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THE:
DREHER'S GREAT TRADE.
Orders Eight Steinway Art Grands and Twenty-
One Pianola Pianos and Three Carloads of
Other Instruments—Mr. Dreher Speaks En-
thusiastic About the Future of the Pianola
Piano.
During the recent visit to New York of Henry
Dreher, head of the great house of the B. Dre-
her's Sons Co., Cleveland, O., he was interviewed
at the Waldorf-Astoria by the New York corre-
spondent of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who
writes most interestingly of this talk. He saya:
"I have been buying pianos for twenty-seven
years," said Henry Dreher, "and this is the first
time I have been compelled to beg for them. I
mean the words literally. While I could secure
all I want of some kinds, I find it hard work to
get anything near enough of the kinds I want.
"The reason? Because the demand is greater
than the supply. Because the factories are sold
out. I am after.the most expensive styles of
the Steinways and pianola pianos. The factories
where they are made have been running at their
full capacity and can make only so many, and
the trouble is that they can sell a great many
more than they can make. There never was such
a year for pianos. It is the best one we have
ever had. Our sales in November this year were
larger than in any previous month since we have
been in business, with one exception, and Decem-
ber of this year will beat even that month."
"Why not invest in the cheaper grades?" asked
the correspondent.
"We must have the high priced to meet the
demands of our trade," Mr. Dreher answered.
"Many of these pianos are sold before we can get
them. I have just ordered eight Steinway grands
and two art grands of the Louis XIV. and Louis
XV styles, to match the finish of the houses they
are going into. I have also ordered twenty-one
pianola-pianos, a half dozen of which have been
sold in advance. But it has been hard work to
get them. The manufacturers at the present mo-
ment are 2,000 behind their orders. I have or-
dered three car loads of medium priced pianos,
all for our holiday trade."
"Yes, your inference is correct, Cleveland has
not only become a great musical center but has
also so much wealth that it can indulge its musi-
cal taste to the fullest extent."
The B. Dreher's Sons Co., of which Henry Dre-
her is a member, has made arrangements in New
York for the manufacture of the New Dreher
Bros, piano. "They are now at work," said he,
"on twenty-four of these, that are to be finished
in mahogany, in Colonial style, making a me-
dium priced piano of a very good grade. We
have already had one lot of the new make, with
which we are very much pleased. But we are
changing the style and construction, and are in-
troducing some of the famous B. Dreher patents.
Baptiste Dreher, father of the present partners,
was one of the oldest and best known of the pi-
ano makers of the West. "I was in Germany a
little while ago," said Henry Dreher, "and played
on an organ that my father made when he was
a boy. It is in a church near Ulm, and is as good
a? new."
Mr. Dreher went to Cleveland in 1853 and be-
gan the manufacture of melodeons, which were
far more frequent then than pianos. He was a
member of the firm of Kennard & Dreher, and
they soon began to make pianos; and the father
was a leader in the business until his death, in
1892.
Speaking of the pianola piano, Mr. Dreher
said: "This style of instrument is yet in its in-
fancy. Its development is remarkable, and its
use will increase. It is a great musical educa-
tor. People who begin upon it commence with
MUSIC TRADE:
'rag time' and the popular airs, but as they be-
come more interested, and learn what possibili-
ties lie before them their ideas grow broader,
and they are led to a better class of music. After
a time the best of the classics is none too good
for them and not beyond their ability."
to the buying and selling of pianos, but of late
some of its members have become interested in
their manufacture and have purchased a con-
trolling interest in the Jewett factory at Leomin-
ster. The Hume and Woodbury pianos are
manufactured there, and are sold with the whole
responsibility of the house back of them.
DEATH OF AUGUSTIN KEOQH,
OUR PHILIPPINE TRADE..
Aged Wealthy Manufacturer Leaves $15,000 to
Nurse Who Cared for Him in Last Years.
Augustin K. Keogh, born in Dublin, Ireland,
in 1801, died on Thursday at the Hotel Castleton,
S. I., where he had made his home for fifteen
years, from old age.
Mr. Keogh came to this country sixty years
ago, and engaged in the manufacture of pianos.
His wife died sixteen years ago, but he is sur-
vived by two daughters, one of whom is mother
superior of a convent at Niagara Falls. Mr.
Keogh spoke seven languages fluently. For the
last three years he had been attended by Miss
Elizabeth Woodrow, a nurse, and to her he left
$15,000.
Mr. Keogh was very wealthy, and it is under-
. tood he has made large bequests to charitable
institutions. He traveled extensively during his
lifetime, but when in New- York lived on Staten
island.
