Music Trade Review

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THE
BOSTON'S SMALL GOODS TRADE.
(Special to The Review.)
Boston, Mass., September 7, 1904.
An evidence of the remarkable growth of busi-
ness among dealers in music rolls and small mu-
sical instruments in this city is the recent re-
moval of the Mendelssohn Music Co., John Duff,
president, to the building next adjoining its for-
mer location. The new rooms are at 172 Tremont
street, and here an entire floor has been secured
and equipped. Mr. Duff is a young hustler and
deserves success because he works hard for it.
"When we 'broke into' the music roll business,"
said he, this week, "we faced a competition that
had enjoyed a monopoly for years. Fortunately,
methods and schemes adopted by our competi-
tors, and intended to cripple us, served to
strengthen us, as in many instances the prospec-
tive customer came to our office through curiosity,
and is now with us as a regular customer."
Manager Chas. Bobzin, of the wholesale depart-
ment of the Oliver Ditson Co., frankly acknowl-
edges that he is riding a hobby now and enjoying
it. "My hobby is to push, push, push ahead,
broaden out our business and keep moving. Our
trade on fine music boxes has been excellent.
People are demanding the big, high priced boxes
now more than ever. Our string business has
doubled since the first of the year and the pros-
pects are very fine."
A "report of progress" was made at the factory
of the A. C. Fairbanks Co., where things are hust-
ling in the manufacture of the Whyte-Layde
banjos. Manager D. L. Davenport reports an ex-
cellent business, with orders ahead.
LATE PATENTS OF TRADE INTEREST.
. (Specially prepared for The Review.)
Washington, D. C, September 6, 1904.
HARP HOLDER. Chas. F. Sutter, Black Diamond,
Wash. Patent No. 769,509.
This invention relates to holders for mouth-
harps and other instruments. The objects of the
invention are to provide a holder for instruments
to be held in the mouth which shall be easily se-
cured in position, which shall be adjustable in all
directions, which shall be simple in construction,
and cheap to manufacture.
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The object of the invention is to provide a new
and improved picking device arranged to insure
picking of the proper strings as called for by the
notation of the note sheet and to insure full and
harmonious sounding of the strings and prevent
injury to the same by moving the picks easily
and softly in and out of engagement with the
strings approximately the same as when the
strings are picked by hand.
DIUM. John Bahr, Philadelphia, Pa. Patents
Nos. 769,527 and 769,528.
This invention broadly relates to drums, and
particularly to that class wherein snares are
placed in contact with the drumhead to impart
thereto a sharp snappy tone, and said invention
contemplates the provision of means whereby
through the action of a single tension-controlling
device a like degree of pressure may be simul-
taneously imparted to all points of a drumhead
straining-hoop for the purpose of increasing the
tension of the drumhead.
Further, such invention contemplates the provi-
sion of means whereby tension of the drumhead
at any desired point of the straining-hoop may be
increased or decreased without interfering in any
way with the tension exerted upon said head at
other points of the straining-hoop.
BRIDGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Albert D.
Grover, Maiden, Mass. Patent No. 769,649.
The object of this invention is to so construct
a bridge for musical instruments that it will be
supported laterally and prevented from tipping
over sidewise from vibration of the strings or
otherwise.
Another object of the invention is to provide
one or more adjustable transverse supports to a
bridge provided with feet adapted to contact with
the top of the body part of the instrument and
adapted to be moved longitudinally to a point
under any particular string to support the bridge •
laterally and to increase the volume of tone of
the string under which the support is placed.
SELF-PLAYING ZITHER.
Wm. R. Verstraelen and
C. Alter, New York, N. Y. Patent No. 769,671.
The invention relates to stringed musical in-
struments having a coin-controlled motor and
automatic picking devices for picking the strings.
The object of the invention is to provide a new
and improved self-playing zither arranged to per-
NOTE SHEET. W. R. Verstraelen and C. Alter, mit the use of a number of selected rolls of note-
sheets on a single carrier, whereby any one of the
New York, N. Y. Patent No. 769,517.
