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THE: MUSIC TRADE
RE™
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
'.
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
GLAD. HENDERSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
H. E. JAMASON,
AUGUST J. TIMPK,
C. CHACE,
B. BKITTAIN WILSON,
WM. B. WHITE,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 384 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 87 South Wabash Ave.
.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room 806.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
R: W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First St.
CLYDE JENNINGS
DETROIT. MICH.: MORBIS J. WHITE.
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
INDIANAPOLIS, 1ND.: STANLEY H. SMITH
BALTIMORE, MD.i A. ROBERT FRENCH.
MILWAUKEE, AVIS.: L. E. MEYER.
;
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Canada,
$3.60; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.60 per inch single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
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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 59S2-598S MADISON SQUARE
Connecting all Departments.
Cable address •• "Elblll, N e w York."
NEW YORK, AUGUST 17, 1 9 1 2 .
REVIEW
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HERE is nothing that gives the salesman so much confi-
dence as a thorough knowledge of the product he is selling, for
he is thus prepared to meet every argument from a point of vantage
not easily attained by the intending purchaser and can speak in an
authoritative manner that naturally begets confidence and respect.
There are many piano salesmen, as well as salesmen in other
lines, who are satisfied with a purely superficial knowledge of all
the inner details and technical facts of the instruments they are sell-
ing, especially in the case of .player-pianos, and depend in a large
measure upon the lack of knowledge of the average customer and
their own "gift of gab" to carry the day.
In a great many cases the men who pursue these tactics are
really successful salesmen, intelligent and convincing talkers, but
the lack of real, bona-fide knowledge often leaves them open to an
attack from a customer with superior knowledge of the instrument,
which they would riot be able to combat. It is the possibilities that
must be guarded against, not the regular run of business, for th£t
will generally take care of itself.
In this connection it is to be noted with pleasure that many
piano dealers and managers of piano stores who have sons whom
they desire to adopt the same career, have taken the trouble to send
the young men to the factories, where they remain for various
periods and gain a first-hand knowledge of piano construction, the
value of which cannot be overestimated. A sojourn at the factory,
and some time spent in a careful study of the methods pursued, es-
pecially in the manufacture of pianos, of which all too little is un-
derstood by salesmen and often by the piano merchant, proves of
great benefit, a fact that is recognized by those who have been in
the business for years, and particularly those who are about to enter
upon a selling career.
Familiarity with the details of the player-piano often enable?
the salesman to correct little difficulties in a few minutes, and with *
slight trouble that would, to one without knowledge of the details,
necessitate the services of a repairman. And then, too, there is to
be considered the confidence in one's self that comes with knowledge
of the subject in hand and which is so readily communicated to
others.
T
HE seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the house of
Wm. Knabe & Co. was celebrated in a fitting manner in
Baltimore on Thursday last and in the festivities the civic authori-
HIS is evidently going to be a billion-dollar year for a billion-
ties joined hands with the -employes and officers of the house in
dollar country judging from the crop report issued early this
felicitations 1 and in extolling the record of the Knabe institution
week by the Agricultural Department in Washington. It is esti-
which has been associated from the earliest days with all that is
mated, that this season's crops will exceed ten billions in value for
best and distinguished in the history of American piano manufac-
the first time. This is fully $500,000,000 more than last year's yield
ture.
and about equals the capital stock of American railways. Who
From its inception Wm. Knabe & Co. has been one of the bul-
wouldn't be a farmer—at least this year.
warks of the piano art industry of this country and has exer-
A comparison with the August figures of last year show that
cised a potent influence on the development of the American piano.
there is a gain of 191,000,000 bushels of grain, 60,000,000 bushels
The reputation of the Knabe piano is not localized. It belongs
of spring and winter wheat and 390,000,000 bushels of oats. Here
neither to Baltimore nor New York, but to the whole country, for
is almost 600,000,000 bushels of gain on three crops, with rye and
piano merchants who have sold these instruments for years are
barley not considered, and with marked gains since the report was
closely wedded to the traditions of the house and have a justifiable
compiled. It is still necessary to add 20,000,000 tons of hay.
pride in the name and in the merits of the products.
These remarkable figures should bring cheer to the piano man
No element associated with the celebration which just oc-
and to every other merchant throughout the country. For it means
curred in Baltimore is of greater moment than the part played by
that there will be a large surplus left over for the purchase of
the employes of the Knabe concern. From the very start the closest
musical instruments and other necessities in the American home.
and friendliest relations have existed between the house of Knabe
It also means 1 a reduction in the cost of living which has been so
and those who work for it, and to-day there are men employed
much accentuated the past year through the short crops of last
who for more than thirty years have been making Knabe pianos
season.
and whose sons are now engaged in the same work, and who are
The report taken broadly shows better than the average crops
proud of their association with the house.
for the past ten years and that in a number of products a new
The resolutions prepared and presented by the Knabe work-
record has been established in the nation's history of crop produc-
men to the officers of the company emphasizes that the same in-
tion. The situation is most encouraging and indicates a splendid
trest and enthusiasm prevails to-day as in the early history of the
fall and winter business.
house of Knabe.
In this connection a very timely story is related by Alfred
Piano merchants, particularly in the farming sections of the
Dolge in "Pianos and Their Makers," which shows how Ernest
country, should now give manufacturers a chance and place their
Knabe endeared himself to his hundreds of employes during the
orders' early for instruments. Pianos cannot be made up over
night and manufacturers cannot afford to carry tremendously large - Civil War, when factories all over the country, and particularly in
advance stocks. They should be advised by piano merchants as to Baltimore, were closed down. To keep the men busy Ernest Knabe
decided to make a prolonged trip through the Northern and West-
their possible requirements—be advised pretty early so that there
ern States, which were not seriously affected by the war, for the
may be no delay in receiving shipments of instruments' as quickly
purpose of securing orders to keep the men busy.
as they would like when the demand materializes. This is a matter
which should be given immediate consideration.
Mr. Dolge says: "Money had to be provided to meet the
EDITORIAL
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