Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1904 Vol. 38 N. 2

(PUBLIC LIBRARY!
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
REMFW
fflJSIC TIRADE
VOL. XXXVIII.
No. 2.
puuiduit Eiery Sat. liy Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Aye., New Tort, Jan. 9,1904.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
APOLLO BUSINESS SATISFACTORY.
BEINKAMP IN CINCINNATI.
HAS THE SMITH & BARNES.
Large Increase Over the Trade of 1902—Some Spe-
cial Features of Apollo Attractions.
Goes Into Partnership With F. S. Spoffard and Will
Retail Pianos, Handling the Steger Line.
The Denver Music Co. Secure the Agency for This
Piano—Large Initial Order Placed With John
A. Norris.
The Apollo piano player possesses many
points of individual excellence which have
made it a warm favorite among piano players
everywhere.
One of the chief recommendations of the
Apollo system of piano players is the pneu-
matic finger, which strikes the key of the
piano with an effect similar to the movement
of the human wrist. This, as any one will
understand, gives a freedom of touch and a
consequent brilliancy of expression that other
piano players cannot offer. There is no
rigidity in the stroke of the Apollo pneumatic
finger, and consequently the possibilities of
securing a perfect expression are multiplied
because of the reproduction of the human
wrist movement in the mechanism of the
Apollo. This is a great feature of the Apollo
system and one that receives the heartiest
praise from those who give the instrument a
careful and critical examination. The busi-
ness of the year just closed was highly satis-
factory and showed a large increase over the
trade of 1902. The new year holds out much
in store for the Apollo players, and President
Melville Clark not only expects the standard
of trade maintained during 1903 to be kept
up during 1904 but he expects that there will
be a large increase.
The Apollo players, three in number—the
Apollo concert grand with its range of 88
notes, a wonderful instrument in every par-
ticular; the Apollo master piano player, and
the Apolloette—are manufactured by the Mel-
ville Clark Piano Co., 599-405 West Madison
street, Chicago.
SMALL FIRE AT ROCHESTER.
Leather findings and refuse in the chimney
of the Foster-Armstrong piano factory, Roch-
ester, N. Y., which was recently almost des-
troyed by fire, caught fire on Saturday night.
A still alarm was sent to headquarters, and
Truck No. 1 and Chemical No. 1 responded
and pulled the burning refuse from the chim-
ney.
Holiday trade with the leading stores in
Cincinnati was up to expectations and few
complaints were heard.
Various managers
pointed to the almost empty floors as verifica-
tion of their statement. One of the elements
to success in holiday trade was the utilization
of advertising, which was well conceived and
displayed.
[Special to The Review.1
Chicago, 111., Jan. 2, 1904.
F. B. Beinkamp, who for the past three
years has been traveling for the Schaeffer
Piano Mfg. Co., has resigned for the purpose
of going into the retail piano business in Cin-
cinnati. He will enter into partnership with
F. S. Spofford, who was with Steger & Sons
for nine years, and who is at present conduct-
ing a retail piano business at 747 Wells street
on the north side of the city. Mr. Beinkamp
has certainly had an extended experience in
various departments of the piano business.
He came to Chicago from Ernest Urchs &
Co.'s Cincinnati establishment five years ago,
and traveled for Vose & Sons; after spending
two years with them, he joined the Schaeffer
forces, from which he now retires. Beinkamp
& Spofford will handle the Steger, Reed &
Son and Singer pianos.
They have other
lines under consideration, but nothing definite
has been decided upon.
When John A. Norris was in Denver on
his way to the Pacific coast, he closed a deal
with the Denver Music Co. by which this firm
will hereafter handle the Smith & Barnes
pianos. The initial order placed by Mr. Colo-
ney was a very large one, and the Denver
house will push these pianos to their utmost.
The Smith & Barnes is well worth all the
energies spent upon it by the dealers who car-
ry it, for it is well made and gives thorough
satisfaction to its purchasers.
