Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1908 Vol. 46 N. 12

mm
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
V O L . X L V I . N o . 1 2 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at I Madison Ave., New York, March 2 1 , 1908,
"RENT" APPLIES ON PURCHASE
Of Pianos Says Justice Rogers in Hard Fought
Case Just Decided in Watertown, the Lien
Law Notwithstanding.
(Special to The Uuview.)
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
bly reply that they have made a special study of
export packing, and therefore know that their
packing is all right. This, however, is very poor
solace for unsalable merchandise.
"At risk of repetition, I am making a few
vital suggestions as to packing for shipment to
Chile:
"First, the cases must be made of strong,
tough, first-quality lumber, well designed and
THE "GADSKI"]STEINWAY GRAND
thoroughly bound, preferably with strips of wood.
Sent to Louisville in Honor of the Smith &
"Second, everything must be packed so that
Nixon Opening—Used for Mme. Gadski's
there cannot be the slightest motion in the con-
Concert—Delighted With the Instrument.
tents of the case.
"Third, care must be. exercised to avoid narrow
One of the chief features of the opening of the braces across a varnished or finished surface,
new Smith & Nixon Co. Louisville (Ky.) store as the heat in the passage through the tropics in-
was the display of the "Gadski" Steinway grand, variably 'does the rest.'
around which hangs an interesting story. The
"Fourth, the fact must always be borne in
instrument was made especially for the Smith mind that customs duties in Chili are assessed
& Nixon Co. to commemorate the occasion of
on gross weight, so that ca: es must be made not
their opening, and it arrived in Louisville just a only strong, but as light as is possible, as every
day before Mme. Gadski was to give a song recital pound of packing pays duty.
at Macauley's in that city. The managers of
"Fifth, the harbor facilities on this coast are
the piano company tendered the use of the new very poor, and at almost every port goods are
instrument to the artist, explaining the circum- taken ashore in lighters while the sea is usually
stances, and she gladly accepted their offer. anything but smooth. Cases should be con-
When the recital was finished Mme. Gadski was structed with the idea that they probably will be
unstinting in her praise of the piano and much dropped ten feet, which is often the case.
elated over the fact that she had been the fiivst to
"Although it is practically impossible to make
use the instrument in public—to be its sponsor, a case to withstand and conform to all of the
as it were. Mme. Gadski insisted on placing her foregoing conditions, still it is absolutely neces-
autograph on the iron plate of the piano, where sary to work for improvements in packing if
it. remains as a novel testimonial to the quali- goods are to arrive in a salable condition."
ties of the instrument, to say nothing of its
sentimental value.
strings entirely or are doing their trading in
their home towns. The latter would be the com-
mendable action, for if home industries ever
needed earnest support it has been within the
last few months, and well supported and success
ful business enterprises tend to assure the pros-
perity of any town or city.
Watertown, N. Y., March 16, 1908.
A decision in the much discussed case oi!
Charles Schuyler against A. B. Markwick, which
was up for trial last term, and which was taken
from the jury on the ground that questions of
law only were involved, has just been handed
down' by Justice Rogers in favor of the defend-
ant. The action grew out of the sale of a
Kingsbury piano by the plaintiff to the de
fendant on the instalment plan, the contract
providing that the title to the property should
remain in the name of the plaintiff until the de
fendant had paid the sum of $240 and interest,
and in case the plaintiff should take back the
piano the defendant was "to allow $5.00 per
month as rent" from the day of delivery to the
time of retaking, together with the expense of
insurance and the expense of moving, it. The
defendant had paid $101 when the plaintiff took
the property.
Justice Rogers, in his decision, s-'ays in part:
"It seems to me therefore that whatever was
paid should be regarded as a payment properly
applied to the purchase price, notwithstanding
the word 'rent' was used. If the plaintiff is to
prevail in this action, he will have started out
with a piano valued at $240 on which he has
been paid already $101, and on account of which
he now asks $134 additional, besides $10 for the
BAD PACKINGJO BLAME
retaking, in all $245. The law now seems to
be settled that a party may not both have as
property and recover upon the obligation for For the Poor Condition in Which American
Goods Reach Their Destination—Give False
payment entered into at the time of the condi-
Idea of Their Merits—Some Valuable Sug-
tional sale, and this without regard to the
gestions.
statute to which reference has been made."
