Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
TRRDE.REVIEW
THE
GETTING READY TO RECEIVE
The two Conventions—Baltimore will do its Honors
in good old Southern Style—Knabes' Invitation
to the Trade— Great time anticipated.
[Special to The Review.]
Baltimore, Md., May 7, 1902.
The one absorbing topic in trade circles
is the coming Convention, and Baltimore
will be ready to receive the music trade hosts
who will accept the hospitality during the
coming week. Nearly all members of the
trade will take an active part, and therefore
all are busy arranging details.
Fred P. Stieff, the only resident member
cf the Piano Manufacturers' National Asso-
ciation, is frequently utilizing the long-dis-
tahce 'phone to consult his associates in
various parts of the country.
Major Hill, of the Carrollton, is preparing
a menu which will tickle the palates of the
visiting members next Thursday night.
Wni. Knabc & Co. extended an invitation
to the members of the National Piano Manu-
facturers' Association to be their guests at a
banquet and vaudeville entertainment on
Wednesday night. The invitation was cour-
teously declined. Messrs. Knabe & Co. are
not members of the Association, and mem-
bers of that organization felt that they could
not, as an organization, accept courtesies at
their hands.
The Dealers' Association, to whom the
same invitation was extended by the Knabes",
have accepted and will be guests of the dis-
tinguished firm at a banquet, vaudeville and
smoker, which will be given at the Fifth
Regiment Armory on Wednesday night. The
banquet will begin at 6:30. The invitation
extended by Messrs. Knabe includes all
v'piting dealers and their friends, whether
members of the Association or not; in fact,
a cordial invitation is extended which in—
chides all visiting members of the music
trade, embracing supply men as well as
others.
Charles M. Stieff will entertain the visit-
ing manufacturers at one of the leading
theatres.
The local Dealers' Association of Baltimore
will entertain the visiting delegates and their
friends royally on Friday after the big ban-
quet. The steamer " F . C. Latrobe" will leave
early Friday morning with the delegates and
their friends on board. The first stop will
be at Ft. MeHenry where a fire drill will be
witnessed. Shortly after this a collation will
be served on board and a long tarry will be
made at Annapolis, where the Government
Building will be inspected and possibly the
pleasures of viewing a naval drill will
aiso form a part of the pleasures of the day.
Supper in good old Maryland style will be
solved on the return trip, and it will prob-
ably be late before the piano men return to
Baltimore.
One of the large manufacturers of high-
grade piano plates in the country are Messrs.
T Schrivcr & Co., 333 East 56th Street. At
t're company's offices The Review was in-
formed this week that business is brisk, and
enough orders are on file to keep all hands
busy till July 1st. There is a big call for
high-grade grand plates, and upright trade
is good.
RECENT ARRIVALS ON FIFTH AVE.
run Around "Piano Row"—Fifth Avenue
Maintains its Pre-eminence as a Music Trade
Centre.
Fifth Avenue continues to grow in import-
ance as a high-class retail mart for the exhi-
bition and sale of pianos, piano-players and
other products of the musical and kindred
industries. Several months ago The Review
noted a number of important changes and im-
provements. Since that time other interest-
ing developments have taken place, mainly
in the widely recognized retail piano district
known as "Piano Row," extending from
Fourteenth to Twenty-third streets on both
sides of the avenue.
One of the most important of recent moves
was that made by the Mason & Hamlin Co.
This firm, formerly at 136 Fifth avenue, the
premises now occupied by Geo. Steck & Co.,
moved several years ago to handsome new
warerooms at 3 East Eighteenth street, where
they remained until last month, when much
more spacious and attractive quarters were
taken at No. 135 Fifth avenue, the main ex-
hibit of Mason & Hamlin pianos occupying
the entire length of the main floor in the new
eleven-story structure just completed at the
northeast corner of Twentieth street and
Fifth avenue. The frontage measures 25
feet on Fifth avenue and 100 feet on Twen-
tieth street, lofty show windows extending
the entire depth and width. The height of
the main floor is fully 20 feet.