The Denver Music Co. is one of the large
piano houses of this country and marks an-
other important addition to the long list of
strong agencies made for the Smith & Barnes
by John A. Norris, the vice-president of the
Smith & Barnes Co., who is ceaseless in his
energetic work to put this piano into an en-
viable position. Those who know its stand-
ing with the trade of this country can well
realize the sort of work that has been done in
the interests of that piano.
BUSY TIMES WITH KRELL-FRENCH.
[Special to The Review.]
New Castle, Ind., Jan. 2, 1904.
Albert Krell has returned from an unusual-
ly successful trip through the South and
West. His order book is a fat one and in-
sures increased activity at the great plant of
the Krell-French Piano Co. for many months
to come. An idea of the business which this
company is transacting may be inferred from
the fact that the payroll for four days last
week exceeded $2,400. The dividend on the
preferred stock will be paid Jan. 15 and all
connected with the enterprise are well satis-
fied with the general outlook.
DEATH OF HERMAN M'CLELLAN.
Herman McClellan, superintendent of the
factory of the Krell Piano Co., died at his
home in Cincinnati on Dec. 29 after a short
illness. He was an accomplished musician
and skilled in the art of piano making. He
was a native of Canada and a resident of Cin-
cinnati for two years. The interment was in
Guelph, Can.
THE NORTHWESTERN MUSIC CO.
The Northwestern Music Co. has been
incorporated at Montana. The capital
stock is placed at $10,000, and the incor-
porators are, Walter B. Bartlett, Alfred H.
Wild and Merrill F. Hadley. The business
will be conducted at Butte.
ROTH & ENGELHARDT LITERATURE.
Roth & Engelhardt have made a very'
pleasant addition to the piano player litera-
ture of the day in their little booklet, "The
Awful Story of Mr. Chips." The story,
which, by the way, is very cleverly told, is
beautifully illustrated, and will unques-
tionably draw the attention of the people to
the advantages of piano players in general
and the Roth & Engelhardt player in par-
ticular.
S. A. HINKLE DINES HIS FRIENDS.
S. A. Hinkle, who has been connected with
the sales force of the Smith & Nixon Piano
Co., Cincinnati, for many years, recently fell
heir to a large sum of money through the
death of his aunt. He has given up his posi-
tion in order to look after his personal inter-
ests. In this connection he gave a farewell
dinner to the officers and salesmen of the
Smith & Nixon house, who tendered him
many good wishes for his welfare and pros-
perity.
The B. Dreher's Sons Co., as well as other
leading stores in Cleveland, report having
closed a year which in volume of sales will
exceed that of 1902. The holiday trade was
excellent, and although slow the early days,
picked up in splendid shape before the end of
the year.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
8
THE
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL.
Editor and Proprietor.
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor.
EXECUTIVE STAFF:
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPBLAND,
A. EDMUND HANSON,
GEO. B. KELLER,
A. J. NICKLIN,
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER
GEO. W. QUERIPEL.
BOSTON OFFICE :
CHICAOO OFFICE:
W. MURDOCH LIND, 694 Tremont St.
E. P . VAN HARI INGEN, 36 La Salle St,
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE:
R, W. KAUFFMAN.
ST. LOUIS OFFICE :
CHAS. N . VAN BUREN.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue. New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, $2.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00; opposite reading
matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
THE ARTISTS*
DEPARTMENT
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
"Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or service of the trade
section of the paper. I t has a special circulation, and therefore aug-
ments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
MANUFACTURERS
The o directory
of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
found
n
P a « e 31 w i l 1 b e o f * r e a t v a l u e a s a r c f e r e n « for
dealers and others.
, DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745-EIGHTEENTH STREET.
NEW YORK, JANUARY 9. 19O4.
EDITORIAL
A 1L J HAT are trade conditions for the early months of the new
* " year? is a query oft propounded in piano circles during
these early January days, and a comparison of the conditions exist-
ing a year ago will be of interest.
