall, where
there is in course of construction a piano
which will rank perhaps as the most elabor-
ate upright ever finished in America.
Steinway & Sons have already won world
wide fame with these special art creations,
and judging- from the instruments which
they have finished and those which are in
course of construction it is fair to state
that their fame as producers of art pianos
will be largely augmented. In a future is-
sue of The Review I shall have consider-
able to say regarding some of these latest
Steinway creations.
*
*
*
*
"England's Loss of Trade " is the sub-
ject of a lengthy article in last Sunday's
Sun. It is based upon a series of articles
contributed to the London Mail by Ernest
E. Williams. It is comprehensive and
authoritative in its scope and ascribes the
present decline of England's trade and
commerce to indifference to modern meth-
ods of manufacturing, to lack of up-to-date
ideas in pushing foreign trade—in brief it
is stated that financially London still rules
the world, but in trade and commerce
England's rivals are so close to the front
that it is almost a foregone conclusion that
she will lose the lead in the race.
A point on which stress is laid is, that
English capitalists employ their money in
aiding foreign industries which compete
with British production. The natural re-
sult has been that the capital which might
have supported British houses has gone
abroad, where it will find some profit.
Piano manufacturing is adduced as an
example. "Many of the German factor-
ies," says Mr. Williams, "which have
swooped down so magnificently on the
world market are largely run on British
money." England's manufacturers are
naturally the sufferers.
Notwithstanding this calamity howl, last
year was commercially one of the most
prosperous in England's history.
*
*
*
*
Edwin Jarrett, formerly of the Mehlin
warerooms and factory, and now with the
business department of the Kroeger Piano
Co., celebrated Thanksgiving Day in pa-
triotic fashion, ably assisted by the lady
who shares his joys and sorrows.
It is unnecessary to go into details fur-
ther than to say that, thanks to Mr. and
Mrs. Jarrett, the population of the United
States, which, on Wednesday, was only
Sp
*P
T^
The alert war corespondents take the
trouble to report all the way from Simla
the pathetic incident of a bagpipe player
who, at the attack upon the tribesmen at
Dargai Ridge, was shot through both
ankles and yet amid a hail of bullets did
not cease playing. " His wounds," say
the correspondents, " d i d not diminish his
ardor, but he kept on piping as uncon-
cernedly as though he was on parade."
Now, there is nothing strange about that.
Anyone who has studied the bagpiper
knows quite well that there is no power on
earth to stop hispip : ng if he wants to pipe.
Hit him with a brick, shoot him full of
holes, shoot his legs off, shoot his head off,
and still he will gayly pipe on. It was
long ago determined that there is but one
way to still a bagpipe player and that is to
shoot him in a vital spot in his bagpipes.
worth, as times go," wrote Charles Reade,
"$3,000." The same instrument recently
changed hands at $10,000, showing that it
had trebled in price during the intervening
quarter of a century. It is supposed to be
just as it was turned out by its maker,
having been very little played upon and
never opened. Stradivarius made a greater
number than either of the others, but they
are not all equally good, and his violins
have been the most copied.
"
"

"
"
*
*
*
*
The Mehlin products, in both grands
and uprights, are largely in request, whole-
sale and retail. The new styles C and
I), designed for piano buyers who de-
sire "artistic and ornamental exteriors,
in addition to fine tone, are meeting
with wide approval. These "Colonial "
and " Empire " styles, with flat tops,
and built on straight angular lines
to harmonize, have proved immensely
popular with purchasers. They are being
made in ebonized or rosewood finish, fancy
figured walnut and choice selected maho-
gany of either light or antique color.
*

*
*
Not the least admired furnishings of
the new Hotel Astoria on Fifth avenue are
the magnificent line of instruments fur-
nished this hostelry by the celebrated
houses of Steinway and Chickering. The
first named firm supplied fourteen pianos
specially designed and finished, which
have been referred to in previous issues of
The Review, and the Chickering house
12. The instruments one and all are su-
perb examples of the artistic in piano mak-
ing, and equal, if not surpass, anything to
be found the world over.
Although the occurrence of Thanksgiv-
ing Day has caused a temporary lull of
activity at the factories and warerooms,
The Review is glad to say that during the
week's tour in search of news items the
report of general business has been very
encouraging. At several of the factories
the whole force is working overtime. In a
number of others, the number of em-
ployees has been materially strengthened.
Out-of-town representatives are sending in
satisfactory lists of orders. Retail trade,
J. Autonson has opened a music store at
too, is reported good, almost without an 1643 Clay street, Dubuque, la.
exception. One healthy sign is the ten-
Armbruster & Weber is the name of a
dency of purchasers to secure good re- new firm of dealers who have opened up at
liable products, irrespective of price.
Cedarburg, Wis.
