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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
enough for the dealer whose consience per-
mits him to enter that particular trade field,
to get his soothing dose from the smooth ar-
guments which run after the fashion that
imaginative flights are permissible in order
to gain a legitimate business end. But it
is something more than imagination which
allows a dealer to maliciously malign his
competitor's wares, particularly when they
are acknowledged by the entire piano world
to be above criticism.
As one leading piano dealer recently re-
marked : "The piano business is what we
make it"—and a man's inmost convictions
must sooner or later raise his merchandiz-
ing notions into the realm of stability and
fact, provided he keeps up a reputation in
which there is a semblance of honesty left.
There are more jealousies and petty war-
fares indulged in in the retailing of pianos
than almost any other lines of merchandiz-
ing, and in some cases there is no halt be-
fore all sorts of virulent personal abuse is
injected in the fight.
That there is a desire to-day to eliminate
entirely that element which we may term
degrading, is evidenced by the formation of
dealers' associations in different parts of the
country. The National Association of Deal-
ers stands for the promotion of the best in-
terests of the trade.
It was plain from the sentiment expressed
at a recent informal meeting of the Brook-
lyn dealers that there is a desire in that city,
as expressed by W. S. Denslow, "to quit
fighting one another and devote the same
energy to the up-building of business insti-
tutions."
There is no doubt but that local associ-
ations will do much to extinguish entirely
some of the reprehensible practices which
have been indulged in too frequently in
years past. The retail conditions of the
country are destined to improve until they
repch the full standard of twentieth century
merchandizing, embodying an honesty and
a carefully measured presentation of real
facts.
We have information of at least a dozen
more associations composed of local music
-trade dealers being formed in as many lo-
calities during the coming fall months.
Let the good work go forward at a good
round pace.
PROTECTION OF TRADEMARKS.
HTHIS industry, like
The music trade has
suffered from t r a d e -
many others, has
mark thieves—An or-
been infested with a
ganization through a
systematic combina-
class of poachers who
tion will protect—Of
interest to all.
have sought to profit by
the work of others. Great names have been
imitated and spurious articles been vended
as the genuine. In a thousand different ways
has the individual or firm been defrauded
of rights through deception practiced upon
the public.
The usual way to fight this class of thieves,
compared with whom the housebreaker has
points of honor, has been by recourse to the
courts. Men have sought by long and ex-
pensive legal battles to protect their rights,
but even before their proprietary rights have
been established they have been great losers.
In truth, they have no adequate knowledge
of the extent of the injury done their busi-
ness by the fraudulent imitators before they
are finally rounded up in the courts of law.
All branches of the music trade—piano man-
ufacturers, makers of small musical instru-
ments and novelties, music publishers, have
in turn been preyed upon by imitators who
have used names closely resembling the orig-
inal, in order that they might profit by the
work of others and trade upon their repu-
tation.
Our attention has recently been called to
a concern which has been organized to
guard the legitimate interests of all who have
trademarks, copyrights and designs to pro-
tect.
It has been the work of years to outline
a comprehensive plan in order that the en-
tire country be systematically covered and to
immediately ascertain where, and to what
extent fraudulent wares are being exploited.
It is the purpose of this new trademark pro-
tective organization to speedily accumulate
evidence against all infrlngers, and if found
necessary in order to protect the interests of
their clients, to bring the malefactors before
a legal tribunal.
The value of such an institution will be
obvious to all whose preserves have been
poached upon and whose troubles in this di-
rection have been long drawn out owing* to
the imperfections in the present method of
ferreting out the origin of the falsely-brand-
ed products and securing sufficient evidence
to base a conviction upon.
This trade mark concern have perfected
their plans to such an extent that, through
thousands of agents in all sections, they are
at once enabled to secure data concerning
any possible infringements. Suspects are
immediately placed under surveillance, and
in every way are the interests of clients care-
fully guarded, so that infringers are speedily
removed from their special field of activity.
That there is need for such special ser-
vice will be admitted by all. No local or na-
tional trade organization can successfully
handle matters of this kind. It requires spe-
cial machinery to do this, and we are inclined
to the belief that the International Trade
Mark Protective Co., 320 Broadway, N. Y.,
has a brililant future ahead, when its aims
are generally understood by those whose in-
terests it is organized to protect.
OUTSIDE THE BREASTWORKS.
'T'HE readiness with
The question of in-
dividuality i n
the
which the Ameri-
piano business — Its
strength and value—
can people take up, pop-
The trust as a leveler
ularize and standardize a
and destroyer of posi-
tions won.
brand of anything is re-
markable, and worthy of philosophical study.
It is a characteristic which speaks louder for
the intelligence and remarkable adaptability of
the American people than almost any other
national trait, and right here lies the secret
of success in advertising. It is not alone to
make a good article, but to advertise it well.
The position of the famous old houses
of Chickering and Steinway was never
achieved without the judicious use of all
legitimate channels of advertising, and what
a tremendous impelling force those channels
have become with the passing of years!
The piano business, too, is unique in many
ways. The individuality of each piano has
given it a distinct following and a distinct
recognition among the people in all parts of
the country. This standing could not be
won within a few years, no matter how su-
perb the instrument. There is a certain
"something" which is acquired by persist-
ently placing before the people a standard
article and exploiting it in a proper way for
a term of years.
A man may bring out a new brand of
soap or tea, or some home accessory, and,
by a liberal use of printers' ink obtain for it
an enormous sale, but in the piano business
a reputation grows slowly, and when once
acquired it is indeed difficult to destroy.
Note the vicissitudes which some of the
well-known names associated with the piano
industry have gone through and note their
vitality to-day!
It is the element of individuality which
has been won by many in the piano business,
that would have a deterring influence upon
any combination of the industry"into what is
commonly known as a trust. The individ-
uality would be at once lost, and all of those
on the outside would quickly say that the
trust had been a leveler and that all pianos
were practically of the same brand, having
the same source of parentage.
That is one reason why some of the shrewd-
est men of the industry to-day would like to
see a trust in existence. They affirm that
it'would be the best thing for their own in-
dividual interests, and of course they would
stay on the outside, but how about the man
wha had sunk his own individuality into
that of a trust and had received in pay for
his name and property some beautifully en-
graved chromos ?
He would be well outside the piano breast-
works.