Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THe^MUSICSTRADE
REVIEW
In tKe Musical Merchandise Domain >?
TRADE RATHER DISAPPOINTING
VICTOR TRADEMARK IN GOLD
LEWIS ON ARMY CONTRACTS
For Talking Machine Co.'s St. Louis Exhibit Being For Band Instruments—A Spirited Defense of the
Regulations Which Inure to the Advantage of
Displayed at Tiffany & Co.'s New York Show-
the American Manufacturer.
rooms—A Remarkable Display.
The Victor Talking Machine Co.'s exhibit at
On page 37 of last Saturday's Review, an ar-
Contrary to-expectations trade has improved St. Louis promises to be one of the leading topics ticle appeared in the "Small Goods Department"
little, if any, during the past week. Sales with with visitors, for the reason that it will be one giving the views of a manager of a jobbing house
the direct importers are over, and it was expected of the richest and handsomest of its kind. Tif- apropos the recent contracts for band instruments
for the army and navy, in which he thought it
selling stock would loom up; but wholesale fany & Co., the celebrated New York jewelers and
houses reluctantly acknowledge their disappoint- goldsmiths, had the contract for furnishing the unfair that the bids should be restricted to Amer-
ment. Catalogue firms are reported as carrying booth and decorative features of the company's ican-made instruments. In this connection we
on a business of phenomenal proportions, so display, and on Monday they placed on exhibition have received the following communication,
much so that first hands are crowded to fill their a life-size reproduction in pure gold of the well- which speaks for itself:
hurried orders, and, strange to say, mostly for
"Philadelphia, April 9, 1904.
better grade goods.
"Editor The Music Trade Review:
"We note the appear-
Jobbers advise a condition of quietude that up-
ance of the enclosed
sets their calculations, stock not moving and re-
clipping in your cur-
ports far from encouraging. Locally trade in all
rent issue, and beg to
lines is admittedly slow, but elsewhere a better
ask if you do not think
feeling prevails, though the voice of the boomer
that the new regula-
is sadly lacking, for reasons.
tions regarding the pur-
Collections are decidedly unsatisfactory in all
chase of instruments
branches- in fact, much more so than last year
for the army and navy
at this time, and new accounts are closely scru-
are pretty good ones?
tinized. Trade developments, even along accus-
Are not those of Eng-
tomed lines, are accepted with no enthusiastic
land the same, also of
spirit, for cautionary signals are displayed, in
Germany and France?
view of possible political complications.
In the case of the Unit-
Notwithstanding the quietness here the foreign
ed States, these regula-
manufacturer of musical merchandise insists
tions were made to keep
upon advancing prices; a procedure not at all
out imported instru-
conducive to an expansion of business; though
ments; that is exactly the reason, because, espe-
the uncertainty as to prices has held up orders known "Victor dog" trade-mark (as per accom
of no mean magnitude. The increase seems in- panying illustration). The group contains about cially in the case of the navy, the bands had been
evitable, and belated buying, under the excuse of 10,000 pennyweights of gold, 24 karats. The equipped with a 1 of imported instruments,
an expectant better price, will eventually prove familiar fox terrier, listening to "'his master's which no self-respecting band-man would play on
more embarrassing than beneficial.
voice," is modeled from life size, and stands if he could help it. The last case on record was
about 18 inches high. It is entirely in repousse that of the band of the new Maine, which was
having been hammered up by hand from a mass supplied with a set of imported instruments,
CORNERING VIOLIN MARKET.
of gold in its purest form. The ten-inch horn, which many of the members positively refused to
Some Reports from Markneukirchen to this Effect cylinder and other mechanical details of a full- use, although they were brand new, but sent for
—But it Has Proven Unsuccessful — The sized talking machine, are all in 24-karat line their own instruments instead.
Scheme Unfolded to Public View.
gold, the cabinet work being executed in rose-
"Now, we do not know who the jobbing house
wood, beautifully finished througnout. The ex- manager was who had the conversation with
Reports are current that an attempt has been
hibit will be in the Liberal Arts Building, at The Review, but we will say this—that to the
under way in Markneukirchen, Germany, to cor-
St. Louis.
best of our knowledge there is NOT ONE JOB-
ner the market on the cheap grade of violins.
BING HOUSE IN AMERICA that handles Amer-
The proposition—said to have originated here—
ican-made instruments and also a line of imported
COLUMBIA CO.'S NEW QUARTERS.
was that one firm should be authorized to do
goods of equal merit. So we do not take much
the buying in this line of goods for the ten or Now Located in the Center of the "Small Goods"
stock in the "protection of home products" idea
dozen other houses there, and who are either per-
District, at 353 Broadway.
advanced, especially as when the bidding was
sonally represented'or well known in the United
This week the Columbia Phonograph Co. com- open to the world none of the representatives of
States. In this way the proposed central buyer pleted their removal from 93 Chambers street,
first-class European makers ever secured a con-
would fix the price to the producer, the agree- to 353 Broadway, where they will occupy the
tract that we know of. In fact, we do not think
ment being the latter in turn would sell at cost store floor. This is the first break in "phono-
that any of them ever tried; if they did they
to the members of the combination. I t is said graph row" on Chambers street, where the ban-
were shut out on the question of price.
to have been a shrewd move to place the factor ners of the several talking machine companies
"No American manufacturer has a monopoly
in a tight place, because he could not dispose of are the conspicuous features of the street. The
The four leading
his goods in the ordinary way as heretofore, and Columbia's new quarters are in the center of the of Government trade.
American
makers
are
well
represented, and oc-
possibly drive a number of the makers, under wholesale small goods houses, and, having roomy
the stress of non-profitable prices, out of the quarters directly on the great artery of the city, casionally one of the smaller ones gets a chance
trade, and in that way cripple the business, are advantageously placed for any line of busi- also, if he can comply with existing conditions.
And we do not think that any sane man will claim
eventually 'leading to a condition of affairs un- ness they are looking for.
that there are any European makers who can fur-
satisfactory alike to everyone concerned.
nish instruments of better quality than are made
The scheme was shrewdly planned, cautionary
M. B. Schoening on Tuesday arranged his sail-
circulars reaching this country from time to ing date for the small goods centers of Europe, right here in America. American makers do not
time of its supposed successful progress; but on expecting to leave in a fortnight. Several mat- need any better opportunity to demonstrate the
Monday the importing houses were advised that ters of special importance will engage his at- merit of their goods than they have right now,
the calculations had gone astray and the whole tention, aside from his regular call and chat and are not asking for any. They cannot com-
pete with the cheap foreign instruments, and do
matter was declared a failure.
with the houses he represents on this side.
not wish to; but they can and do compete suc-
cessfully with the best grades of imported instru-
ments. Ask any American maker if he is bother-
PLACE TO BUY
ed with foreign competition, and we think his an-
swer will be NO!
Sincerely yours,
TALKING MACHINES, RECORDS
In the Musical Merchandise Field—Particularly
With Wholesale Houses—Catalogue Concerns
are Extremely Busy, However — Imported
Goods Higher in Price.
THE
VICTOR
AND ACCESSORIES
G O O D S Shipped within 24 hours
The largest and most complete stock in the United States.
THE VICTOR DISTRIBUTING AND EXPORT CO.,
77 Chambers Street, New Verk.
HARRY COLEMAN, per W. Lewis.
PHONOGRAPH MUSIC BY 'PHONE.
Being of an inventive turn of mind, A. E.
Lauton, of 156th street and Amsterdam avenue,
New York, has constructed an attachment
by means of which, it is said, sounds from a
phonograph can be transmitted to near or