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THE MUSIC TRADE
FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S MUSICAL CENTER.
June Business Starts Most Encouragingly—That Mason & Hamlin Deal with Gimbel Bros.
— W i l l be Given a Strong Representation—Estey Co.'s Big Business in Pipe Organs—Much
Interest Being Manifested in the Forthcoming Dealers' Convention.
(Special to The Review.)
Philadelphia, Pa., June 6, 1905.
Business in June in Philadelphia has started in
in a most encouraging way. There is every indi-
cation that selling will be active, and everybody
seems to have a complete complement of stock
fully equal to supplying all demands. The Phila-
delphia factories all spring have been quite busy,
but have not been able to accumulate much stock
for the reason that the wholesale business has
been unusually satisfactory ever since the first
of the year, and in spite of exceptional efforts,
very few of the factories have more than a nor-
mal stock. In fact, several of them complain of
their limited ability to get anything ahead, and
there is evidence that at least two of our factories
will be considerably enlarged before fall.
The Mason & Hamlin agency has taken another
move in this city, the best that it has made since
the agency was taken away from the Charles H.
Fischer Co. In fact, it has been a halt-dozen
years since the Mason & Hamlin piano has had a
proper representation in Philadelphia. Wana-
maker's had the agency for a short time, but
never pushed the piano properly for the reason
that during part of the time the firm of Mason
& Hamlin were in straitened circumstances.
Moreover, Mr. Wanamaker had designs on buying
the business, and if he could have accomplished
that he would have boomed the Mason & Hamlin
for all it was worth, and that name is worth its
weight in gold. The move to the Blasius house
was another bad one on the part of the owners
of the Mason & Hamlin business, for every one
predicted when the Mason & Hamlin went to the
Blasius house it would be used as a stool-pigeon
for the selling of the firm's own product. The
Mason & Hamlin piano, as I said before, is worth
its weight in gold, and now that it has the prom-
ise of a first-class representation in a first-class
store, the Gimbel Bros., it will no doubt take a
BOVDOIR SEXTINE
DIMENSIONS:
4 feet 4 inches high, I feet 0 inches long,
2 feet deep.
The increasing demand for a Boudoir
size piano, of exceptional tone quality, at a
reasonable price led us to offer the "Bou-
doir Sextine." This instrument fills a
clearly defined want and has met with an
instantaneous and gratifying success.
"Boudoir Sextine" is a six and one-third
octave piano in a small, full size case, in
the newest Mission Design, with severely
plain lines.
All our dealers are enthusiastic and it
will pay you to secure territory before it is
too late. Terms and prices on request, pro-
vided you ask before the other fellow.
THE COLUMBUS PIANO COMPANY
Maker*
265 Spruce Street,
of
Pianos
COLUMBUS, OHIO.
position in the piano world of Philadelphia that
its quality would justify. That the Gimbel house
was able to secure the Mason & Hamlin is a god-
send to that firm, for it is the only really great
name which is unrepresented in Philadelphia, and
the Gimbel house needed just such a name badly
in order to present a list of agencies that would
make a good comparison with the competitors of
that house.
The Estey Co. continue their former big busi-
ness in pipe organs. They have just taken an
order for a fine pipe organ to be built in the First
Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne, Pa., and are
at present engaged in setting up organs in the
Zion Lutheran Church at Waynesboro, Pa., the
M. E. Church at Dravosburg, Pa., the Holy Name
of Mary R. C. Church a t Dinorah, Pa., the First
Baptist Church of New Castle, Pa., and the First
M. E. Church of Crestline, Pa. This week they
are also erecting two fine organs in Richmond,
Va., one in the Church of the Holy Comforter, and
another in the handsome residence of Mr. Bas-
querville of that city, and next week they will
erect an organ at Hot Springs, Va.
The sale of Estey pianos in Philadelphia this
year has.been heavier than any year in the his-
tory of the piano in Philadelphia. The Estey
tone has been recognized for many years as the
acme of perfection, and in case work the firm
have improved very much in the past year, their
art designs being particularly attractive. At
present they are showing some very pretty de-
signs in Circassian walnut.
