Music Trade Review

Issue: 1897 Vol. 25 N. 9

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
VOL. XXV.
N o . 9.
Published Every Saturday at 3 East Fourteenth Street, New York, August 28,1897.
Weber-Wheelock Co.
August Dolge Honored.
Last Saturday evening was celebrated
the seventy-seventh anniversary of August
Dolge, father of that popular member of
the trade, Alfred Dolge. It was the occa-
sion of a remarkable demonstration of
esteem and good will on the part of his
neighbors and friends in Dolgeville.
A public entertainment was held in the
Turn Hall in honor of the event, in which
living pictures illustrating scenes and in-
cidents in the life of the venerable gentle-
man were shown, interspersed by literary,
musical and dramatic numbers, and closing
with some remarks of appreciation and
thanks by the gentleman in whose honor
they had gathered.
Later in the evening Mr. and Mrs. Alfred
Dolge gave an informal banquet at their
spacious mansion to the numerous friends
who had gathered on the occasion. Mr. Au-
gust Dolge occupied the seat of honor and in-
formal remarks were made by the host, who
as usual displayed marked ability as a post-
Charges against Burchard.
prandial speaker.
Mr. Rudolph Cronau, the American cor-
On Thursday of last week Chas. L. respondent of the Cologne Gazette,and Mrs.
Burchard, secretary and treasurer of the Cronau contributed greatly to the success
Behr Bros. Co., was arrested on a charge of the celebration.
made by Edward Behr, alleging falsifi-
cation of the accounts of the Behr Bros.
Co. The hearing occurred last Tuesday,
Piano 120 Years Old.
and the matter was further postponed at
[Special to The Review.]
request of the defendant, until Sept. 3.
Atlanta,
Ga., Aug. 24, 1897.
The charge made by Edward Behr
The
Phillips
&Crew
Co. Saturday placed
created great surprise and was much talked
on
exhibition
in
their
warerooms
two square
about in the trade last Monday. Mr. Bur-
pianos
that
will
certainly
command
much
chard has been connected for many years
notice.
in an official capacity with the Behr Bros,
One of them is 120 years old and is a
corporation, and has always borne an ex-
curiosity,
having only two legs, and the
cellent reputation.
wires used in the stringing of it are about
An Elaborate Band Instrument. the size of those used on an autoharp.
The other square they have on exhibi-
What may be characterized as the finest tion illustrates another step in the develop-
saxophone in the world has been presented ment of the piano, and when new cost
by C. G. Conn to Prof. Lefebre, the cele- $1,200. It is beautifully carved, hand-
brated soloist. The instrument is elabo- somely inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and the
rately plated with gold and artistically keys are also pearl. The piano attracts a
engraved, in fact one of the handsomest great deal of attention on account of its
instruments ever turned from that home of beauty.
beautiful band products—the Conn factory.
Thus is shown at a glance the three
stages of the most marked development of
Christian Monckmayer, who for the past the art of pianoforte making — the old
sixteen years has been an employee of the square of 120 years ago, the square of say
Wilcox & White Organ works, Meriden, forty years ago and the warerooms full of
Conn., died suddenly while visiting the the beautiful modern instruments sold by
factory last Saturday.
the Phillips & Crew Co.
When The Review called at the Weber-
Wheelock warerooms Thursday Mr. Whee-
lock was found in a very buoyant frame of
mind over the business outlook. In an
informal talk he remarked that conditions
throughout the country were shaping them-
selves toward a prosperous fall trade. In
response to the question whether the boom
had yet reached the piano trade he said:
" No, not exactly. Business is improving
steadily, but round the middle or closing
days of September we are certain to ex-
perience a decided activity in orders.
This is inevitable."
In passing it may be remarked that the
line of styles now on exhibition in the
Weber warerooms was never finer. It
superior tonal quality, attractiveness of
design and established prestige amount to
anything they are destined not to come in
second in the great race for trade patron-
age the coming fall.
