Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADED REVIEW
11
THE SAUNTERER'S COLUMN.
ALLEN HAS THE KNABE.
Growth in the Demand for Better Pianos—What the Year Has Brought Forth—Piano With
Player Enclosed a Great Factor—Specially Designed Pianos in Demand—Hugo Sohmer
Chats of Piano Activity—Noted Artists at Luchow's—E. T. Caldwell Visiting.
The Big San Francisco Dealer Captures the
Great Baltimore Piano and Will Give It the
Position of Leader—An Important Move.
The Knabe piano will hereafter be repre-
sented in San Francisco by the Wiley B. Allen
Co. Ever since the arrival of Mr. Allen in San
Francisco he has proved a piano distributing
force of great power and the fact that he has
been entrusted with the representation of this
great and honored piano demonstrates that he is
one of the most potent figures in the piano trade
of the West. The Knabe piano has been identi-
In a chat with Hugo Sohmer, the notable head fied with Mr. Allen for many years, it having
of the Sohmer piano house, Mr. Sohmer gave his been his leader in Portland, Ore., all the time
views upon the condition of the piano activity prior to his removal to San Francisco. As
at the close of the year. Mr. Sohmer has found though speaking prophetically, Mr. Allen was
that the Sohmer piano has spread with almost wont to say "Never mind, the Knabe piano must
unexpected rapidity throughout all the agencies be mine some day, I can afford to wait, no mat-
in the country. The holiday trade proved large ter how long." And so it happened. It is safe
and many instruments were shipped by express to prophesy concerning the new representation,
at the last moment. Mr. Sohmer says that the that never in the history of the Knabe piano has
year has been one that could only occasion satis- it received on the Pacific coast the active
faction on his part since it showed quite as large handling that it will receive at the hands of Mr.
results as any of its predecessors. There has Allen, whose healthy, forceful methods have put
been a great growth in the grand business, as him into the front rank of the retail piano forces
also in the pianos of special design, and these in this country. He is to be congratulated upon
give promise of still greater importance. Mr. receiving the Knabe piano. Its unassailable po-
Sohmer is not only optimistic concerning the sition makes it a value of exceptional worth io
future of the Sohmer product but he feels a great the dealer, while its artistic qualities emphasize
degree of satisfaction in the present and feols the fact that it is unique among the great pianos
that he is not waiting for a future, but he Is en- of the musical world. This tremendous factor
coming to the Wiley B. Allen Co. will beyond
joying a present.
any doubt enlarge the volume of business which
On Christmas eve there was a jolly gathering according to Mr. Allen's own statement to The
of the artistic clans at Luchows, where about Review, has been larger this year than any year
thirty of the artists now on tour in America as- in the past history of his concern.
sembled to celebrate. Among those present were
M. and Mme. Ysaye, Mr. Hekking, Mr. Zelden-
A NEW MONDSCHEIN COMPANY.
rust, Mr. and Mrs. Burgstaller, Mr. Vigna, Mr.
Muhlmann, Mr. and Mrs. Mutter, Wm. Lawson Milwaukee Veteran Piano Dealer at Head of
$50,000 Corporation.
and a few others. A Weber piano was used,
and there was informal music, including 'cello
(Special to The Review.)
solos by M. Ysaye and piano solos by Mr. Zelden-
Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 27, 1904.
rust. Not only did M. Ysaye play the 'cello but
Milwaukee will have an additional piano es-
every other musical instrument that he could
The art case has also played a prominent part lay his fingers on. A general good time was the tablishment after January 1, when the S. A.
Mondschein Piano Co., which has just been in-
in the piano history of 1904-05 and to this is due
corporated with a capital of $50,000, will enter
the great care that is being lavished upon the verdict.
architectural designs of the piano case of to-day.
E. T. Caldwell, manager of the Hallet & Davis the local field. The new company will occupy
An interest in veneers has been stimulated as house in Cleveland, and vice-president of the Hal- quarters in the Hathaway building, corner Broad-
well as in the finish of the cases that bids fair let & Davis Co., was in New York over Christ- way and Mason street, formerly occupied by the
to make for aesthetic effects far beyond what we mas, which holiday he spent with Ben Janssen S. A. Mondschein Company, which disposed of
have been accustomed to. Special designs, too, and family. Mr. Caldwell left for Boston with its business to J. B. Thiery recently.
are called for frequently and these rarely are J. A. Norris on Wednesday morning. Mr. Cald-
S. A. Mondschein has been actively engaged in
seen in the different warerooms, as they are for well has every reason to be satisfied with the the piano business in this city for seventeen
private homes, and in many instances the houses volume of business during the month of Decem- years. He says the sale to the Thiery Co. was
are requested not to show them. Of such there ber. It was very large and goes to prove him a made according to the desires of the Sohmer Co.,
are a very large number sold in New York City, man of force and of great ability. Mr. Caldwell New York, who owned a majority of the stock.
more indeed, than anyone has any idea of, and is very popular with the trade at large and espe-
prices are paid that would quite astound the cially in the social circles of his home in Cleve-
WORKED BOGUS CHECK GAME.
average buyer who cavils at $500.
land, all of which is reflected in the business re-
(Special to The Review.)
sult which he shows steadily.
