Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
13
THB MUSIC
gentleman we have selected as trustee, Mr.
Frank P. Clark, is a well known member of
the Baltimore bar, and he is also known to
most of the music trade, from his having;
acted as trustee of the Otto Sutro & Co.
Estate.
"An order has been secured from the court
to allow the Trustee to continue the business
for the present, and we have some hope of be-
ing able to secure the capital necessary to re-
organize the business, if we have time enough
to make the effort. If we fail to accomplish
this, and it becomes necessary to wind up
the business, we are confident that if the deed
of trust is not interfered with by our credit-
ors, and the trustee is allowed to realize
gradually upon the assets to the best advan-
tage, without being forced to make a quick
settlement, enough will be accumulated to pay
all of our creditors nearly if not quite in full.
On account of the nature of the assets, a
forced settlement would realize very little
for anv one."
XMAS TRADE IN THE WAREROOMS.
Geo. W. Herbert, with the A. B. Chase as
his leader, said: "Well, if you want to give
a pink tea or a reception, you are welcome to
these rooms. Christmas has just cleaned
everything right out. I have had a great
many rents, and a great number of old pia-
nos that have served their term in churches
have come in to be exchanged for new ones.
This is due to the holidays, perhaps, but this
season has surprised me. I thought I was
well prepared to meet any rush, but it is most
distressing to have to turn away rents and
sales when you have customers that you have
worked to get interested."
S. M. Barnes, at Weber's, said: "Business
has been first-class. We have had a number
of Christmas sales, but Christmas really does
not affect a business of this sort. In twenty
years' experience I have found that Decem-
ber and January are closely related; if there
is a rushing December, January pays the pen-
alty; if it is a quiet December, we are con-
fident of a brisk January."
Just how much benefit the piano dealer
derives from the holiday season is a subject
of considerable debate, and there is no doubt
some reason for question. Inquiry into this
matter will bring a diversity of opinion.
Some contend that many who had planned
to purchase pianos are forced to wait until
they have recovered from the expenses which
the holidays bring about, and others claim
that Christmas merely congests the business,
as people who contemplate buying shortly
before, or shortly after, buy at that time.
There is no doubt that if there is an in-
creased activity it is due to special efforts in
advertising and other means calculated to
consummate sales that have been pending.
Since the spirit of spending money is in the
atmosphere, it is only natural that some of
it should find its way into the avenues of the
piano business. This has been proven by
questioning many of the prominent retail
houses, and the consensus of opinion seems
to corroborate this statement.
THE VOCALION WITH WANAMAKER.
BUILDING THAT BUFFALO PLANT.
Ferdinand Mayer, manager of Knabe's
Arrangements have been consummated
[Special to The Review.]
New York warerooms, said: "I do not be- whereby John Wanamaker will handle the
Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 16, 1901. lieve that we feel Christmas materially, in
Vocalion not only for New York, but also
Ground has just been broken for the erec- the past two days our sales have been re-
for Philadelphia. Geo. H. Ryder, formerly
tion of the new buildings that will comprise markable, but only one customer gave order
connected with the Vocalion Co., is now in
the plant of the Wood & Brooks Co., at the for a delivery on Tuesday, to have the piano
charge of the Vocalion department at Wan-
corner of Ontario and Kenmore streets, just there by Christmas. Mr. Mayer said that
amaker's. The Vocalion Co. are of the opin-
over the city line. The company was formed business was wonderfully active, but he
ion that the new move will augment the sales
to manufacture piano ivory and piano keys. thought it thoroughly in keeping with Octo-
of these instruments materially, in conse-
H. C. Brooks is president, and C. H. Wood ber and November.
quence of the great army of visitors to the
treasurer of the new company.
A.M.Wright,of the Everett Co.,said: "Not musical departments of Wanamaker's, both
S. H. Woodruff, who has prepared the in the sense that other holiday goods are sold.
in New York and Philadelphia.
plans for the new building, and will super- For my part, I cannot see how the business
intend the work of construction, said this could exceed October and November, Christ-
TO DECLARE SHAW PAYMENT.
morning: "The plant is to be one of the mas or no Christmas. I only pray that I
Jos. M. Force, referee in bankruptcy, has
finest manufacturing plants in the world. may have the stock to handle the trade, for
sent out a notice to the creditors of the Shaw
The whole plant was designed especially for it is certainly great."
Piano Co. to the effect that a meeting will
one purpose, and will, therefore, be of pecu-
Hugo Sohmer says: "Many of our sales be held in Erie, Pa., on Dec. 24th, for the
liar construction. The frame will be of iron in November bear on the tag 'to be delivered
purpose of declaring and directing a dividend
and steel, and the outside of pressed brick. by Christmas,' yet I find the business keep-
upon the payment of their claims.
This is a feature that is very rare in manu- ing up just as I expected from the way Oc-
facturing plants. The floors will be of three- tober opened. This has been a gala year,
THEY COMMEND THE BEHR.
inch pine, laid straight, and two thicknesses and if we only had anticipated this rush, it
One of the most pleasing features of the
of maple laid diagonally to the pine in oppo- would have saved a good deal of hurry and
distinct
advance made by Behr Bros. & Co.
site direction to each other. The construc- planning now."
this
year
in the matter of gaining new friend^
tion is as nearly fireproof as possible. Nev-
Fred Steinert said: "As Christmas gifts, and admirers for the Behr products has been
ertheless, the most modern fire-fighting ap- I thing the piano-players are selling in re-
paratus will be installed to guard against any markable numbers. Pianos have become sta- the steady influx of commendatory letters,
possible loss. The cost of the buildings alone ple necessities, but piano-players are novelties unsought and unexpected. Some of these
will be over $100,000. The power plant will and we have sold a large number of Chase & have already been published in The Review.
cost $250,000 and Niagara Falls power will Baker piano-players for Christmas delivery. More are to be made public shortly after the
be used to drive the machines by a motor Our Steinertone business has been steady and beginning of the new year, when several im-
portant announcements concerning the Behr
contained in each machine, thus avoiding the gives promise to continue so."
use of belts. About 800 men will be em- C. E. Brockington, at Mason & Hamlin's, program for 1902 will be published.
ployed when the factory gets to running.
RUSHED WITH WORK.
says: "We are having an organ business
The new company will occupy ten acres that may be regarded as somewhat increased
The Springfield, O., Democrat says that
of land with a nine hundred foot frontage by the holidays—small organs, I mean—
Wickham
& Chapman, manufacturers of
on the N. Y. C. R. R. All the machinery and as far as pianos are concerned, look
piano
plates,
are so rushed with work that
will be ready for installation by the time the around for yourself and you will find that
they
are
refusing
orders. Last week they
main building is ready to receive it; there- we are about swept out of everything, espe-
fore in three or four months the new concern cially grands. I would almost be willing to received an order from one firm for 500
plates.
should be ready for business.
pay retail prices for them just to supply the
On account of the inability of the company customers who are waiting patiently. All
Among^recentpurchasers of Chickering pia-
to purchase water from Buffalo, the Depew our agents are writing us to help them out, nos was Sherry's famous establishment on
Water Co. will furnish them with water.
Fifth avenue.
even Boston."
PIANOS
Precious, Perfect, Peerless
As to Tone, Touch, Design
Durability and Value. . • •
and 7 APPLETON STREET, BOSTON. MASS,