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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
DISPLAY OF RARE VIOLINS.
R. S. W i l l i a m s Makes Display of His Remark-
able Collection of Rare Violins at the Sales-
rooms of His Firm in Toronto.
(.Special to The Review.)
TORONTO, ONT., October
11.—During the To-
ronto Exh bition R. S. Williams put on display
his collection of rare violins at the salesrooms of
his firm, the R. S. Williams & Sons Co., Ltd. This
collection, which was started in 1849 by tie late
R. S. Will ams, father of the present owner, with
a fiddle by Richard Duke, Jr., now includes instru-
ments by every English maker but one in the
classic school, and costly violins by Italian and
French makers. There are three Strads., valued
respectively at $5,1100, $7,5110 and $10,000. The last
one was bought personally direct from Stradivarius
for a s pupil, the Earl of Aylesford. On the ex-
tinction of his family it changed hands, and after
but one or two changes was acquired for the
Williams collection. The most modern instrument
in the collection was made in 1879 by John Day,
the English maker, who d'ed in 1881. The ages
of the instruments run up to 400 years old. The
collection is cac'.i night deposited in the fireproof
vault built for the purpose. The study and acquir-
ing of old fiddles is a hobby with Mr. Williams,
and he has succeeded n getting together a collec-
tion which is said to be unequaled on this conti-
nent. The Royal Ontario Museum contains a
collection of rare musical instruments of many
kinds contributed bv Mr. Will'ams.
NOW MADE INTELLIGIBLE.
New Way of Issuing Reappraisement Decisions
on Duties.
The Board of General Appraisers this week be-
gan issuing the reappraisement decisions with
short descriptions of the issues involved between
the importer ami the Government. Por many years
the reappraisement circulars have been unintel-
ligible to any but customs officials and the im-
porters immediately concerned.
One of the arguments, and the chief one that
has militated for years against an improvement in
the form of these decisions, was that the prices
paid, or entered for imported geods, should not be
made public, since trade secrets would lie divulged.
The circumstance that the name of the importer
has been withheld has not, it was said, prevented
merchants in competing lines from ascertaining the
identity of the importer and keeping close watch
on rival transactions.
J. II. Sullivan, president of the tribunal, said
Monday that he had long favored improving the
information contained in the circulars, and that at
a meeting of the board held last week it was de-
cided to amplify the rulings relating to values in
such a manner as to extend their usefulness. The
board's executive added that further improvements
will be made if found desirable.
TRADE OUTLOOKJS EXCELLENT.
"Business is great," said H. L. Hunt, manager
of the musical merchandise department of C. H.
Ditson & Co., New York, in a chat with The Re-
view. "Our sales are far ahead of last year, and
the outlook for the next few months is most en-
couraging. We attribute our splendid trade to the
increased appreciation of music which is evident
on all hands. The present generation is realizing
the beauties of music to an extent that never ex-
isted in the past, and the schools are assisting the
children in every possible way."
Among the visitors this week to the Ditson warc-
rooms was J. W. York, the relired band instrument
manufacturer, who au'.oniobiled here from Michi-
gan.
>ows have been on the European market for a
century or more and are thoroughly well estab-
lished in the leading conservatories throughout Eu-
rope. Leon Pique is a descendant of Francis
Louis Pique, the celebrated violin and bow maker
lof Paris, who in 1778 became famous for his ex-
cellent copies of Stradivarius violins. The bows
made by Leon Pique have been pronounced by the
leading violin collectors of Europe as representing
the acme of bow manufacturing activities.
Among the various models of Pique bows which
have found particular favor with American violin-
ists is the Vuillaume model. This bow is made
of the finest selected Pernambuco round st'ck of
real old wood, dull oil finish, fine hand-finished
ebony frog, pure silver mounted. Each bow is in
a Karatol covered silk plush-lined case.
IN TONE
STYLE & DURABILITY
HOHNIft
ACTIVE DEMAND FOR VIOLIN BOWS.
Buegeleisen & Jacobson Report Considerable
Activity—Leon Pique Bows Big Sellers.
HARMONICAS & ACCORDEONS
Ruegeleisen & Jacobson, 11.'I University place.
New York, are experiencing an unusually active
demand for the various lines of violin bows they
handle. This particular branch of the firm's busi-
ness has received the personal- attention of Air.
Piuegeleisen for many years, and its success may
be attributed in a measure to his indefatigable ef-
forts to make this division thoroughly represent-
ative of violin bow production.
Among the best sellers in the violin bow depart-
ment are the Leon Pique violin bows, which are
internationally popular among violinists. These
ARE RECOGNIZED AS THE
WORLDS BEST"
WEYMANN&SON
Incorporated
Manufacturers of
The Famous
THE ELITE
Weymann Mandolutes and
"Keystone State" Instruments
LA FAVORITA
Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. The Highest
Grade Single Length Tested Violin
Strings — Excel all Others — Known
throughout the world and used by
Prominent Artists and Soloists. For
sale by Leading Music Dealers. Trade
supplied by M. E. SCHOENING, 26
1010 Cteihmt St., Philadelphia. Pa.
Manufacturers, Importers
Publishers. Largest and
most complete stock of
Musical Merchan-
d i s e in t h e
trade.
East zznd St., New York City.
ATTRACTIVE
SPECIALTIES
The oldest aivd
largest musical
merchandise house
in America —
Black Diamond
Strings
Modern
Service
AUGUST MULLER
and J . HEBERLEIN, VIO-
LINS, VIOLAS AND CELLOS
MITTENWALD VIOLIN STRINGS.
SEND FOR COMPLETE CATALOG
C.Bruno & Soninc
THE WORLD'S BEST
351-53 4* Ave. Newark
lafional Musical String Co.
New Brunawlok, N. J .
EXCELSIOR
DRUMS ™ STANDARD
Some dealers may say 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 by using 1 cheaper
material, use less care in making 1 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. O. SOXSTMAW, Vic»-Pr»«. and Gen. Manager,
T«ath and Market Streets,
OAMSIV, V. J.
MUSIC
Made of Highest
Quality Gut
MUSICAL
Merchandise
STRINGS
Large Stocks —
Prompt Delivery
Send for Price List
Cincinnati
DEPT. B.
Ashland Manufacturing Co.
UEGELEISEN
& JACOBSON
113- 115 Univer.ity Place
„ m
Chicago
Largest Jobbers in America of
ODERN
USICAL
ERCHANDISE .