Music Trade Review

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6
THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LTTMAN DILL.
I
EXECUTIVE AND REPORTORIAL STAFF:
W. N. TYLER,
EMILIB FKANCIS BATJBK,
L. J. CHAMBEKMN.
A. J. NICKLIN,
GEO. W. QOBKIPEU
BOSTON OPPICE:
ERNEST L. WAITT, 173 Tremont St.
PHILADELPHIA OPPICBt
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
CHICAGO OFFICE
E. P. VAN HABLINQEN, 1362 Monadnock Block.
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL:
E. C. TORKEY.
ST. LOU 15 OPPICE.
CHAS. N. VAN BUREN.
SAN PRANCISCO OPPICB: ALFRED METZGER, 425-427 Front. St.
CINCINNATI, 0.:
care, the adjustment, and the detail work in every particular that is
demanded in pianos, that is sold at anything near the narrow margin
of profit which is made by most of the piano manufacturers.
For a long time the piano men have been forced to meet the
rising tide of cost in everything in the material lines, and they have
been compelled, or at least they believe that they have been, to put
out instruments at practically the old rates. When advances have
been made they have not been as substantial as the conditions would
have warranted the manufacturers in asking.
Editor and Proprietor
J. B. S P 1 L L A N E , Managing:
Quo. B. KBLI.BR,
WM. B. WHITB,
REVIEW
NINA PUGH-SMITH.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (Including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, $2.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $50.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES. In other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman B11L
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains In Its
THE ARTISTS' "Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This Is effected
without In any way trespassing on the size or service of the trade
DEPARTMENT section of the paper. I t has a special circulation, and therefore
augments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
Tne
directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
niirfTftnv
UIILLLIUKI
f o u n a o n another page will be of great value, as a reference
MANUFACTURERS
f o r dealers and others.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY.
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 14-. 19O5.
T now looks as if dealers will be compelled to pay more for in-
struments within the near future. It is only reasonable to
expect this. The tone of the market in all essentials is decidedly
active, and it now looks as if there would be increased costs in almost
everything. The iron market is strong, and there is enormous pres-
sure brought to bear with mills and furnaces to supply manufactured
products, and all lines into which this material enters anticipate
higher prices.
This rise is in response to a legitimate demand, and not by an
attempt to corner the market which was attempted by some ivory im-
porters a few months ngo. There was a plan to control the whole
ivory situation in Europe, thus compelling piano manufacturers to
pay more for their ivory. This ambitious plan which was originated
in the brain of an American supply man, which would have increased
the cost of pianos, was, however, successfully met by competing in-
terests, so that the men who engineered the move were big losers
rather than gainers by their attempt to corner the ivory of the world.
Some day the history of this little inside deal will make inter-
esting reading, but a rise caused by such conditions is only due to the
action of individuals rather than to any heavy or increased demand
for trade products. Piano manufacturers have been unwilling, for
various reasons, to make the advance which conditions entitled
them to.
T
HERE is apparently an entire agreement among the trade that
the October business will reach a higher point than ever known
in the sales of any previous October during the history of this in-
dustry. The September business was good in many respects, and
largely in excess of that of a year ago, but October thus far is the
banner month of the year, and business for the first two weeks will
probably be increased as the days pass. There is no mistaking the
fact that this is to be in every respect the banner fall in music trade
history. The leading supply men are rushed with orders. Some
of them are working overtime, and still the demand for piano supplies
continues unabated.
That great felt-making corporation—the American Felt Co.—
are supplying an enormously growing trade, and their business,
which lies among the greatest producing piano concerns in this coun-
try, shows a surprising increase month by month. The officials of
that company have no hesitancy in stating that such activity is un-
usual, and that all previous records are broken.
HE farmer is having his innings all right this year, and even
agricultural products arc responding to the impulse and rising
gradually to a higher level of price. The effect upon trade gener-
ally is, however, not so much in the immediate enhancement of
values, as in inducing a spirit of confidence in regard to business and
stimulating industry and enterprise.
A basis for the well-being of the agricultural class is found in
the magnificent crops which are rewarding the farmers' labors, and
will in the near future be putting into circulation vast sums of money,
which will naturally enrich the channels through which it passes, thus
contributing greatly to business activity.
While there may be local influences which tend to repress and
to make a conservative policy necessary, there is for merchants gen-
erally a summons to energy and enterprise in the transaction of busi-
ness in the expectation of a large volume of trade and of prosperous
conditions which should reward their efforts with success.
No piano merchant should belong to the complaining class this
fall, for the situation certainly is encouraging from every viewpoint.
It is the time, too, to talk quality, not price, because our people, as a
rule, have more money to pay for quality than ever before, and why
talk price when there can be a strength given to the quality argu-
ment?
T
A
T
HE action manufacturers have orders ahead which will keep
their factories running overtime to fill with a degree of
promptitude the orders which manufacturers have sent in. There
is a demand, too, for the high-grade products in all lines.
There is one concern, the Wickham Plate Co., Springfield, O.,
which is sending out nearly five hundred plates per day. This one
item furnishes an index to the activity which prevails in the piano
business. Indeed reports which we have received during the past
week reflect a very general activity, and the prevalence of a most
satisfactory and promising condition in practically every part of the
country. The dealers seem to be anxious now to get in fresh instru-
ments, and they are beginning to realize that it is difficult to have the
pianos shipped as promptly as they desire. Then, too, there is a
feeling that manufacturers will advance their prices, and the dealers
are naturally desirous of getting in all the instruments they can be-
fore new price schedules are announced.
T
HERE is really no reason why manufacturers should not ad-
vance their wholesale rates. It may be said truthfully that
there is no manufactured product to-day which requires the skill, the
PROMINENT member of the Western trade, when calling
upon The Review, recently remarked: "I have been much
interested in discovering the indifference between Eastern and West-
ern methods. I visited a large town near here recently, and when I
entered two salesmen were reading newspapers at their desks. I
loitered around the front part of the store, fearing to interrupt them
in their perusal of the morning papers. Finally, I timidly approached
one of them, who laid down his paper with a bang and started up in
a manner to cause me to think that he was about to eject me forcibly
from the store, and remarked in a sharp tone: 'Well, what is it?'
I meekly stated that I was in the piano business and was just looking
around.
"I fail to see how pianos can be sold under such conditions. I
do not permit men in my establishment to read newspapers at their
desks, and the moment any one enters the warerooms it is their busi-
ness to at once pay them respectful and courteous attention."
We could name several prominent institutions in the East who
do not permit their salesmen to read newspapers at their desks dur-
ing business hours, and in some cases the salesmen have felt that it
was a curtailment of their liberties by enforcing; su,c.h a rule.