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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff :
GLAD. HENDERSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
AUGUST J. TIMTE,
W. H. DYKES,
L. E. BOWEKS.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
W M . B. W H I T E ,
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Avc.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room 806.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
BOSTON OFFICE:
REVIEW
The Knabe brothers, after their separation from the American
Piano Co., incorporated with others, chief among whom was Dr.
J. M. Crawford, the Knabe Bros. Co., under the Ohio laws. This
company took over the plant of the Smith & Nixon Co., at Norwood.
Judge Hollister held in his decision that when the Knabes sold
their interests to the American Piano Co. they sold the right to use
the name "Knabe."
Thus the contention of the officers of The American Piano Co.
has been upheld by this decision and it would seem that one more
court decision- has been rendered safeguarding with legal protec-
tion certain names which have become more than family names. In
other words, trade marks representing great property rights, which
under the law are entitled to be protected the same as property of
anv other kind.
JOHN H . WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
SAN FRANCISCO:
CLYDE JENNINGS.
S. H. GRAY, 88 First Street.
C I N C I N N A T I , © . : JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE, M D . : A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
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On quarterly or
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REMITTANCES,
in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Music Section
An important feature of this publication is a complete sec-
tion devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, reg-
IfconQFtmoiltc
ulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
ITCJJdl U l i e i l t o . d e a l t ^ t h , w i l ] b e f o u n ( f i n another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
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Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
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, OCTOBER 2 1 , 1911
EDITORIAL
F
OR the past two weeks trade interest has been focused to a
considerable extent upon Cincinnati where a case was being
tried before the United States Circuit Court in that city, the result
of which would have a far-reaching effect upon the piano names
in this trade. For it was conceded that if the name "Knabe" could
be used by the Knabe Bros. Co. on the fallboard of instruments
manufactured by that corporation, then it would open the door for
others to step in and use family names to an extent which would
have a more or less demoralizing effect upon the trade, and it natu-
rally follows that the public would be entirely bewildered if a num-
ber of pianos bearing the same family names upon their fallboard
were offered for sale.
The property values of such names would greatly depreciate.
Hence, the result of this litigation has been watched with keen
interest, because a goodly number of prominent members of the
trade realize that if no protection were afforded to names, em-
barrassing conditions would be created within the industry. But
according to the last court decision adequate name protection is
afforded.
'Judge Hollister, in the United States Circuit Court, sitting in
Cincinnati, issued last Tuesday a temporary restraining order for-
bidding the Knabe Bros. Co., an Ohio corporation, from using the
name "Knabe" on the fallboard of their pianos.
This order was sought by The American Piano Co., a corpora-
tion in which William Knabe and Ernest Knabe, Jr., were formerly
members and to which corporation they sold their rights in the
corporation of William Knabe & Co., at the time of the consolida-
tion of the interests of Chickering & Sons, William Knabe & Co.,
and the Foster-Armstrong Co.
T
RADE conditions during the past two weeks have been some-
what eccentric. In certain localities where it was expected
that business would be naturally quiet, it has shown surprising life,
and in other localities where it was generally conceded that trade
ought to be quite brisk, stagnancy has been much in evidence.
A good many people are fond of saying that the reorganiza-
tion of the various gigantic business corporations, colloquially
known as trusts, will seriously hamper trade for some time, but
calamity howlers have always been in evidence and always will be.
When the Supreme Court decreed that the American Tobacco
Co., a giant among corporations, must disintegrate, the calamity
brotherhood rose as one man and declared it could not be done
without heavy losses, receiverships and other legal luxuries. They
were positive a harmonious reorganization that would not destroy
values and business could not be accomplished.
Now, with the reorganization entering upon the final stages,
they find it can be. The plants of the great corporation are run-
ning as before; not a workman has lost employment. In the securi-
ties market the bonds and stocks of the company are in demand at
higher prices than before the decree of dissolution was entered and
the new securities to be issued in accordance with the reorganiza-
tion plan sell readily at levels insuring investors against loss. In
other words, it is demonstrated that reorganization to comply with
the terms of the Sherman law does not spell confiscation or de-
struction of property.
Mr. Taft was right when he said that any corporation that
absolutely complied with the law and took the public into its confi-
dence as to its capitalization, assets and business would reap the
benefits of having additional faith placed in its securities by the
investing public.
I
T seems that there can be no fixing of retail prices by manufac-
turers according to the proceedings in a court order in the
case of the General Electric Co. and other corporations.
It is said when an article of commerce has been made and
sold to the retail purchasers, the price at which the article is there-
fore sold to the public should be open to free competition.
No more fixing of retail prices by the combinations, no more
edicts to the small dealer commanding him on pain of receiving no
more of a product to sell it at nothing less than a certain sum.
That is the law, and the law must be obeyed.
This, of course, does not apply to patented articles, but it does
affect a great many lines of manufactured products, and it has been
for a long time the English law, and now it has become a part of
the American law.
So far as the piano trade is concerned, it can have little or no
effect, for while some manufacturers announce the prices at which
their pianos should be sold to retail purchasers they do not penalize
dealers in the slightest for departing from their prices.
They make it, however, impossible for the dealer to charge
more, and if he charges less he is cutting into his individual profit.
HE most noteworthy feature of business this fall has been the
demand for player-pianos, which continue to grow in favor
with the purchasing public, particularly through the West, where
they have hitherto not enjoyed as large a popularity as in many
Eastern points. Manufacturers report that the percentage of orders
for player-pianos, as compared with the regular piano, shows an
increase of JO per cent- over the same period of last year.
T