*
*
*
*
A union of English-speaking piano mak-
"With regard to labels on violins one ers is to be organized at 458 Ninth avenue,
simple experiment is instructive," says Dr. this city, on December 5.
T. L. Phipson, an accepted authority. "A
M. Levaur, music dealer, 1103 Market
good orchestral violin of modern make had
street,
Wheeling, W. Va., has assigned.
the label of the maker on it when pur-
Liabilities
about $1,000. The business
chased. After twenty-four years' constant
will
probably
be continued.
work this label had become perfectly
invisible; it was covered with black dust
SELF-OPERATING
and rosin, and no amount of rubbing with SELF-CONTROLLING
grease, spirit, soap and water, etc., would
Perfection Has at Last Been Reached.
restore it. During this treatment it was
destroyed. If this be the effect of only
THE "AUTOIMO"
twenty-four years' use, what are we to say
of those easily read labels purporting to
PIANO AITACHMENT
have been over two hundred years in a
violin?" The case for Cremona is sum- is the only practical and reliable self-playing at-
on the market which can be applied to
med up by our author with the statement tachment
a piano without disfiguring it. Musical results are
that the three great makers, with Ruggeri marvelous. Considered by experts to be the
KINO OF ATTACHrlENTS.
and Lorenzo Guadagnini, turned out some
Can be placed in an instrument in twenty-four
violins and cellos of the very finest descrip- hours
by any tuner. Built to last and give satis-
tion imaginable. These violins, like those faction. We invite investigation and correspond-
of vSebastian Kloz and Stainer, are be. ence. This attachment should not be confused
with any devices hitherto sold to the trade as
coming rarer as well as dearer every day- piano attachments. It is unique—unequaled.
In the London Loan Exhibition of 1872
WEBER, dOOLriAN & CO.,
nanufacturers of the " Autono " Self-playing
was shown a " Strad " belonging to Vuil-
Attachment.
laume. "This Vuillaume-Stradivarius is 7 West 14th Street,
New York.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1 2
That Piano Trust.
PHILADELPHIA DEALERS AND MAKERS DON T
FAVOR IT ' T I S N ' T FEASIBLE, THEY SAY
PIANOS ARE NOT LIKE BEER AND
NAILS.
There doesn 't seem to be a great amount of
favor among members of the piano trade
in this city for the proposed piano trust.
According to them it's one thing to form
nails, beer, whisky, sugar and cigarette
trusts, but it's a vastly different matter to
put a piano trust on legs that won't wobble
or bend at the knees.
A dispatch from New York this morning
said that the formation of a trust is under
way and that besides several good-sized
piano houses a couple of bankers of inter-
national reputation had been interested.
Alfred Dolge, of the great piano supply
house which bears his name, is said to be
one of the prime movers in the formation
of the concern. It is not a new scheme by
any means, Mr. Dolge having advanced it
as a project some years ago, and been at
work on its details for a long time back.
The idea is to get the principal piano-mak-
ers of the country together in a pool, with
a capital of no less than $50,000,000.
Houses would be bought up only to be
closed. Branches of the trust would be
located in each of the big cities for the
sale of instruments; manufacture would
probably be confined to several big factor-
ies, and only four grades would be turned
out.
Philadelphia members of the trade are
inclined to pooh-pooh the idea of the trust.
The majority opine that it isn't feasible,
and they give reasons for it that are ap-
parently exceedingly weighty ones.
Said Colonel H. W. Gray, of the Scho-
macker Pianoforte Co.:
" I do not think much ot the trust. Why? Well,
if a maker makes a good instrument that the people
know by reputation as a good piano, pays his debts
and stands on his own legs, so to speak, he hasn't
any use for the trust. I've been in the piano busi-
ness for forty-three years, and I have yet to see
the time I would enter such a pool. I don't think it
will prove a success. There have been two or three
attempts to organize one and—well—you haven't
heard of a successful one yet, have you ?"
Col. Gray's blunt, straightforward state-
ment of the case seemed to be a summing-
up of opinion in general.
P. J. Cunningham, secretary and treas-
urer of the Cunningham Piano Co., is an-
other one of those who do not think much
of the reported pool.
" It cannot be possible," said he. "You can't
make pianos in a pool like nails or beer. As Hugo
Sohmer, of New York, says, • A piano is an artis-
tic creation.' There are big makers whose repu-
tations are their businesses."
People want this or that piano, or a
somebody's or somebody's else. That's
the piano they want, and that's the one
they'll buy. A pool of little fellows or
small manufacturers might get together
and do business, but it would hardly pay
sufficient returns for a big investment up
in the millions. And it wouldn't hurt old
established and well-known men.
