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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S MUSICAL CENTER.
quet will be decided upon and arrangements
made for a theatre benefit. The association
hope to go in a body to Atlantic City during
Bad Weather Interferes With Trade—Simplex Piano Player Has Found a Home in the Keith Building—
Estey Forces Dine—Few Changes of Salesmen—J. G. Ramsdell 111—That Stetson Rumor—Large one of the days of the meeting of the National
Blasius Trade—Great Demand For the Pease—Philadelphia Salesmen Hold Meeting—Mr. Gibson Buys Associations in that city in May.
Miller Grands For Presents—Markley Makes Change.
The Tuners' Association, just organized,
[Special to The Review.]
where they are at present. When the Stetson have been having several meetings lately, but
t'hiladelphia, Pa., Jan. 26, 1904.
firm started in Philadelphia they were located as yet they have made no demands nor have
January is not generally a satisfactory beyond Broad on Chestnut, and a leading indicated what policy they intend to pursue.
Two daughters of Alfred C. Gibson, one
month to the piano trade of Philadelphia. employe, who has been with the house for
There has been a series of interferences with many years, says they had many more visitors of the wealthiest citizens of Germantown,
business since the month opened, chief among there than in piano row, and it is his impres- were married on last Thursday evening, and
which was the bad weather. For several sion that the Steinway piano would be better their father presented, among other presents,
weeks the cold was so severe that no one off away from the other stores, particularly each one of them with a Henry F. Miller
ventured out on a piano-purchasing expedi- owing to its close proximity to Colonel Gray Lyric grand piano. I asked Mr. Shewell as
tion, and no one would have cared to have and Patrick Cunningham, the "fighting- to how he came to make the sale. He replied
that Mr. Gibson passed the window one day,
had a piano sent home in such severe cold for cocks" of the Philadelphia piano trade.
fear of damaging it. Now that it has gotten
Blasius & Sons have had a remarkably and saw the three Lyric grands that are dis-
warmer things in Philadelphia are almost as good January, and although they have been played there, and came in and made the pur-
bad by reason of the rain, the fog and the trying to get out just as much as the capacity chase. Moral: Keep an attractive window.
sloppy sidewalks.
of the factory could turn out, Mr George I have noticed some windows in piano row
The most important news that has trans- Baker says that the house has never been as that I don't believe have been changed in a
pired during the week is the announcement short of stock as it has been since Christmas. year, and from all appearance they have not
that the Simplex piano player has found a "The next thing we have to do," says Mr. been dusted in that period. Such carelessness
home in Philadelphia on the sixth floor of the Baker, "is to get more factory space." "Will denotes carelessness in other respects.
Keith building, where it will be sold by W. B. you do that this year?" I asked. "Well, that
The Heppes report several new agencies
Marshall, of Baltimore. H. W. Metcalfe, the depends," was his reply. "A good many peo- placed for their new three-sounding board
Simplex ambassador, has been in Philadel- ple, are doubtful about this year's business, pianos in various parts of the State. Their
phia for more than a week, and he looked and I think it is the part of wisdom to be a piano business so far has been excellent dur-
over a number of locations, but thought the little bit cautious."
ing the month of January.
present one the best. A big line of players
J. L. Markley, manager of the piano de-
This week the Blasius firm sold seven
will be placed in the warerooms, as well as a Blasius' stvle 64 in one dav. which was their partment in the Lit Brothers department
complete library of music, and the business entire stock on that one style, which is the store, has resigned and has established head-
here will be conducted independent of any best seller they have ever had. The firm are quarters with Druckenmiller & Allen. Mr. i
piano store, the same as has so successfully arranging with Mr. Constantin von Sternberg Markley has always been a warm admirer of
been done in Boston.
for a series of piano recitals in their audi- the A. B. Chase piano, and it was just a ques-
J. Harry Estey and J. Gray Estey came to torium on the second floor between this and tion of time until he would be drawn closer
town last week and remained here several spring. J. W. Kline, traveling representative to that instrument. He has always had an
days, during which time the Estey forces had of the house, is at present in Chicago, and A. B. Chase in his home. His place has been
a dinner at the Colonnade, which was a very W. J. Smith, another traveler, is in Boston. temporarily filled by Edward B. Lentz, who
Mr. Lehmkuhl, representing Lyon & has been head salesman at the house for some
pleasant affair. All of the salesmen, as well
as the managers of the various departments Healy, of Chicago, was in Philadelphia since time.
my last letter.
