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12
THE
TRADE ACROSS THE BRIDGE.
Outlook Very Bright—September an Excellent
Month—Optimism
the Rule—Wanamaker
Sale Interests Dealers—How They Regard
the Effect—Sterling Co. Begin Fall Advertis-
ing Campaign—Otto Wissner Home from
Europe—News at the Hall—A Successful
Pease Exhibit—F. G. Smith Home—W. J.
Carkeek a Composer.
(Special to The ltoview.)
Borough o£ Brooklyn, N. Y., Sept. 29, 1908.
The trade outlook in this Borough is brighter
at present than it has been for months. Almost
without exception, the dealers report a very
satisfactory volume of sales during September,
despite almost two weeks of disagreeable
weather. Another feature of the current business
that pleases the piano man, is the large propor-
tion of cash sales, and the absence of "lookers."
In other words, nine out of ten people who come
into the warerooms are on business bent.
Salesmen and managers are now through with
their vacations, and have buckled down to busi-
ness with a will. They are an optimistic lot, and.
by extra hustling, make many sales; sales mean
more optimism, optimism more sales. That is
the secret of the improvement in local trade con-
ditions. Collections are now about normal.
There are now four live piano stores on Liv-
ingston street, from Court street to Flatbush
avenue, namely, Richard B. Tracy, Goetz & Co.,
the Chandler Piano Co., who handle the Kranich
& Bach and Ivers & Bond pianos; the Held Piano
Co., who also handle the Kranich & Bach, and the
Pease Piano Co. branch. Livingston street,
therefore, is keeping step with Fulton.street, in
possessing a piano row. Quite some discussion
has been created in the trade over the Wan-
amaker sale of used pianos, held the first of this
week, it being claimed that over 200 instruments
were sold the first day. While all acknowledge
such a sale hurts the trade of the regular dealer,
some say that each used piano thus sold means
the sale of a new one to replace it before very
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
long, and It is stated with a wise smile that many
people will not go back to Wanamaker's for the
new piano.
The Sterling Piano Co. have inaugurated an
active fall campaign with some aggressive adver-
tising, occupying large space in the New York
and Brooklyn newspapers, and which is bringing
good results.
Otto Wissner returned from a three months'
sojourn in Europe on Tuesday of last week. He
took the baths and he is now in excellent health.
The retail business at Wissner Hall is good, and
the wholesale is also looking up, a carload of
pianos being shipped to Seattle this week. T. H.
Hahn, the Wissner traveler, left on a western
trip to-day and will go as far west as Kansas
City.
The Pease Piano Co. had an elaborate exhibit
at the Mineola Fair, in charge of Manager
Cohen, of the local store. Ten pianos were dis-
posed of during fair week, well covering the
expense attached to the display.
F. G. Smith, Jr., returned from Europe last
Friday, after being fogbound for some time out-
side the harbor. He toured England, Germany
and France, it being a pleasure trip entirely.
Wm. J. Carkeek, the popular dealer who han-
dles the Starr and Hallet & Davis pianos, at 652
Fulton street, is also a composer of music, and
some of his works have reached the happy stage
where they can be classed as "hits." His latest
composition is a march dedicated to the great
globe-encircling fleet and is entitled "The Pride
of Our Country." The melody is decidedly
catchy.
PITTSBURGH SESQUI-CENTENNIAL.
simply bears the firm's name and the word
pianos. The derrick is electrically illuminated
at night.
The various piano houses have been actively
engaged in decorating their stores and arranging
atractive features for the sesqui-centennial
celebration which began on September 2S to last
a week.
STEINWAYS FOR UNIVERSITY.
Edmund Gram, Milwaukee, Wis., recently se-
cured a large order from the University of Wis-
consin, at Madison, for Steinway verte-grand
pianos for the school of music in that institu-
tion.
AMERICAN MANUFACTURES IN LONDON.
Owing to the close business relations of the
United States and Great Britain, and the fact
that no representative exhibit of American prod-
ucts and manufactures has been made in Eng-
land in many years, it is proposed that at the
twentieth annual show of the London Exhibi-
tions (Ltd.) a special effort will be made to
show the rapid progress of the United States in-
dustrially. The entire space in buildings and
grounds in Earl's Court has been set apart for
that purpose, and a fine exhibit is expected.
H. TRACY BALCOM CO. EXPANSION.
The H. Tracy Balcom Co., agents for the
Aeolian Co.'s line in Buffalo, N. Y., have taken
the store next their old quarters on Main street
and rearranged and redecorated both old and new
stores. The main wareroom is finished in white
enamel and in the back of it an enlarged recital
ball has been fitted up and equipped with a
handsome Aeolian pipe organ. The new addition
has been equipped with a number of sound-
proof rooms for the different instruments, each
room being decorated in a different style.
The S. Hamilton Co., Pittsburg, Pa., have
created quite a sensation in that city by having
an oil derrick erected at the junction of Sixth,
Grant and Webster streets. Though the derrick
appears to be in operation there is no boring
going on, though many people declared that the
R. Harvey Reid will shortly open piano ware-
piano house had struck oil in the heart of the
city. A fence around the base of the derrick rooms in Paris, 111.
Unexcelled in Tone Quality
Hence the BECK & MILLER
UPRIGHT PIANO fulfills the
want of the Musical World.
Consistent in price. It's profit-
able to handle. Up-to-date in
design, construction and finish.
We guarantee that our Sound-
ing boards will not crack under
any extremes of temperature.
Inspection solicited.
BECK & MILLER, Mfrs.
(Established 1856)
Factory and Salesrooms,
STYLE B.—Cabinet Grand, 7 1-3 Octave. Ivory keys, three strings, unison
throughout; over-strung bass; half copper, full iron plate; bronzed throughout
Case in Mahogany, Double Veneered.
Extra Smooth Finish, Rich Color
Length, 5 feet 2 L i> inches; depth, 2 feet.
height, 4 feet 7 inches
inch?
501-503 West 44th St., New York