Music Trade Review

Issue: 1907 Vol. 44 N. 12

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
flUJIC TFADE
VOL. XLIV. No. 1 2 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at J MadisonAve., New York, March 23, 1907
OPENING OF EILERS NEW STORE.
The Palatial Establishment Dedicated to Music
and Art in Portland, Ore.—Everyone De-
lighted With the New Quarters—Splendid
Programmes of Music Heard in the Different
Departments—Closing With a Grand Concert
on Friday Night.
(Special to The Review.)
Portland, Ore., March 15, 1907.
The formal opening of the Eilers Piano House,
at the corner of Washington and Park streets,
this city, which occurred yesterday and to-day,
was an event of unusual moment. Like every-
thing Eilers does, the affair was splendidly
managed, and all who attended, which, by the
way, included the leading musicians and the elite
of the city, were most delighted, not only with
the musical programme, but with the beauty of
the new quarters. There was always "some-
thing happening" in the different departments.
In the main hall were recitals on the pipe or-
gan as well as on the Welte artistic self-playing
piano, such eminent artists being heard as
Paderewski, Hofmann, Hambourg, de Pachmann,
Leschetizky, Busoni, Dr. Richard Strauss,
through the medium of this instrument. In the
electric piano department there were impromptu
recitals on the Peerless self-playing piano, and
also the Regina Sublima piano. In the pianola
piano department the $3,500 solo orchestrelle
was heard to great advantage as well as the The-
modist pianola piano, and the pianola piano
itself.
In the old violin department there was a mag-
nificent display of rare and costly instruments,
and a very interesting programme played by
Story's Orchestra. On the second floor balcony
there were also organ recitals, such instruments
being used as the Vocalion, Kimball, Crown,
tturdett and Clough &" Warren two-manual reed
organ. In the talking machine department there
was a continuous programme on both days, grand
opera artists being heard through the medium of
the Victor Victrola and the Columbia talking
machines. At intervals in the various depart-
ments during both days the Welte Orchestrion
was heard in a very interesting programme. On
this Friday evening a grand concert is being
given in the recital hall, the following well-
known artists appearing in a most delightful
programme: Miss Kathleen Lawler, soprano;
Mrs. Walter Reed, contralo; Mr. Arthur L. Alex-
ander, tenor; Mr. J. W. Belcher, tenor; Mr. Dom
Zan, baritone; Mr. W. A. Montgomery, basso,
and Mr. F. W. Goodrich, organist.
The new Eilers quarters are most elaborately
furnished and decorated, and form one of the
most imposing emporiums devoted to musical in-
struments in the West. The various departments
are admirably laid out for the convenience of
visitors, and the new Eilers home has a feeling
of comfort and luxury that is most delightful,
and a fitting environment for the beautiful line
of instruments which they are displaying in the
main showroom and throughout the building.
Henry Eilers came over from San Francisco
for the opening, and he was accompanied by
Messrs. C. M. Tremaine and J. A. Coffin, who rep-
resent the Aeolian Co., of New York. There
SrNGLE COl'IES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
grands. Style 8 and 18 player-pianos and
style 9 small grand are having a wonderful
vogue. The fact is these various styles are par-
ticular favorites with discriminating dealers
everywhere, and they are being pushed to the
utmost to supply the requirements of the trade.
PROTECTING CASE DESIGNS.
P. F. Campbell, secretary of the Lauter Co.,
Difficulty in Securing Protection Under Present
said to-day that if trade requirements continued
Laws—What the British Board of Trade Has
as rosy as they have been, and as appearances
Suggested in This Connection.
indicate, March and April will be decidedly the
largest months in the Lauter factory output, bet-
Every piano manufacturer realizes the annoy- ter even than the very large trade of last fall.
ance and actual loss he often suffers through hav- "This is especially gratifying to us," said Mr.
ing his case designs copied, or rather stolen, and Campbell, "in view of tne fact that the heavy
the difficulty in prosecuting the offenders. In winter weather in all parts of the country has
many cases only the idea itself is stolen and undoubtedly greatly retarded retail business."
worked over, so that while it is not exactly like There are now on the books orders to be shipped
the original, it is sufficiently similar to cause West and Northwest as soon as dealers decide
confusion, which is obviously the intention of that the season is open enough to warrant de-
those who adopt it. Of course a design may be livery.
Many new and important agencies have lately
patented for a number of years, but as it only
covers that particular design exclusively, and if been arranged. Among these are the Eilers
a copy is changed so it merely resembles the Music House, San Francisco, Cai.; Samuel Me-
original, no matter to what degree, the legitimate gurr & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., and Remsberg
manufacturer has a hard time to prove his Bros., Santa Ana, Cal. The company is greatly
pleased at the marked expressions of apprecia-
claim to priority.
