Music Trade Review

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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
ORDERS POUR IN
DELVING IN THE PAST.
PLENTY OF QAISER FELT.
Upon the Davenport & Treacy Establishment—
Dealers Express Themselves as Being Delighted
With These Pianos.
A Writer in the Press Makes a Chatty Column
Devoted to Pianos and Piano Selling Methods
"Before the War!"—The JEoIian Piano at One
Time All the Rage—Strakosch's Venture in
the Piano Field.
David H. Schmidt Tells of Increased Factory Facili-
ties—Business Slow in Europe—Some New
Schmidt Specialties—The New Steel Act : on
Bracket—Lost Motion Attachment—Felt Mak-
ing Abroad.
The Davenport & Treacy Co.'s new factor-
is conveniently located for visiting dealers. A
special show room for pianos has been ar-
ranged and a partition will be extended
across so that Col. Treacy's private office will
immediately adjoin the exhibition room
where various styles will be displayed.
Col. Treacy this week was absent at the
Stamford factory, and The Review was
greeted by a representative who remarked:
"It seems that every mail brings us some
new orders. You will observe here are a
number of communications. Probably you
know these dealers. See what they say about
the Davenport & Treacy piano.
"A dealer doesn't write that he is delighted
with the instruments and in the same com-
munication order four more unless they ap-
peal to him as being pretty near the real
thing.
"it isn't likely that they would, is it?" add-
ed the young man as he carefully sorted a
number of letters, each one of which con-
tained some eulogistic reference to the D. &
T. pianos from dealers who have had actual
experience with them. There will be no dull
times at the Davenport & Treacy piano fac-
tory during the summer months, that is cer-
tain. Enough orders are already on hand to
compel a state of activity throughout the
heated term.
An interesting feature of the New York
Press is the column under the caption "On
the Tip of the Tongue," in which a multi-
tude of subjects are treated. The other day
the writer became reminiscent and allowed
his mind to wander to the subject of pianos.
He said:
"When Leonard was Anthony street, Hor-
ace Waters had a store at the corner (333
Broadway) where he sold seolian piano
fortes at a sacrifice. In those days—half a
century ago—the Gilbert piano was all the
rage. The styles in demand were, the "bou-
doir" and the "cottage." These were sold
with or without the seolian, a contrivance
which threw a stream of air upon the strings,
thereby greatly increasing the volume of
sound.
"Maurice Strakosch, who married Amelia
Patti, sister of the Diva, Adelina, was a big
card here ten years before the war, and his
name was regarded as of much value as an
indorsement. A piano "selected by M. Stra-
kosch" brought a big price. He opened a
small "emporium" in the old Brewster build-
ing, on the west side of Broadway, about
three doors above the present Cable building,
and would announce special sales of instru-
ments chosen by himself from a large num-
ber
offered by all the foreign and domestic
INCORPORATED.
manufacturers for his insoection, etc. His
Among the concerns filing certificates of
prices were from $200 to $2,000, nothing
incorporation with the Secretary of State of
over or under. I recollect that he had one
New York this week was that of the Acme piano carved by Minnifie, "the greatest artist
Ball Bearing Co., Chappaqua (to manufac- in the world," which he sold for the highest
ture piano castors, balls and bearings) ; capi- price. What became of Minnifie?
tal, $600,000. Directors: Clifford Thomson,
"You never hear of the seolian attachment
Hugh Hartshorne and G. D. Mackay, New to-day. There is, however, the Aeolian Co.,
York.
selling the pianola and the metrostyle, which
may
be played by any one who does not
BOSTON PIANO WORKERS' BANQUET.
understand music. The result may be the
The Piano and Organ Workers' Union of same as though a brilliant pianist sat at the
Boston and Cambridge, Mass., held a ban-
keyboard. For heaven's sake! Let us give
quet and entertainment at Brodbine Hall,
every flat-dweller a pianola! Here ought to
Boston, on Friday. Charles Dold, of Chi-
be an easy way to stop the banging and
cago, international organizer, was the toast-
pounding that drive people to department
master, and the speakers included President
stores. No use now of spending $2,000 to
Dardis, of Union 19; President Wilmot, of
$=;,ooo on a daughter's musical education.
the Cambridge Union; International Dele-
Give her a metrostyle and let her fire away
gate Frank H. Murray, of Union 21, and
from 13 to 20. After that let her babies fire
John Hasey, secretary of the joint commit-
away."
tee of arrangements.
