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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
ENCOURAGING THESMALL DEALER.
OWN THE TWO MATHUSHEK CORPORATIONS.
Charles and C. Albert Jacob Buy Controlling Interest in New Haven Mathushek Corporation—
This with the New York Corporation Gives Them Two Mathushek Pianos—Statement by
Mr. Jacob—Best Features of Both Instruments to Be Adapted in One Product.
The announcement is made this week that Chas.
Jacob and C. Albert Jacob have purchased the
controlling interests in the Mathushek Piano
Manufacturing Co., New Haven, Conn.
The new officers of the corporation will be Chas.
Jacob, president; C. Albert Jacob, treasurer.
Chas. Jacob said, regarding the new move:
"For many years the progress of these two well-
known pianos has been retarded by the similarity
of names causing more or less confusion in the
minds of the public, and while our plans are not
yet fully formulated we contemplate a possible
combination of the best features of both pianos
into one grand artistic product which will tend to
perpetuate the genius and skill of the Mathushek
family, who have contributed much to the art of
piano building."
The New Haven company was founded by
THREE NEW BROOKLYN STORES?
Rumor Has It That Three Piano Firms Will
Open Warerooms in the Flatbush Avenue
District Within a Short Time—Summer
Business Starts Out in Good Shape—George
J. Barton Has Good Player Trade.
Frederick Mathushek, one of the most brilliant
mechanical geniuses in piano history.
After some disagreement with the stockholders,
Mr. Mathushek withdrew and came to New York
where he founded the Mathushek & Son Piano
Co. In this corporation Victor Hugo Mathushek
became associated with him ; and upon the death
of the veteran piano builder the younger Mathu-
shek became president.
The controlling interest of this corporation was
held by Messrs. Jacob Bros., who are conceded to
be among the most active and successful piano men
in the piano world.
Litigation regarding the names followed but
this matter was adjusted, and it has been stated
for some time that the New Haven business was
for sale. The matter is clearly settled now and
there will be but one Mathushek piano made.
The C.
way, held
remodeled
day, June
Some of the Most Successful Businesses in the
Country Have Been Built from Modest Be-
ginnings—A.
L.
Jewett Dilates on the
Quality and Character of a Man Which Are
as Valuable Assets as Real Money—Some
Timely Words of Encouragement to the
Dealer Who Is Working Hard for Success.
One of the silent workers of the industry, in
other words, that type of man whose wise counsel
and developed judgment helps not only to plan, but
to perfect great business campaigns/ is A. L.
Jewett, first vice-president of the Natjqrial Piano
Co., of Boston, Mass., and who was elected secretary
of the National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation at its recent convention.
Mr. Jewett abhors the lime-light, but it is im-
possible to come in contact with his personality
A. Reade Piano Co., 1096-1098 Broad-
a formal opening of its enlarged and
warerooms Saturday, June 8, and Mon-
10, from two until ten o'clock.
300 VOUGH PIANOS IN THEATERS.
Changeable
Pitch
Action
Embodied
in the
That Brooklyn has become a great piano center
Vough Piano Gives This Instrument a Dis-
is a fact, but that it is still to be a greater piano
tinct Individuality—Beautiful Mission Style
city is the report this week, which says that there
Now Under Way for Prominent Dealer.
are three piano concerns who will add ware-
rooms to the already large list which now make
(Special to The Review.)
up Brooklyn's piano row. It is understood on
Waterloo, N. Y., June 12, 1912.
good authority that the Wanamaker wareroom
What is considered by musical and trade ex-
in Manhattan will have a branch in Brooklyn and perts to be one of the great features of piano con-
that already a location has been looked for but struction is incorporated in the Vough piano. It
no definite place selected. Another firm who will is the invention of President William'-C. Vough
have a store in the city will be Winterroth & Co., and is the changeable pitch action, a patented prod-
who have purchased a building, and it was re- uct, giving both international and concert pitch
ported also that the Kroeger Piano Co. was seek- by a mere shift of a lever. Opex& houses to the
ing a location.
number of 300 have already • purchased Vough
When seen by a representative of The Review, pianos because of th ; s feature in addition to its
M. J. Chapman, manager of the Wanamaker ware- other merits, which i's a splendid boost to its
room, neither affirmed nor denied that any action worth. As a rule, opera houses do not purchase
had been taken toward securing Brooklyn piano pianos because they can generally have the free
quarters.
use of a piano for the advertising.
The piano business in general throughout the
The Vough action likewise permits a ready
city is rather quiet, although the business which transposition of any composition, all the work
has been brought in from the rural districts, es- being required is to shift the lever and perform
pecially from the Long Island territory, has been without the mental work of transposing.
very satisfactory.
Coming through on special order of a prominent
Manager Franke, of the wareroom of Hard- dealer is a Vough Mission style, with special
man, Peck & Co., stated this week that so far the bench, which in its entirety, is a very handsome
business done by them has exceeded by 25 per instrument.
cent, that of any previous year.
President Vough reports a staple condition of
The Sterling Piano Co. has also been having a business with an outlook that is encouraging to
good spring trade and satisfaction was expressed make this year total a pleasing figure in the sales
as to the volume of business which is now being volume.
turned in.
Charles A. Giannelli, the manager of the new
wareroom of Jacob Doll & Sons at 364 Livingston
street, was enthusiastic over the trade which he
has done since the store was opened three weeks
ago.
Mr. Giannelli, who has been out of the
piano trade a number of years, believes that there
is great opportunity in the Brooklyn district and
is proving his "belief by turning pianos into money
as fast as he. gets them. Thomas N. Burke is one
of the salesmen who is having success with the
Doll & Son's pianos and player-pianos at the
Brooklyn brah'ch.
George J. Barton, 27 Lafayette street, has been
hustling things in Brooklyn for the Hallet &
Davis Piano Co. and has made several good sales,
especially of player-pianos. One of the latest he
sold was a Virtuola, which was shipped to the
summer home of a customer at Central Valley,
New York. Mr. Barton now entertains the con-
cert-goers who attend the Academy of Music
across from his wareroom with selections on his
Auxetophone, which he places in the doorway, and
by so doing has brought many customers in his
store.
A. L. Jewett.
without being impressed with his magnetism, his
warm sunny nature and that convincing way which
invariably spells "Success." Mr. Jewett is a great
believer in developing the small fellow, in hold-
ing out help and encouragement, and chatting on
this subject in the last issue of the Arrow, he
said:
"It is a general law that what starts out big
'busts.' Conversely, that which has a very small
beginning likely as not sometimes becomes big.
In this is hope for the small beginner.
"Most of the successful piano businesses of to-
day began in a very small way. Among our
three to four hundred representatives are scores
who began on one piano at a time and made good
with all sorts of discouragements in sight.
"Many were tuners or salesmen, or men with
both of these qualities combined, who started out,
and finally 'arrived.' Most had no capital, but a
strong heart, and a good head, with ability to get
a living outside of piano selling while the busi-
ness was being built, and until the capital was
made.