In 1902 it was the universal custom of the dealers to order in
large quantities.
November trade started in with a rush and continued uninter-
ruptedly good until the close of the month. This condition of affairs
encouraged the belief that December would be as good, if not a trifle
better, consequently large orders for hurry shipments were placed.
Now the December trade in 1902 was bitterly disappointing.
In fact the sales of December including the late holiday orders did
not come up to the record of the previous month, and as a conse-
quence the dealers had on hand at the beginning of 1903 large stocks
of instruments.
H P HIS statement is verified not only from personal observations
*
gained by thousands of miles of travel, but through the re-
ports made by our correspondents in various cities and by the expe-
riences of traveling men as well.
Nineteen hundred and three opened badly from a business stand-
point, and orders were slow in coming in, and the fact cannot be dis-
credited that the year as a whole has fallen short of its predecessor.
The splendid crops saved the country from a serious depression.
Less pianos were manufactured last year than during 1902, which
now stands as the banner year of the industry in point of volume.
day trade than the merchants in the larger cities. And the dealers,
recalling their experiences of the previous year, placed light orders.
Therefore, having had a light holiday trade, the average stocks in
the warerooms are much lighter than those on hand in January, 1903.
F7ROM various figures at hand we are inclined to the belief that
1
there is a decrease in the wareroom stock approximating
twenty per cent, over that of a year ago. So we start in the new
year with better prospects from the stock standpoint. The record
which 1903 has made for itself is in some respects satisfactory, and
the various classes of trade have had a profitable business, but for
several months past there has been an evident hesitancy on the part
of the trade in placing large orders.
Dealers have recognized that there was little danger by wait-
ing, and thus the indications now point to livelier trade conditions
during the early months of the year than during the same period
of 1903.
'"T^HERE is a perceptible improvement in the general feeling of
*
trade.
With fair prospects and conditions in practically every section,
with the apprehension of financial trouble over, with the growing
export demand for our general products and with signs of recovery
in many of the departments of the metal market, the new year begins
with fair promise of a large volume of business and on the whole in
a very satisfactory condition.
Conservative optimism would seem to be an appropriate war cry
for the new year.
Suppose we adopt that as a slogan for 1904 and let common
sense dominate and control the reasonable processes of men. The
bursting of various industrial bubbles has tended to clarify the
atmosphere and should enable all business men to view the situation
through the natural eye and not through rose-colored glasses.
\ \ J HILE all the world was vibrant with song it was the saddest
'
New Year's Day which Chicago has ever experienced, and
the great heart of the Nation throbbed in sympathy with her people
in the great affliction which had befallen them through the horrible
catastrophe at the Iroquois Theatre.
It seemed hardly possible when the first news of the horror
reached New York that the death roll should not include some mem-
bers of the music trade, and some deaths were reported in last
week's Review. But the most fearful affliction was visited upon
E. C. Frady, president of the Strohber Piano Co., whose entire
family, including wife, son, mother, sister and nephew, were swept
away in the frightful holocaust.
A T hand are recent copies of papers published in such cities as
•* *• San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake, Montgomery,
Savannah, New Orleans and Atlanta, containing, in some cases,
entire pages devoted to the exploitation of pianos.
This demonstration shows beyond power of argument that the
piano merchants in the far West and South are beginning to ap-
preciate more and more the advantages of newspaper advertising.
They no longer propose to hide their business under the bushel of
It may be said that the trade during last fall in many of the indifference, but keep it brightly shining so that it may be a guid-
ing star to every one who is piano inclined in their vicinity.
large cities was extremely slow on account of building strikes, and
great depression in various kinds of stocks. The smaller towns were
That's the kind of spirit that will win big results in the new
not affected in the same degree, and the dealers enjoyed a better holi-
year, and any year for that matter, because a man who is a good

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