Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
69
STRICT AS A SUPERVISOR.
SATISFACTORY _HOL1DAY TRADE
LYON & HEALY CATALOG.
Interesting Letter Which Tells How the Ger-
man Government Keeps Watch Over Manu-
facturers and How They Treat Their Men.
Reported by H. L. Hunt, Manager cf the Mu-
sical Merchandise Department of Chas. H.
Ditson & Co., New York—Small String In-
struments Popular with Christmas Buyers.
Cleverly Arranged Little Volume 3ets Forth
the Wonderful Extent of the Lyon & Healy
Line of Musical Specialties of All Classes.
A prominent local musical merchandise importer
received this week an interesting letter from a
well-known German manufacturer referring to
the supervision and co-operation which the Ger-
man Government is rendering in connection with
the treatment being accorded employes of the
various factories throughout that country.
According to this letter, a German violin manu-
facturer with a very large output had a fair sized
force at work in the f-actory on a full-time basis,
but took advantage of the war and the somewhat
unsettled conditions to pay them on a three-quar-
ter time basis, declaring that the employes should
be satisfied to receive any employment whatsoever
in time of war.
It appears that the German Government, being
informed of this action on the part of the manu-
facturer, immediately dispatched an investigator
to the factory to ascertain the true aspect of af-
fairs, and upon learning of the manufacturer's
attempt to profit at the expense of his working-
men, ordered the factory closed indefinitely. All
the orders in the h-ands of this manufacturer were
distributed among other factories in the district,
and the employes were added to other factory
forces. It is understood that similar action has
been taken against other manufacturers in various
mercantile lines who endeavored to profit by like
methods.
The text of this letter from abroad would indi-
cate that shipments of musical merchandise are
being made as consistently as facilities will per-
mit, but the American importers state that the
goods they receive now and then from abroad
represent shipments which were scheduled to ar-
rive here several months ago.
"Holiday business at tht musical merchandise de-
partment of Charles H. Ditson & Co., 8 East Thir-
ty-fourth street, New York, is very satisfactory,
and H. L. Hunt, manager of this department, is of
the opinion that general business next year will
show a steady improvement in keeping with the
increased optimism and confidence which has been
manifested the past few weeks. C. H. Ditson & Co.
have been conducting an aggressive newspaper
campaign on behalf of their musical merchandise
department, and this publicity has produced splen-
did results. It is interesting to note that the major-
ity of inquiries from this advertising referred to
the better class of merchandise.
"Although all our lines are receiving their share
of our holiday trade," remarked Mr. Hunt, "there
has been a phenomenal demand for mandolins, gui-
tars and tango banjo-mandolins. The dancing craze
throughout the country accounts for the unusual
call for this class of instruments, and the tango
banjo-mandolin in particular is being proclaimed
as the ideal instrument for dancing use.
"This instrument res. mbles a banjeaurine in gen-
eral appearance with a neck like a mandola. The
volume of tone which the capable player may se-
cure from it is tremendous, and although the better
grades are comparatively expensive, they are meet-
ing with a ready sale as providers of perfect music
for the indoor dancing season.
"Violin trade is also very gratifying just now,
and we have sold quite a number of expensive
violins during the past few weeks. Violins of a
medium grade are the most popular sellers this sea-
son, with a steadily increasing demand for small
violins for children's use."
HERMANN WEISS HEARD FROM.
During the week after Columbia University had
given Walter Damrosch the degree of Mus. Doc, Writes New York Office Regarding Trade
the noted conductor received a note from Alex-
Conditions in Europe, Which Are Far from
ander Lambert in which the piano pedagogue re-
Being at a Standstill.
marked: "I am so glad that you are a 'doctor of
music' Now when I get sick of music I shall
Hermann Weiss, manager of the American
know where to go."
branch of Ch. Weiss, 393 Broadway, New York,
manufacturer of harmonicas and the Flute, who is
now at the Weiss factories in Trossingen, Ger-
WEYMANN&SON
Incorporated
many, has advised the local office that trade in
Manufacturers of
Europe is far from a standstill. Substantial
The Famous
orders for Weiss products are being received from
Weymann Mandolutes and
Germany and other countries and the limited
"Keystone State" Instruments
working force now available is working overtime.
1010 Chettnut St.. Philadelphia, P».
Ch. Weiss, head of the house bearing his name,
returned recently from a business trip to the lead-
ing German cities, where he secured quite a
large volume of Weiss business. Hermann Weiss
joined the German army the first of the month,
and will probably leave for the front very soon.
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J .
EXCELSIOR
DRUMS ™ STANDARD
Some dealers may «ay that they cost more than
others.
Excelsior drums cost more because they are
worth more. Cost more to make.
We could make them cost less toy using 1 cheaper
material, use less care in making- them, and dis-
pense with the new patented improvements.
If we did, however, Excelsior Drums would not
be the Standard as they are to-day. Write for
catalogue.
EXCELSIOR DRUM WORKS
A. Cr. SOISTMAN, Vice-Pres. and Gen. Manager,
Tenth and Market Streets,
CAKOEH, N. J.
Manufacturers, Importers
Publishers. Largest and
most complete stock of
Musical Merchan-
dise i n t h e
trade.
rm
ATTRACTIVE
SPECIALTIES
Modem
Serrice
AUGUST MULLER
and J. HEBERLEIN, VIO-
LINS, VIOLAS AND CELLGS
MITTENWALD VIOLIN STRINGS
The Review's universal Want Directory is
free to all. If you wish a man for any depart-
ment of your business consult the market
place of the trade.
The oldest aivd
largest musical
merchandise house
irv America
CBrimo & Son,k
351-53 4^ Avc. Newyork
WuRLlTZER
MUSICAL
Merchandise
Cincinnati
SEND FOR COMPLETE CATALOG
B
UEGELEISEN
& JACOBSON
113-115 University Place
NEW YORK
"Musical Gifts for All Ages and Musical Pur-
poses" is the title of an unusually attractive and
practical publication issued by Lyon & Healy,
Chicago, 111., to aid their patrons in selecting their
holiday gifts. A novel idea for a book of this
nature in the shape of a thumb index adds to the
distinctive character of the publication and en-
hances its convenience to the highest possible
degree.
The book is sub-divided into many headings, each
of which is indexed for immediate reference by
means of the thumb index. These headings in-
clude wee children, children, boys, girls, young
people, mother, father, musical clubs, a new pro-
fession, music room, students. Under these head-
ings is listed everything musical that is appro-
priate for that particular class of patrons. The
magnitude of the Lyon & Healy institution is well
illustrated by the exceptional diversity of the mer-
chandise listed, all of which may be obtained at
its warerooms.
The foreword of this book, reading as follows,
is significant of the true spirit of music:
"Music to-day, more than ever before, is recog-
nized as one of the prime necessities of the human
race. This is not strange, because all music is
more or less the voice of the ideal which calls
upon the spirit. The trumpet awakens in the sol-
dier the will to do or die; the lullaby whispers to
the child the charms of the garden of sleep.
"This little book is an effort, in an elemental
way, to classify Music. If it assists the reader in
finding the precise form which appeals to him it
will have served its purpose."'
j
f
Chicago
Largest Jobbers in America of
ODERN
USICAL
ERCHANDISE
M
WRITE FOR.NEW.CATALO