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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
GLAD. HKNDEHSON, EUGENE C. MAYER, H. E. JAMASON, B. BRITTAIN WILSON, W. H. DYKES,
A. J. NICKLIN,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
WM. B. WHITE,
L. E. BOWERS.
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Music Section
An important feature of this publication is a complete sec-
tion devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
Jinii
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
allU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, reg-
nonarlmonfc
ulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos arc
l l t p d l IIircill&. d e a i t with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a_ number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
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
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NEW Y O R K , DECEMBER 1 6 , 1 9 1 1
EDITORIAL
REVIEW
annoying to piano manufacturers, for they cannot make up stock as
they would wish, and it means small but frequent orders.
The Presidential election is ahead of us; but that is not always
a necessarily bad factor. All depends on the real condition of the
trade in general, for there have certainly been Presidential years
when business was not affected to any visible extent. In the coming'
campaign there are the tariff and the financial and the corporation
problems to be settled; but they are expected to drag along. With
business well liquidated, and stocks in all hands down to a minimum,
the chances for serious disturbance are believed to be more remote
than was lately thought.
T ) T A N O puzzle advertising which The "Review has been strenu-
X
ously and successfully fighting for vears past, and which as a
result is now ranidlv disappearing, was the subieot of one of Wm.
C. Freeman's advertising talks in the Evening Mail of Fridav: He
said: "The George P. Bent Piano Co., of Seattle. Wash., printed
an unusual advertisement in the Post-Tntelligencer of that city re-
cently. It frankly commended the attitude of these advertising
talks and some newspapers toward piano puzzle advertisements. A
copy of this advertisement was sent to the newspapers printing
these talks. The attitude of the papers toward this kind of adver-
tising is just what I expected it would be. Publishers have written
in that they do not approve of piano contest advertising and exclude
such advertising from their columns.
"Some of the phrases, quoted from the publishers, are as fol-
lows : 'I take pleasure in advising that we discontinued piano con-
test advertising over two years ago. We were among the pioneers
along this line/
"'We have eliminated piano picture and word puzzle adver-
tisements and never again will we allow a lot of dealers in cheap
pianos to impose on our readers with their cheap coupon schemes.'
" 'We have taken a stand against all piano puzzle advertising
and in so doing have aroused the enmity of one house in particular"
but we have felt thoroughly justified in the stand we have taken!
and it was with a great deal of satisfaction that we read your story
in your series. We also took pains to see that all the local piano
houses had their attention called to it when it appeared.'
'This suffices to show the attitude of the publishers—one in
each of sixty-four cities—who are standing for the betterment of
advertising and for character in newspaper advertising. Together
these newspapers form a composite national medium that general
advertisers should consider before distributing their next appropria-
tion."
'T^HERE seems to be a certain class of piano dealers distinctly
USINESS reports for the past week from Review correspond-
J- averse to advertising products along honest, straightforward
ents in widely separated sections of the country do not show
lines. They somewhat think that the public likes to or can be
any unusual holiday demand thus far this month. The business
fooled despite Lincoln's well-known saying in this connection.
undertone, however, is healthy and the volume of retail sales are
For the past couple of years it was the puzzle or coupon contest
reported as about normal. As a matter of fact "holiday trade" in advertising which was exploited, and now we have a new surfeit.
pianos is no longer a great factor as in years gone by. It has been
It takes the shape of advertising pianos of well-known makers at
demonstrated that there is apt to be more activity in sales of pianos
ridiculously low prices, without stating in the advertisements that
after the holidays than before.
these instruments are second-hand, some of them twenty years old.
Meanwhile not in years have piano dealers carried on such an
The impression is left in the public mind that the dealer is adver-
active campaign of publicity in the daily papers from coast to coast
tising new pianos, thus the reputation of the pianos treated in this
as at present. They have undoubtedly stimulated keen interest in
manner is seriously damaged, as are the prestige and interests of
pianos, players and talking machines, and this campaign, which may
the manufacturers mentioned.
be termed an educational one, cannot fail to be productive of results,
This deceptive advertising is a menace to the industry, and it
if not around Christmas, at least at a later period.
should be the duty of the National Association of Piano Merchants
It is the general opinion of the leading authorities that the im- and Piano Manufacturers to develop some plan whereby this despic-
provement in business and financial conditions, and in agricultural
able work should be stopped, to the end that the interests of the
as well, which has been gradually evolving during the past two
industry are protected.
months, is not only to be maintained, but will become more pro-
They should also advocate the passing of a law to prevent
nounced with the new year. We have had a long drawn out period
misleading, untrue, or deceptive advertising in such states where it
of depression, and it has taken two months to fully convince the
does not already exist.
pessimists that a change has come.
We are far behind Germany in getting the best of misleading
There were so many short spurts of activity before the real
advertising. Over there should a dealer or manufacturer make a
bottom was reached that it hardly seemed possible that the real turn
statement that cannot be verified he is not only compelled to refrain
was at hand. Liquidation by business interests is over for the time,
from this kind of work, but is severely punished.
however, and while the change has not brought, nor is it likely to
bring, an early boom, it is plain that there is a much healthier
^HE quality of the salesmanship depends upon the energy which
tone to business in nearly all directions. There is no disposition to
the salesman can generate, how he conserves it, how he ex-
anticipate future requirements; the conservative policy continues of
pends it, and how he uses the time—a. ghort period of which is hia
buying to meet requirements and no more, This policy is, of course,
for use,
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