David H. Schmidt, the popular hammer
coverer, who, as announced in The Review,
returned last week from Europe, passed a
pleasant time abroad.
"I found," remarked Mr. Schmidt, "that
Emil Gaiser had made many changes during
the past two years in his felt factory. He has
introduced a good deal of machinery, and to-
day I can assure my customers that I am in
a position to promptly fill all orders. Natur-
ally I am much gratified at the steady ad-
vance which the Gaiser felt has made among
American piano manufacturers. At first some
were a trifle skeptical, but now they have
tested the Gaiser felt in every possible way
and know its excellence.
"About trade conditions in Europe," con-
tinued Mr. Schmidt, "I may say that in Ger-
many and Austria business conditions are
somewhat depressed.
There is no special
reason for such a condition but business is
slow.
"On the way back from Europe the sea
was almost as calm as a mill pond, and save
for the vibrations of machinery, one would
hardly have realized that we were upon the
ocean. Decoration Day was fittingly cele-
brated. A clever program was prepared in
which there were a number of musical spe-
cialties, and John Wanamaker, who is now a
piano distributor of the largest kind, made a
clever speech. He interested us all in his re-
marks, which were heartilv applauded.
"We have a number of specialties which
will interest the trade. Our steel action
brackets have interested all who have seen
samples. They are lighter than the cast iron
brackets and are absolutely non-breakable"—
and here Mr. Schmidt hurled one with force
upon the floor to prove his assertion.
"They may be finished with aluminum
coating or any other which is considered de-
sirable. We shall shortly be in shape to sup-
ply these in large quantities. We have also
new patents which have just been issued on
the lost motion attachment and damper,
which I feel confident will interest the trade.
"Yes, I am glad to be back again in Amer-
ica," added Mr. Schmidt, "and naturally was
delighted to find how smoothly things have
run during my absence."
Mr. Schmidt remarked that "factory con-
WILL RETAIL PERFORATED MUSIC.
ditions
in Europe, particularly in felt making,
CECILIANS FOR NOTABILITIES.
The Perforated Music Roll Co., who have are different than in this country. Men there
Among recent purchasers of Cecilians in just moved into splendidly equinoed factory must be carefully educated in the business
Washington, D. C , were General Miles, quarters at Schenectady, N. Y., are, we and taken on one or two at a time, because if
Baroness Von Bruening and H. L. West, one understand, looking for a permanent retail a number of Green men were taken into the
of the district commissioners. The Cecilian location in New York city for the purpose of
felt factory there would be danger of im-
purchased by the Baroness Von Bruening marketing to the consumer the "Perfection"
pairing the quality of the felt."
will be shipped to Tangiers, Morocco, where perforated rolls for all players. This marks
her husband will represent the German Gov- a very important move on the part of this
DEALER FOR MANY YEARS.
ernment. The Cecilian has won its way into institution.
President Valois, of the Dane Piano Co.,
great favor in Washington and this is only
J. W. Hollingsworth has added a musical has been conducting a retail department on
a sample of many other recent sales.
department to his furniture business in Third avenue, near 143d street, for seventeen
E. W. Ewers has opened piano warerooms Louisburg, N. C. He is desirous of hearing years. He reports a fair weekly output from
in Lawton, Mich. He is handling the Price from piano and organ manufacturers on a the Dane factory, which is located at Union-
port.
spot cash basis.
& Teeple line.
THE STANDARD HAMMER
Made and sold only by the
STANDARD PIANO HAMMER & FELT CO,
I94O PARK A V E , NEW YORK