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THE MUSIC TRADE REVEW
{Sample Wanamaker's Ad.]
THE FIGHT
IS ON IN
PHILADELPHIA.
A Self-named Leadership in Piano-making is Nothing
Let the Real Thing Count in All Cases.
In some respects this week will be piano week. The real thing is to find out what the
Chickering people have done for us to start this new business. The Vose and the Krell
also ask a hearing. Unquestioned first-rateness is what is wanted in a piano. A cheap
friend nobody wants and a cheap piano is soon found to be a nuisance. If all pianos
sound alike to you, you may be sure you are not a safe judge, and you should bring
[Special to The Review.]
with you a music teacher that you can trust—one who will not be bought over in the
interest of any certain piano manufacturer.
Philadelphia, Pa., April 18, 1899.
secret discount, or a bait of a large price in trade for your old piano, will not
There has been much speculation as to make A merit
and value in the article you are getting. Indeed you may soon wish you
just what kind of a competitive gauntlet the had based your piirchase, first and all the time, on the actual certified excellence of the
department stores in Philadelphia would article you are buying and not upon the underhanded discounts or plausible trades.
We go hard at the thing we want to do, and greatly desiring to put good pianos
fling down to the regular trade upon their
opening. Thus far it may be said that the into several thousand homes, we shall take care that no one shall be disappointed in the
piano advertising of John Wanamaker and instrument gotten of us.
We think our first and only price will be found to be lower than these same qualities
Gimbel Bros, is far ahead of that adopted and makes of instruments were sold for in Philadelplia last year.
by the local manufacturers and dealers.
JOHN WANAMAKER.
showing pianos. I cannot say that the
[Sample Gimbel Bros. Ad.~\
sales were very large, if any.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, April 17, 1899.
Gimbel Bros, also presented a busy scene.
Throngs of people visited the piano depart-
E open to-day, in spacious and beautiful rooms on our seventh floor, a store which ment and manager Owen assisted by Joe
is already recognized as certain to revolutionize the methods of the piano trade, Allen and the rest of his salesmen were
—a piano store conducted on the business principles which govern the selling busy answering questions which were pro-
pounded them by a lot of inquisitive
of other merchandise in this and all great modern stores;
customers.
WHERE PIANOS WILL BE SOLD AT ONE PRICE TO ALL;
It occurs to me that they will indeed find
. WHERE EACH PIANO WILL BE MARKED IN PLAIN FIGURES;
it
difficult
to carry on sales unless they lock
WHERE THE PURCHASE MONEY WILL BE RETURNED IF DESIRED.
some
of
the
instruments, and it seems that
It is fitting that these new methods should be inaugurated in connection witn an
about
a
dozen
people were hammering away
instrument which musical authority the world over pronounces the most perfect piano
at
various
pianos
in the little rooms so that
made—the KNABE. The Knabe piano has, as all musicians know, only one rival; and
it
was
almost
impossible
for a salesman to
between this one and the dozen pianos which aspire to the next place, there is a great
hold
the
attention
of
a
caller.
gulf fixed. The world's foremost musicians,—Sauer, the greatest living pianist, Von
I wish you would examine the advertise-
Bulow, Teresa Carreno, Gottschalk, Damrosch, Paur, and numbers of others,—fiave
ments
which I inclose. The Blasius ad.
testified to the pre-eminence of the Knabe piano, for which we are sole Philadelphia
which
appeared
in last week's paper causes
representatives.
'
me to believe that the people here are los-
Next comes the HALLET& DAVIS, made in Boston, and famous for nearly sixty
ing their heads over the department store
years as one of the foremost pianos of the country. In the great Boston Conservatory
of Music are more than one hundred Hallet & Davis pianos; and our own Broad Street competition. Col. Gray has his $100 offer
still in the window and the Lester Co. have
Conservatory is equipped throughout with these same fine instruments.
had
Knabe cut rates. So it goes.
Many years ago, when William and Henry Steinway were journeymen working
The department stores, to quote the
in a New York piano factory, one of their companions was Bernard Kroeger, now the
builder of the KROEGER Piano, noted for its beauty of tone and its sterling quality. words of Ben Owen, nail the statement to
This and other pianos of unquestioned reputation are already here—and no other kind their mast that there will be "no dicker in
will ever be sold here. No "stenciled" pianos, masquerading under false names, will the piano business with them."
find entrance to this piano store.
We may have hot times in this old town,
At our store, piano buying will be made easy. Accommodating terms will be
made when desired, without any addition to the marked price. The head of our piano at least indications point in that direction
store and his assistants are piano experts, thoroughly competent to aid purchasers in at the present time. The Gimbel piano
testing different instruments and reaching a satisfactory decision.
announcement heads all of the others in
All are cordially invited, whether purchasers or not, to visit the GIMBEL PIANO
the
daily advertising of that firm.
STORE.
Opening of Our Piano Store.
W
Both Wanamaker and Gimbel Bros, make
dignified and attractive statements, and it
might be well for the local manufacturers
and dealers to pattern thereby.
I enclose you copy of the first Wana-
maker piano advertisement which appeared
in last Saturday's papers. It occupied a
full back page in nearly all the leading
papers. You will observe that the editorial
page of The Review, of Jan. 21st, has been
photographed and reproduced. It is cer-
tainly a high compliment to your publica-
tion as it contains a great many truths
which the trade members should thorough-
ly digest. The Wanamaker rooms are
much better arranged for the conduct of
the piano business than those of Gimbel
Bxos. All last week active preparations
were being made for the final opening.
Manager Woodford and his staff were busy
{Sample Blasius Ad.]
' New Upright Pianos 07 ^ f
Full
Full 7'i
7'i octaves,
octaves, carved
carved rosewood
rosewood case
case in
in
renaissance style, three pedals, all modern
renaissance
style, three
improvements.
. pedals,
.
. all . modern
.
.
,
>
y§0 m
^r
^J
A
^L.
«V
DEALER to whom we sold pianos could not pay his bills nor
return the instruments because he had disposed of them. In settle-
ment he offered ten brand new Cr6SSOfl U p r i g h t s . We were
compelled to t#ke them—or nothing.
Although these uprights are a lower grade than we manufacture or
handle, they are being offered under another name right here in this city
as a phenomenal bargain for $150; and under still other names at $200
and $250.
We shall sell the ten at $ 7 5 GdCh— a lower figure than a new
upright has ever been priced before in America.
Send for complete list of bargains in pianos.
Pianos
Rented
BLASIUS & SONS
Largest Piano House in America.
1101, 1103, 1119 Chestnut Street.
Pianos
Tuned