Then suppose a special design is very success- tion of the high quality of the Lauter products
ful. The patent runs out and the design may that are being received from practically all of
be copied exactly and with impunity, thus taking their newer agents. As Mr. Campbell stated it,
from the originator what is rightful profit. To "we lead dealers to expect much in the way of
overcome the last named difficulty, the British quality in the Lauter goods. It is very pleas-
Board of Trade are considering various repre- ant to know that they are invariably more than
sentations for amending the law regarding the pleased at the particularly high character of our
copyrighting of designs. One recommendation products."
Recent visitors to the factory include Mr. Will-
was that no general right of inspection of regis-
tered designs should be conferred on the public. iam Meiklejohn, of Pawtucket, R. I.; Mr. F. W.
Further, it was stated that in the majority of Kluppelberg, of Hackettstown, N. J., and Mr. C.
cases the present duration of copyright, viz., five W. Edwards, Reading, Pa.
The Lauter grand continues to be in great de-
years, appeared to be sufficient, although there
appeared to be a demand for more elasticity in mand at concerts throughout New Jersey. This
this respect; that the right to renewal for a fur- instrument is making a splendid reputation for
ther period of five years would in some cases be itself as a piano for highest class concert re-
an advantage in the metal trade, where designs quirements.
President Charles E. Cameron has found Pine-
are not so much things of fashion, as in some
other trades; that as an alternative the initial hurst and the golf course so alluring that he will
term of copyright might be fixed at four years, probably prolong his stay at this famous South-
with the right to en tend to six years; that as a ern resort until the middle of next month. He
further alternative the German law might be fol- has met many representative Southern piano
lowed, by which the owner of a design would men while In the South.
Charles A. Borst, the Lauter wholesale trav-
have the choice of several periods, viz., one to
three years, three to ten years, and ten to fifteen eling representative, is now in New England.
years. It was urged that the law should be His trip will continue for two or three weeks
amended and strengthened so as to require the longer. Mr. Borst is taking very many orders
use in manufacture in this country of any design on his journey, and reports the Lauter agents
registered here and used in manufacture in a everywhere as highly enthusiastic over the fine
quality of the Lauter goods.
foreign country.
Several new styles of upright pianos are un-
der way at the factory. These, however, will
MANY NEW LAUTER AGENTS
not be ready before the early fall. One of these
Recently Appointed—Increasing Demand for
that has already been decided on is style 27
Lauter Player-Pianos—Lauter Grands in
(large size) upright. It is strikingly handsome,
Concert Use—Situation Is in Every Respect
and uas some novel architectural features, which
Satisfactory—Looks Like Big Lauter Year.
are in keeping with the quietf dignity that has
characterized the Lauter styles heretofore.
were also many visitors from other points, all of
whom were most cordial in their felicitations to
Mr. Eilers and his manager over their great ac-
complishments.
(Special to The Review.)
Newark, N. J., March 20, 1907.
Business is rushing in the Lauter factory here.
There has been a very active demand of late for
air styles. Large shipments have been made to
various points during the past week, and in these
were always included player-pianos and small
Charles Jacob, of Jacob Bros., is one of the
trustees of the Eastern District Savings Bank,
Broadway and Gates avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y.,
which held a reception on Wednesday afternoon,
March 20, in honor of the opening of their new
bank building.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
TH
MUSIC TRADE
MEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
^. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GBO. B. KJDUJER.
W. N. TYLER.
F. H. THOMPSON.
EMILIB FKANCSI BAOBI.
L. E. BOWERS. B. BRITTAIN WILSON, WM. B. WHITH. L. J. CHAMBKRLIN. A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. YAN HABLINOEN, 185-187 WubMb Are.
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CHAS. N. VAN BURBN.
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BALTIMORE, MD.: TAUL T. LOCKWOOD.
LONDON, ENGLAND:
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W. Lionel Sturdy, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (Including postage), United State*, 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 dl*count la allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, 575.00.
REMITTANCES, In other tban currency form, should be made payable to Bdward
lyumn BID.
Directory ol Piano
The directory of piano manufacturing nrms and corporation*
'
~ "
found
on another
page will be of great value, as a reference
for
dealers
and others
Manufacturers
- • •
- ••
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
it .and Prim
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver M edal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal..St. Louis Exposition, 1804
Gold Medal.LewIs-Clark Exposition. 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE—NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
Cable address: "ElbHl N e w York."
