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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . LIIL N o . 3. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI at 1 Madison Ave., New York, July 22,1911
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H E protection of name values occupies a more important position than ever before in the trade
history of this country.
Why?
Simply because family patronymics used in business are becoming of greater value—hence
trade names are guarded with more caution and safety than formerly.
In other words, the name attraction is so great by reason of increased values that many manufac-
turers to-day are forced to defend their rights in the courts.
The generally accepted belief is that every man has a right to use his own name in a business enter-
prise.
But is he particular if the use of that name has a tendency to mislead the people in purchases of any .
kind and interferes with the rights of others?
In no trade are name values more appreciated than in the piano line.
This is due to the longevity of the piano and the fact that it is used in the home for so many years
and viewed by so many people who have familiarized themselves with the name upon the fallboard,
which right away obtrudes an interesting proposition, in connection with the use of names.
Notwithstanding the frequency with which an owner of a piano may view the fallboard, in my opin-
ion ninety-five people out of every hundred who own pianos could not tell the complete title of the firm
or corporation whose name appears upon the fallboard of the instrument which they own.
If asked they would say they had a Victor piano.
They could not tell whether it was manufactured by Victor Bros., Victor Piano Co., or Victor &
Co., but simply the one name—the family patronymic was impressed upon their minds.
If you think I am wrong in my percentage, jus; try it on a few people who own pianos and ask if
they could tell the full name appearing upon {jhe fal board of their instrument.
This fact, which I assume can be easily proven, shows the necessity of preserving the names in the
piano manufacturing world.
No man can be deprived of the opportunity to earn his livelihood; but, the question comes up, how
does this use of certain names interfere with the corporate or legal rights of others?
Then, too,- the law should protect the public, and in most cases it would seem that court decisions
work out with fairness.
It was only a short time ago when a stockholder of a well-known Boston corporation thought that
he could establish a competing company in New York and win certain advantages which went with the
name which was on the Boston piano, which was his family patronymic.
Me was led on by false advisers,"but in trie end right triumphed, and lie was compelled to quit.
And so it goes!
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