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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE NEW RUBENSTE1N.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TOPICS.
New Pianist Who Will Play the Knabe This
Season—Ernest Knabe Believes a Great Ex-
port Market Can be Opened Up With
Europe for American Instruments.
Second Vice-President W . H. Currier Dis-
penses Good Logic on the One-Price Sys-
tem—A Subject of Interest to Every Dealer
—Suggests That Manufacturers Might Bring
It About.
(Special to The Iteview.)
Baltimore, Md., Sept. 11, 1905.
Ernest J. Knabe, who, as announced in last
week's Review, returned from a six weeks' Euro-
pean trip, accompanied by his family, is again at
his desk. He speaks enthusiastically of the good
feeling which exists to-day on the part of Euro-
peans toward Americans, no matter where one
visits.
During his stay in Paris he had the pleasure
of meeting the Shah of Persia, and in the course
of a conversation His Majesty informed him that
he had a Knabe piano in his palace, and ex-
pressed himself most flatteringly regarding the
many hours of pleasure its music gave him.
From Paris Mr. Knabe visited Germany, tak-
ing in all the leading centers of interest, and
from there passed through Belgium to England.
He visited Oxford University and adjacent parts
in company of Ernest Marshall, son of J. Herbert
Marshall, the Knabe representative in London.
He was in that city when the news came that
the Japanese and Russian envoys had come to an
agreement regarding peace, and was delighted
with the splendid impression which President
Roosevelt's efforts made on the people.
It is Mr. Knabe's belief that there is a splen-
did opportunity to work up a very large export
trade, in view of the splendid feeling that now
prevails in all parts of the world, as far as the
United States is concerned. He made some very
flattering remarks regarding the prospects for
the player trade on the other side of the big
pond.
While in Germany Mr. Knabe consummated ar-
rangements with Ludwig Ullmann to represent
the Knabe house in Germany and Paris. As al-
ready stated in The Review, Mr. Ullmann will
continue his connection with the Needham house,
but makes the Knabe his leader. While in Paris
Mr. Knabe arranged for the tour of Arthur Ruben-
stein, a pupil of D'Albert and Leschetitsky, who
will be one of the several distinguished pianists
who will tour this country the coming season.
He will be heard through the medium of the
Knabe grand.
•The New Rubenstein," as he is called, is, like
the great master whose name he bears, a subject
of the Czar and also of Jewish origin. He has
won golden opinions both in France and Ger-
many as an interpreter of Chopin, while he is
also quite at home in the broader fields of other
eminent composers. Mr. Apthorp, the well-known
Boston critic, speaks in the most glowing terms
of the young virtuoso's magnetism and poetical
charm.
Mr. Knabe is strongly of the belief that there
is a great opening for our export trade in musi-
cal instruments, and expects that his representa-
tive will make a splendid record in Germany and
Russia. Later on some attention will be paid to
France.
Mr. Knabe is in splendid health, and well pre-
pared for an active business season.
The Farrand Organ Co. are now making ship-
ments of the Sohmer-Cecilian pianos. The new
metal action which this company are now placing
in the Sohmer-Cecilian piano, the Farrand-
Cecilian piano, and the Cecilian (cabinet) piano
player, is highly spoken of by experts because
of its ability to withstand climatic changes. It
also insures a more artistic musical production.
The Kershaw building, on Michigan avenue,
Cleveland, 0., was completely destroyed by fire
last Saturday. Among the occupants was the
Royal Music Co., whose loss was a total one.
The estate of the late W. R. Henderson, father
of J. C. Henderson, general manager of the Ann
Arbor Organ Co., has been divided between Mr,
Henderson and another brother, who are the sole
heirs to the property of the deceased. The estate
was a large one.
Second Vice-President W. H. Currier, of the
Whitney & Currier Co., Toledo, O., has always
been noted for the wisdom of his remarks. Ever
since the organization of the National Piano
Dealers' Association he has been foremost in his
arguments for the adoption of methods which
will assure to dealers protection through terri-
torial rights. The one-price system has also been
a subject of vital interest to Mr. Currier, and at
all conventions and meetings he has profoundly
advocated its general adoption. As these sub-
jects are of such vital importance to every dealer,
the chairman of the Press Committee persuaded
Mr. Currier to write something on this topic,
and takes pleasure in offering the same for the
consideration of members as well as non-mem-
bers. The article, though brief, is meaty with
remedy for the unstaple cut and slashing metnoas
now in vogue with many, if not the majority, of
dealers.
