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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
DETROIT PIANO HOUSES EXHIBIT AT STATE FAIR.
Bush & Lane Piano Co. and Grinnell Bros. Well Represented—Shortage of Stock Prevents Starr
Piano Co. Display—Fair Attracts Many Visitors and Excellent Results the Rule.
(Special to The Review.)
DETROIT, MICH., September 15. — This is State
Fair week in Detroit, and the Bush & Lane Piano
Co. and Grinnell Bros, have large exhibits at the
annual State Exposition. Some of the music
trades institutions which formerly had prominent
places at the fair are missing this year, however.
The Starr Piano Co. is kept away by inability
to obtain the right sort of stock for exhibition
purposes. The historic flood of last spring is re-
sponsible. The company never has caught up
with the demand for Starrs which followed the
inundation. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of
families in Ohio and Indiana lost their pianos,
and had to buy new ones. Besides this, the en-
tire stocks in the stores in Hamilton and Middle-
town were ruined and had to be replaced, and a
considerable number of pianos in the factory were
lost. Because of all this the capacity of the plant
has been taxed to the utmost all summer, making
it out of the question to furnish any goods for
exhibition purposes. Manager Hannan realized
this early, and made no attempt to prepare for
participation in the State Fair.
The J. L. Hudson store has been so busy that
it was deemed unwise to take the salesmen from
their regular work for a week to do duty at the
fair. The value of an exhibit is not questioned,
however. In fact, only a few days ago an $1,100
cash sale of an electric Apollo was made in the
Hudson store as a direct result of the Apollo ex-
hibit at the fair two years ago William F. Knell,
DELIVERING A PIANO IN ALABAMA.
How the Laverty Piano Co. Sent a Radle Piano
to a Purchaser Some 35 Miles Over Two
Mountains—Have Built Up Good Business.
Here is seen R. L. Laverty, of the Laverty
Music Co., of Gadsden, Ala., just before he started
of Knell & Adams, automobile body makers, was
the purchaser. E. Hugh Smith, formerly with the
Detroit branch of the Melville Clark Piano Co.,
made the sale. Both of the men remembered a
conversation they had at the fair, and it took but
a few minutes to close up the deal. Incidentally,
it was the first sale of an Apollo in its new home
—an auspicious beginning.
Bush & Lane have a larger space at the fair
than they had last year. They are in the middle
of the main building, with sixty-two feet frontage
and twelve feet depth. They are showing twelve
styles, including their latest grand in Circassian
walnut. They have redecorated the space and
erected two pillars with big, light globes on top,
bearing the name of the firm. They are showing
Victors and Victor players. Their case designs,
as in former years, attract much favorable com-
ment. The Style 20 player in Circassian walnut
is one of the best ever turned out. They have on
hand a lot of souvenir novelties bearing Bush &
Lane advertising and emphasizing the one price
system of the company, which should be productive
of good results.
Grinnell Bros, are featuring their own make pi-
ano in their space, which has sixty-five feet front-
age. It is a working exhibit, as well as a finished
one. They also are showing several other lines
of pianos, and some small goods, and are demon-
strating sheet music. Their representations are
so numerous there is not room to show them all
at the fair.
DEATH OF EVARISTE PRATTE.
The Piano Manufacturer of Montreal Dies Sud-
denly in That City—Had Been in Business
for Twenty Years—Was Highly Esteemed.
(Special to The Review.)
MONTREAL, CAN., September 15.—Falling uncon-
scious to the sidewalk as he left his factory
premises Wednesday evening, Evariste Pratte, 2349
Clarke street, who had been in business as a piano
manufacturer at 2402 St. Lawrence boulevard for
the past twenty years, was rushed to the Royal
Victoria Hospital, and given every attention, but
he died at half-past 8 without recovering con-
sciousness. He had not complained previously of
feeling unwell. Cerebral hemorrhage was the
cause of death.
Mr. Pratte was born in Stanford, Quebec, forty-
six years ago, and was the son of F. X. Pratte,
a notary public. He was educated at Sherbrooke
and Montreal and went into the piano business
with his brother, the late L. E. N. Pratte, after-
wards being associated with another brother, who
was at the factory in St. Lawrence last evening
when Evariste was 'taken ill. He was unmarried,
and leaves two sisters, Mme. Duvert, of St. Remi,
and Miss Pratte, of Montreal, and four brothers—
Alfred Pratte, of Riviere du-Loup; Lucian and
Arthur Pratte, of Waterbury, and Antonio.
Laverty Hustlers Making Piano Shipment.
on a thirty-five mile trip over two mountains to
deliver a Radle piano. Mr. Laverty is at the
right, while on his left is G. E. Trylett, a lively
tuner. The house of Laverty has been in business for
a good many years and enjoys an excellent repu-
tation in its territory. In building up this business
the Radle piano has played a leading part, as with
the introduction of these instruments the demand
grew so to-day the sale of Radle pianos has as-
sumed large dimensions with the Laverty house.
MYRTLE ELVYN^ND THE KIMBALL.
Popular Pianiste Will Open Concert Tour with
the Kimball Piano on October 1.
Myrtle Elvyn arrived in New York City Sep-
tember 14, and this celebrated pianiste will open her
concert season on October 1 at Fall River, Mass.
Her engagements in the East extend over six or
eight weeks. She will play the Kimball concert
grand in various large cities of Massachusetts,
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and then through
the Middle West, going to the Pacific Coast later.
CAMPAIGN FOR DESIGN PROTECTION.
The movement to hold a trade convention in
New York this fall with a view to obtaining legisla-
tion that will prevent design piracy has been aban-
doned. The backers of the movement are now de-
voting their interest in the matter to the recently
organized National Registration League. This
league, it is contended, is in a position to do the
work laid out for the convention and to do it in
a quicker and more effective way. The idea on
which the league will work, that of registering
designs under the provisions of a new or revised
copyright law with immediate certification of such
registration, is not new. It is believed, however,
that this method will be just as effective as a re-
vision of or amendment to the patent law and
easier to carry out. The organization of the
league is the culmination of a movement against
design piracy which was begun more than two
years ago by V. Burnett. The office of the league
is located at 1309 Race street, Philadelphia. S.
M. Weatherly is the secretary.
The BEHNING
NEW
PLAYER-PIANO
STYLES
which consist of three de-
signs of uprights, Style 12,
height 4 feet 6 inches;
Style 28, height 4 feet 9
inches; Style 32, height 4
feet 9 inches, and the
Behning G r a n d Player-
Piano, constitute the most
important and impressive
line of instruments ever
introduced to the trade.
They embody not only
the distinctive Behning
constructive features in
piano making, but contain
the Behning player action,
which is made only in the
Behning factory, and found
only in t h e B e h n i n g
pianos.
These new styles were first
put into work last January
and we have been prepar-
ing stock so that we are
now ready to fill orders
promptly.
As the output of the Grand
Player-Piano is limited for
the time being, orders sent
now will be filled in the
rotation in which they are
received.
Behning Piano Co.
Retail Wareroomt: 425 FIFTH AVENUE
Entrance: 38th ST., EAST SIDE
Office and Factory:
EAST 133rd ST. near ALEXANDER AVE
NEW YORK