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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
Business Has Settled Down to Its Summer Status—Collections Better and Outlook Generally Is
Improving Steadily—An Attractive Estey Window Novelty—Opening fcr High Class In-
struments in Philadelphia Discussed—Some New Heppe Styles Coming Through—Reducing
Salaries of Employes—Herzberg Enjoying an Excellent Business—Henry Miller Married—
Vincent Closes Branch Store.
this Fall, and that the Mission Piano has almost
(Special to The Review.)
entirely gone out, except for certain purposes
Philadelphia, Pa., June 30, 1908.
Business has settled down to its Summer in furnishing.
status. Very little advertising is being done and
John G. Stratton took his family to Ocean
the dealers are expecting little for the remaining City for the Summer several weeks ago, and they
few months until Fall, but they are very hopeful are now occupying their handsome cottage at
that by Fall business conditions will have entire- that resort.
ly settled themselves, for already they show en-
It came to light the past week that one of the
couraging signs of doing so. Collections during biggest and most substantial of the Philadelphia
June have shown very much of an improvement, piano houses had reduced the salaries of their
indicating that work is resuming in various di- employees, from the big men down, twenty per
rections. It was necessary to reclaim but very cent. It shows the trend of affairs when such a
few pianos in June, the dealers tell me, and they house makes a reduction like that.
hope that the worst is over, and are trying their
The Henry F. Miller Co. report that June has
best to forget the first six months of 1908.
been dull with them, aside from the brisk busi-
The Bstey Co. have one of the most interesting ness in renting. This is the first month of the
advertising novelties in their window at present year of which they have had any fault to find,
that has been used to attract attention to a piano which is a thing that many of the other houses
house in a long time. It is a clock of glass, with cannot say.
metal hands, which move by some mysterious
There is undoubtedly a great dissatisfaction
means, but which move accurately and always among piano salesmen, particularly a t the de-
on time. They are offering various prizes in the partment stores, as I have never known a time
way of part payment on pianos to persons who within the past ten years that so many of the
will solve the solution of the moving hands most men have been desiring or inviting a change.
nearly. TiLere are always half a dozen or more
Gustave Herzberg & Son are in rather an
people in front of the window, and every mail enviable position under present conditions, for
is bringing in quite a number of answers.
being established so many years, and enjoying
I met Charles E. Doddridge, formerly the such a fine exclusive business, they have been
Philadelphia representative of the Baldwin piano able, with the Kranich & Bach and the Mehlin,
in Philadelphia, this week, and while at present when other firms have been dull, to find many
he is selling stocks, he expects to be again in the friends of those pianos desiring to exchange for
piano business here by Fall. Mr. Doddridge will new ones or recommending the pianos to their
only accept a proposition to handle a first-class friends who desire to purchase. Rents are small
instrument, and would like to get hold of one in the Herzberg location and if Philadelphia
or half a dozen first-class instruments^ now rep- would have to go through many panics such as
resented in Philadelphia, but not in a satisfactory they have just gone through, there would no
way, no doubt, to the manufacturer. It seems doubt be other merchants looking for cheaper
rather unfortunate that there should be a num- quarters. In fact, I heard this week of one of
ber of pianos of the first rank which cannot find the largest piano houses in the regular piano
a suitable home in as big a city as Philadelphia, section looking in the Herzberg and Allen neigh-
but this is due more to the deplorable way in
borhood to find a suitable piano wareroom.
which so many Philadelphia firms believe in
The new coat of paint has very much improved
having these big names to draw customers to
the appearance of the Cunningham House, which
their stores, and then try to sell customers an
looks mighty attractive in its new dressing of
inferior instrument because there is more money
drab.
in such a sale.
