Music Trade Review

Issue: 1906 Vol. 42 N. 13

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
flUJIC TFADE
VOL. XLN.
No. 1 3 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, March 31, 1906.
SEYBOLD REED PIPE ORGAN CO.
Sales Work Will Hereafter be Handled at
Elgin—H. E. Weisert Will Continue to Rep-
resent Company, With Warerooms at 732
Republic Building.
ritory is being more exhaustively worked and de-
veloped.
THAT MARTIIS FAILURE.
Assignment Follows Sale of Martin Business
to A. B. Smith of Akron.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., March 26, 1906.
The business which the Seybold Reed Pipe
Organ Co., of Elgin, 111., are transacting these
days affords ample proof that good organs are in
as great demand as ever, and that there is a
splendid market for them.
The Seybold organ is an instrument of excep-
tional worth, however, and is being taken up
by leading dealers throughout the country. The
demand is 'such that they are now preparing to
put an additional wing to their factory which
will be 45 feet wide and 165 feet long, three
stories high. The local sales of these instru-
ments will hereafter be handled at Elgin, al-
though H. E. Weisert will continue to represent
the company here and will have on display
samples in the sales rooms of the Strohber Piano
Co., 732 Republic Building.
The extraordinary growth of the Strohber
Piano Co. for the past few years has compelled
Mr. Mudge to relinquish his arrangement with
the Seybold Reed Pipe Organ Co. to handle their
sales work. He has been forced to devote his
entire efforts to the interests of the Strohber
Piano Co., and has taken the step just referred
to through necessity, but with regret. Mean-
while the Seybold interests are in good hands,
and business will not suffer in the least.
GOOD REPORTS FROM NEW ORLEANS.
Leading Piano Dealers Report Great Increase
in Business Since Opening of Year.
Business in New Orleans is exceptionally good,
the leading stores reporting a decided increase
in business since the beginning of the year.
The Hackenjos Co. state that there has been an
average increase in their business during the
past three years of twenty-seven per cent., while
Philip Werlein reports an increase of fifty per
cent, in his business since the first of the year.
The Grunewald establishment also report an
excellent advance in trade volume for the past
few months, while the local branch of the
Cable Company and the Junius Hart establish-
ment likewise express satisfaction with the gen-
eral condition of business. The Louis Blake
Piano Co., a new concern recently opened In con-
junction with the Ashton Music House, are hand-
ling the Kimball line.
SIDNEY N. MAYER VISITING THE TRADE.
Sidney N. Mayer, who has been calling on the
trade throughout New England in the interests
of Hardman, Peck & Co., is making a very excel-
lent record for his house, and is highly spoken of
by every one with whom he comes in contact.
The Hardman line is destined to have an in-
creased output throughout New England this
year, not only by reason of the splendid values
which they are putting forth, but because the ter-
(Special to The Review.)
Akron, 0., March 24, 1906.
C. H. Martin, the piano dealer of this city, who
early last week sold his business to A. B. Smith,
one of our prominent piano dealers, for approxi-
mately $5,000 has just made an assignment for
the benefit of his creditors, naming Attorney
Burch as assignee. It is generally rumored that
the creditors are dissatisfied with this action and
intend to place Mr. Martin in involuntary bank-
ruptcy for the purpose of invalidating the sale to
Mr. Smith under the four months' clause of the
bankruptcy law. Meanwhile, Mr. Martin an-
nounces that he will pay his creditors what he
owes them. The line of pianos carried by Mr.
Martin included the Henry & S. G. Lindeman,
Pease, Behr Bros., Jacob Doll, Spies and Becker
Bros.
PACKARD PIANO POPULARITY.
Has Been Stimulated by the Packard Master
Grand—Business Is Excellent.
The Packard Master grand has proved to be
one of the successes of the many to the credit of
the Packard Co., of Ft. Wayne, Ind., in the realm
of piano making. Its size and general scheme
of architecture as well as finish and superb tonal
attributes have been acclaimed by renowned crit-
ics. A. S. Bond, secretary and manager of the
Packard Co., is quite enthusiastic over the pros-
pects for the first quarter of the present year,
which closes to-day, and everything indicates that
records will be broken before December 31. It
will be difficult to discriminate as to which of
the Packard styles are the most popular, but it
may be said that style R and style H have a
large clientele of admirers, which is destined to
he augmented.
F. D. BL00MFIELD CLOSES OUT.
Fred D. Bloomfleld, who has been engaged in
the piano business in Buffalo for the past five
years, has arranged to close out his business on
Main street, that city, on April 1. He states that
this step has become necessary, owing to the con-
dition of his health, but that he will reopen in
the fall, handling the same line as before.
