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THE MUSIC TRADE
Business Outlook Excellent—Dealers Preparing for Heavy Holiday Trade—Frank Conly, Estey
Salesman, Wins Praise as Opera Singer—Good Heppe Report—Shewed Does Good Adver-
tising for H. F. Miller Co.—Some Unique Advertising Done by Other Houses—The Cunning-
ham "Roll of Honor"—Four Lester Pianos for Handsome New Y. M. C. A. Building.
less Cunningham" music rolls did not forget.
Their Royal Highnesses, the children, whose
home is never dull since the coming of the
"Matchless Cunningham Player-Piano."
These are the royalty that have honored the
"Matchless Cunningham Player-Piano"—the great-
est royalty of the world.
And we are prepared to prove to you. that
every purchaser of one of these peerless com-
binations acted wisely.
And in so doing we will demonstrate to you
that point for point our player-piano is the
greatest in artistic possibilities, most perfect in
construction and the most simple to operate of
any in the market to-day.
The price, $750 and $900, according to size and
style.
We have equipped our Girard with the same
playing device. $600.
Cash or monthly instalments, as you wish.
A few used player-pianos greatly underpriced.
(Special to The Review.)
house, has been doing some unique advertising
which has attracted considerable attention. In-
Philadelphia, Pa., November 10, 1908.
.;. Like all other lines of business, since the ex- stead of running the usual advertising card of
t ftitement of election is- over the Philadelphia his house, he is distributing through the papers
piano trade has shown a marked improvement. little ads. giving comments of noted Philadelphia
. There is evidence of this everywhere. It has musicians on the merits of the Miller, these com-
been some time since the manufacturers have ments being originally prepared for the Phila-
felt the hard times, but the spirit that present delphia Orchestra program.
On the subject of advertising, a number of
conditions has infused into the retail business
' has encouraged the dealers very much, and thoy unique displays are to be noted in the Philadel-
are looking to a good business from this on phia papers the past week. Lit Brothers note
through the winter. At all the stores prepara- that they sell the 1909 Model Winthrop Piano
tion is being made to handle the holiday trade, for 16 cents a day, or at the rate of $1 a week,
CUNNINGHAM PIANO CO.,
,and the dealers have prepared extensively for a with "a free stool, free scaif, free tuning for one
year, free polishing and free instruction book."
Chestnut and Eleventh Streets.
' big trade for this period.
The Estey firm are very much elated over ihe And as a special inducement during this sale
very flattering notices that one of their men, Frank they will give a beautiful high-class music cab-
F. A. North & Co. are very much pleased that
r, Conly, has received as one of the leading singers inet free to every purchaser of a Winthrop piano. the Lester piano has been selected for the new
in the two performances of "The Huguenots," just This is liberality of the sort usually emphasized Y. M. C. A. building, recently dedicated in Phila-
given at the Academy of Music by the Philadel- by the word "bounteous."
delphia and which is said to be the finest in the
The Cunningham Piano Co.. always unique in world. They announce this fact as follows:
phia Operatic Society. Mr. Conly sang the role
of "Marcel" and all the Philadelphia papers gave their advertising methods, particularly since
"Famous the world over as the 'City of Homes'
him high praise for his singing and acting of tne they have acquired the services of the brilliant and 'Brotherly Love,' Philadelphia now boasts
role., "The Bulletin" said: "Mr. Conly came writer, Mr. Woodford, have this week put out of the handsomest and most completely equipped
up to the standard of professional excellence. the following attractive ad:
Young Men's Christian Association in the world.
both in his singing and acting." The Telegraph
In every detail the equipment of the building
said: "Of the superior interpretation given to ROYALTY HONORS THE "MATCHLESS CUNNINGHAM" is of the very highest character. For instance,
' t)ie robust role by Mr. Conly too much praise
PLAYER-PIANO.
in selecting the pianos it was determined that
cannot be said." Other papers compared him
Royalty has honored the "Matchless Cunning- as the most celebrated singers and musicians are
with; some of the great stars who have sang in ham Player-Piano"—not the "royalty" whose to appear there during the concert season, only
tne role, and there is no doubt a bright future recognition (?) is obtainable by purchase; not the very highest grade instruments should be
ahead of Mr. Conly should he adopt the grand the "royalty" of pampered idleness, but the placed in the auditorium and reception rooms.
operii stage as a profession.
loyalty of brains, industry and sterling citizen-
"The committee had the full advantage of the
John G. Stratton, of the Heppe house, reports ship.
competent advice of experts, and after a
ROLL OF HONOR.