(Lien law.) "It follows that the complaint must
One of the chief complaints made by mer-
be dismissed with costs."
chants of other countries against the goods they
import from the United States is the insecure
PEOPLE BUYING AT HOME.
and often decidedly careless manner in which
they are packed. In this connection. Consul Rea
Mail Order Houses Experience Quite a Falling
Hanna of Iquique, Chili, has the following to say:
Off in Orders While Other Businesses Are
"Although the packing is better than formerly,
Broadening Out—People Must be Buying at
there is still great improvement necessary. The
Home Instead of Through Mail Order Houses
packing cases are as a rule made of whitewood,
—A Move That Will be Welcomed by Local
which is very brittle and full of knots, and in
Merchants.
almost every instance is broken more or less in
According to all reports, the great Chicago transit. As an example, some expensive musical
mail order houses are experiencing a heavy fall- instruments came in cases which showed bad
ing off in orders, and within the last few months cabinet-making, as each one was broken in two
Ihey have found it necessary to dispense with particular joints, which had fitted, of course, but
K large proportion of their employes. Moreover, which had no strength. Some furniture which
while in many other lines of trade a decided im- arrived recently was in very bad shape, and al-
provement in business has been noted, in the most all had to be repaired more or less. Even
mail order business the depression continues roll-top desks and office furniture imported by a
unabated. The number of letters received daily local firm are always sent to the repair shop
has dropped from thousands down to hundreds, as a part of the routine.
and instead of being far behind in their work
"I saw some expensive and highly finished cab-
the correspondents now have considerable leisure inets which came with the shelves and drawers
time, a fact which seems to place their jobs on a inside entirely unpacked, so that the brass knobs
rather shaky foundation. It is a question in had ruined the inside of the doors of the cab-
many minds whether the regular patrons of the inets. The importers state that it is useless to
mail order concerns have drawn in their purse complain to the manufacturers, as they invaria-
LINDEMAN & SONS' NEW FACTORY.
Lease
Fine Factory on W. 24th Street
Retail Quarters on 23d Street.
and
Lindeman & Sons, the well-known piano man-
ufacturers, whose factory and warerooms have
been located at 548-550 West 23d street for a
number of years past, early this week closed a
lease of the five-story factory at Nos. 130 to 134
West 24th street, together with the connecting
store and basement, No. 127 West 23d street.
They will keep the 23d street end as a sales-
room and the 24th street building as a factory.
This gives Lindeman & Sons splendid quarters
both for their manufacture and retail businesses,
both of which have been steadily developing
within recent years. The Lindeman piano, which
is well and favorably known throughout the
country for its high character, has a splendid
following in New York city and the retail trade
in these instruments is steadily growing. Pos-
session will be taken of the new premises on
May" 1.
GLOVER & BUMP CO. INCORPORATE.
The Glover & Bump Piano Co., of Yonkers,
was incorporated with the Secretary of the
State of New York on Monday, with a capital
stock of $10,000. Directors: A. Glover, Hannah
S. Glover and John C. Bump, all of Yonkers.
The Pacific Piano & Manufacturing Co. have
opened a store in Pasadena, Cal., and announce
that they will carry only pianos in mission cases.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE. REVIEW
RMLW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
GEO. B. KEI.I.ER,
L. E. HOWEUS,
W. II. D I K E S ,
F. H. THOMPSON.
J. HAYDEN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. J. CHAMHERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. V. VAN IIAIU.INUEN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TKI.KI-HONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8643.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
BOSTON OFFICE:
EnNEST L. WAITT, 278A Tremont St.
PHILADELPHIA:
K. W. KAUFF.MAN.
AiiOi.K KDSTIIN.
CHAS. N. VAN BURBN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. II. GUAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI, O.: NINA PITCH-SMITH.
BALTIMORE. MD.: A. ROKKRT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: (iiHtasinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
he must do it in an up-to-date manner, and if he permits his ware-
rooms to become denuded of stock, it immediately has a repellant
effect upan trade. Customers like to enter bright, attractive ware-
rooms, and there is nothing which assists in sales-making more than
a bright, fresh stock of pianos with a smart environment. If stocks
are run too low, it gives the rooms a dilapidated appearance, and
does not impress the customer. We advise piano merchants of the
country not to go to any extreme in curtailing purchases; it does
not pay to over-stock, but there is business which should be secured,
and plenty of orders should be placed so' that bright new stock is
constantly coming into the warerooms. Again the fact that people in
the smaller cities see Messrs. Hustle & Pleasem receiving fresh piano
stock frequently, helps their trade. Passers by note the boxes on
the sidewalk in front of their do"or, they figure that the proprietors
must be hustlers, that their establishment is up-to-date, and the very
fact that they are receiving stock frequently helps to develop the
purchasing fever. The business situation of 1908 should be faced
intelligently, and piano men should be careful not to run too short
of stock.
