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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
u
REIVIEIW
THE FUTURE OF PIANO PLAYERS
As Viewed by the Dealers—What Members of the Trade Say Regarding This Important Adjunct to the
Musical Life of America—Seme Special Methods Adopted to Push Sales—The Value of Players to
the Piano Business—Rooms Fitted Up For the Display of Players—Methods of Advertising—How the
Retailers Draw Attention to the Piano Players—Musicales Popular—Many Appreciate the Full Im-
portance of the Player as Being Helpful to Music Trade Interests—Interesting Op nions Gained by
The Review—Special Emphasis Upon Special Features Has Been Richly Rewarded.
Considering the locality and other condi-
tions, T should say the number of sales
would be about 100 players a year, as the :
player is still young, and many people do
not really think such an instrument exists.
ALMOST A NEW ISSUE.
I/Special to The Review.]
Keene, N. H., August 15, 1903.
Recognizing the importance of the piano ful with same. We do not believe that the
E. M. Blake, when asked by The Review
player as a helpful adjunct to the music
local representatives of the Pianola cut the to express an opinion regarding piano
trade industry, The Review has sought to prices. Aside from these two, we do not
players, said: The player business is almost
glean a number of opinions as to the know of any piano playing devices which
a new jssue in my territory, and has hardly
player's future from men who have had
are not offered at almost any price in older
boomed to a point where one can even
actual experience in this special line.
to get the business sometimes.
form opinions of the characteristics of the
By our series of interviews we are ena-
We presume that a fair average business, trade, but it appears to me that as players
bled to present the opinions of the mem- making allowances for the variations in the are brought down to the piano standard of
bers of the trade as to the methods which
prosperity of a community, and other con- instalments, that there will be a great sale
have been most satisfactorily employed in
ditions which have to do with the purchas- of them among the same classes of people
drawing attention to this product. We ing power of the public, between five and who have paid the piano man his profit for
have also sought opinions as to the future six hundred players all told would be a fair many years back.
of this important branch of the business. average at the present time, although in-
FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT.
Also views as to the possible advantages side of the next five years we expect to see
TSoecial to The Review.]
of giving special entertainments in the way
this doubled and trebled.
Baltimore, Aid., August 14, 1903.
of musicales in order to interest the pub-
There are only two players which sell
G. Wright Nicols, of the Sanders & Stay-
lic. Price cutting, too, seeking to gain in- in any quantities in Pittsburg.
man Co., remarked: In regard to piano
formation as to whether this has been in-
players, would say we think the future is
BRINGS NEW BUSINESS LIFE.
dulged in to any great extent, has received
very bright in this particular.
[Special
to
The
Review.]
some attention.
Springfield, Mass., August 14, 1903.
Our principal way of drawing attention
Thoughtful men recognize that not only
W. F. A. Engel, with Taylor's Music to the player is by giving concerts. We
has the piano player come to stay but they
House, when seen regarding the player have a room especially for this department
firmly believe that it is destined to play no
question, said: The piano player has added and keep two men constantly employed in
unimportant part in the future history of
new life to the piano business, and certainly this line.
the industry. Its growth has been re-
is a paying addition, if properly conducted.
We are glad to say as far as we know the-
markable and public prejudice has now
It is not only a "piano player," but a "piano other dealers have maintained the price'
been completely overcome against it.
seller," many cases, where it has brought
without any cutting.
The wonderful possibilities of the Ameri- about the exchange of pianos, and the sales
As to how many would be a good year's
can piano player are generally conceded, of grand and upright pianos with the
business, would say from fifty to one hun-
and the improvements which are being
player, when the parties |had no piano, dred.
made from time to time make results at- and perhaps would never have bought one,
* * *
tainable which only a few years ago were
if the piano player had not appealed to
Jaspersen Smith, of the T .ndden & Smith
considered out of the realm of possibility. them.
Music Co., expresses the following opin-
The opinions will be of interest to manu-
I find it a pleasure to sell piano players, ions regarding the player business: We
facturers as well as dealers.
because the price is the last consideration, find the mechanical player a growing and
which is cash and a one-price system. And paying branch of business. We have used.
HELPS THE PIANO BUSINESS.
the first man cutting prices should at once newspaper advertising, exhibited "Psycho"
[Special to The Review.]
be lynched, as he cannot be a salesman and and given recitals, from all of which we can
Pittsburg, Pa., August 14, 1903.
should not be connected with any business trace results. We do not devote a special
Samuel Hamilton, the well-known dealer
room to mechanical players, but hope to
of this city, says: We have undoubtedly where education and art rules.
L find the best methods of advertising- do so with increasing business.
found the piano player business a profitable
We have not been much troubled with
adjunct to our business, not so much be- is the continual pushing on the line of edu-
cause of the profit in the players them- cation and as an entertainer. We have a price cutting.
specially fitted room for displaying our
selves as in the assistance the player gives
HAS COME TO STAY.
players, and as far as expansive future,
[.Special to The Review.]
in selling pianos, as there are undoubtedly
there is no doubt about it. Certainly it has
Philadelphia, Pa., August 14, 1903.
many people who buy pianos with players
D. E. Woolley, manager of the Estey
who would not otherwise be interested for come to stay.
We give recitals in our warerooms and branch in this city, said in response to The
the reason that there is no one in the home
two or three during the year on a larger Review query : We beg to say that from
who plays.
scale. To the one we gave on April 6th m our experience we feel that the piano
The best methods we have found for
High School Hall, assisted by three artists, player has come to stay and will be a per-
drawing attention to players have been
newspaper advertising coupled with inces- soprano, violinist and 'cellist, we mailed manent factor in the music trade business,
1,000 invitations and 950 were present, but it is my personal opinion that event-
sant hustling on the part of our salesmen.
We have a room specially fitted up foi The cutting of prices has not as yet ually piano players will be handled as an
reached us, and trust it never will. exclusive business, either by the dealer es-
players, which is devoted to this branch of
"Brainy people made piano players—let tablishing a special department and ware-
the business exclusively.
brainy
people sell them," and keep them room for the handling of this instrument
Undoubtedly the player branch of the
and the representation of more than one
where
they
belong, "up" or "down."
business is just in its infancy.
We give special entertainments in
churches and other places of similar char-
acter, but have not as yet attempted any
concerts in large halls.
With the exception of two instruments,
we know of no players which are not sold
at cut prices locally. We handle the An-
gelus, and under no circumstances would
cut the price, nor offer any inducements
whatever, and we have been very success-
BEHR BROS. & CO.
PIANOS,
29th Street and 11th Ave. ( NEW YORK.
HIGHEST STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.