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REVIEW
THE
JiUJIC TIRADE
VOL.
XLIV. No. 1.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 MadisonAvc, New York, January 5,1907
SINGLE COPIES. 10 CENTS.
$8.00 PER YEAR.
BEST GRADES OF PIANOS IN DEMAND.
GROWTH IN CAPEN POPULARITY.
TRIBUTE TO L. M. IDE
O. A. Gressing, the Strich & Zeidler Ambassa-
dor,
Reports
Encouraging
Conditions
Throughout the West and South—Money Is
Plentiful and the Trade Prospects All That
Could be Desired.
The Brockport Piano Mfg. Co. Close a Year of
Great Prosperity—The Clever Work of Geo.
A. Witney Manifest—A Great Plant Ad-
mirably Equipped in Every Respect.
Paid by His Old Associates in the Farrand Co.
Presented With Beautiful Set of Jewelry.
O. A. Gressing, the wholesale representative
of Strich & Zeidler, who has been on the road
since last September, returned to the home office
at 132d street and Alexander avenue a week ago,
and in commenting on the condition of the piano
trade as he found it in all parts of the country,
said to The Review: "I find a steadily growing
tendency toward the best grades of pianos, and
have had no difficulty in taking orders, and some
pretty large ones, for the house that I represent.
Money has been plentiful in all sections of the
West and South and all of the" dealers that I
have come in contact with have been doing the
best trade in their history. Wherever pianos
are sold there is always a good percentage of
the customers who regard a piano as an invest-
ment that is to last them a generation at least,
and recognize the fact that a few hundred dol-
lars more will secure them the best that the
market affords. Dealers also recognize that they
are the most profitable instrument to handle,
for as a rule the purchasers pay cash, or make
large payments, and there is practically no risk
that they will come back because they do not
stand up to the guarantee. I look for a good
business for all of the coming year, and will be
surprised if it does not surpass the one just gone.
I think the stocks on hand will be pretty well
worked off by the time the salesmen get out on
the road. In regard to question of advancing
prices, it is a delicate one for the salesmen to
broach, but I suppose that the dealers will be
prepared for anything, although they will make
some very strong protests. I believe, however,
that it will be a matter that will be adjusted
without any hard feelings one way or the other."
TO DEVELOP FOREIGN TRADE.
A convention for the extension of the foreign
trade of the United States has been called to
meet at the New Willard Hotel in Washington,
D. C, on January 14, under the direction of the
New York Board of Trade and Transportation.
It is claimed by the majority of those in a posi-
tion to know whereof they speak that the failure
of American manufacturers to capture a greater
portion of foreign trade is due to plain ignor-
ance of conditions in that field, and whatever
resolutions are passed by the convention, its best
work must come from the more tangible idea
which some of the delegates will gain of what
foreign trade really means. Ignorance, and the
train of other sins that follow close on its heels,
constitutes the worst enemy of American export
trade. And if the convention helps to spread
the plain, old truth that foreign trade is a thing
to be won and not a thing to be picked up it
will have more than justified itself.
The piano store of Beyerly & Croop, Goshen,
Ind., was destroyed by fire last week, but most
of the pianos were saved.
The Brockport Piano Mfg. Go., of Brockporl;
N. Y., have just closed one of the greatest years
in their history; not merely in the matter of
output but in increased prestige gained through
their agency connections in widely separated sec-
tions of the country. During the past year they
have placed a number of very attractive styles
on the market, which have been conscientiously
made and possessed of a tone quality which has
highly pleased both dealers and purchasers.
The growth of this company, which has been
steady and vigorous, is a tribute to the able
THE UltoCKPOTIT 1'IVNO MIG, CO 'S FACTORY.
administration of Geo. A. Witney, the secretary,
superintendent and general manager. A thor-
oughly practical piano man is Mr. Witney, who
possesses in addition great executive ability as
well as a thorough knowledge of trade require-
ments, and he has been able to supply Capen
pianos in such styles and of such a grade as to
meet the exacting requirements of the most
critical.
From the very earliest days Mr. Witney real-
ized that there was only one way whereby he
could win trade approval and support, and that
was by supplying a piano which would not be
merely satisfactory, but which, by reason of its
intrinsic musical merits, should be its own best
advertisement, and so command support for the
makers and for the dealers handling it. That
he has accomplished all he set out to do is evi-
dent from the great development of the business
of the Brockport Piano Mfg. Co. during the past
year, and the splendid condition in which they
are placed, to enter the great trade battle for
1907.
The plant occupied by this company at Brock-
port, N. Y., is splendidly equipped in every re-
spect, and, as can be seen from the illustration,
is laid out to afford the best of light, air and
pleasing surroundings for those engaged in
manufacturing the Capen piano.
One of the important moves from a local
standpoint in connection with the Capen piano
was the placing of the agency of this instru-
ment with the well-known house of Wm. A. Pond
& Co., for New York City, as reported recently
in The Review. This, however, is only one of
a number of important moves whereby the Capen
is destined to become a more important factor
in the trade in the near future.
"The Record," published by the Farrand Co.,
Detroit, Mich., in its latest issue says: Mr. L.
M. Ide, wtio has occupied the position with us of
sales manager for the past six or seven years,
and who previous to this time was employed in
our office, severs his connection with the Far-
rand Co. on January 1st. He goes to New York
as vice-president and manager of the Laffargue
Co.
Although it is only within the past two years
that we have been manufacturing pianos, yet as
our sales manager in marketing the Cecilian
piano player, as well as the Farrand organs, Mr.
Ide has become acquainted with practically all
of the music dealers in the country and has thus
built up a foundation which will undoubtedly
make him a very valuable acquisition to the Laf-
fargue Co.
The office employes of the Farrand Co. on
the Saturday preceding Christmas, presented Mr.
Ide with a very beautiful set of jewelry, includ-
ing collar buttons, studs and sleeve buttons, as
an expression of the esteem in which he is held
by those who have been closely associated with
him for years past, and as earnest "God-sp&ed"
to him in his new venture.
The Record also wishes to add its heartiest
good wishes, and to express its confidence in
Mr. Ide's ability to fill, with entire satisfaction,
the high position to which he has been called.
TOOK ORGAN WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT.
(Special to The Review.)
Port Huron, Mich., Dec. 31, 1906.
On a charge of embezzling an organ valued at
$40 from the Patterson Music Co., of this city,
John Osborne, residing at St. Clair, was arrested
in Akron, O., last week, and brought here for
trial.
Osborne, it is claimed, bought an organ, valued
at $65 from the music company over a year ago,
and later moved it to Toledo without paying for
ii. Manager Coulter, of the music company,
made the complaint against him.
TO MANUFACTURE PIANOS IN NEW YORK.
De Rivas & Harris, who have been conducting
a piano business on West 116th street, New
York, for some time past have leased a factory at
82 Willow avenue and will begin manufacturing
soon after January 1.
WILL REMOVE TO THE NEW BUILDING.
Both the Cable Piano Co. and Charles M. Stieff
will occupy stores in the new Lowenberg build-
ing now in process of erection on Granby street,
between Brooke avenue and Fazewell street, Nor-
folk, Va. The stores in the building, of which
there are four, will be ready for occupancy early
next year.
Frederickson & Turnell will shortly open a
music store in Enid, Okla.