Elyria, O., Dec. 24, 1904.
Another line of business in the musical world
R. M. Summers, piano dealer, of this city, was
which is growing wonderfully but of which little
NORRIS NOISELESS AXIOMS.
the victim of a swindle Thursday, when a tall,
is heard on account of the exclusiveness of the
dark stranger entered the store and announced
purchasers is the large organ. Indeed many of
NO. XLIX.
his
intention of purchasing a piano. He finally
the elegant homes in New York and in the sur-
It was one of our wise ancestors who said "He
rounding country have the most elaborate or- who would reap well, must sow well," and the selected one, saying that it was to be a Christ-
gans installed. In the present day the home of axiom has especial application to the Norris mas gift. The piano cost $200 and the stranger
elegance is not regarded as complete without one noiseless pedal actions, made by the Norris made out a check on a local bank for $200. Then
of these instruments, most of which are also Noiseless Pedal Action Co., of Boston, because he tore up the check and said he wanted some
equipped with self-playing devices. These are the manufacturer, who would "reap" the benefit change and made out another one for $204, which
made by the Aeolian Co., by Mason & Ham- of complete satisfaction from his instruments Summers accepted. He gave the stranger $4.
lin, and by the Estey Organ Co. all of whom must "sow," or in other words, must use Norris The check was bogus.
could give a list of names well-known in com- noiseless pedal actions in his instruments. No
mercial and social circles but for the exclusive- instrument can be perfect without them. They INCORPORATION IN WASHINGTON, D. C.
ness of the trade to which they cater.
are a century in advance of the old, squeaking
Among the incorporations recorded in Wash-
and unsatisfactory pedals which have caused ington, D. C, last week was that of the Columbia
Among the small grands of exquisite design a such discomfort and annoyance.
Phonograph Co., capital stock, $100,000. Incor-
new creation seen at the Mehlin warerooms
porators: John T. Granger, Rudolph Kauff-
The "Brhardt," small piano, for which the mann, Bernard R. Green, James T. Duboig,
must be regarded as one of the most beautiful
of its kind. It has not gone to the limit of small Bailey Co. are the factors, is selling well on Walter G. Peter, Beale R. Howard, Ernest M.
size but its lines are such that it does not look its merits. Dealers are now making a specialty Pease and Frank P. Carpenter.
to be five feet eight inches, which it is. It is of the smaller sizes in pianos, so many being
modeled on the Sheraton lines, although not se- required for summer houses, clubs, yachts, etc.
WEAVER SHIPMENTS ABROAD.
The success thus far achieved by the Bailey
verely so, and is quite modern in its contour.
Co.
has
been
wrought
by
hard
and
conscientious
The Weaver Organ & Piano Co., York, Pa.,
Of the musical qualities, however, it must be said
that for purity and beauty of tone nothing could work and proper supervision in every depart- made a shipment of Weaver pianos to Australia
be more satisfying. The roore fully acquainted ment at the Bailey factory.
last week.
The very remarkable growth in the demand
for the better pianos is one of the most notice-
able features of the year just closed. This in-
fluence is reflected not only in the musical life
of the country, but it has pushed the manufac-
turers of cheaper pianos to bettering the qual-
ity of their goods, while the very cheap box can
only be regarded as a future piano sale, as it
will hardly live to do more than that. The con-
dition of the piano world in the beginning of
1905 is certainly one which invites careful study
as it is not dependant upon itself alone, but is a
link between commerce and that life which bears
upon the refining influences which spread as in-
sidiously as they do surely. The growth of the
grand is another important item in the business
life of to-day, and those who are in position to
know claim that the small grand has not inter-
fered with the upright activity as is believed
to be the case by many. Perhaps the most tell-
ing factor in what may be called the novelties
of this commerce is the piano with player inside.
This feature of the piano business has "caught
on" with an almost fierce grip and the prices that
are being paid for these instruments prove be-
yond a doubt that the people have the money to
spend if they incline to spending it. During the
next few months there will be several novelties
in the way of pianos with inclosed players and
it is safe to say that the instruments in this line
to be demonstrated by the Aeolian Co. will dis-
tance anything heretofore shown. The player is
jthp subject under study by all those interested in
musical matters whether in the trade or out of
jit. It has taken hold in educational circles and
it promises to make radical changes in the piano
field. This may not be accomplished in a short
time but to judge by the number of pianos that
have been sold through the influence of the self-
player it is a factor of vital import.
one becomes with the Mehlin piano the more one
is able to understand the very great superiority
of its construction. The ordinary upright piano
is made upon as thoroughly artistic lines as are
the grands and taken throughout the Mehlin
piano is one which no true musician can see
without recognizing its value in the narrow
circle of truly artistic instruments.