Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
mainly About People.
On Tuesday next Ferdinand Mayer takes
his departure for Germany by the "Kais-
erin Maria Theresa" for a vacation cover-
ing some four months. There are few
more popular members of the trade than
Mr. Mayer. His courtesy and geniality
are omnipresent whether you encounter
him burdened with work or in moments of
forced leisure. He has the good wishes of
a host of friends, among which The Review
is glad to be included, for a most enjoyable
sojourn among his relatives in the Father-
land or in fact wherever he visits.
Julius Krakauer is thinking of separat-
ing himself from business for a few days,
just for a change. He will probably take
a run out of the city, by road, rail or river,
to some quiet spot where the "supply,
man " and other persistent pursuers cannot
reach him, even over the telephone.
Robert Proddow has the happy faculty
of working hard without seeming to do so.
There is no fussing and fuming and tear-
ing around at the Estey piano factory, yet
a tremendous quantity of work is done
each year and the most responsible man on
the premises performs his share of the
task.
Chris. Garritson is a good example of
versatility well applied. We constantly
meet with people who can " do something
at everything," but the trouble with most
of them is they can do nothing well. The
difference between this class and the pre-
siding genius at the Kroeger factory is
keenly apparent to those who have the
facts in their possession.
To know Joseph Shonmger is to esteem
him for broadness of views on all live
topics connected with the piano trade, also
for quickness of perception and unerring
judgment in matters pertaining to what is
best and most essential for prosperity and
progress in the piano-manufacturing in-
dustry.
Rudolph C. Koch, who succeeded Charles
Reinwarth, is never happier than when in
the midst of his loyal workmen, sur-
rounded on all sides by whirring wheels
and loosely-flapping belts. As a string
enthusiast he is probably without an equal,
and as a string expert he could win a gold
medal at any time.
Henry Behr, with his brother Edward
and his son Wra. J. Behr, might reasonably
be considered as an effective piano manu-
facturing triumvirate. Each has his allot-
ed task and is an authority in his respec-
tive field of operations, and yet one and all
can, as practical men, talk interestingly
upon any subject concerning pianos or
piano making. Behr Bros. & Co. are a
strong combination.
David H. Schmidt, " t h e Harlem ham-
mer man," bids fair to become the King of
hammerland, or, better still, President of
the Hammer Republic. Certain it is that
he has conquered the cream of the hammer
trade and is entitled to raise his flag above
the citadel on Melrose avenue. The con-
quest, too, has been won in open fight,
"strictly on merit."
Daniel F. Treacy is closely associated in
the human mind with piano plates. Just
as we keep together, in our thoughts,
Krttger and Pretoria, Roberts and Kanda-
har, Chauncey M. Depewand a really witty
saying about men and things, so do we
keep in close contact Dan Treacy and
piano plates. And why not?
William Tonk leads us to think of Beau
Ideal Strings, Edwin Instruments and the
Solophone. When we hear the name of
Tonk mentioned, these specialties imme-
diately form themselves into mental pic-
tures, with here and thereon the landscape,
a Tonk stool, a Tonk scarf or a Tonk
cabinet.
J. Leverett Pierce and the Columbia
Zither form another striking group. You
meet Mr. Pierce on Broadway and you at
once say to yourself: "Ha, here's our old
friend the president of the Phonoharp Co."
and the words "Columbia Zither" seem to
form a halo around his head. Later in the
day, you see a Columbia Zither and say :
' 'Why—there's one of Pierce's instruments."
And who can bring Frank Scribner to
mind without calling up at once a Brass
Band Harmonica? Within the last few
days, when one dreams of Frank Scribner,
the surrounding atmosphere becomes
heavy with checks for $9,000, floating
around this august personage, with other
checks in blank filling up the spaces. Well,
well, well!
And there are others!
Customs Rulings.
The Board on Classification of the
United States Board of General Appraisers
handed down the following decisions Wed-
nesday :
F. A. O. Schwarz & Strauss, Sachs &
Co.—Jewsharps. Assessed for duty at 45
per cent, under paragraph 453, Act of
1897; also, magic lanterns, imported under
Act of 1894. All of the articles were
claimed to be dutiable as toys, either at 35
per cent, under paragraph 418, Act of
1897, or at 24 per cent, under paragraph
321, Act of 1894.
The Board held as follows: "Harmon-
icas, jewsharps, music-boxes and magic
lanterns, when intended for the amuse-
ment of children, and chiefly used as such,
are toys, and are not assessable as musical
or optical instruments." Borgfeldt vs.
U. S. (two suits), not yet published, fol-
lowed. Protests accordingly sustained.
Mathushek Improvements.
The Mathushek headquarters, Broadway
and Forty-seventh street, have undergone
a complete transformation of late. New
signs have been placed on the building,
the piano display shows a proper apprecia-
tion of opportunities, and the interior ar-
rangements have been properly revolution-
ized and modernized.
Merit Wins!
NATIONAL MUSICAL STRING CO. S GOODS AKK
NOW KNOWN AND DEMANDED ALL
OVER THE CIVILIZED WORLD.
We have seen our great staples taken by
the Europeans for many years, and with
the beginning of the new century Europe
is turning to this country for supplies which
heretofore have been made by her manufac-
turers. Should anyone have made the pre-
diction twenty years ago that America in the
year 1900 would be supplying Europe with
musical goods, he would have been con-
sidered as one having an unbalanced intel-
lect. From time immemorial Europe, and
especially Germany, has been considered
the home of music and all accessories per-
taining thereto, yet American ingenuity
has perfected to such a degree, accurate
machinery, that all kinds of musical mer-
chandise are being produced by us, which
are far superior to the goods made abroad.
Perhaps the most striking example of
our superiority is to be found in the manu-
facture of strings for musical instruments.
Up to within a comparatively recent date,
Germany sent strings of all kinds to this
country in large quantities.
Now few
German-made steel or covered strings are
used in America, and the goods of the Na-
tional Musical String Co. are carried by
every wholesale house in Great Britain,
and are being distributed all over the Con-
tinent of Europe, where they are meeting
with the highest commendation and in-
creasing demand.
The reason for the success of the National
Co.'s strings is manifest; they are made
from the highest grade of materials, which
can be obtained. Every string is perfect
because there can be no deviation owing to
the modern and accurate machinery, which
this great manufacturing house controls.
Their strings are packed in the most at-
tractive and salable styles and are so put
up with reference to the preservation of
the goods, that there is no danger of tarnish
or damage by climatic changes.
The special line of "Bell Brand" Strings
which is advertised in this issue, has met
with such success at home and abroad, that
the National Musical String Company have
been obliged to increase their plant for the
production of these goods, and have been
forced to request their customers to place
their orders in advance of their needs, so
that shipments could be made promptly
when desired.
We congratulate the National Musical
String Company upon their enterprise, and
as Merit is bound to win, predict for this
house a further increasing demand for their
goods.
A New Scale Behning.
A new Behning upright, containing
their new scale with an original design of
case, made its appearance this week. A
noted pianist who had the pleasure of try-
ing it told The Review that it is destined
to be the greatest success of the Behning
house. This opinion from an impartial
judge means considerable in view of the
excellent values embodied in the current
Behning styles.