$3.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
Nickel's Latest Invention.
AN
IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT PATENTED BY
THIS CLEVER MEMBER OF THE HOUSE
OF WESSELL. NICKEL & GROSS.
Adam Nickel of Wessell, Nickel & Gross
has been furnishing abundant proofs of his
skill as an inventor of many meritorious
improvements in piano action manufacture
during the past twelve months. A short
time since we noted an important patent
granted him in this connection. It is now
our pleasure to again record that patent
No. 588,594 was granted him on August
24, 1897, for a "damper action for grand
pianos."
This invention relates to an improved
damper action for grand pianos, and more
particularly to the means for supporting
the sustaining rod that holds the tempor-
arily raised dampers away from the strings
during the depression of the sustaining
pedal. Heretofore this stistaining rod was
either connected to the piano action proper
(in contradistinction to the damper action)
or it was separately secured to the piano
case. Both of these constructions are ob-
jectionable, the former because it renders
access to and adjustment of the sustaining
rod difficult, and the latter because it
necessitates additional labor in securing
such rod in place. Mr. Nickel proposes to
adjustably secure the sustaining rod to the
same brackets that support the damper
rail and lifters, so that the whole of the
damper action forms a connected entirety
which may be readily slipped into the case
and which allows full exposure and adjust-
ment of the sustaining rod previous to the
insertion or upon the withdrawal of the
piano action proper.
Kimball Rush.
The W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago, are
running their factories to their fullest
capacity and notwithstanding were still over
five hundred pianos behind on orders the
closing day of last week. No further
words are necessary to explain the point or
importance of this gratifying situation of
affairs.
A. M. Wright, manager of the Everett
Co.'s headquarters in this city, is spend-
ing his vacation this summer at his
desk. He is working like a beaver and
it seems to agree with him.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ous ones in the general round-up. In the
meanwhile it might be well for piano manu-
facturers to augment their stock of com-
pleted goods, in order to be in readiness to
supply the demand that is bound to come
to them.
#
#
In view of our unequivocal stand, so
clearly set forth in last week's Review,
anent the ludicrous contretemps which oc-
curred in connection with the claims of
certain editors to admission to a private
session of the Piano Manufacturers' Associa-
tion at their recent meeting, we are sur-
prised that any of our contemporaries in
the West should misinterpret or confuse
our position by speaking in a collective
sense of the course taken by certain mem-
bers of the trade press. We decidedly
demur to being placed on record directly
or indirectly as among the '• soreheads "in
this matter. We believe in maintaining our
#
#
rights as journalists; also in respecting, as
The number and variety of piano styles
a gentleman should, the wishes of a host.
to be placed before the trade the coming
f #
fall by manufacturers should certainly
The
movement
inaugurated by the Mer-
satisfy the most critical of piano dealers.
The increasing demand for improved case chants'Association of this city for the pur-
structure and the special attention given pose of advancing New York's commer-
to this matter by manufacturers during the cial interests is proving a grand success.
past twelvemonths is bearing splendid re- Through the medium of special railroad
sults. Never before perhaps in the history of rates a vast number of merchants have jour-
the industry has such activity been display- neyed to the Metropolis from all sections
ed in this special field. Manufacturers of of the country within the past few weeks,
medium as well as high grade pianos have many of them for the first time, while orders
taken unusual pains and no little expense amounting in value to millions of dollars
to not only inaugurate novelties in archi- have been placed through the efforts of the
tecture, but the general finish of the fall Association.
This demonstrates what can be accom-
styles, at least those we have examined, is
plished
by a union of business men who work
decidedly above the average.
This is the age when piano dealers and for a common purpose. It even points the
purchasers want the most for the least way to the members of the music trade
money and manufacturers are evidently industry how they may advance their
endeavoring to satisfy their desires. Com- interests now that a national association is
pared with some years ago, the advance- an accomplished fact.
