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THE MU3IC TRADE REVIEW
which from modest proportions has assumed
formidable dimensions.
Conn band and orchestral instruments have
to-day won international fame, and, as already
recorded in The Review, were awarded the grand
prize, the highest honor at the World's Fair.
The management of the C. G. Conn Co. will re-
main as hitherto, and it. will be their aim to
produce the same high-grade musical instruments,
that have made Mr. Conn's name famous among
musicians in all parts of the civilized world.
Orders will be filled in the same prompt and
careful manner and obligations will be met with
the promptness that has ever characterized the
conduct of Mr. Conn's business affairs.
The output of the Conn instruments for the
past year was greater than ever before in tho
history of the house, and the plans now in
process of development will insure a still greater
output during 1905.
BAUER CO.'S GREAT YEAR.
Advances Marked in all Departments—Strong
Line of Goods for 1905—Export Prospects.
(Special to The ReviewJ
Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 12, 1904.
The Bauer Co. has had an exceptionally good
year, and they have had so many orders for
early January shipment that the firm found it
impossible to follow their usual custom of clos-
ing down Christmas week to take account of
stock, but all the time that they expect to shut
down will be for two days some time this
month.
Just about the time of the Wurlitzer fire in
Cincinnati, the Bauer firm had large orders from
this house for goods. These goods were delayed
in shipment, but since the firm have gotten into
temporary quarters they have been receiving
large shipments, and just before the holidays
a large number of rush orders came for
goods to the Philadelphia factory. Emil Bauer
is preparing to go away on an extended trip just
as soon as the new year's business is properly
started. The firm is getting up a 1905 line of
goods which will be ready for inspection some
time during this month. The new line will only
be on guitars and mandolins. They will be great-
ly improved in appearance and style, and as
much tone improvement as the Bauer Co. can
possibly get. "As to banjos," Mr. Bauer says,
"we have reached such a stage of perfection with
them that we do not see how it would be possible
to improve them. We have tried to improve ban-
jos in past years, and have gotten up new ideas,
but it seems that the old reliable is the standard
article of the world to-day."
"The prospect for exporting," Mr. Bauer says,
"is going to be better this year than it has been
for three or four years, for the reason that
weather conditions, particularly in the Asiatic
countries, have tended to interfere, there being so
little rain, particularly in Australia, to which
country we send so many of our goods." Rain
has been plentiful in that country the past few
months, sheep raising has been profitable, and
business conditions are very satisfactory. When
Bert Earle, the celebrated English banjoist, was
in Philadelphia last fall, he ordered one of the
handsome Stewart banjos, and he recently tele-
graphed from New York that the firm make him
another one to be ready January 27, just before
he sails for Europe, and he added: "You will
hear from me from across the water."
Robert C. Kretschmar, the exporter of small
goods, reports that his business has been fair
since the first of the year. The last few months
of the old year was very good. Since the holi-
days they have been receiving considerable goods
that were delayed; some of them should have ar-
rived three months ago. They have a very full
line of everything they handle. They have al-
ready begun to place their next fall orders. This
year they expect to go very largely into the nov-
elty business.
Chas. H. Wagener, of the Melville Clark Co.,
Chicago, is expected to return from his Euro-
pean trip by January 20th,
41
VIOLINS OF PRESSED WOOD.
ACTIVE DURRO CAMPAIGN
Will the Market be Flooded With These Prod-
ucts?—An Importer Chats With The Review
on the Subject.
To be Instituted by Buegeleisen & Jacobson—
Spring Catalogue About Ready—A Live
House and a Live Line That Must Command
Attention.
Wholesale stock houses and importers are in-
The midwinter or spring catalogue of Buegel-
clined to believe there is a scheme on foot to
flood the market with an inferior grade of vio- eisen & Jacobson, 113-115 University Place, New
lins made on the pressed wood principle, and in York, is about ready for the trade, and it is one
which dutiable values will be disturbed. Con- of the most complete compendiums issued by this
cerning this a prominent house said to The Re- progressive house. Especial attention is directed
view the other day: "My information is that a to their Durro line of violins and trimmings,
process for turning out cheap violins as with a specialties which are claimed to be unequaled in
crank is to be tried on the other side. The manu- point of quality and price of anything in the
facturers in question have no hesitancy in say- market. This progressive firm have no hesitancy
ing that their patent covers a method for produc- in recommending anything bearing the Durro
ing fronts and backs, first by steaming the wood brand, and in speaking of this feature of their
and then by hydraulic pressure, producing parts business Mr. Buegeleisen said:
"The high art violins made by Salvadore De
in exact semblance of the standard models. Sub-
Durro
need no introduction. These instruments
sequently the sides are added and the assembling
and varnish done in a common factory. As to are now and have been for a long time used in
the pressing, anyone at all familiar with violins the leading conservatories throughout Europe,
or similar instruments knows that all the fibers and have won high favor among the leading
are disturbed by the proposed process and the artists of this country. They possess all the ma-
resonance of the wood absolutely destroyed. Any- terial and artistic excellence which are only
one at all conversant with violin making knows found united in instruments worthy of being
this, from the fact that our finest instruments placed in the hands of real virtuoso. It is well
are the result of careful scraping, finishing and said that the design and general appearance, fin-
varnishing, all these separate steps entering into ish and execution, enables one to ascertain that
the means for the production of reliable musical it is easy to place, well in hand, that it should
readily find its natural position under the play-
instruments.
"Then we have every reason to believe that er's fingers, so as to form, as it were, part of
an attempt will be made to bring these goods in himself.' The responsiveness which generally
at a lower invoice rate. We will admit, for the exists between a player and his instrument is
sake of argument, that more or less undervalu- never more marked than between the artist and
ation has been going on; but this proposition, as a Durro." All these particulars are set forth in
we understand it is another assault on so-called our new spring catalogue, and furthermore, the
'market values' that threatens to upset estab- prices on every line displayed appeals directly to
lished regulations. To be sure there is a wide every dealer desirous of having the right goods
latitude, so to speak, allowed in the establish- at right figures."
In this connection attention may be directed
ment of what is known as 'market value,' but
to
the front cover of this issue of The Review.
it must be remembered that no matter how cheap
goods may be made and sold on the other side
POLLMANN CO. MAY MOVE.
the policy of the tariff law is primarily the pro-
The August Pollmann Co. are contemplating
tection of the American trade, whether merchant
or manufacturer or dealer. The welfare of one removing from their Franklin street premises
either to some place in the same neighborhood
is the concern of all."
on Broadway or further uptown. The intention
A calendar original in design and wording is is to carry less floor stock and to concentrate the
that issued by the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., Chi- business on more modern lines. Their big in-
cago. The subjects throughout are musical and strument lines are to be arranged on a contract
basis.
as attractive as they are artistic.
The "VICTOR" Always in tbe Lead
Start the New Year Right.
Push the VICTOR SALES.
We have a few Calendars left.
Let us know if you want one.
We wish you a Happy and a Prosperous New Year.
Don't forget us.
THE GRAND PRIZE FOR TALKING MACHINES
at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., has been
Awarded to the Victor Talking Machine Co.
THE
VICTOR DISTRIBUTING AND EXPORT YORK
CO.
CHAMBERS