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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Hugo Sohmer Talks on a " Live" Trade Topic.
thing else, honesty, even if the question of
principle is comp'etely ignored, is always
An Able and Critical Analysis of Certain Trade Conditions Which Have Helped to Undermine
the Standing of Many Dealers- Believes the - One Price" System and Selling Instruments the 'best policy.' "
in Their Class Pays in the End—Pleased That the Hatter of "One Price" Will Be Dis-
Mr. Sohmer reported trade conditions,
cussed by the N. P. n . A.—Some Vigorous Words From I his Distinguished Piano Man.
both wholesale and retail, as excellent.
Evidence is accumulating to the effect that
"It is not at all likely that firms and indi-
A Starr Move.
piano dealers in all sections who have hith- viduals will ever work together with angelic
erto maintained what might fittingly be harmony along strictly correct lines, yet it New York Offices for Export Trade—In Charge
of nr. Corwine—Mr. Thayer "strikes oil."
termed a "flexible" policy in the matter of is gratifying to learn that a voluntary reform
prices, are gradually becoming convinced movement is in progress. I am optimistic
Members of the trade in South America
that the one-price policy is the best and only enough to believe that the day it not far dis- will be interested to learn that the Starr
really successful plan in handling customers. tant when every dealer handling several Piano Co., Richmond, Ind., have established
The Review chatted on Monday with Hugd grades of instruments will point out to his export headquarters in New York at the
Sohmer, of Sohmer & Co., on the topic of prospective customers the reasons why two office of Chas. B. Corwine, 15-25 Whitehall
"one-price." Fortunately for the trade, many pianos, equally attractive in case-design, may street, where several of their export styles
out-of-town dealers who hold extensive ter- differ in intrinsic value, one being worth, are on exhibition. Mr. Corwine will give con-
ritory and transact a large volume of busi- say, $450, and the other, $250 or $300.
siderable attention to the development of
"He will make these explanations frankly Starr piano trade with important trade points
and of his own free will, setting the price in South America. He has built up quite a
on each piano according to its real merit, reputation as a manufacturers' representative
instead of being guided by the margin of for export business, and no doubt will be as
profits made. That 'margin of profit' is a effective in results in the matter of pianos.
L. E. Thayer, the Starr ambassador, chat-
very illusive thing, particularly if an addi-
ting
with The Review this week, reported
tional, fifty or hundred dollars is added be-
business
as very brisk at the factory in Rich-
cause the buyer will 'never know the differ-
mond,
Ind.
The dealers at all points, more
ence.'
especially
the
far West, are doing well. This
"There may have been a time, and prob-
is
evidenced
by the orders received. Mr.
ably was, when the buyer did not know
Thayer's
splendid
success on the Pacific
and never discovered that he or she had
Coast
has
already
been
recorded in The Re-
been swindled; that a large amount of money
view
as
well
as
the
large
order which he re-
had been obtained by fraud and false pre-
ceived
from
Sherman,
Clay
& Co. While in
tence. But that is no longer true, and un-
our
city
he
received
news
of
a very pleasmg
principled dealers are learning that sooner or
character
from
Colorado,
where
he owns a
later there comes a day of reckoning. Then
ranch,
containing
several
hundred
acres.
the foundation of 'reputation,' if he ever
A large-sized oil boom has struck Colorado
had any, is cut from under him and he starts
'and
all of the country in the vicinity of-Pu-
on the road to failure and oblivion.
eblo
is being explored by oil speculators.
"The excuse no longer stands good that
Mr.
Thayer
has received advices that his
the dealer does not know the real value of
property
probably
lies in the oil belt, so that
the pianos he offers for sale. The dealer
it
may
not
surprise
his many friends to learn
of to-day does know full well, as a rule. He
that he has "struck oil" in a most satisfactory
knows that if he sells a high-grade piano
form.
•
•
at a medium-grade price 'just to do busi-
ness' he is wronging the manufacturer by
Stuart Gets Decision.
HU<30 SOHMER.
lowering the standard, incidentally wronging
[Special to The Review.]
ness believe in the "one-price" system and
every other agent for the same house.
Boston,
Mass., April 22, 1901.
conduct their sales on that principle.
"The dealer of 1901 also knows from expe-
Judge
Lowell,
of
the United States Dis-
This point was made by Mr. Sohmer dur-
rience that if he sells a commercial, or me- trict Court, has found in favor of the de-
ing his conversation. "Generally speaking,"
dium-grade piano at a high-grade price he fendant in the case of Horace G. Atwood
said he, "the bigger and most responsible
is wronging himself grievously and injur- against the Stuart Piano Co., an action
dealers have fixed prices from which they
brought by plaintiff, a former president of
do not deviate except for professional peo- ing his future prospects in that locality be-
the
defendant, under sect. 4901 of the United
ple. It can easily be understood why pro- yond repair. People to-day read more, dis-
States
Revised Statutes, to recover $15,000
fessional customers are entitled to special cern more readily, visit each other more
damages,
upon the basis of a $100 penalty
frequently, and compare notes more freely
consideration.
for
each
unpatented
piano, the plate of which
"Dealers of the class occasionally heard than did those of a generation ago. The was stamped "A. H. Stuart's patents, Nov.
of as underselling a competition in a near-by dealer who,, in these days of acute alert- 19, 1889 and May 5, 1891," with alleged in-
town have no use for a 'one-price' system. ness is once or twice found out to be mak- tent to deceive the public. The plaintiff's
With them it is merely a question of what ing unlawful gains as a result of the cus- declaration contained many counts, and he
they call 'business.' In this class is found tomers' credulity, can count himself a alleged that he sued for the United States
the dealer who will ask-—and frequently get, marked man.
"I am glad to learn that dealers will have as well as for himself.
until he reaches the end of his rope—a first
The Court found that the plaintiff had not
or second rate price for a third or fourth an opportunity to discuss this subject at
sustained
the burden of proof to show that
rate instrument, taking advantage of his pa- the N. P. M. A. convention. As a matter
the
stamping
was done with the purpose of
tron's ignorance of real piano values to of fact, however, there can be no discussion deceiving the public.
swindle him—for it is swindling, and noth- as to which policy is the best to pursue.
In the matter of piano sales, as in every-
Hattersley Co. Incorporate.
ing less.
The C. M. Hattersley Piano Co. was incor-
porated with the secretary of State of New
Jersey on Wednesday last for the purpose of
manufacturing pianos with a capital stock of
ITKADK MARK]
$20,000. The incorporators are Chas. ; M.
THEODORE P. BROWN, WORCESTER MASS.
Hattersley, Josephine M. Hattersley and
Louis Goldman. The principal office is at
The easiest to play.
The Simplest.
The best in every way. 201 Ferry street, Trenton.
Simplex flMano