H. C. Pressey, secretary of the Lester Piano
Co., is at present traveling in the South, and is
sending in some fine orders. He expects to go as
far south as Texas.
Mr. Cramblet, of the firm of Frederick & Cram-
blet, of Warsaw, O., was a visitor in Philadelphia
this week, and made quite a selection of Lester
pianos for his section. He reports that the Les-
ter is growing finely in Ohio.
George Miller, of the Lester Piano Co., took his
family on Saturday last to Point Pleasant, N. J.,
for the summer. He has rented a fine cottage in
that city by the sea, and will go down every Fri-
day to remain over Sunday during the season.
George Dunbar Shewell has returned from Bos
ton, where he spent a week looking over things
at the Miller factory. He reports business very
flourishing and that the new designs that are
coming out are going to be beautiful. The Lyric
grand business of the firm continues to grow, he
says, and that the figures shown him of what had
been done on this instrument opened his eyes.
Both President Miller and D. E. Woolley have
been receiving the most encouraging reports
from all over the country as to the attendance at
the coming Put-in-Bay convention. Every mail
brings to Mr. Woolley letters of interest shown in
the meeting, and every one here predicts that it
will be the biggest meeting the convention has
ever had.
CHAS. SPANIER RETURNS.
Charles Spanier, who has been doing the Middle
West for the Behning Piano Co., of 1945 Park
avenue, has returned after a very successful trip.
He said that when he left the outlook for future
business was particularly roseate, and he thought
that the summer season would be far more active
than in past years.
Francis Connor will leave the latter part of this
week for a trip to Philadelphia and Eastern
Pennsylvania. He reports that business for this
season of the year is exceptionally good, and that
orders are coming in quite freely.
Valois & Williams are now occupying their new
factory at 511 East 137th street, and expect to
be shipping pianos from there within the coming
week.
15
OUR EXPORT REQUIREMENTS.
Some Problems That May be Solved by the Na-
tional Association of Manufacturers.
In his recent address before the National Asso-
ciation of Manufacturers, Secretary Metcalf, of
the Department of Commerce and Labor, devoted
his attention to that which should be the proper
work for that organization. He confined himself
to trade and the possibilities of trade extension
through business channels. He emphasized a
point to which we have at various times called
the attention of our readers, that of the insignifi-
cance of our export trade in manufactured wares
in its relation to the total of our production, and
also in its relation to the possibilities which lie
open to it.
He noted the possibility of remedying this limi-
tation in the following series of suggestions:
1. American manufacturers hiive made little effort to
extend their markets abroad.
12. The European compel itors of the United States
produce and pack their goods in forms and conditions
suited to the markets which they are intended to supply.
This is notably true of Germany.
:v The lack, particularly in Asia, Oceanica, South
America, and Africa, of financial institutions and ma-
chinery through which business transactions may be con-
ducted.
4. The fact that the manufacturers of other competi-
tive countries appreciate the necessity of offering their
goods through persons familiar with tlie language of
the country in which their goods are offered and of hav-
ing their printed matter in these languages.
ft. The lack of direct shipping facilities to the coun-
tries where competitive markets are to be found and
developed.
The National Association of Manufacturers can
accomplish more for its members and for the
country at large by solving these problems than
it can by discussing socialism and reciprocity.
HENRY BEHNING SERIOUSLY ILL.
Henry Behning, the founder of the Behning
Piano Co., and one of the oldest living piano
makers, is seriously ill. Mr. Behning has always
been held in the highest esteem by his fellow
craftsmen, and the news of his severe illness is
received by the trade with deep regret, and as a
body they express the greatest sympathy for his
family.
In our factory we have put
all the energy and intelligence of
which we are capable into our
efforts to produce musical instru-
ments of the highest possible char-
acter. W e have experimented
time and again over minute details
that most makers would consider
unworthy of attention.
We have made this Lauter
Piano of ours a thing of beauty
in which we take a high artistic
pride. The exquisite tone, the
fine workmanship in every detail,
the magnificent finish and appear-
ance are a source of amazement
and delight to critical dealers
who visit our factory.
LAUTER CO.
NLVAK,K,NE,V