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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
to-day one of the largest publishers and music
dealers in the United States.
"I recall a peculiar incident which occurred dur-
"In making up our Duss Band harmonicas, it is,
ing one of my visits to San Francisco, in which an of course, our main thought to get as fine a ma-
harmonica was re- terial into the harmonicas as can be had, and the
sponsible for a sale large sale that they are having is, we consider, the
of an $800 player- best evidence that the quality is there. Of course,
piano. 1 was in- it is necessary to produce elaborate styles, and a
vited to dinner at a very important factor in the sale of harmonicas is
dealer's house and the style of the box and general packing. We
arranged to meet watch this end of the business very closely, as is
him at his store at evidenced by the ten new styles of our Duss Band
closing time. My High Art harmonicas, which we have just put on
friend had a little the market, of which three are illustrated in an-
mail to finish up, other part of this paper.
and it delayed him
"We also have in mind that the dealer must
until a little after make the proper margin of profit in order to
six. As we were handle these lines successfully, and we know that
about to leave a the Duss Band harmonica can be handled with a
gentleman walked in and asked -whether he could
better profit than any other high-grade harmonica
purchase a harmonica for his boy. While my in the market. In order to further assist the
friend, who controlled a very large piano estab- dealer to increase his harmonica sales, we have
lishment, knew nothing about the small goods de- added several artistic display cases, some in glass,
partment, still he waited on the gentleman and which show the harmonicas to the best possible
sold him a harmonica. The gentleman, noticing advantage, and which can also be used as very
some fine player-pianos on the floor, mentioned fine window displays. Dealers will be surprised
that lie intended purchasing one, but that his work at the splendid results that can be obtained when
kept him so busy that he never had an opportunity fancy harmonicas are properly displayed in their
to look around during the day, etc., but before show windows. They take up very little room and
this gentleman left the store my friend sold him are certain to attract attention.
an $800 player. While this does not occur very
often on account of a harmonica, still there is no
telling when the purchaser of small goods, strings,
harmonicas or sheet music becomes a piano buyer. The United States Court of Customs Appeals
Decides Long Pending Case Placing Violin
If he gets accustomed to going into a certain
and
'Cello Necks at 45 Per Cent, and Ivory
music store and is served properly, the boy of to-
and Wood for Piccolos and Flutes at 35.
day is the piano buyer of to-morrow.
(Special to The Review.)
"It is really surprising the amount of business
WASHINGTON, D. C, November 17.—The United
that is done in this country in the harmonica line
nowadays. In former years the majority of har- States Court of Customs Appeals handed down a
monicas which were sold were the ten-cent lines. decision last Friday in the long pending case of
These are very rarely handled now by the up-to- Lyon & Healy relating to the classification under
date music dealer. Formerly there were only one the Tariff Act of 1909 of violin and 'cello necks
or two staple styles, which were sold at and round pieces of ivory and wood intended to be
2~>, 50 and 75 cents each, and the dollar made into mouthpieces for piccolos and flutes.
When these articles were originally received
harmonica was a rare thing, but it is quite
Collector
Loeb assessed duty at the rate of 45 per
different to-day. There is a great demand for
fancy lines, and in order to have a complete as- cent, ad valorem under the provision in the law for
sortment, jobbers especially must show at least parts of musical instruments. Lyon & Healy pro-
fifty to seventy-five styles. While it is true that a tested this assessment on the grounds that the
great many of the styles that are made up now- articles were dutiable at 35 per cent, as manufac-
adays are freaks, still there is a great demand tures of ivory and wood. The Board of Ap-
for variety, and it seems the larger the variety praisers sustained this protest by the importers,
(of course, of attractive styles), the larger the but the case was appealed by the Government.
The decision now handed down by the United
sale.
States Court of Appeals reversed the board as to
"I have found, in my travels, wherever the
the violin and 'cello necks, deciding that they
proper display is made of a good line of har-
were properly assessed at 45 per cent, and sus-
monicas the sale is enormous, and it is really re-
tained the board as to the assessment of the
markable how many harmonicas some dealers use.
round pieces of ivory and wood being properly
To display harmonicas requires very little room.
fixed at 35 per cent.
and it is surprising to note the results that can be
obtained when they are put in a show window.