James C. Miller, resident-manager and
treasurer of the Henry F. Miller & Sons'
Piano Co. in this city, also doesn't think it
feasible. His firm, to his knowledge, has
not been approached. Neither has the
firm of C. J. Heppe & Son. Florence
Heppe told an Item man to-day that his
firm wouldn't go into the trust if it was
asked. "We can make more money out-
side of it," was his excellent reason. "A
trust cannot hurt established and well-
known makers. They would hardly go
into it under usual business conditions.
Even if all the big makers and good peo-
ple were brought in, little mushroom
makers would spring up constantly. It
isn't practical."
Such is Philadelphia's opinion of the re-
ported proposed trust.—Item, Philadel-
phia, Nov. 23.
Dible Not Found Guilty.
[Special to The Review.]
A Strong Testimonial
FOR THE MASON & HAMLIN PIANOS—ONE TO
FEEL PROUD OF.
The following communication received
by Mason & Hamlin of this city, dur-
ing the past week speaks for itself:
New York, Nov. 18, 1897.
Messrs. Mason & Hamlin, New York.
Gentlemen:—When the steamships
"New York" and "Paris" were built by
this company we furnished them with
pianos of your manufacture. They gave
such satisfaction to those who used them
that later on we furnished several to the
Red Star Line, and more recently to the
"St. Louis" and "St. Paul" when they
were outfitted. Our experience with your
instruments has been so satisfactory that
we had no hesitation in placing our order
with you for the four pianos necessary for
these two ships.
In response to your request, it now
gives us pleasure to state that this entire
equipment of pianos on our steamers is
giving complete satisfaction both to our-
selves and our patrons. Yours very truly,
J. S. Bennett,
for International Navigation Co.
Allegheny, Pa., Nov. 23, 1897.
W. J. Dible, music dealer of Braddock,
was found not guilty of larceny this morn-
ing at the Criminal Court. The case was a
peculiar one, and grew out of the granting
of a traction franchise to operate on Corey
avenue in Braddock, for which the company
pai8 into the treasury $5,000. A certain
number of the property holders wanted
the company to pay for paving and signed
a petition to that effect.
The charge was made by John Howat,
Dolge Hose Co.'s Fair.
city engineer, that Mr. Dible, whom he al-
leged to be interested in blocking the im-
The Alfred Dolge Hose Co. No. 1, of
provement, had gotten hold of the petition Dolgeville, N. Y., held a most successful
and finally made way with it. He was ar- fair at Turn Hall last week. It was in-
rested charged with larceny. The case tended that the fair should be opened by
was not sustained, however, and the jury Mr. Dolge, but he was unavoidably de-
became satisfied that the paper had been tained by business in New York and in his
lost by accident, so Mr. Dible was dis- stead the Hon. E. A. Brown officiated. A
charged, the cost being assessed on the pro- letter, however, was read from Mr. Dolge
secution.
which abounded in good wi hes for the
company and the success of the fair. The
The Popular Pease Piano.
last issue of the Dolgeville Herald contains
an excellent half tone of the Alfred Dolge
At the Pease factory and warerooms
Hose Co. Among the "boys" we notice
business is active. The following an-
the face of Mr. Dolge.
nouncement of the firm, recently repeated
with marked emphasis, is having a marked
effect:
Behr Pianos in Demand.
" Our pianos are all manufactured from
It was a happy thought on the part of
the best of materials. We use only thor-
oughly-seasoned and kiln-dried lumber\ em- Behr Bros. & Co. to prepare a number of
ploy none but the very best of workmen, and their special Louis XV. style uprights in
superintend in person every department of mahogany for the holidays. Since the an-
their manufacture.
The tone is rich and nouncement to this effect was made to the
powerful, and the construction perfect. 7 hey trade, they have been kept busy at
contain all the latest improvements of merit the factory filling orders for special
or value, and every piano is fully warranted styles. The instrument is the same
size as the Behr Bros, style F, and,
by us for five years."
The above is a simple statement, and as is already well known, has been sup-
adds nothing to what has been fully known plied in gold and white and gold to the
of the Pease products from the start, but Waldorf and other prominent hotels.
This week's report at the Behr Bros, fac-
the fact that itsrepublication has been pro-
tory
is very satisfactory. All the Behr
ductive of good results shows that the
styles
for 1897-98 are in demand. Out-of-
standard of manufacture cannot be too con-
town
representatives
are sending in good
spicuous in these days of keen competition.
orders.
Mr. B. M. Robinson, the Pease representa-
tive in the West, has been making a great
Business is brisk at the Weber-Wheelock
record of late. On his last trip he had
factories
and warerooms. Mr. Wheelock
phenomenal success.
has rested at his country home since his
Geo. C. Pearson of Indianapolis, Ind., return, but will soon start in again on a
has taken the agency for the "Crown" vigorous business campaign for the winter
season,
piano,

Download Page 9: PDF File | Image

Download Page 10 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.