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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE "SMALL GOODS" TRADE
Rene Grunewald.
The Columbia Zither Advance.
The exhibit to be shown at the coming
The latest style of Columbia Zither, No.
state fair by Mr. Rene Grunewald will 2%» just introduced, promises to have a big
have all the interest attaching to a new run. It has several special features and
industry, of which he was the premier in will suit agents and dealers exactly for
this section of the South, says the New quick sales.
Orleans, La., Daily Item.
As noted several times recently in The
Mr. Grunewald has the distinction of Review, the steady growth of the Col-
being the first Orleanian to embark in the umbia's popularity, month after month
manufacture of musical instruments, es- and year after year, is phenomenal even
tablishing a factory that has now been in among musioal instruments, and there
successful operation for some five years.
seems to be no likelihood of a change of
Mr. Grunewald was born in this city in opinion among purchasers.
Mr. C. Th. Kertscher, who will return
September, 1869, and has lived here un-
interruptedly ever since. He is a son of to Germany again shortly, is to be con-
Louis Grunewald, the founder of the well- gratulated on his connection with so credi-
known music house of L. Grunewald, and table and successful an enterprise as the
a brother of Mr. Willie N. Grunewald, Columbia Zither.
almost equally as well known.
John Church Co.
His early education begun in the histori-
cal college of the Jesuit Fathers in this
There is a steady demand in every sec-
city, was completed at Spring Hill Col- tion of the country for the John Church
lege, at Mobile, Ala., in 1888.
Co.'s musical merchandise products. The
Returning to his native city, he immedi- "Imperial" Metronome, containing the
ately embarked in the music business by latest improvements, has found a ready
entering the employ of his father as a sale—in fact, the demand continually ex-
clerk. His advancement was gradual but ceeds the supply. In constructive com-
none the less sure, and by 1894 he had ac- pleteness and accuracy it leaves nothing to
quired a sufficiently practical grasp of the be desired.
business to open the present musical in-
The "Imperial" guitars, banjos, mando-
strument factory on Conti street, of which
lins and other stringed instruments have
he is the sole owner.
achieved remarkable success, and with
By dint of perseverance the factory has good reason. They are, each and all, ad-
come steadily to the front, its output tak- mirable examples of good workmanship
ing a foremost place on account of its and good taste. The cost prices of the
general excellence of workmanship and John Church products, too, the lowest con-
finish.
sistent with first-class material and correct
So successful has Mr. Grunewald been construction, have much to do with their
in this respect that he has lately opened a success.
branch of the main establishment on Canal
street, which gives every indication of The '* Criterion" flusic Boxes.
being a successful venture, under his able
The "Criterion" music boxes are not
management.
only holding their own this season among
Mr. Grunewald, in addition to being a
musical instruments of the special class to
manufacturer on his own account, is an
which they belong, but are gaining ground
associate director in the Louis Grunewald
strictly on merit in the matter of tone,
Co., probably the best-known musical
durability and finish. Mr. Varrelman, in
establishment in the South.
talking with The Review concerning some
of the reasons why the "Criterion" boxes
Tonk's New Quarters.
have succeeded so well since their intro-
duction
said:
The warerooms and offices of William
"We claim, and have proof, that, under
Tonk & Bro. are now located at the new
address, 28 Warren street. These new proper usage, 'Criterion' discs are practi-
and much more desirable quarters have cally indestructible, and will last as long
already been described in The Review. as the box in which they revolve when in
With greatly increased facilities, an im- use. That is the real test and that is the
petus will be given to all departments and principal reason why 'Criterion' instru-
much new attractive stock is now being ments quickly make friends wherever they
added, especially in the stool and scarf de- are introduced. The mechanism, too,
partment which now occupies nearly an keeps in perfect order continuously, giving
no trouble whatever."
entire floor.
Robbers last week attempted to clean
out the music store of Chas. W. Stumpf,
229 Bourbon street, New Orleans, La., but
were surprised in the act and escaped.
Frank Scribner's Specialties.
Frank Scribner is making a specialty
just now of the new Weiss mouth-harmoni-
cas, some of which, as the saying goes,
"must be seen and heard to be appreciated."
He told The Review on Monday that he
finds the trade very appreciative of the
latest Weiss inventions, because they com-
bine originality and merit with the popu-
lar demand in the matter of price.
A Late Patent.
A U. S. patent, No. 621,372, was issued
this week to T. A. Plessing of Leipsic,
Ger., on a "mechanical musical instru-
ment." The invention consists of a device
in connection with mechanical musical in*
struments with note disks or sheets having
two tunes thereon, by means of which the
said note-disk may be adjusted to play
and repeat one or other of the said tunes at
will without, as heretofore, the necessity
of repeating the second tune before the
first can be repeated.
Mahogany and Veneers.
The popularity of mahogany in piano
and furniture fields seems to be steadily
on the increase. Last year over 6,000,000
feet of mahogany logs were brought to this
port, and this year the imports will prob-
ably run much higher.
Our increased trade with the South
American countries must naturally stimu-
late these imports, for the rare hard woods
of the tropical forests do not enter into
competition with any native product.
Their use is extending into many new
fields and uses never before dreamed of.
The perfection of the veneering machinery
by which very thin slices of the wood can
be cut off at half the former prices enables
manufacturers to turn out loads of mahog-
any articles.
Before the veneering machinery was in-
vented all veneers were hand sawed, and they
cost considerable; but to-day 75 per cent, of
the veneers are cut or sliced by huge knives.
The sawed veneers are much better than
the cut, and they last longer, but for the
cheaper grade the cut answers all purposes.
The slicer, as the veneer-cutting machine
is called, is a costly machine, but it per-
forms its work with wonderful effects. A
large mahogany log is put into the power-
ful grip of the slicer, and as it moves
0
BAY STATE
INSTRUMENTS
1
GUITARS
MANDOLINS .
BANJOS
ZITHERS
FLUTES.
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