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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
35
Supply Branches of tKe Industry
OPTIMISTIC IN SUPPLY TRADE.
fied experts. In the department of grand action
construction our patent device known as the re-
Conditions Continue Most Satisfactory—Lead- Adam Nickel, the Trade Veteran, Has Interest- petition spring, in use now some fifteen years,
ing Houses Report Great Activity, With
ing Chat With The Review on This Subject— has been of great service. Before its introduc-
tion there was but one spring to do all the work.
Every Evidence That the Year Will Average
Contrasts the Past and Present.
Now two springs are used with much better ef-
Up Better Than Expected—Prices Are Firm
fect,
dividing the strain. In 1897, the damyer
—Arranging for Next Year's Contracts—
Adam Nickel, of Wessell, Nickel & Gross,
Trade Now on a Sound Basis.
Tenth avenue, 45th and 46th streets, chatted in- patented improvement, with sustenoto attached,
terestingly with The Review, on Tuesday, regard- was first used.
"Each of these improvements, and many others,
Whatever may be occurring in other branches ing the progress of the action industry during
have
been embodied from time to time. To-day,
the
past
thirty
years.
His
observations
were
of the trade, the supply houses report a state of
business eminently satisfactory. There is no brought about by a request for some brief de- so far as we can see, the Wessell, Nickel & Gross
dearth of orders; collections are good, and what tails of piano action development in the United action represent a perfect product, up-to-date in
every way. We were proud of our products
more could be desired? All sections of suppliers States.
bear testimony to this fact, and in discussing
"When we began business in 1874-75," said he, in 1874-75. The many additions and changes
the situation their views are of the most opti- "we made actions for grand and upright pianos, made have been to keep pace with the develop-
mistic nature. Prices are not being cut, and but we also constructed actions for the square ments in other branches of piano making. Our
therefore the competition is in normal channels. pianos, then much in vogue. Our firm was the steadfast policy has been, from the very first day
Another proof of the substantial character of
first to make upright and grand piano actions in we went to work, to let no opportunity pass for
trade is the inquiry regarding the arrangements the United States. The first products of this bettering our actions. The result is been. Our
for the coming year. Many contracts are now kind at that early date were naturally far less output increases steadily year by year, the char-
expiring, and such negotiations as are on foot impressive in appearance than those of 1904, but acter of the output is approved continually by
are being taken up on the same basis as the they were as perfect for the work they had to those whose interests we endeavor to serve and
preceding term; and in some instances the call perform as those of to-day are in connection with we have every reason to believe that our growth
is for an augmented supply. Under these cir- the most modern piano. From the beginning, will continue uninterruptedly for many years to
cumstances the firms dealt with feel justified in our motto was to be 'second to none" in our come."
stating that the outlook is promising, which branch of the piano industries.
seems to be a very conservative view.
"Year by year, improvements, many of them HAMMACHER-SCHLEMMER AT HOME
Voicing the opinion of the entire supply trade of the utmost importance and value, have been In Their New Quarters—One of the Best Ap-
the chief of an influential firm remarked to The made. Our patents, covering the entire ground,
pointed Supply Houses in the World.
Review, Wednesday: "The growing confidence in are many in number. Among the most important
Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co. are now in their
the general business situation is beginning to of our own patents was the damper-block stud.
show itself in an increased volume of buying. Prior to that time the damper-block had been en- superb new quarters at Fourth avenue and 13th
It looks clearly as though we were at last head- tirely of wood, which occasionally snapped and street, New York. As previously stated in The
ing in the right direction. For that matter if
thereby caused much inconvenience and annoy- Review their entire building, which was re-
we supply people did not record an unusual ance. By inserting a horizontal brass stud in modeled for the special business of this high class
amount of business at this particular time of the the center of the block and securing it by means firm, was refitted throughout in the way of fur-
year, there would certainly be something wrong of a penetrating wire adjusted as to length by niture and accessories, so that in the removal
in the piano business. But the turn came last means of a set screw, a permanent and durable the office staff was rearranged and simply walked
in and occupied their allotted posts as easily and
month, orders are pouring in and the buying is block was secured. That, I think, was in 1887.
what you might term of an expanding character.
"The year previous, if my recollection serves, smoothly as if they had rehearsed their respec-
This is especially significant in view of the fact our brass rail was introduced. This was an im- tive assignments. That is the manner in which
that not a few standing contracts expire this provement on the wooden flange and was in- Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co. do everything;
month. You may believe we have scanned the tended to prevent the swelling incidental to all and even if it is the first moving they ever in-
correspondence respecting future orders on these wooden devices. Then came, in 1896, among the dulged in—after a business career of nearly a
deals with an eye to future estimates, and we most important and valuable of our patents, our half century in one location—it was a smooth,
are free to say the outlook in that direction is lost-motion attachment for uprights and grands. finished performance. They now occupy what is
satisfactory, not to say bright. Of course, our Seven years of active use have proved this in- described as the best appointed supply establish-
firm is always moderate in its views, but we can vention to be perfect for its purpose. Tests of the ment in the world, and this opinion comes from
assure The Review—the real newspaper author- most severe kind and comparisons have demon- an outside source, in the same line, but broad
ity in the trade, we may add with truth and strated that our lost-motion attachment embraces enough to know an undisputable fact.
pleasure—that the situation in the supply trade, every feature of utility known in such devices.
at least, is all right. That suffices."
LATE APPRAISERS RULINGS.
It is in use by all of our patrons, who have time
and time again declared that it is exactly what Decisions Affecting Varnish, Pumice Stone and
Increased activity at David H. Schmidt's ham- they require.
Bridle Tapes, in Which the Supply Trade Is
"This year the patent was issued, as you know,
mer factory, Melrose avenue and 163d street, al-
Interested, Handed Down This Week.
ways a busy place, is an indication of trade re- for our sustaining attachment, which greatly
(Special to The Review.)
vival worthy of record. Robert L. Kapp, Schmidt simplifies the operation of the player in sustain-
Washington, D. C, Oct. 11, 1904.
traveler, left town on Wednesday for a two ing notes. Here again we have found unquali-
The latest rulings concerning the piano supply
fied approval among our patrons and all quali-
weeks' campaign in the Schmidt interests.
trade were rendered September 26, in which Gen-
eral Appraiser Lunt held that "certain so-called
ruby varnish, consisting of a colored solution of
acetyl cellulose in acetone, which was classified
as a spirit varnish under paragraph 53, was
claimed to be dutiable under the provision in the
same paragraph for varnishes other than spirit
varnish, the board found that the article contains
no alcohol and sustained the protest."
DEMANDED BY THOSE WHO KNOW I
Another brief opinion was handed down by
Judge Sharretts on the same date, who said:
"Pumice stone in lumps was held to have been
FINEST TONE QUALITY. PERFECT FINISH. ELASTIC. MADE
properly classified under the provision in para-
(IN GERMANY) FROM VERY BEST LONG-FIBRE WOOL ONLY.
SMOOTH, CLEAN AND WHITE.
graph 92, tariff act of 1897, for pumice stone un-
IP YOU ARE 8ECKIN0 ABSOLUTELY THE BEST, CORRESPOND WITH THE SOLE AGENTS,
manufactured."
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.,
Friday last General Appraiser Howell sustained
a protest by Richard Ranft against the classifica-
tion of cotton bridle tapes as braids at 60 per
cent. The importer's claim was that they were
dutiable at 45 per cent, as tapes. This follows
the original decree made by the United States
Circuit Court, in which Mr. Ranft was the pro-
ttstant of record.
PIANO ACTION DEVELOPMENT.
MARTHAUS HAMMER FELT