The third floor of the building is also occu-
pied by Mason & Hamlin. It is largely set
apart for organs except at the western end,
where an art exhibit of grands has been es-
tablished in a room specially constructed.
In addition to these facilities, the firm also
have an immense basement 130x30 feet for
second-hand instruments, repairing and ex-
porting work. The general offices and the
office of W. P. Daniels, general manager,
are on the third floor. Messrs. Cox, Brock-
ington and Gale have their offices on the
main floor, near the Fifth avenue entrance.
The decorative effects are rich yet simple in
plan, the color scheme on the main floor be-
ing olive green with cream finish. The new
Mason & Hamlin headquarters holds high
rank among the many palatial piano estab-
lishments on Fifth avenue and is most de-
sirably located.
The establishment of new warerooms by
J. & C. Fischer at 164 Fifth avenue, previ-
ously at 33 Union Square, West, already de-
scribed in The Review, is entitled to conspic-
uous mention among recent developments.
Another notable improvement in location
and facilities for an adequate exhibit is the
Steinertone change of quarters from Chick-
ering Hall to 87-89 Fifth avenue, where
structural arrangements for light, ventila-
tion and showroom space are second to none
in the city. A third important change is the
transfer of the "Pianotist" retail headquart-
ers from Forty-second street ami Fifth ave-
nue to No. 123 Fifth avenue. Each of these
changes has been noted at length in The Re-
view.
Jacob Doll's change of location from 144
to 92 Fifth avenue was a decided improve-
ment in several ways. The show window is
larger and it is on the ground floor. The
space for piano exhibit is also greater. Alto-
gether it is better situated for business pur-
poses.
One of the most interesting exhibits re-
cently established on Fifth avenue, between
Fourteenth and Twenty-third streets, in con-
nection with kindred industries, is. that of
Kaffenberger & Cantor, at No. 103. Their
display of piano scarfs and similar furnish-
ings is certainly one of the largest and choic-
est in the United States. The members of
this firm are experts having praiseworthy
ambition. They are not at all out of place
among the many experts on "Piano Row."
Christman & Son, who now and long have
been located on Fourteenth street, opened
up Fifth avenue warerooms at 81 Fifth ave-
nue the closing month of last year and re-
port a satisfactory degree of success.
KNABES DENY RUMOR.
Story Published is Absolutely Without Foundation.
'
••;'
[Special to The Review.]
Baltimore, Md., May 7, 1902.
Messrs. Ernest and William Knabe posi-
tively deny that they have even considered
the placing of their New York agency with
B. Altman & Co. They stated that there was
no reason whatsoever for the rumor start-
ing, as it had no foundation in fact. They
have no intention of giving up their own
agency in New York, and it is to be re-
gretted that a statement so far from the truth
Hiould have been circulated through the nie-
(in.mship of the press.
Arthur G. Brewer, dealer in jewelry and
musical instruments at Pittsburg, Kan., has
suspended. The business was started five
years ago.
REVISED AUSTRALIAN TARIFF ON PIANOS.
When the new Australian tariff was intro-
duced some*months ago, reference was made
at some length in The Review at the time to
the proposed tax on pianos and other musical
instruments.
Since that time the bill has
been in the hands of various committees and
many changes have occurred. The latest de-
velopments relating to Division 15—musical
instruments—have just been received in this
country through Consul General J. P. Bray,
and is as follows:
Article.
Previous Proposal.
Piano parts n. e. i
Pianos—Grand and semi-grand
each
Upright
New Duty.
15 per cent, ad valorem
20 per cent.
£,12 ($58.40) and 15 per cent, ad valorem.
30 per cent, ad valorem.
£i (t>9.46) and 15 per cent, ad valorem.
20 per cent.
Pianos working mechanically or otherwise
Military bands, orchestral musical instruments and bagpipes 15 per cent
20 per cent.
Free.
( ,