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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
holds are quite the vogue, and it is meet
that those who esteem the dull finish in fur-
niture should also, in selecting a piano, give
a preference to the dull instead of the high
finish.
Whether the dull or art finish will become
a permanent feature in piano production is
a question for future discussion. Suffice
it that at the present time the matter is large-
ly experimental, although every effort will
be made to popularize these instruments by
the manufacturers.
The experience of the leading piano men
with whom The Review has talked recently is
that the great majority of purchasers prefer the
mirror-like piano surface. This, however,
may be attributed to custom, as it is not
easy to change popular fancy. There is,
however, a fair percentage of purchasers
who appreciate the value of the dull finish,
and it is obvious that the instruments made
up in this style will find a demand, although
it be a limited one. When purchasers come
to realize the special advantages of the dull
finish, its permanency and its non-liability
to climatic changes, manufacturers may find
their investment in dull finish pianos a profit-
able one.
Some of the latest styles made up in dull,
or art finish, that we have seen are indeed
highly creditable examples of artistic work-
manship, and must command appreciation
on their merits, even from the staunch advo-
cates of the high finish creations.
TRUE SPIRIT OF MERCHANDISING.
HT HAT the world of
The possession of
strenuous qualities an
trade contains a
important requisite to
fair percentage of timid
the dealer who desires
to succeed — An an-
or
conservative mer-
alysis of the "Good
Old Times" argument.
chants goes without say-
ing—men who, on account of their limited
vision, find fault persistently with existing
conditions and tell you about "the good old
times" when money was made so easily.
In the piano industry we have not escaped
this element. They apparently overlook the
fact that the true spirit of merchandizing
is best demonstrated by the man who is not
satisfied to timidly knock at the door of
the buying community, so to speak; we mean
reasonably so—pushing through, without
seeming to be unnecessarily rude, while forc-
ing attention to the fact that he is on the
ground, and there to stay until the merit of
his business is understood and appreciated.
Like all else on this mundane sphere of
ours which has the possibility of defeat as
well as success, merchandizing is governed
by a principle—we won't say a fixed prin-
ciple—but as surely a principle as that which
governs the computing of sums or the solv-
ing of planetary action.
If these men who talk about "the good
old times" analyzed conditions in a compara-
tive way, they would find that the business
of the past was restricted and that discour-
agement was general. In the past, as to-day,
the business men who best succeeded, whe-
ther piano manufacturer or dealer, possessed
fighting qualities combined with administra-
tive ability necessary to plan a great busi-
ness campaign, and to carry it into success-
ful execution.
Candidly speaking, we have little or no
patience with the man who can't exert him-
self. The purpose should be to reach a goal
—to force removal from the position occu-
pied. Never mind if it seems Utopian—
far better to strive than to let the enervating
influence of satisfaction with things as they
are bring business to a point where it hangs
heavy in the commercial atmosphere.
Opportunities for the young man in the
music trade, whether dealer or salesman, are
as great to-day as they ever were, but success
can only be achieved by the possession of
those strenuous qualities which have distin-
guished every man who has gone to the top,
whether in this, or in any other industry.
The history of one is practically the history
of all. It has meant ambition, courage, ten-
actiy, execution—^not shirking or waiting for
things to come one's way—but fighting an
aggressive and progressive battle toward
success.
While average ability is sufficient to cope
with the merchandizing of the twentieth cen-
tury period, creative ability—that which
brings new ideas out of apparently nothing—
must always rank first, and the ability to see
what others are doing, and adapt one's bus-
iness to meet the conditions, is a no mean
second.
Lamenting "the good old times" will not
make money in the present. Of course, the
fight for existence in the piano trade, as in
other fields of activity, is becoming harder.
It would be nicer if trade were distributed
throughout the year, and each dealer got
his share without undue effort. But things
are not ordained that way, and it is he who
wins, who is up and doing, who believes in
modern methods, who conducts his store on
systematic lines, who believes in advertising
and in handling instruments that will not
only maintain, but augment, his reputation.
A STUDY IN EXPORT FIGURES.
\X7 HILE the report
Germany's amazing
export trade in pianos
from the Treas-
—This country's fig-
ures
completely
ury Department regard-
thrown in the shade
— The furtherance of
ing the total value of
the export idea should
be pushed.
the year's exports, which
aggregated over a billion and a half dollars,
thus breaking all records, is most encourag-
ing, it must not be overlooked that this aug-
mented trade volume is to be attributed to
the increased demand abroad for our food
stuffs, for the details show that the exports
of manufactured goods have declined. In
view of these facts, the timeliness of Presi-
dent McKinley's last public utterance at
Buffalo pointing out the necessity for
reciprocity treaties and a moderation of our
tariff duties so as to open larger markets
abroad for our manufactured products, be-
comes at once apparent.
In this industry, the twelve months' total
of the exports of musical instruments and the
parts thereof, amounting in value to $2,780,-
796, show a most decided increase over the
same period a year ago; meanwhile, it seems
small when compared with the exports of
musical instruments from Germany, which
has displayed wonderful progress, particu-
larly in the exportation of pianos, to all
quarters of the globe.
The export figures of musical instruments
just given include everything in the musical
line sent from this country to foreign coun-
tries, and yet for the same period for which
these figures are given, the manufacturers
of Germany exported pianos—mark you—
amounting in value to $6,125,000.
Our trade certainly seems puny in com-
parison, for, if the exports of music boxes
and miscellaneous musical goods were added
to the piano exports from the German Em-
pire, they would make a formidable array
in dollars—sufficiently impressive to give
us an idea of the immense foreign trade
transacted by our brethren in the Fatherland.
It may be interesting to note that the larg-
est purchasers of German pianos are Great
Britain and the Australian colonies; next
in order comes Russia, Holland, Argentine
Republic, Italy, Mexico, Belgium, Cape Col-
ony, Switzerland, Brazil and Chili.
The great home market has heretofore pre-
cluded our manufacturers from giving atten-
tion to the development of foreign trade, and
bearing these facts in mind, we have some
reason to feel proud of the growth of our
export trade in musical instruments. Mean-
while, it is well to analyze the situation in
a comparative way, as we are able to com-
prehend how insignificant a part we play in
comparison with our German confreres.
In many industries the United States is
drifting on to industrial supremacy in a way
that must be satisfying to all who are inter-
ested in our country's welfare. It is an ex-
ample which the music trade industry might
follow with good purpose. There is, of
course, much detail work to be looked after
in the up-building of foreign trade, partic-
ularly in the matter of furnishing instruments
of the design and quality desired.
This is a subject which might be taken
up to good advantage by a special committee
of the National Association of Piano Man-
ufacturers. Instead of endeavoring to edu-
cate foreign countries to American ideas of