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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Stall:
B. BaiTTAiN WILSON.
A. J. NICCLIH,
CARLETON CHACE,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
L.M.ROBINSON,
WM. B. WHITE,
GLAD HENDERSON,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
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E- P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
_ , . ' , .
......
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R o o m g06 .
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
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tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
flPfiartmPntc
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
VCpai lUICUia. d e a l t w i t h > w i u b c f o u n d i n a n o t her section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning which
will be cheerfully given upon request.
^ _ _ _ _
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Diploma.
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal- • .Charleston Exposition, 1801
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
KO1TO BXSTAJTCB TELEPEOITIiS—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting 1 all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW
YORK,
FEBRUARY
7, 1914
EDITORIAL
T
All this service has an unmistakable value, not only to the
manufacturers whose factories are featured, but to the trade at
large. Appreciation on the part of the public of the complicated
processes connected with the making of a piano tend to develop
greater respect for the value of that piano, and smoothes the
way for the salesman when he explains the relative merits of the
various instruments. It is the twentieth century method of handling
the "man from Missouri," for he is "shown."
The manner in which the opportunity to see the workings of
a piano factory through the medium of motion pictures is viewed
by the average merchant is indicated from the fact that at the recent
meeting of the Executive Committee of the Piano Merchants' As-
sociation in New York, motion pictures of the various processes
connected with piano manufacturing were strongly urged as an en-
tertaining and instructive feature at the coining annual convention
of the piano merchants.
H E saying that "seeing is believing" is recognized as a strong-
factor in modern merchandising by those who combine a
little psychology with general salesmanship.
As a result, in advertising campaigns and in sales talks gen-
erally we notice an apparent desire on the part of manufacturers
and merchants to let the prospective customer "on the inside,"
as it were—to allow him to become familiar with the details of
a product before purchasing.
While mystery may appeal to a certain element, to the great
proportion of the public it only serves to create suspicion. The
great minds in merchandising and advertising have sought to over-
come this condition by educating the public—telling it what it
wants and should know about manufactured products with a view
to giving the laymen a fair idea of the value of honest merchandise.
This movement to be frank with the public has developed in the
piano trade to a point where motion pictures of several piano fac-
tories are being shown in private and public exhibitions with a
view to acquainting the public with the numerous and sometimes
intricate processes connected with the making of a first-class piano.
The pictures, showing every department of the factories, serve
to impress upon the observer the fact that pianos are not put to-
gether like wooden boxes, but that there are hundreds of little
details requiring the most expert attention before the instrument
can be passed upon as perfect.
Some time ago the Baldwin Co. in Cincinnati had motion
pictures taken of the various departments of its factory, the pictures
being in great demand for educational purposes. Motion pictures
taken some time ago in the factory of Wm. Knabe & Co. in Balti-
more are at the present time being shown in motion picture houses
in the East and are attracting a surprising amount of attention.
The Packard Co., Fort Wayne, Ind., has had a set of motion
pictures taken of its factory and is co-operating with its represen-
tatives in various towns and cities to have the pictures shown at
free exhibitions in local halls and theaters. Other factories have
had made, or are having made, motion picture views of their in-
teriors for private and public exhibition purposes.
T
HROUGH the columns of The Review, W. M. Steuart, chief
of the Division of Manufactures of the United States Census,
has sent a message to manufacturers in all branches of the music
trade industry, inviting them to volunteer suggestions as to how the
special census of the manufactures of musical instruments, to bc
taken up this year, may be made more complete and of greater
value to the trade.
The officials in charge are anxious to hear from all manufac-
turers and wholesalers, jobbers and retail merchants as well, if
the latter have any ideas on the subject, to the end that the most
comprehensive, accurate and detailed census of the industry may
be secured.
The purpose of the special census of 1914 in the musical in-
strument field will be, like its predecessors, to show the absolute
and relative magnitude of the different branches of the industry;
the growth and decline of manufacture in the various lines; the
size and character of the establishments, etc. Obviously, such in-
formation is of value chiefly to the persons who are engaged one
way or another in the musical instrument business, and it is with
the object of giving the trade just the class of information that
would be of use that the Census Bureau officials have asked The
Review, through our Washington correspondent, to circulate a
broadcast invitation.
The music trade census of 1914 will be in some respects the
most significant yet taken, and one plan that has been formulated
tentatively contemplates that the musical instrument census of
1914 shall embody a discussion and analytical study of the in-
dustry with reference to its trend and development and not a mere
array of figures, as is the case with the census the returns of
which have just been printed in permanent form. Ten years ago
special reports of this kind were made in the case of a number of
industries, but the music trade production was not then included ;
however, if men in the trade will urge such special study by an
expert there is little doubt that the musical instrument business can
have such representation in the project now taking shape.
The quest for advice practically a year in advance of the com-
pilation of census figures is due to the fact that the officials are now
listing the questions which will be sent to every manufacturer of
musical instruments in the United States.
W
I T H I N the last ten years there have been a number of im-
portant changes and developments, particularly in the
player, talking machine and other lines of business, in which the
assistance of members of the trade will be most invaluable to the
officials at Washington, who are aiming to so frame the questions
to be submitted that no branch of the business or any detail con-
nected with it shall be omitted, to the end that the census of manu-
facturers for 1914 will be most complete in every respect.
This is a consummation devoutly to be wished, for in past years
the census report of manufactures has not always been looked up-
on with favor in the matter of accuracy. If the trade co-operates
with the Chief of the Division of Manufactures, there is every rea-
son to believe that these post-mortem criticisms will be forestalled.
For pertinent facts will be secured relating to the amount, value,
product, capital and other information relating to manufactures.
It is also aimed to publish full results of the census of all
branches of the music trades during the summer and autumn of
1915, an unprecedented record in view of the fact that always