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TH
MUSIC
TRADE!
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
L. D. BOWERS,
B. KSLLBB,
W. H. DYKES,
R. W. SIMMONS.
AUGUST J. TIHPB.
B. BEITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
Quo.
BOSTON OFFICE:
BRNBBT L. WAITT, 60 Bummer St.
PHILADELPHIA:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
B. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Room 806,156 Wabaih Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
R. W. E i u m u H ,
ADOLF BDSTKN.
CHAS. N. VAN BURIN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. OBAT, 88 First Street
CINCINNATI. O.:
BALTIMORE. MD.:
JACOB W. WALTBKS.
A. ROBEBT FRENCH.
LONDON. ENGLAND: 69 Baslnghall St., B. C.
W. LIONBL STUHDT, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
REVIEW
to the detached condition of trade and the fact that some concerns
are loath to give out anything which approximates their exact
output.
The Review estimate is that there were more than 250,000 pianos
produced in this country in 1909.
Of this number 27,500 were instruments which contained some
form of player mechanism.
It is certain that the player output did not approach 40,000, an
estimate which has been placed upon this special department of the
industry by some.
Take five of the large player concerns out of consideration and
the individual output of the remainder falls very materially below
the thousand mark and it takes a good many of them to make five
thousand.
Therefore, if we estimate carefully the output of the larger
concerns we can say that in naming 27,500 we have allowed a liberal
output for the remainder.
The exact figures according to our reckoning will be an-
nounced shortly, but in the meanwhile it may be safely assumed
that while our approximate estimate exceeds by a considerable
number any other paper estimate our figures will be increased some-
what rather than lessened by subsequent showings.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and Mexico, |2.00 per year;
Canada, f 8.50; all other countries, |4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Adrertlslng Pages, 900.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
An
t j on
important feature of this publication is a complete sec-
devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Brand Prim
Paris Exposition, 1900
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
Silver Medal. Charleston Exposition, 1902
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elblll, N e w York."
NEW YORK, JANUARY 8, 1910
EDITORIAL
S
O far as we are able to determine, there has never been a year in
the history of this country which started off under better
auspices than the present.
According to the opinions of men high up in the business and
financial world, 1910 should give a better account of itself than not
merely the twelve months which has immediately preceded it but
of any twelve months in the industrial history of this country.
Now, there are many concerns which made great progress dur-
ing 1909, but the new year is going to be better all around.
There is no doubt of that.
Everyone says so and, when backed by the will to make it so.
depend upon it the year will be a marvelouslv good one in all things
which go to make up a satisfying trade.
When millions of people have made up their minds that a cer-
tain thing will be accomplished, it is safe to assume that the desired
object will be gained, and when millions of wide-awake, intelligent,
progressive Americans have concluded that 1910 will be a banner
year, depend upon it it will be, because there will be the force behind
it to make it lively.
There is activity in all lines of trade. No matter in what de-
partment of life we may examine conditions we will find that there
is optimism and activity there.
Development of natural resources—expansion of trade and
accumulation of natural wealth are the prelude to the highest de-
velopment of a race, and with the increase of wealth and power it
is safe to say that business will move on in an accelerated way.
There will be no slowing up this year and every business man
should see to it that he does his utmost not only to make the trade
wheels spin, but to keep them spinning.
A constant revolution of the wheels will make everybody happy.
I
T is always somewhat difficult to arrive at an exact estimate of
the output of pianos so early in the season.
In the first place reports at this time are not all available owing
S
OME business men in this trade are now in a position to look
back upon the old year and they have not hesitated to say to
The Review that it has been an excellent one for them.
We can name some men who affirm that for them it is the best
on record, but all, of course, have not been so fortunately situated.
We do not believe, however, that there will be any business
concerns which will not find the present year more satisfactory in
every way than its immediate predecessor.
Business during the past twelve months has ranged from fair
in some sections to excellent in others.
In the Middle West and Far West—even to the Pacific Coast—
business men have experienced an early and strong under-current of
returning prosperity.
This has been evidenced by substantial orders which have been
received by piano manufacturers during the past year.
It is surprising to many how the Pacific Coast absorbs so many
instruments annually. One has to study the conditions there in
order to obtain a knowledge of the real situation. In the first
place, people who have been going West for many years after the
pioneer days have had money for investment. They were not of the
propertyless class.
They did not take heavy movable goods with them—leaving in
the East furniture and home equipments—but when they found a
location to satisfy them naturally they invested in such articles of
home comfort as pleased them. Pianos, of course, were included.
Then again, the wonderful prosperity of the country has pro-
duced such wealth that the people were enabled to satisfy their
desires in many ways.
Those are merely some fundamentals.
But back of it all in the development of the music trade is the
hustling qualities of the big piano houses of the Pacific Coast.
In no section of the country do we know of such tireless energy
displayed in the pursuit of business as is evidenced in that part of
the United States colloquially termed "the Coast."
The large houses canvass an enormous territory—a breadth of
country which would be appalling to the average Easterner—and
yet with their branches scattered for hundreds of miles they are en-
abled to keep in close touch with prospects and to supply the needs
of the people promptly and efficiently.
They are large advertisers and they go at publicity with a vim
and intelligence which is bound to make people think pianos.
T
H E Pacific Coast has absorbed large numbers of pianos and will
continue to do so.
The Middle West has also been especially favored and it has
been a splendid battleground for business during the past twelve
months.
Not so favorable are the reports from the Southern States, but
even there the situation is improving.
The shrinkage of business has occurred in those places where
the shrinkage in incomes has been most marked. This particu-
larly in the East in and near large cities and in factory communities.