SECURE CHASE-HACKLEY AGENCY.
The Abernathy Piano Co., of Kansas City, Mo.,
have secured the representation of the Chase-
Hackley line for their territory. They expect to
do a big business with these instruments.
The four carloads of Hamilton pianos shipped
to W. W. Warner, the enterprising dealer of
Madison, Wis., were photographed by Manager
Dickinson, of the Hamilton piano factory at Chi-
cago Heights, previous to being forwarded to
Mr. Warner.
SUBJECTS TO BE
At the Business Sessions of the National PianV
Manufacturers' Convention, to be Held in
Washington, D. C , May 11-12.
The following subjects are to be presented
for discussion at the business session of the con-
vention of the National Piano Manufacturers' As-
sociation, to be held May 11 and 12:
"Is it advisable to hold a general musical in-
dustry exhibit at the Madison Square Garden in
New York, or elsewhere, conducted upon lines
similar to the automobile and kindred trade ex-
hibits?"
"Should not the manufacturer establish a uni-
form selling price for his instruments?"
"The art or dull finish and checking of varnish
and veneers—what advances have been made dur-
ing the past year? Would not the dull finish
overcome a number of our troubles and minimize
the complaints of our customers, and cannot our
Association suggest or advise on this subject?"
"What can be done to bring the members of
our Association closer together in order to make
the Association a stronger working body for the
benefit of each member and the trad* at large?
We have now the majority of all the manufactur-
ers with us, either as members, or in sympathy
with the work of the Association, and should we
not use our united strength to better advantage?"
"What shall be done in reference to the traffic
bureau? Should it be continued on the present
lines?"
In sending out a letter containing the above
to members, Herbert W. Hill, assistant secretary,
says: "Will you not give these matters your
earnest thought, in order that each member may
come to the convention fully prepared to discuss
them?"
CHAS. S. WARREN TO MAKE PIPE ORGANS.
Chas. S. Warren, who for a number of years
was superintendent of the pipe organ department
of the D. W. Karn Co., of Woodstock, Ont., has
resigned, it is said, for the purpose of organizing
a company in Toronto, which will manufacture
the Warren pipe organ. Mr. Warren is a brother
of Geo. Warren, who for many years previous
to his death was connected as organist with the
leading churches in New York.
PIANO DEPARTMENT IN BALTIMORE.
L. Rosenstein & Sons, who conduct "The
Big Store" at Nos. 501-503 South Broadway, Bal-
timore, Md., are completing plans for the open-
ing of a piano department in that city. I. C.
Rosenstein, of the firm, was In New York during
the past week visiting the various manufacturers
for the purpose of completing his line. This will
be formally announced within the next ten days.
THE BALDWIN IN KNOXVILLE, TENN.
The Baldwin Piano Co. have opened an estab-
lishment at 317 North Gay street, Knoxville,
Tenn., which they selected as their headquarters
for eastern Tennessee. The store is in charge of
C. F. Welsh, of Cincinnati. A fine line of pianos
and organs are on exhibition at the new store.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
MEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GBO. B. KELLER.
L. Ej BOWERS.
W. N. TYLER.
Wsr. B. WHITE.
BOSTON OFFICE:
F. H. THOMPSON.
EMILIB FRANCES BADER.
L. J. CHAMBERLIN.
A. J. NICKLIN.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLI.NGEN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TELEPHONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8G43.
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE: MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL: ST. LOUIS OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 173 Tremont St.
R. W. KAIJFFMAN.
E. C. TOKREY.
CHAS. N. VAN BUREN.
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE: ALFRED METZGER, 425-427 Front St.
CINCINNATI, O.:
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
Lymnn Bill.
Directory ol Piano
._
. I
Manufacturers
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
f o r dealers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand 1'rix
Paris Exposition, 1900
iSilucr .Uedaf.CharlesUm Expoistion, 1902
Diploma.Pun-American Exposition, 1001
(Iold Medal..St. Louis Exposition, 1904
(Sold Medal.Lewis-Clark Exposition, 19O.">
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE—NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
NEW
YORK,
MARCH 31,
I 906
EDITORIAL --
r
I ^HE prevalence of decidedly wintry weather throughout a large
-L part of the country last week had the effect of making a ready
demand for lines of goods which the merchants had almost de-
spaired of selling. In the piano line there has been continued
activity, and the general features of the situation continue without
any important change since our last issue. Most manufacturers
are fully occupied in executing orders, frequently in response to
urgent requests from the dealers for early shipments. Business
throughout the country is large in volume, and all classes of trade
appear to be reasonably busy.
