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VOL.
XXVI.
No. 2.
Published Every Saturday, at 3 East Fourteenth Street.
A Review of Chicago's Trade.
VOLUME OF TRADE IN EXCESS OF $I0,OOO,-
OOO — PROSPECTS BRIGHT FOR 1 8 9 8 .
The volume of the music trade in this
city for the year just closed in my judg-
ment slightly exceeds $10,000,000. This
has been distributed in about the same pro-
portion as in former years among the vari-
ous firms constituting the Chicago music
trade. The year started out well, but lost
its headway during the warm months, and
only in September began again to show
marked strength.
During 1897 no less than five Eastern
houses withdrew their branch houses from
Chicago, thus tacitly acknowledging that
the day for such establishments to prove
profitable has passed. One large Chicago
house has gone into liquidation,one manu-
facturing concern of some importance has
failed and several retail dealers have either
failed or closed up.
Chicago organs, as is well known, form
a large article of export to foreign coun-
tries, and American stringed instruments,
chiefly of Chicago make, such as guitars,
mandolins, banjos, etc., were exported in
considerable numbers. In passing, it is
worthy of mention that Chicago now ap-
pears to lead all other American cities in
the number of musical instruments ex-
ported. An especially gratifying feature
is the fact that the demand for Chicago-
made products arises in part from their
superior quality. Thus, during the year
the double-action harps made in Chicago
have superseded the foreign makes in a
number of the great European orchestras,
notably in the great Royal Court theatre
in Berlin.
An encouraging sign is the disposition
of the public for the last couple of months
to purchase a better grade of instrument
than formerly. Goods of fine quality,
which have lain quiescent for several sea-
sons, are again in fairly active demand.
The Dingley law, while affecting the
prices of musical merchandise somewhat,
has not materially influenced trade. Labor
conditions for the past year have been
favorable. No strikes of importance have
occurred, and at the present writing I
should say but few competent workmen
are unemployed. The tendency to do busi-
New York, January 8,1898.
ness on a constantly diminishing margin
of profit is very noticeable in our line.
Goods necessary to fill a miscellaneous
order of several hundred dollars to-day
occupy many more square feet of floor
space than the goods of a few years ago-—
in some cases two instruments now selling
for the old-time price of one.
A steady improvement has taken place
in the engraving, printing and paper of
the American editions of sheet music and
music books, especially among the old and
well-known publishers. The European
editions, however, are still on the whole
ahead of the average productions of Amer-
ica. The publishers of popular American
copyright music have suffered considerable
through the smuggling across the Cana-
dian border of unauthorized editions of
their works, and the Publishers' Associa-
tion of the United States is taking steps to
put a stop to this evil, and thus bring to
an end the robbery of both the American
author and the American publisher.
The outlook for 1898 I should call most
encouraging.—P. J. Healy, in Chicago
Record.
Colby Employees Masquerade.
The employees of the Colby Piano Co.,
under the appropriate title of "The Colby
Piano Makers," will hold their fourth an-
nual masquerade ball at Maennerchor
Hall, Erie, Pa., on the evening of Jan. 24.
Demuling's full orchestra will furnish
music, and two grand prizes will be given
to those wearing the best costumes. There
will be a lively time no doubt. The Re-
view appreciates the compliment in ex-
tending an invitation to attend.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
Everett Concert Grand in Concert
TO BE USED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE HARLEM
PHILHARMONIC CONTINUES TO WIN THE
HIGHEST ENCOMIUMS.
It is noteworthy that the new scale
Everett concert grand has been accorded
an unparalleled recognition by noted ex-
perts as well as by the trade press. It has
commanded appreciation by reason of its
especial worth in the matter of tone, which
enables it to take its place as one of the
great instruments which have made the
United States the peer of the world in the
piano making field. It is a piano that fills
the requirements of the greatest artist or
acoustician. Through its medium musical
language can be expressed to move the
latent emotions of the rankest materialist,
and the most subtle shadings as well as
sonority is possible. It is not strange that
this remarkable instrument should have
won unusual praise, or that compliments
continue to be bestowed.
Speaking of the Everett grand brings to
mind that it is to be used exclusively dur-
ing the year just opened at all of the public
rehearsals, concerts, recitals and musicales
to be given by the Harlem Philharmonic
Society, of which Henry T. Fleck is con-
ductor.
These concerts compare with
those of the Symphony; the Seidl orches-
tra usually assists. The first concert of the
season took place last Thursday evening at
the Waldorf-Astoria. There was a crowded
house composed of the elite of the city.
It is safe to predict that the new Ever-
ett concert grand will be heard in many
prominent concerts in this city during
1898.
New England Co.'s Display.
Other Bidders for Century Assets.
[Special to The Review.]
Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 1, 1898.
The bid of Theodore Wetmore for the
balance of the assets of the Century Piano
Co. at $21,000 was temporarily declined
by order of Judge McGee Wednesday. A.
M. Keith asked that the bid be not accept-
ed until parties represented by him should
have an opportunity to bid. As the Wet-
more bid is only good until the end of the
year, Mr. Keith had to assure the court
that his bid would not be less than that of
Mr. Wetmore.
During the last visit of The Review to
the New England Piano Co. warerooms in
this city, the great variety of instruments
on exhibition was noted. Five of the
New England Co.'s styles are in five
woods—rosewood, mahogany, burl walnut,
American oak and Circassian walnut.
The hand-carved desk panels in each aie
remarkably tasteful in design, this being a
special feature of all the New England
Co.'s products. The general case design of
each of the 1898 styles is original, sym-
metrical, rich in effect and otherwise at-
tractive.