"The time may not have arrived, under present
conditions, to make such a system universal, bat
the power to bring it about lies in the hanus of
the manufacturers largely, if not altogemer.
Will they, or will they not try to? Probably not.
Of course, this is a big subject, as all ethical
subjects are. Suppose the manufacturers would
all agree to maintain but one price to the trade,
and to see to it that all dealers maintain their
one price fixed by them. I t would not require
twelve months to establish the system throughout
this country. Would all be benefited, buyers as
well as dealers? That's the question. Person-
ally, I wish it were so, and I for one would
chance it, or rather endeavor to carry it out.
One or a few cannot bring about such a changed
system, but combined it could be and ought
to be."
TO LDICAIE LUKOPE
To the Possibilities of Chicago as a Manufac-
turing and Distributing Center.
According to the Furniture Worker, of Cin-
cinnati, Chicago real estate men will in the com-
ing fall prepare for an industrial conquest of
foreign lands, and set out to do some of this
educating in a systematic manner. The general
plan, it is said, will provide ior a blanketing of
the principal countries of Europe with attractive
literature, setting forth the city's advantages as
a manufacturing and distributing center. After
the matter has been digested, special agents will
go to the crowded quarters, and exert their
efforts to have the manufacturers transfer their
interests to Chicago. Probably the Industrial
Locations Committee of the real estate board
will have direct charge of the arrangements.
It is said that some negotiations, begun at the
time of the first effort, are still pending, and
that some of the first efforts in the coming cam-
paign will be directed towards these. Among
those industries which showed a disposition to
be converted to the Chicago field were a great
Berlin piano factory, one of the largest cutlery
works at Sheffield, and a Parisian hat factory.
RECORD CORN CROP PROMISED.
\V. H. CUHUIKK.
suggestions as to business methods. Mr. Currier
says:
"While all indications point to a large volume
of trade the coming fall and winter, the expense
to the dealer in securing his share and the abnor-
mal low price at which goods are being sold
will not permit of even fair profits, if based on
capital invested and the usual risks taken. You
will hear abundance of boasts of dealers and
salesmen of the number of sales made and all
that, but what about the net results? After all,
the main object of merchandising is to gain a
living—a competence—and even a fortune, and
when these objects are defeated, no matter what
the volume of business, or the number of sales
made, the whole becomes a failure.
"I don't mean that men who fail to accomplish
the object for which they enter into business
do not pay their debts, but fail to succeed in
winning a competence after years of hard work
in their business. Why? The answer is simple.
They spend too much in getting their business
based on the margin, that is, the difference be-
tween the factory cost and what is finally realized
in money for goods sold.
"Competition is largely responsible for this
state of affairs; and numbered among competi-
tors are those impractical men who go in to win
a sale in some way—if not on a profitable bases,
why, win any way, profit or no profit, depending'
on volume and general average. If a sale is
made below cost, then some one must be
"skinned" to make things average.
"The general conduct of business on the honest
one-price system, and these prices arranged so
there will accrue a profit to the dealer who as-
sumes the risk, is one and perhaps the only
According to the Government Report Will be
the Largest Yield in History, Affording
Plenty of Surplus Money for the Purchase of
Pianos.
Piano manufacturers and dealers will be de-
lighted to learn that the corn crop for 1905, ac-
cording to the figures issued this week by the
Government, will be the largest in the history of
the country.
The figures indicate a yield of 2,716,918,000
bushels. The record crop up to date was that of
1902, which amounted to 2,523,685,000 bushels.
The bumper crops this year mean prosperity not
only for the farmer, but the merchants, manufac-
turers and railroads.
PIANOS A STAPLE IN FURNITURE STOCKS.
The past few years have witnessed an evolu-
tion in piano retailing because of the Instru-
ments becoming part of the regular stock in
nearly all furniture stores throughout the coun*
try, more especially among instalment houses
and department stores.
Pianos belong naturally to house furnishing
stores, as there are few American homes that
do not possess an instrument of more or less
value. The future will see them exhibited a t
expositions and sold on the road by furniture
salesmen.—The Furniture World.
THE SMALL BOY IS ON.
"Boy," said a haggard man to an urchin on the
highway, "the officers are after me. Can you
show me to a place where I can hide and be
safe? Where no one will ever look for me?"
"Dead sure," said the urchin. "Hurry over to
that piano store. It never advertises."