The object of the invention is to provide a new note sheets may be brought into operative posi-
and improved note sheet arranged to control the tion and unwound over a tracker-board to cause
sounding devices of the musical instrument, to picking of the strings, according to the notation
govern the forward travel of the note sheet over of this operative note sheet, and to automatically
the tracker-board, the rewinding of the note sheet rewind the operative note sheet after the tune is
on its spool, and to control the connection of the played to allow resetting by the operator of the
roll-carrier for another tune, if desired.
main wind-chest with the action wind-chest.
PICKING DEVICE.
Wm. R. Verstraelen and C.
Alter, New York, N. Y. Patents Nos. 769,518 and
7C9.519.
W. E. Gray is arranging to open a music store
at Dawson, Pa.
41
C. Q. CONN'S GREAT DISPLAY' j
At the World's Fair—A Remarkable Collection
Which is Attracting Much Attention From
Musicians and Visitors—Americans Can Feel
Proud of It.
It is but fitting that that which is of an artistic
nature should receive an artistic interpretation,
and Hon. C. G. Conn, of Elkhart, Ind., in his dis-
play at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition has
made no exception to the rule. The name Conn
is involuntarily linked with musical instruments
and the display in the Palace of Liberal Arts that
Mr. Conn is responsible for is decidedly beautiful
and one of the most attractive to be seen in the
building, and for elaborateness of decoration and
art conception the booth eclipses all others.
Deep ivory is the prevailing color on the booth,
vhich in architecture leans to the Grecian style.
The entrance is marked by four Corinthian pil-
lars while four Ionic columns also support the
structure. A deep frieze of mythological subjects
in relief is effective. Surmounting the booth is
a chariot drawn by four horses and bearing the
god of music, Apollo. Trumpets on either side
complete a most effective and striking bit of
sculptor's art.
In perfect harmony with the deep ivory tone
the display cases are finished in golden oak, and
the interior is decorated in a rich brown, a touch
of color being given by strands of green and crim-
son. It all forms a most appropriate setting for
the superb away of musical instruments which
daily attract hundreds of visitors, and which one
would judge represents a value of about $60,000.
Occupying the center of the booth is an octagon
case which is filled with 50 instruments all in sil-
ver and gold, many of which are handsomely en-
graved and inlaid with jewels. They are ar-
ranged in pyramid order and include saxaphones,
mellophones, double bell euphoniums, post horns
and others, and range in cost from $50 to $1,200
each. Attracting the most attention in this case
is C. G. Conn's latest new wonder mellophone.
This instrument is a perfect substitute for the
Eb alto in a band, the French horn in an orches-
tra and the ballad horn for stage and concert
work. Its voice, as the name would suggest, pos-
sesses a mellow, sweet fluegel quality entirely de-
void of harshness and the blare characteristic of
a ballad horn; neither does it require the practice
that a French horn demands. Yet the tone is of
pure quality and susceptible to the lights and
shades of tone color although it is as easy to pro-
duce the tone on it as on an alto.
One particularly fine baritone is noticeable. It
is a gold instrument adorned with precious stones
and artistically engraved. The value is $1,200. A
number of drum major batons in silver and gold,
studded with gems, and some with ivory balls,
HIS?
AIV
IMPORTANT
QUESTION
E^OR
What Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar will it pay me best to carry ?
Unquestionably the
S. S. Stewart Banjos and the Geo. Bauer Guitars and Mandolins
\A/ MY?
Because more people astls: after* tlietn and prefer them.
1 M I I 0 RIDAJSOK—They give the most satisfaction.
1 * H I £ P R O O F — Y e a r s of world-wide popularity.
DON'T EXPERIMENT AND WASTE TIME AND MONEY. GET THE GOOD OLD "STAND-BY'S"
Our Catalogue for the asking
Headquarters
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SHEFtlVl/VIM, CLAY & CO., San Francisco, Cal. | NORDHEIMER PIANO & MUSIC CO., Toronto, Ont