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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
KNABE WILL MOVE UPTOWN.
The Eminent Piano House Have Leased for a Long Term of Years Large Building on Fifth
Avenue and 39th Street—Will Move in on May 1—Location in Heart of the Swell Retail
District—Will Add to the High Position of the Knabe.
An important announcement was made last
Saturday by Wm. Knabe & Co., who gave out the
information concerning the new Knabe move
which will be of the greatest interest to the
trade. This eminent concern has leased for a
long term of years the southeast corner of 39th
street and Fifth avenue. This sets at rest all
rumors concerning the mysterious "move of a
great piano house up town" which has been cir-
culating persistently in real estate and music
trade circles for some time.
This magnificent structure, an illustration of
which is shown on this page, is being completed
according to plans and specifications supplied by
the Knabe house. The building fronts 50 feet
on Fifth avenue and 125 feet on 39th street.
Wm. Knabe & Co. will move to their new home
on May 1. All the contracts have been made in ac-
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cordance with an early completion of the build-
ing, and the first floor and basement will be
immediately occupied by the Knabe firm after
May 1, and probably one or two of the other
floors as well. This new move places the great
house of Knabe in the van of the uptown move-
ment which has been so marked in recent years.
Wonderful changes have taken place in the
retail district of New York, and a great many
leading houses in all lines of trade, such as
Tiffany, Altman and many others have erected
palatial structures in upper Fifth avenue, which,
it is predicted, will remain the heart of the re-
tail district for many years to come.
This new location and new Knabe building will
give the Knabe piano a splendid environment
and must materially add to its admittedly high
position in New York. There is no mistaking the
fact that location has a good deal to do with
business nowadays, and this splendid site on
Fifth avenue insures to the Knabe piano a home
in the midst of the most fitting trade surround-
ings for many years to come.
BRAUMULLER FACTORY DESTROYED
By Fire on Sunday Night—Ample Insurance
Carried—New Quarters to be Secured at
Once—R. M. Bent Also Suffers Total Loss.
The Braumuller Piano Co., of Tenth avenue
and West 54th street, New York, had their entire
plant, with a number of finished pianos, as well
as a large quantity of material and partially
constructed instruments, entirely destroyed by
fire on Sunday night. The factory occupied the
three upper lofts of the building, and these were
entirely gutted by the flames. The pecuniary
loss to the company and its employes will be
small, as they were fully covered by insurance,
but the inconvenience and unavoidable delay in
filling orders on hand will of necessity prove
very annoying.
Otto L. Braumuller, the president of the com-
pany, was in Syracuse when the fire took place,
but reached this city on Monday noon, and at
once began the examination of all available lofts,
so that there would be but a few days' cessation
of their business. His dealers have written him
that they will make the best of circumstances,
and take his output as soon as he resumes ship-
ments. The supply dealers have all promised to
have sufficient stock ready for him to begin work
the coming week if he can get quarters ready
that soon.
R. M. Bent, the owner of the building, who is
also a piano manufacturer, had his stock, which
was on the first floor, ruined by water, and
figures it a total loss. The building, as well as
his stock, were covered by insurance.
BIG DEMAND FOR PACKARD ORGANS.
After the great rush in local holiday trade in
pianos and organs at the Packard organ factory,
attention is being given to foreign shipments,
says a Fort Wayne, Ind., paper. One carload of
pianos and organs left the factory yesterday for
Portland, Ore., and one carload the day before
containing organs only was shipped to Mexico.
An item of particular interest in connection with
the organs for Mexico is the fact that they are
built only half as large as those used in this
country. This is to insure transportation over
the mountains on pack mules.
IMPORTANT BILL INTRODUCED.
A bill has been introduced in the State As-
sembly at Albany by Assemblyman Krulewitch
making it a misdemeanor to misrepresent any
article of merchandise either by advertisement or
through salesmen.
THE NEW HOME OF THE KNABE PIANO.
At the recent annual meeting of the stock-
holders of the Chase-Hackley Piano Co., of Mus-
kegon, the former directors were re-elected as
follows: A. V. Mann, Thomas Hume, W. H.
Mann, P. S. Moon, B. S. Chase, George Hefferan.
Officers: A. V. Mann, president; B. S. Chase,
vice-presidentT W. H. Mann, secretary; Thomas
Hume, treasurer.