IMPORTANT CASE ARGUED
''I remember, many years ago, a dealer came t.>
Before
United States Court of Customs Appeals
Philadelphia from a Western city and started in
in
Regard
to Tariff Duty on Finger Boards,
the music business. In those days a music store
Violin Necks, Pegs and Bridges.
did not think enough of the harmonica to display
it. This enterprising Western dealer did, and the
Musical merchandise importers and the trade in
consequence was he made a large display where general are awaiting with interest the decision by
every boy could see them—piling them up in heaps the United States Court of Customs Appeals in
of different qualities and marking the price on the case of C. B. Richard & Co., the customs
them. As a result he eventually sold more har- brokers, which was argued before the court last
monicas than all the rest of the dealers in the city, week.
and the boys, who afterwards became the pur-
This important case concerns finger boards,
chasers of larger instruments, were so accustomed violin necks, violin pegs and violin bridges. When
to coming to his store that his place became the these articles were imported in 1910 and 1911 they
best known in the city. This same gentleman Is v/ere assessed by Collector Loeb at 45 per cent, ad
BUEGELEISEN SAYS:
LYON & HEALY CASE DECIDED.
A Satisfied Customer
li oar best adrertlMment and musi-
cian* oalnff YORK loatrameutB ars
—satisfied. ToKK Instruments hare
been tested In the grind of experience,
with the nre of a public musical opin-
ion, and hare not been found wanting.
ThiB test has coyered a period of 80
years and each year has made YORK
a greater success.
Does this mean
anything to yon? If yon are on the
anxious seat we want yon to
"LET US PROVE IT"
by sending oar catalogue and dealers' proposition. Do
It today or torn* live one may do yon odt of yoar
chance.
J. W. York & Sons, Grand Rapids, Mich.
valorem as parts of musical instruments. C. B.
Richard & Co. appealed to the Board of General
Appraisers contending that the articles were prop-
erly dutiable at 35 per cent, as manufactures of
WHOLESALE
PRICES
FURNISHED
OURCATAIOGS
WILL SAFELY
GUIDE Y O U
ALL FREE
ON REQUEST
WITH SPECIAL
INDER&SONS
NEW YORK
INDUCEMENTS
wood and ivory. The Board overruled the pro-
test by the importers, but the latter carried the
case to the United States Court of Customs Ap-
peals, where it was argued last week. One of the
witnesses^ at the hearing was Samuel Buegeleisen,
(jf the prominent house of Buegeleisen & Jacob-
son, who gave expert testimony on the various
articles imported.
"LA TRANSPARENTE" STRINGS.
Some of the Interesting Features of This Popu-
lar Line of V!olin Strings Handled by August
Gemunder & Sons—A Recent Circular.
August Gemunder & Sons, 4'2 East Twenty-third
street, New York, the prominent violin, 'cello and
accessory house, is closing an excellent business
with the various brands of high-grade violin strings
that it handles. The discriminating and critical
clientele that the house caters to evidently ap-
preciates the numerous qualities of these violin
strings, as prominent violinists in all parts of the
country are ordering these strings.
One of the most popular of these violin strings
is "La Transparente," which, as its name implies,
HUGUST G E M O N D E R tt SONS
"La Transparente"
E
Violin Strings
A clear gut string with
a clear singing tone
3 full lengths 25c—15 full lengths $1.00
is a transparent string. This transparency of the
gut permits the player to recognize immediately
any flaw or fatty deposit in the string. This is but
one of the many merits of these strings.
A recent descriptive circular, issued by August
Gemunder & Sons, discusses in part the merits of
this string as follows:
"The lasting qualities of 'La Transparente'
strings are sure to appeal to the player who plays
or practises many hours each day. The same
French process that gives the gut transparency and
assures the absence of fatty deposits and flaws of
all kinds, also gives the gut great strength. Of
course, only a specially strong, clear gut is used,
and the process used doesn't give the strings their
transparency so much as it takes out of the gut
all trace of colored substances or fats that would
prevent the string from being transparent. When
tuned to pitch, the strings are perfect in open and
stopped fifths and in octaves, and they won't read-
ily 'stretch thinner than gauge,' for they are wound
with the greatest care and gauged with precision."
Philip Ravis, one of the popular road ambassa-
dors connected with the firm of Buegeleisen &
Jacobson, 113 University place, New York, will be
married to-morrow, November 23, to Miss Marie
Spanbock, one of the popular belles of Upper
Harlem. After a short honeymoon Mr. and Mrs.
Ravis will return to New York, where they will
reside.
OLIVER DITSON COMPANY
BOSTON, MASS.
E s t a b l i s h e d
1 8 3 4
Manufacturers, Importers, Publishers.
Largest and most complete stock of Musi-
cal Merchandise and accessories in the
trade. Modern Service, Attractive Special-
ties. Our 1913 Catalogue will be sent upon
application.
AUGUST MULLERi VIOLINS
J. HEBERLEIN
/ CELLOS
La Prima and Clarion
Accordions