#
#
ment made in the designing and finishing
Reports continue to appear that the pi-
of pianos is obviously marked. The trade
ano factory of Wm. Knabe & Co., Balti-
at large can well feel proud of the hand-
more, Md., is closed on account of an ex-
some line of instruments to be placed on
isting strike. We find this-report to be
the market this season.
absolutely untrue. Word from the factory
#
#
received yesterday states that they are
The steady advance in wheat, and the
well qualified to make large shipments of
upward tendency of stocks of all kinds, has
instruments without the slightest delay,
encouraged even the most pessimistic in
and that there is no reason to believe
dividuals, and with the present rate of ad-
vance in all kinds of staples it would seem that the manufacturing facilities will be
as if there was no necessity for journeying crippled in the slightest.
#
#
to the ice-bound fields of Alaska to secure
The alleged purchase of the Steinway
Klondkie nuggets. They are right here
interests by an English syndicate has been
in our midst, and our keen-witted business
the talk of the trade during the past week.
men are digging them out daily. It is true
The matter was gone into at considerable
the prosperity has not reached the music
length in The Review of last week, and
trade to any appreciable extent, yet there
while we refer to the same subject again,
are evidences all along the line that this
it is only necessary to say that there are no
trade will be included among the prosper-
later developments which require further
comment.
that the same point should always appear
in the same sequence.
"We feel confident that the mercantile
agencies will gladly adopt any changes
suggested in the composition and character
of their reports, so long as the desire rep-
- ^ • E D W A R D LYMAN
resents the judgment of the credit men
Editor and Proprietor.
composing our association. We therefore
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
deem this a very important topic, and we
3 East 14th St.. New York
ask that two or three of your ablest credit
men be requested to prepare papers on this
SUBSCRIPTION (including: postage) United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
theme,
and your entire membership be
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
tourtion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis»
urged to give the subject thought, so that
•ottnt if allowed.
REMITTANCES, fa other than currency form, should
they may be in a position to express the
fc« made payabl* to Edward Lyman BilL
points that with them have the most con-
Mnitrtd mt tht New Ytrk Fast Qffict as Second- Class Mmttmr.
sideration and influence in arriving at a
NEW YORK, AUGUST 28, 1897.
decision as to a credit risk."
TELEPHONE NUMBER 1743. — EIGHTEENTH STREET.
Mr. Cannon has appointed committees
THE KEYNOTE.
to draft suggestions, also to endeavor to
The first week of each month, The Review secure greater uniformity in the commer-
will contain a supplement embodying the liter-
ary and musical features which have heretofore cial laws of the various States.
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a trade
paper.
THE TRADE DIRECTORY.
The Trade Directory, which is a feature of
The Review each month, is complete. In it ap-
pear the names and addresses of all firms en-
gaged in the manufacture of musical Instruments
and the allied trades. The Review is sent to
the United States Consulates throughout the
world, and is on file in the reading rooms of the
principal hotels in America.
J
AMES G. CANNON, president of the
National Association of Credit Men, has
sent a communication to the various State
Credit Men's Associations, suggesting that
their September meetings be devoted to a
discussion of improvements in mercantile
agency credit reports. Mr. Cannon puts
the topic in the form of a question: "What
features should be specially treated in mer-
cantile agency reports to render them of
the most service to the dispenser of credit,
and in what ratio and order should these
points be given consideration?"
He then gives his own views, as follows:
"If there is one criticism of mercantile
agency service that can be made with jus-
tice and force, it is the dissimilarity, lack
of order, abstract character, and disregard
oftentimes of the most important points
which the credit man must know in order
to make an intelligent and proper decision.
It appears, therefore, that in order to bring
about a reformation in this matter, it is
desirable to know what points the credit
man considers as of the greatest weight in
determining the success or failure of any
business and the responsibility and capa-
bility of an applicant for credit.
"Not only should these features stand out
clear and positive in a report, but they
should be treated in a uniform order, so

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