NEW YORK,
MARCH 23, 1907
EDITORIAL
O
NE of these periodical slumps for which Wall street is noted
occurred again last week, and as a result some of the so-
called authorities in the financial world have been painting the future
in indigo-hued tints. Meanwhile, the country still lives. Business is
active, and is being conducted on a more conservative credit basis
than for many years; the outlook in the agricultural sections is all
that could be desired, and as far as the piano situation is concerned,
it would seem as if the output of pianos at retail this year will equal
if not surpass any of its predecessors. Because a coterie of Wall
street buccaneers decide to depress or advance stocks is no reason
why the sane, sober, business element of the country should be
affected—outside of the usual injury which such tactics do to the
monetary situation. This is the time to give a black eye to the
prophets of disaster. It is the time to cultivate optimism—not
optimism based upon incorrect foundations, but rather the optimism
that is only deducible from a careful study of general business con-
ditions, and the financial health of the nation. There should be some
law to jail those men in and outside of Wall street who act like the
highway robbers of old. Whenever they choose they come together
and decide to make some extra money, and then, putting a pistol to
the public's head, set about depressing values. While these values
are all on paper, yet immense injury is done to the substantial busi-
ness interests of the country by such tactics, for it makes money
dearer and clogs, in a measure, the wheels of commerce.
T
HE man who builds up a great and successful business and
makes his trade-mark an asset expects and deserves the pro-
tection of the trade and of his customers. This protection is as
valuable to his customers as it is to him. If they buy his wares, they
know they are getting the worth of their money; they are getting
what they asked for, and what they wanted. If they buy a sub-
stitute they not only cheat him, but they do not get what they
desired, and they have absolutely no recourse if they are swindled.
One argument used by the substitution dealer is that he saves the
cost of advertising, which a standard article pays. This is all
tommy-rot. The man who has a trade-mark asset should be pro-
REVIEW
tected by the legitimate trade. He is doing a benefit to the industry
wherein his activities lie, and in the piano trade every manufacturer
who has created out of his name a valuable trade-mark should be
protected by every other manufacturer.
S
OME dealers, having secured the agency for certain other pianos
which closely resemble some of the great names, have endeav-
ored to confuse the public mind to such an extent that they can
substitute the imitation for the genuine. Whenever this course is
adopted in any city, the opposing dealers should do everything in
their power to crush out the substitution man. It is the great names
in the piano trade that dignify the industry; if it were not so, why
would a dealer emblazon his windows with gold lettering announc-
ing that he has the agency for some well-known pianos? He does
it because he knows that the passersby are sufficiently well posted
to recognize those names as representing standards of piano value.
They feel that upon entering the stores where such names are
flaunted they can secure those instruments, and they know they are
worth the prices asked for them—but here is where the substitution
dealer gets in his fine work. He lias a piano which he offers as a
"just-as-good," and the gap is wide in price—$ioo or $200 perhaps
—between his cheap piano and the standard instrument which the
customer came in thinking to buy. Some dealers hold the standard
make purely as a bait, as a drawing power, and when they get the
customers in their warerooms they use their powers of persuasion
to sell them something else.
*
I
F this plan were not pursued systematically there would be a
better trade for some of the first-class pianos in particular
localities. We know a case recently where a dealer had held the
agency for a well-known piano for several years. His trade, instead
of growing better, had steadily declined. The manufacturer found
upon investigation that he was substituting a cheaper piano for
his own, and at the same time the standard piano gave his establish-
ment character and dignity. We may as well take off our hats to
the great names of the industry and respect them. They deserve
it. They have helped to make the piano trade what it is, and do
not let us attempt to pull them down in the mud. There must
always be a line of demarcation between the standard articles and
those of intermediate grade. Then why not admit it and be honest
with ourselves and with the people who come in to buy pianos,
thinking that they will get square treatment in the warerooms?
N
OVELTIES in advertising are at all times interesting, and
now that the souvenir postal card craze has grown to such
an enormous extent in this country, why should not piano manu-
facturers utilize it especially to advertise their own product ? A
most attractive series of cards could be evolved, showing factories,
factory views, wareroom views and special kinds of pianos in colors.
Take such a great corporation as the Kimball Co. What an inter-
esting series of postal cards in colors they could work up, showing
views of their factories and warerooms, and how useful dealers
would find them. We put this out as a suggestion, and we believe
it could be adopted with excellent results by some of the piano manu-
facturing concerns. The postals would go into the homes of thou-
sands of people, where they would be shown and viewed with con-
siderable interest for a long time. It would be in a way permanent
advertising.
T
HE best way to disappoint a customer is to see that he gets
more for his money than he expected. The good effect of
the publicity thus secured gratuitously it would be difficult to esti-
mate. Wise piano men, please take notice.
T
HE influence which this journal occupies outside of purely piano
circles is infinitely greater than a paper devoted exclusively
to one line, appealing as it does to dealers who handle pianos and
organs, sheet music, small goods, talking machines and everything
which goes to make up a well-equipped music store.
It is of more value to the dealer than a paper which does not
contain such varied information, and it has as well greater value
for the advertiser. When we commenced a special talking machine
department some years ago that industry was young, and it has
been frequently said in trade circles that we "discovered it." We
at least saw its possibilities, and at once began to encourage trade

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