STEINERT'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY,
The Great New England Piano Dealers Cele-
brate This Month the Founding of Their
Business in New Haven, Where, from a Small
Store, It Has Expanded Until Now They Con-
trol Forty Branches.
(Special to The Review.)
New Haven, Conn., Dec. 11, 1905.
The month of December this year marks the
fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Stein-
ert Music House. Morris Steinert in December,
1865, opened on Grand avenue, in this city, a lit-
tle piano store as an addition to the activities of
a musical sort by which he was then maintaining
himself. By still playing he managed to eke out
a living, while the store enterprise was gather-
ing business momentum.
Just four years later the Steinways decided
to make him their representative, and ever since
the house of Steinert has enjoyed the advantage
of an exclusive handling of these world famous
pianos.
As the business expanded Mr. Steinert was
convinced that Providence offered an inviting
field for a branch house, and one was opened
there in 1879, to which Mr. Steinert paid visits
at least once a week. Four years later another
branch was opened in Boston. From these three
central houses, branch after branch has shot
forth until there are now forty, in all the prin-
cipal cities in New England, and the house is
first in rank among the retail piano concerns of
the country, and, indeed, the world.
Many changes have taken place. The head
house is now that of Boston, over which one of
the sons, Alexander Steinert, a man of extraor-
dinary business ability, presides. A few years
ago Morris Steinert retired from the business
and it is now managed by his sons, who have
been educated into the piano business. In charge
of the Providence house is Albert Steinert, who
is also president of the M. Steinert & Sons Co.,
as the firm is styled. Alexander Steinert is man-
ager and treasurer. Archibald M. Hume, of Bos-
ton, is secretary. Rudolf Steinert, manager of
the Connecticut stores, is vice-president, and
Fred M. Robinson, of this city, who presides over
the Bridgeport and outlying branches, is assist-
ant treasurer.
Until recent years the house has confined itself
THE
ERNEST A.
REVIEW
TONK
PIANO
Not a Very Good Showing in Imports of Musi-
cal Instruments from the United States.
(Special to The Itevlou.- >
Washington, D. C , Dec. 11, 1905.
The report just issued by the Government au-
thorities regarding the export and import trade
with our contiguous territory conveying the in-
formation shows that for the first time since the
occupancy of that country by the United States
forces there is a balance in favor of the islands
of about a million and a half dollars in their
favor.
The figures relating to exports show that there
has been an increase from $30,250,627, in 1904, to
$32,352,017 in 1905. In the meantime imports
have decreased from $33,220,761, in 1904, to $30,-
876,350 in 1905.
The trade in musical instruments in the United
States is exceedingly small. The number of pi-
anos imported in 1905 was 134, valued at $19,-
690. The previous year the figures were 145,
valued at $20,091. The piano trade with Ger-
many, however, showed a steady gain, and while
the Germans sent 27 instruments to the Philip-
pines, in 1904, they increased the number last
year to 51, while France also increased from 18
pianos in 1904 to 22 in 1905.
During the past year the total number of
organs imported were 17, valued at $1,520, out
of which the United States supplied 13 at a cost
of $552. In 1904, 26 organs were imported, val-
ued at $1,167, of which seven were from the
United States, valued a t $333.
Other musical instruments imported into the
Philippines during 1905 amounted to $19,332, of
which the United States supplied instruments
valued at $7,165, as against $5,190 the previous
year.
France and Germany both showed a substantial
decrease, so that the United States is the only
country making an advanced showing in this
bpecial field of small instruments. The report
when analyzed is not an encouraging one, but it
must be remembered that the islands are not in
a condition to buy luxuries, but there is certainly
hopes in that country in the future, for the peo-
ple are exceedingly musical.
NEW TRUCK FOR PIANOS.
The W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago, 111., recently
received a piano truck from the Commercial Au-
tomobile Co., that is destined to do the work of
from three to four horse-drawn vehicles. The
capacity is two tons. Four pianos will be car-
ried conveniently. Manager Mason, of the com-
pany which made the delivery of this product
of the Synnestvedt factory at Pittsburg, demon-
strated the machine yesterday. It is said to be
the prettiest design of motor propelled truck re-
ceived in Chicago.
The death is announced from Cleveland of the
Rev. Geo. W. Turner, father of Geo. D. Turner,
who for a long time was connected with the pi-
ano business in Springfield, O.
During his recent Western trip, Frank J.
Woodbury, of the Jewett Piano Co., made a num-
ber of important agencies for his house.
EXTRAORDINARY
JC-
DURABILITY
Correspondence with active
dealers solicited.
A R T I S T I D C E S I G N
William Tonk & Bro.
T
OUCH LIGHT AND
RESPONSIVE
INCORPORATED
452-456 Tenth Ave., New York