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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JULY MAKES GOOD TRADE START IN DETROIT.
Piano Merchants Pleased with the Volume of Business—Some Effective Chickering Advertis-
ing—A. A. Grinnell Returns from Western Trip—Good Fellowship Club Has Enjoyable
Time—T. M. Pletcher a Distinguished Visito.-—Sees Big Future for Detroit—News of Week.
(Special to The Review.)
DETROIT, MICH., July 12.—Considering the time
talking machine dealer, of East Water street, El-
mira.
of the year, the first week in July was very good
A. A. Grinnell, treasurer of the Grinnell Bros.,
for the piano business with Detroit dealers. Dul- Detroit, arrived home on July 5 after a six
ness usually prevails during July and anything
weeks' Western trip, which was solely for pleas-
above normal business is an indication that trade ure. Accompanying him were Mrs. Grinnell and
is good. While the weather is far from being daughter. They visited all of the Western Coast
"summery" and is antagonistic to the summer re- cities, including Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Port-
sort business, it is helping to keep people at home, land, San Francisco and Los Angeles. One week
which is one of the reasons why piano trade is was spent at the Panama-Pacific exposition—and
holding up for a longer period than in previous by the way Mr. Grinnell says the exposition was
years. "When the weather is hot, piano business
fully up to expectations. A week was spent in the
is at a standstill because people endeavor to get
Yosemite Valley, also a week at Yellowstone Park.
away from home just as quick as they can, pre-
Stops were also made at Salt Lake and Colorado
ferring to ride on the numerous pleasure boats
Springs. Mr. Grinnell met many prominent piano
out of Detroit or to go to the near-by parks and
dealers along the way, among them being George J.
lake resorts.
Birkel, of George J. Birkel & Co., at Los Angeles;
The J. L. Hudson Co., Detroit, had an unusual- Philip T. Clay, of Sherman, Clay & Co., of San
ly attractive piano advertisement during the past Francisco, and S. J. McCormick, first vice-president
week calling attention to the "Chickering." Two of Eilers Music House at Portland. Mr. Grinnell
models were shown—a grand and an upright. also.called at the various branch stores conducted
And this was the comment: "Ninety-two years of by these firms throughout the West. "The piano
supremacy is the record of the famous Chickering stores on the Coast are just as up to date as you
piano. In 1823 when Jonas Chickering made the will find anywhere," said Mr.. Grinnell. "The busi-
first Chickering piano, its ineffable beauty of tone
ness men in the West are very progressive in their
was the wonder of the musical world. To-day
methods and. ideas, and they are all possessed of
the beautiful-toned Chickering is still supreme.
that great business trait—hustle."
The Chickering piano is sold in the Hudson
R. D. Janney, of William Knabe & Co., was a
Piano Store because we regard it as the highest
type of piano made. It is one of the very few caller at the Grinnell store on July 9.
The "overstock" piano sale conducted by Grin-
pianos in America that has never been "com-
nell Bros, for three weeks came to a close on
mercialized."
July 10. "The sale was productive of excellent
Two terms are being commonly used by the
results for this time of the year," said A. H.
Hudson Piano store: "Terms can be arranged to
Howes, manager of the piano department.
suit you," and "it does make a difference where
Fifty members of the Grinnell Bros. Good-
you buy your piano."
fellowship Club, of Detroit and Windsor, held
One hundred members of the Chamber of Com-
their annual summer banquet at the Waverly
merce of Elmira, N. Y., paid Detroit a visit on Hotel, below Sandwich, on the Canadian shore,
Thursday, July 8, and where entertained by the
Wednesday night, July 7. The trip from Detroit
local board of commerce. They departed that
was made in automobiles, one of the Grinnell
evening for Buffalo and then for home. Among
trucks being properly fitted up to take care of 20
the delegation was M. Doyle Marks, piano and
people. The machines were taken across the De-
troit river to Windsor on ferry boats. The affair
was under the auspices of the Windsor members
of the club- A good musical program was ar-
ranged and some excellent talent was provided.
T. J. Nerney, manager of the Swedish Crucible
Steel Co., in Windsor, made a short address.
George Macdonald, "Canada's Harry Lauder" of
Windsor, entertained with Scotch songs. A vote
of thanks was tendered to R. H. Hewer, manager
of the Windsor store, who practically arranged
the whole program of events.
A letter has been received by Grinnell Bros,
from the Detroit Board of Commerce thanking
the firm for the entertainment provided by C. H.