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 and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
t';ni;nl;i. .<:'..:>n ; ;ill 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, $00.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in, other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
I-yman Hill.
Music Publishers'
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
Department *»• ^» ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand I'rix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma. Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. . . .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW
YORK,
MARCH
21, 1908
EDITORIAL
HERE is no mistaking the fact that business is showing steady
improvement. Our reports from every section of the country
indicate a decided betterment of trade, and it is most gratifying to
record the optimistic expressions anent trade which are steadily
coming in to 1 us. It is a mighty good thing to have business bracing
up, because running expenses are g°ing on all of the time, and there
are certain fixed expenditures that cannot be changed, therefore
the profits of the year will be materially lessened on account of
reduced output and a non-reduction in running expenses.
It should be understood in such times as these that every
avenue through which trade can be procured must be kept open,
and the man who does not follow a progressive policy and does less
advertising than formerly will unquestionably find that his economy
is expensive in the end, for the man who makes the greatest effort
in an intelligent manner will reap the greatest business harvest.
Tt does not pay to* scatter the seed too sparingly else the reaping
will not be worth the while.
T
T
HAT there is a disposition on the part of the daily papers to
treat special lines of industry in a broader manner than for-
merly is obvious. Time was when the name of a piano which was
used by great artists on the concert platform was religiously ex-
cluded from the critic's report. There seemed to be an unwritten
law among publishers that no notice should be given to the piano
which was the medium that enabled the artist to accomplish these
wonderful results which captivated the musical public. It would
be commercial, of course, to mention the name of a piano, but it
would be quite the thing to work in the name of the automobile
manufacturer as frequently as the reporter desired. The name of
the piano, however, must be carefully expunged, because to mention
it would savor of commercialism, and, of course, the daily papers
are not run for revenue, but for the purpose of enlightenment.
Columns must be given to dog fights and divorce courts, but not a
line to mention the name of a man who created a wonderful piece
of mechanism which enabled the player to portray every mood—
every varying human passion—every emotion. One was necessary
for the public education, the other must be carefully secreted lest
some one would know who made the piano, and that would be
vulgar advertising which would not be tolerated for a moment.
H
APPILY, however, some of the conductors of the daily papers
are beginning to realize the injustice which has been done
piano manufacturers by excluding their names. They have never
hesitated in bygone days to take their dollars, and they never have
extended to them the courtesy of mentioning their name in report-
ing a musical event. However, twentieth century sunshine is light-
ing up a number of corners which have hitherto been in darkness,
and now the conductors of some newspapers like the trust monopo-
lists are beginning to see things in a different light.
During the past year we have noted that a number of leading
publications have departed from their set rules to such an extent
that they have mentioned the names of certain pianos, and in New
York last week The Evening Mail devoted an entire page to the
portrayal of piano making as an art. A number of illustrations of
Weber pianos were shown in conjunction with the article. These
were reproduced in last week's Review, and it should be under-
stood that this did not appear as advertising matter, and we are
glad to give the fullest credit to a New York paper which exhibits
such fair treatment in dealing with the advance which a special
industry has made in the domain of art. Piano making is an art,
and the more the general public is impressed with that belief the
better it is for manufacturers and dealers everywhere.
HERE are, of course, abundant reasons why caution should be
exercised in directing business enterprises. It is not the time
for reckless expenditures, and it is furthermore conceded that pur-
chases along special lines should be curtailed, but there is an ex-
treme point of conservatism that it will not pay to reach in these
times, and every merchant and every manufacturer should see to
it that he doesn't go too far in the direction of cautionary measures.
Remember a starved body results in a decline of health, and even-
HE success or failure of many a retail establishment depends
tually death, and a starved stock results in the decline of trade
very much upon the tact and politeness on the part of sales-
and sometimes in disaster. It does not pay to permit stocks to run
men
who
greet customers. Tf the managers of stores of every kind
too low. There are a good many piano merchants who in their
realize
how
many dollars are lost annually by the tactless manner
endeavors to keep stock down are prone to go to the other extreme
of
employes
in the various departments, there would be classes
of under-buying. Frequently for no reason other than the
established
at
once to teach this most important branch to their
general one that stocks must be reduced they cut already conserva-
salesmen before they admitted them behind the counter or on the
tive orders in half, or veto them altogether. Now such a course
floor. There is no doubt a great many people who come in to shop
for a healthy business is neither wise nor profitable.
around may be impatient, unreasonable and ill-mannered. The
F a merchant, whether engaged in selling pianos, musical mer-
salesman may be a refined gentleman, but which is the one who will
chandise, or other special lines, is going to cater to the public,
bring the money into the store ? The salesman is employed to serve
T
T
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