that things at Heppe's have taken a very marked
thorough and practical investigation unani-
His Majesty the King of American Home"' mously selected the Lester. Four Lesters, two
change for the better. "Our outside men," he
saysj "are making very favorable reports, and are whose royal inheritance of American citizenship magnificent grands and two uprights have been
bringing in some good returns. We find that our has coupled to his appreciation of the artistic placed in the building.
change of the talking machine and small goods a knowledge of economics that lends real value
"This decision was to be expected for the rea-
departments to the first floor has been a splendid to his testimony.
son that in tone quality and in volume, as well as
improvement." The new styles of the firm
Her Majesty the Queen—the American Mother in durability, the Lester is the instrument pre-
gotteln out late in the fall have all met with whose busy hours have replaced the idle ones feired and used in the world's greatest conser-
popular approval and are belling readily.
spent at the piano in the old days.
vatories and by the most eminent soloists. There
, Charles Wright, of the selling force of the Her Majesty the Dowager Queen—of the years are to-day more than fifty Lesters in the Phila-
B l a s t s house, has been seriously ill for some ago who delights in the old, sweet songs of her delphia public • schools, and the number ;in the
childhood, songs that "nobody knows but grand- homes of the city exceeds the total of any other
time.
G. Dunbar Shewell, of the Henry F. Miller mother," but songs that the makers of "Match- three high-grade makes."
"•;,
Caldwell Piano Co., and after choosing a piano,
tendered a check for about $50 over its value.
Piano Dealers "Getting Wise" to the Schemes Mr. Caldwell, however, explained that he would
of Check Sharpers—Some Recent Cases.
hand over the difference only when the check had
passed through the banks and the man went
j Hardly a week passes but it is reported how away. When the piano was delivered the at-
some swindler has tried to fleece or has succeeded tempted swindle was exposed. Certainly piano
in obtaining money from some piano man. It is dealers cannot be too careful in taking checks
good, therefore, to'read of at least two instances, over the amount of the purchase and where cash
very similar, in Which the swindler was foiled. is asked for in change. Even a check for the
i A fortnight ago a stranger appeared in the actual price of the piano taken from an unknown
store of Schuler Bros., Buffalo, N. Y., and after person is a risk.
selecting a piano, valued at $194, gave directions
for delivering and tendered a $?00 check, pur-
porting to have been made out to Frank Hall by
Edward Welch, and drawn upon the Dominion
McClure & Cowles, Albany, N. Y., Dealers Pro-
Bank of Canada. A. W. J. Schuler, however, re-
vide Facilities for Handling Customers to
fused change until the check had passed the
Best Advantage—Their Extensive Line.
banks and the stranger left apparently satisfied,
and promising to call again for his six dollars
McClure & Cowles, the new piano dealers of
change. Investigation proved that the man was Albany, N. Y., have just completed the installation
a swindler and the police were notified.
of three sound proof parlors in their warerooms,
A similar scheme was tried on several Cleve- 64 North Pearl street, for the purpose of enabling
land (O.) piano and furniture houses at the three customers to be waited upon at one time
same time, the swindler using the name and ad- and without interference. One of the parlors will
dress of a prominent man who happened to be be devoted to player pianos, while the other two
out of town at the time. The man called on the will be given over to the ordinary styles. The
PIANO SWINDLERS FOILED.
INSTALL SEPARATE PARLORS.
The Matchless
CUNNINGHAM
Players
to the front through
a solid wall of in- Grands
telligent conserva-
Uprights
tism."
parlors are decorated in green and white, with
handsome bronze electroliers in each room, and
the ventilation is excellent. Though only a young
firm, a good business is already reported. Mc-
Clure & Cowles handle eighteen lines, including
the Knabe and the entire Foster-Armstrong Co.
line, as well as the Emerson-Angelus.
CABLE CO. REGISTER IK NEW ORLEANS.
(Special to The Itevlew. i
New Orleans, La., Nov. 7, 1908.
' The Cable Company have formally incorporated
their New Orleans.branch and will henceforth do
business as a Louisiana corporation. The charter
for the concern was filed for record this week, and
under its provisions the company, capitalized at
$15,000, may do a general business in the buying,
selling, renting and leasing of musical instru-
ments of any and all kinds. E. P. McPherson, J.
V: Dugan and F. E. Rainold signed the charter.
Glenn Slawson, who has charge of the recently
installed talking machine department in the Hay-
den Bros.' store, Omaha, Neb., is the son of Geo.
M. Slawson, the popular traveler for the Cable Co.,
Chicago.
The Cunningham Piano Co.
p
army of dealers,
write for prices, ter-
ritory and proposi-
tions.
OFFICE AND WAREROOMS. Chestnut and Eleventh Streets
FACTORIES, Fiftieth Street, Parkside Avenue and Viola Street
Philadelphia, Pa.