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THE
MUSIC TRADE
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
CARLETON CHACE.
AUGUST J.TIMPE.
L. M. ROBINSON,
WM. B. WHITE.
GLAD HENDERSON,
L. E. BOWKHS.
REVIEW
A piano merchant cannot buy • instruments and sell them at
less than cost and persist in it continually without becoming bank-
rupt. Neither can a manufacturer, for the same rules are directly
applicable.
With the conditions so apparent to piano merchants it goes
without saying that they will take a broad view of the situation
and appreciate that anv advance in prices of pianos is absolutely
compulsory, and that thev will take any advance that is' bound to
come in a complacent mood. Tt is purelv a matter of business,
and we feel sure will be so considered by business men in a busi-
ness-like wav.
S the number of square pianos offered in exchange for up-
rights grew less piano merchants hailed the fact with joy,
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
R. P. VAN HARLINOEN, R7 South Wabash Ave
for the allowances on the old squares had frequently been in excess
Telephone, Main 6950.
ALBERT G. BRENTON, Assistant.
Room 806. Telephone, Central 414
of what it was possible to obtain for them when again offered for
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS
sale, even when the instruments had been put into first-class shape
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY. 88 First St.
DETROIT. MICH.: MORRIS J. WH-TE.
in
their repair shops. Conditions were such in the end that it was
CINCINNATI. O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.: STANLEY H. SMITH.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
MILWAUKEE, WIS.: L. E. MIYER.
found cheaper to give the old square pianos to institutions without
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
any conditions attached, or to private families who might prove
good prospects for a modern piano at a later date, than to try to
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
sell the squares on the wareroom floor, or to store them.
Entered at the Mew York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
The problem presented by the old square, however, was simple
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $3.00 per year; Canada.
•8.50: all other countries. $4.00.
compared to that offered by the used upright taken in exchange
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2 50 per inch, sinele column, per insertion. On quarterly or
for the player-piano to-day. The upright often represents a com-
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
paratively new instrument, sometimes less than a year old, and one
• Lvman Bill.
upon which a fair allowance must be made if the prospect is to be
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
T PfatlA
i m i d Otllfl
ailtl
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, rejru-
latins and repairing of pianos and player-piano* ar<- persuaded to purchase a player. The used upright must be dis-
Ifcpal IIIICUIS. dealth with, will be found in another section of this
posed of at a price that will cover the allowance and the dealer
paner. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning which
will be cheerfully given upon request.
cannot afford to give it away. The increasing number of used
uprights simplv makes the problem more difficult.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris F.xpositinn. 1900
Silver Medal. . .Charleston Exposition, 1908
It is in solving this problem that the real trouble arises. The
Diploma... .Pan-American Exposition. 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1906
used pianos when stored until thev can be disposed of in the regular
trend of business represent tied up capital and storage charges that
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 5982-5983 MADISON SQUARE
Connecting all Departments.
eat a serious hole into the retailer's profits. The loophole that ap-
Cable address " "ElbllL New York."
peals to many is the "special" or "slaughter" sale held at intervals
and at which the exchanged instruments are offered at prices de-
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 5 , 1912.
signed to move them rapidly.
In New York within the past month, there have been two great
sales of this character at one of which 1,000 pianos were offered
EDITORIAL
and at the other about 500 used instruments. Taking the two sales
as one, though held by different houses, the 1,500 instruments were
disposed of within a single week. The advertising in connection
N last week's Review we published a copy of the circular sent with the sales, while, of course, somewhat sensational of necessity,
out by the Pianoforte Manufacturers' Association of Berlin, nevertheless stated facts. The meat of the whole matter is that
notifying the German trade that owing to the greater cost of all 1,500 possible prospects for new pianos have been supplied with
the supplies entering into the manufacture of pianos an increase used instruments at considerably lower prices and the great ma-
in prices of pianos had become necessary.
jority are apparently well satisfied with their bargains.
This is a condition which now confronts us in this country.
For there is no single material connected with the manufacture of
HE New r York sales are taken simply as concrete examples of
pianos and supplies that is not costing more to-day than ever be-
what it means to clear up stocks of used pianos quickly and
fore. This is not a generalization, but a fact which is clear to what it does to the regular trade. The same conditions prevail
all who have given the matter consideration.
throughout the country, and in some localities, including St. Louis,
In the supply department of The Review last week details according to Manager Real, of the Estey Co. store in that city, the
were given of the increased cost of raw materials entering into the situation is further complicated through the effect the overabund-
manufacture of actions, plates, felts, strings, hammers', keys, leather ance of used pianos has on the renting business. The managers, in
—in fact, everyone of those piano-making branches designated sup- order to keep as many pianos as possible off the wareroom floor
plies. Then, we must not forget that the increased cost of labor and earning money, will cut the renting rate to a point where there
is one of the questions of the day.
is the slimmest kind of profit which does not permit of any service
In view of these facts piano merchants cannot well avoid being given with the rented instruments. Mr. Heal, whose opinions
understanding that they will be compelled to pay more for pianos appeared in The Review last week in the form of an interview,
than heretofore. They cannot expect manufacturers to supply summed the matter up succinctly when he said:
them with the same standard of instruments much longer at the
"Another point is that a good many families who are content
old rate when the makers have to pay an advance for everything. to rent a piano are going to want a player, which is not for rent,
It is the functions of an industrial publication like The Review and just so much the rent list will be cut down. We have recently
to point out facts' as they exist, and to hang out such cautionary sold players to two families 1 on our rent list, one of nine years'
signals as would tend to regulate the harmony of intercourse be- standing, the other of fourteen years. That is an indicaton.
tween the manufacturer and merchant.
"And the old outlet for used pianos in the country is closed.
It is obvious that the advance of the cheaper pianos must show We cannot any longer send word to our country salesmen to come
a greater percentage than the medium-priced, because the former in and pick out a dozen 'take-ins' and sell them to their trade. The
have been sold in a number of instances at figures too closely fame of the player has reached the country, and the average farmer
approximating those at which they could be produced—in other is in better position to buy them than the city men. The farmers
words, the margin of profit has been so exceedingly small that the are riding in automobiles and the city man on a street car. The
recent advance in the cost of materials has almost eliminated it country trade is right now making better terms than the city men
entirely.
on the average of sales.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
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