The trade for March as far as this industry is concerned has
been in many respects pleasing. Collections have shown a decided
improvement during the last half of the month. Eastern trade
is much better than during the first half of March, for marked
improvement has been manifest during the past ten days.
The far Western trade continues on the. boom, and reports
come to us of large contracts which have been closed there since
the beginning of the year.
REVIEW
We could name some Western institutions which have recently
been quietly developing trade in the East and we may add they
have been successful, as their sales have been steadily increasing.
The South, too, affords an excellent field for the progressive
piano man, and with the vast increase in manufacturing which is
going on in that country it means at once a larger producing power
for the people and a greater need for pianos and musical instruments.
W
HENEVER you find an individual devoting considerable
time to the abuse of a competitor it is safe to presume that
the knocking spirit was developed largely through jealousy, accen-
tuated either by ignorance or inability of the knocker to appreciate
the true conditions.
A successful man does not have time to enter into continuous
abuse of his competitors. He is too busy, too practical, and has too
much commonsense to waste his time or energy in maligning a
competitor, and it almost always happens that the man who devotes
his time to knocking is steadily losing whatever position he once
may have held. The knocker invariably envies his stronger oppo-
nent, and from his narrow view of life he feels that with his little
hammer he can be instrumental in demolishing a competitor's
reputation. All the world by this time knows a- knocker, and the
people know that he has acquired the habit through jealousy of
the success of his more enterprising rival. Successful men don't
have to adopt such practices, and the little silly knocking* which
they receive from time to time affect them about as much as the
shrill yelp of a cur.
REVIEW 7 reader asks, "Would you suggest ticketing all
pianos with plain figures?"
Certainly we would. We have never known a concern who
once adopted the plain pricing plan to ever go back to character
pricings. In the first place when pianos are marked in plain figures
it inspires the customer with confidence, lie knows at once that
the dealer's first price is at least a fair one, and that he is not
ashamed of it.
Sherman, Clay & Co. were the first to adopt this plan years
ago on the Pacific Coast. It was an innovation but it worked
successfully, and others who have tried it have become convinced
of its helpfulness to their interests.
The merchant who is in favor of the old secret price-marked
system is on the wrong side of the question, for plain price marks
are as much a part of modern selling methods as advertising. The
public fights shy of secret marks, and it not only likes the plain
figures but is led on by them to purchases that would not be made
if it had to say, how much is this? No one likes to ask about goods
and be unable to buy them, because the price is too high, and if
a customer enters a piano store he can easily see the price of each
instrument if it is marked in plain figures. And, too, the piano
business has had so many severe blows in the shape of knocks
that no point should be overlooked in order to rehabilitate it in the
estimation of the public. Plain figures on pianos that anyone can
read is simply an up-to-date way of conducting a piano store.
A
T
HERE is no doubt whatsoever regarding the selling value of
a well-advertised article to a dealer. A name that is well
known has a tremendous force in impressing purchasers with the
idea of the quality of the goods, and in the piano field the value
of a great name is materially increased over many other lines.
GOOD many concerns figure on having representatives on
Notwithstanding this admitted strength there has been in recent
the Coast shortly after the first of the year, and as a result
during the first two or three months of each year there is a tre- years a steady tendency towards substitution in all trades. The
mendous selling energy placed upon the wholesale trade on the druggist, perhaps, is the greatest "just as good" man in any
regular line of trade, for no sooner does a manufacturer create a
Pacific Coast.
value for a certain product through liberal advertising, aided by
Naturally this must result in good business, and big orders are
the quality of the article which he puts forth, than the druggists
invariably placed during the early part of the year. The retail
are ready to offer a substitute. They even allege that these sub-
trade, too, is very good indeed in the extreme West. The country
• people are in a position to make good purchases, for the class of stitutes are made under precisely the same formulas, and of course,
are offered at lesser prices. But substitutes are something which
people who are going there to settle in the smaller towns and on
good buyers should always seek to avoid, for there can be no
the farms usually have money, and are able to make immediate
"just as good."
outlays for home enjoyment. The dealers there, too, belong to the
most energetic class.
HE man who has created a value and standing for a product
One of them who was recently in the office of The Review
which bears his name or trade-mark is naturally proud of it,
remarked that the Eastern piano man did not have to work as
hard for business as the Western man, and his observation led
and the dealer who attempts to trade on that name by offering a
him to believe that in the thickly populated territory of the East
cheap substitute has no sentiment or respect for name or tradi-
tftere was a splendid field for Western methods in piano selling,
tions, \\ \% the, cold cash which interests him, and if, he can palm off
A
T

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