Gimbel Brothers are giving a series of
of the store, attended.
piano
recitals daily by John Sylvanus Thomp-
One of the piano men said this week:
Another visitor this week was A. F. Norris,
son,
a
14-year-old pianist, whose talent and
"When I think back over the large number of of the Norris Noiseless Pedal Action Co..
technique
are marvelous. The recitals are
salesmen who were seeking other connections who did considerable business with the local
very
well
attended.
On Monday the firm will
for the first of the year, and that there has dealers. He says the business of his firm the
start
another
Gramer
Club. No firm in this
not been one change of salesmen in Philadel- past year was very fine, and that 1904 had
city
have
been
as
successful
with the piano
phia, it seems difficult for me to come to a opened up, from the orders he has received
club
scheme
as
the
Gimbels.
determination as to the meaning. Have the so far, in a way to make him feel that this
firms satisfied, in a pecuniary way, the de- year is going to be a banner one.
PIANOS IN BOGOTA.
sire of the salesmen to go elsewhere or
"Are the Heppes still agents for the Pease
In an interesting article on "Wretched
have the salesmen found that it was well piano in Philadelphia ?"
Columbia"
in the Saturday Evening Post,
10 let
"Yes," is the answer. "But why did you
E.
A.
Penfield,
formerly of the U. S.
J. G. Ramsdell, the genial piano man and ask?"
Qonsular Service, remarked that "Bogota
almost internationally famous after-dinner
"Because they have not one Pease in their
is a veritable hotbed of pianos of the most
speaker, is quite ill at his home, where he has entire establishment."
expensive make."
been confined for several weeks. His illness
"No. Because they sold them all, and the
These must be a relic of the halcyon days
is not considered to be serious.
factory is having such a big business that
when
wealthy Europeans settled in Colum-
It has frequently been rumored in Philadel- they are. through necessity, slow in getting
bia
expecting
to make big fortunes out of
phia that N. Stetson & Co. were going to any more pianos on the road."
the
earth
similar
to the experiences of
leave piano row and go to another location.
Julian Walker, the celebrated basso, was
others in the Northwest and Pacific Coast.
Last week the Philadelphia correspondent of in Philadelphia the past week and spent an
It may be mentioned, by the way, that
another trade paper again made the entire dav at the Heppe store with his old these pianos in Bogota are sadly in need of
announcement, but the Stetsons deny that friend, Mr. Solomon, of that house, and with tuning.
they are going to move. This report came Florence Heppe, for whom he played and
In the Tannary number of Sherman, Clay
through the desire and offer made by Theo- sang considerably.
& Co.'s "Little"Drummer," published by
dore Presser that the Stetsons should move
The Philadelphia Piano Salesmen's Asso- the Oakland store, the front page contains
into part of the buildinsr at T7T2 Chestnut ciation held a meeting last week at the Miller illustrations of one of the two Steinway
street, which he recently purchased and in piano rooms, which was quite well attended, grands in mahogany which was purchased
which he has established his music publica- and at which it was decided inadvisable to by the Protective Order of Elks, in that
tion business. The Stetsons do not think get club rooms, but that hereafter the mem- city, from this establishment. Among the
interesting features are some well timed
favorably of this move, believing that it is a bers would meet monthly at a little banquet. remarks regarding the Estey, Starr, Emer-
little too far out the street, although they feel A meeting has been called for next Monday son, A. B. Chase and other pianos handled
that they are not exactly suitably located evening, at which the time for the first ban- bv this establishment.