The Philadelphia manufacturers are moving
It is not unlikely that some of these manu- along at present with an activity that would
facturers will make an effort in the Fall to betoken much better times. As one of them said
find more profitable quarters, and there are sure- to me this week: "If retail business in Phila-
ly a number of excellent salesmen here who delphia would be half as good as our wholesale
would be only too glad to accept any reasonable business we would have no cause for complaint.
proposition. As Mr. Doddridge, in speaking on I do not mean to say we are selling all the
the subject, says: "There can be no loss to a pianos we are making, but we are doing a good,
manufacturer in making such a proposition to a profitable wholesale business, and are getting in
salesman, for not one of the salesmen but would splendid shape for the fall, when we feel that
be willing to take charge of the selling of a we will have a demand for all the instruments
piano on terms that the agreement would be
we can possibly have on hand.
void if his business did not show a reasonable
Howard Vincent, the piano dealer of 834-840
profit."
North Sixth street, has closed his branch store
John W. Irvin, advertising manager of the at 1825 Ridge avenue, conducted under the name
Heppe House, has been at home for a week ill.
of the Penn Piano Co., which was established
C. J. Heppe & Sons report that in certain sec- about a year ago. Norman B. McLaughlin, the
tions they have found business quite satisfactory, manager, has gone with the Cunningham Piano
but the city trade during June has been dull
Co.
They have splendid prospects ahead for their
Henry Miller, secretary of the Lester Piano
Auto Manual, and are getting out weekly ship- Co., was quietly married on June 20 to Mrs.
ments now, and they have quite a number of cr- Mary V. Sayre, and is at present on a honey-
ders ahead for Fall delivery. The action was
moon to parts unknown.
very favorably commented upon a t the recent
exhibition in New York, and it has brought to
CONGRATULATIONS.
the house many orders for its installation. Al-
bert Krell was a visitor at the Heppe House this
Claude B. Barnes, for several years in charge
week. The firm have very much improved the
Auto Manual in the past six months, having got- of the typographical makeup of The Review, was
ten out quite a number of new and novel fea- married last Monday to Miss Blanche Cornelia
tures. They have also a number of the new Robinson, an accomplished young lady of charm-
style Heppe, Style 49, coming through at the ing presence. The ceremony was performed at
factory, and they expect this style to sell very the Church of St. Mary, Clifton, Staten Island,
well next season. It Is going to be Colonial in the happy couple leaving immediately on a short
style, as the Heppes. like many of the other honeymoon. The staff of The Review extends
Philadelphia firmB, are finding that the plain congratulations, and wish Mr. and Mrs, Barney
panel Colonial is going to be the piano demanded.
many years of unalloyed happiness,
ENRICO CARUSO
Copyright Tylar
"Congratulating you upon producing the most
artistic so-called 'player-piano.' "
Most cordially yours,
ARTIST
ENRICO CARUSO.
riooet.
&
Combined 8 8 6 5 l o t e
Has inspired the most remarkable expres-
sions of opinion that have ever been written
about a musical instrument.
STYLE B.
Autographed fac-similes of these in-
teresting documents from the following
WORLD'S GREATEST ARTISTS
(Together with portraits)
will be sent on request:
Ancona
Bassi
Bonci
Calve
Campanini
Caruso
Cavalieri
Chaliapine
Dalmores
I)e Cisneros
Dufranne
Ferrari
Gerville-Reachc
Gilibert
Join el li
Martin
I'langon
kenaud
Kuss
Sammarco
Scotti
Stracciari
Tctrazzini
Van Rooy
Zenatello
Zeppilli
An instrument so perfect in itself and with
such overwhelming artistic backing is easy
to sell.
It will be to your best interests to write
for copies of these endorsements and find
out about open territory.
HARDMAN.PECK&CO.
Established 1842.
Fifth Avenue, New York
"// is marvelous with zvliat precision the Autotonc
surmounts the most intricate and brilliant passages.
And how, witty all this technical precision, it is yet
so responsive to .every varying mood of the per-
former, due to the 'Accentor,' the most remarkable
invention of the day."
LINA CAVALIERI.
MME. LINA CAVALIEPJ
Oopyrlght A. Oupont