Kesler and Clarence Mitten on the recent board
You can stimulate your player-
of commerce lake cruise to Buffalo and Mackinac
piano trade immensely by having
the LAUTER-HUMANA on your
Island. Mr. Kesler is manager of Grinnell Bros,
floor. The superb quality of this
player-piano department, while Mr. Mitten is with
instrument makes it the ideal play-
the Victrola department. Mr. Kesler took along
erpiano with which to conquer com-
a Wheelock Pianola, while Mr. Mitten took a
petition, especially where the pros-
Victor talking machine. On the trip they gave
pect is a person of discriminating
a number of recitals which the members thor-
judgment.
oughly enjoyed. Mr. Kesler has been in charge
The tone, the player efficiency
of the player department for the past three years,
and the faultless finish of details
having formerly been associated with leading
combine to make the LAUTER-
piano concerns in Chicago. Mr. Mitten is head
HUMANA a leader par excellence.
salesman in the talking machine department. (He
We furnish fullest information
recently took unto himself a bride from Saginaw,
on request.
Mich.)
July 19 is the date set for the opening of the
CAUTION—The word humana means human—
human-like control. This name is our trade-
new Pabhephone store at 114 Farmer street, De-
mark. The artistic supremacy of the LAUTER-
troit. It will be exclusively a jobbing and retail
HUMANA has brought forth imitations with
claims of "human-like control," "human touch,"
store for Pathe talking machines and records.
etc. There is but one Humana—the LAUTER-
HUMANA, manufactured wholly in our own
T. M. Pletcher, vice-president and general sales
Newark plant.
manager of the Melville Clark Piano Co., Chi-
cago, makers of the Apollo player-piano, was a
visitor to Detroit on July 9. Mr. Pletcher has
been coming to the City of the Straits for the
past twenty years, fourteen of them being in the
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
interests of the Melville Clark Co. "I can see a
great future for Detroit," he said to The Review
correspondent. "Your growth is a healthy and
IAUTERrHUMANA
LAUTER CO.
substantial one, and your people are of the pro-
gressive type. I like to come here and spend a day
or two with Mr. Andrews, manager of the Hud-
son Piano Store."
J. A. Alexander, general manager of the J.
Henry Ling Music Store, Detroit, will leave early
in August for a trip to the Pacific Coast, where
he will visit the Panama-Pacific Exposition.
FILE PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY.
Creditors Take Action Against Hall's Piano
Store, Inc., of Philadelphia.
(Sfc< al to The Review.)
PHILADELPHIA, PA., July 13.—Creditors have filed
a petition in involuntary bankruptcy against Hall's
Piano Store, Inc., with places of business at 2330
North PVont street and 2626 Germantown avenue,
in the United States District Court. The failure
of the concern to satisfy a magistrate's judgment
for $47.30 obtained against it by the Monarch
Piano Player Roll Co., while alleged to be in-
solvent, is assigned as the act of bankruptcy. The
petitioning creditors and their claims are Thomas
Byrne,- $500.48; Penn Piano Scarf Manufacturing
Co., $108.50; Alfred M. Woldroii, $83.01.
JOINS F. G.J5MITH FORCE.
G. Raymond Brock, who for the past five years
has been the Long Island representative of the
Sterling Piano Co., has joined the retail forces of
F. G. Smith. He will be connected with the Brook-
lyn store, which is located at 00 Flatbush avenue.
An Acoustical
Triumph Won
by American
Enterprise
The correct and resolute stand
taken by the American Steel & Wire
Co. years ago, that the demand for
extra strong hard strings has no
justification .in musical accomplish-
ment, is being more and more realized
daily by piano manufacturers.
The products of this house possess
all the strength that any piano ever
requires. The wire is softer, and its
vibrations produce a more domi-
nant fundamental and fewer higher
partials than the hard strings in de-
mand years ago.
The absolute uniformity, tensile
strength without hardness—wire that
vibrates so evenly throughout when
actuated by the proper amount of
energy, that richness and brilliancy
result, has been the great accomplish*
ment of the American Steel & Wire
Co.
The resultful achievements of this
house in the domain of tone are now
recognized more than ever, and the
fact that the products of this house
are receiving the highest approval
from the users of pianos is a still
higher point gained in acoustical
accomplishment.
American Steel & Wire Company
Chicago, New York, Worcester, Cleveland, Pitts-
burgh, Denver. Export representative: U. S. Steel
Products Co., New York. Pacific Coast represen-
tative: U. S. Steel Products Co., San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle.