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THE
TWENTY-THIRD YEAR.
REMDV
EDWARD LYMAN BILL,
EIITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
J . B. S P I L L A N E , MANAQINQ EDITOR.
Executive Staff:
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND
EMILIE FKANCIS BAUER
WALDO E. LADD
GEO. W. QUERIPEL
A. J. NICKLIN
PntHished Every Satnrflay it 3 East 14th Street, New Yort
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage^, United States,
Mexico ai"' Canada, $2.00 per year; all other countries,
?4.00. *
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
Insertion. On quarterly or yearly contractH a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REniTTANCES, in other than currency form, should tie
made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at the New York Post OJfice as Second Class Matter.
NEW YORK, DEC 7, 190*.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-E1QHTEENTH STREET.
On the first Saturday of each month
THE
The Review contains in its "Artists' De-
ARTISTS
partment" all the current musical news.
DEPARTMENT This is effected without in any way tres-
passing on the size or service of the trade
section of the paper. I t lias a special circulation, and
therefore augments materially the value of The Review
to advertisers.
DIRECTORY OF
The directory of piano manufac-
PIANO
turing firms and corporations found
MANUFACTURERS o u pnge ;!!> will be of great value as
a reference for dealers and others.
EDITORIAL
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
EVERYWHERE the
b u s i ness outlook
continues most cheering,
and reports from all
parts of the country
indicate the existence of most satisfactory
conditions. In the opinion of all piano men,
1901 will be counted up as the banner year,
and 1902 will come in with a fair chance of
going it even better.
The prosperity is not confined to the large
cities, and the demands for rush orders of
pianos come from the smaller localities as
well as the great centers. Many factories
are still far behind, and in a degree there are
a great many dealers disappointed, as they
will be unable to secure their pianos in time
for holiday trade. It is certain that the
peace and prosperity of our country afford
a substantial basis for the ripe enjoyment
of the holiday season. As one manufacturer
said the other day: "In my opinion, the
general conditions of business for the com-
ing year are bound to be excellent, and there
is no reason why the total business for 1902
will not be equal to the present year." There
is no question about it. Our national admin-
istration is in safe hands, which is the best
guarantee against agitation of disturbing
questions. Capital was never more abun-
dant or more ready for investment in sound
enterprises. The only trouble, however, is
that the enlargement and expansion which is
seen on every hand may not be carried to
extreme limits. At the present time there
P i a n o prosperity
general—Small dealers
busy—No clouds on
the horizon—Large in-
crease in manufactur-
ing facilities might
create unhealthy com-
petition.
7Vt\JSIC TRKDE
is no over-accumulation of stock in this in- the instruments should not be represented
dustry. Pianos are not only bought from the in his advertisement as new. If he wishes
manufacturers, but they are not permitted to to create a bargain sale with his second-hand
congest in the retailers' warerooms, and as stock he has a perfect right to place upon
a result there must be a continuous demand them any valuation which he so desires.
for instruments which will be bound to
He has no right, legally or morally, to
keep the factory wheels spinning at the live- misrepresent in his advertisement, and in this
liest possible pace. The only danger is that State there is a law regulating fraudulent ad-
men may be encouraged by the present satis- vertising. Law or no law, no piano man
factory condition of business to increase should intentionally lower a piano name to
their manufacturing facilities to such an ex- gain a business point. Suppose a man ad-
tent that, should there come a depression, an vertises, we will say—one of the old famous
unhealthy competition will be at once cre- makes—a Chickering piano. If a second-
ated in order to dispose of pianos. A num- hand it should be so stated. It should be
ber of manufacturers have concluded not to termed a second-hand or a rehabilitated in-
enlarge, notwithstanding the fact that they strument, and that same piano should not be
have been unable to supply the demand for used over and over again, the dealer claim-
their instruments during the present year. ing to each one who wishes to secure the bar-
It may be a wise plan to encourage conser- gain offered that it had "just been sold; very
vatism.
sorry."
RETAIL PIANO WARS
D ETAIL piano adver-
tising has received
greater care and atten-
tion the present year
than during any previ-
ous one since dealers began to use the col-
umns of local papers to exploit their wares
in a large way.
There are, however, invariably some spots
in pianodom upon which we can place the in-
dex finger where interesting local battles are
being fought on advertising lines.
A great many seem to think that it is a
flagrant violation of trade ethics for a dealer
to advertise at ridiculously low rates cer-
tain pianos which have come to him through
trade which he does not handle among his
regular lines.
Some are over-sensitive regarding the use
of their names in this connection, and incline
to the belief that it is a reflection upon their
pianos to have them offered at astonishingly
low figures, which are seemingly out of all
proportion with the value which the new in-
struments possess.
Is this super-sensitiveness not a trifle over-
drawn ?
In the first place, the manufacturer pre-
sumably received his price for his goods.
After receiving his equivalent, they passed
beyond his control. The dealer in turn then
disposed of his pianos, and in due course of
time, as the wheel of trade revolved, a com-
petitor received them as part payment for
new pianos. Now, what is the last dealer
to do with such stock? Naturally, the only
way he can release his capital is to dispose
of such instruments at very reasonable rates.
He therefore slashes the price, and we hold
that the course of procedure of that man
is perfectly honorable so long as facts are
adhered to in his public announcement, but
Advertising second-
hand pianos— Some
men are oversensitive
at the use of their
names in bargain an-
nouncements—Stick to
straight facts.
No honorable merchants will adopt such
methods. If a dealer advertises a bargain
Chickering piano at a stated price, the first
patron who desires that particular piano
should secure it; but the price of that piano,
whatever that may be, is purely the business
of the dealer, and, in our opinion, many of
these piano wars could be easily avoided if
there were not so much sensitiveness appar-
ent on the part of some men who seem to
think a low price is a reflection on their
products.
THAT TRADE CONVENTION.
I F the music trade con-
vention, to be held
next May in Baltimore,
could act upon all of the
suggestions
coming
along from various sources they probably
would not adjourn before time to go home
to celebrate the Fourth. There is one thing
mighty certain: the executive committee of
the Dealers' Association will have to use
large sized pruning shears in order to reduce
the matter which will come up for discussion
down to a limit which will enable it to be
handled within the time set for the session.
Perhaps the dealers in various cities may
elect one delegate to the convention, thus
reducing- materially the numbers who will be
present in Baltimore.
It has been clearly demonstrated by the
history of all organizations that a small num-
ber of men clothed with authority can ac-
complish much more than a large assemblage
among whom always will be men who will
talk against time, and others who will em-
brace such an opportunity to air their elo-
quence and never know when the time limit
is reached. With commissions, advertising
and a thousand other important topics, it
will be hard work for the organization to go
through on schedule time.
A multiplicity °f
subjects to be con-
sidered—Will last until
midsummer—Possibly
each city will elect
delegates — Philadel-
phia may be heard
from.