Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
4
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY THE ESTATE OF EDWARD LYMAN BILL
(C. L. BILL, Executrix.)
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
«>
BOSTON
CARLETON CHACE,
L. M. KOBINSON,
CLAD HENDERSON,
Wii, B. WHITE,
WILSON D. BUSH,
L. E. BOWERS,
OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
CHICAGO OFFICE«
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Consumers' Building,
220 So State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Assoc.ate.
LONDON, ENGIiAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN THE LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $3.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $no.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to the Estate of
Edward Lyman Bill.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
Piann anil
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
p
d ea i t w ith, will be found in another 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
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma .... Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONO DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON BQ.
Connecting' all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW YORK, JUNE 3, 1 9 1 6 .
EDITORIAL
efforts have been made by every one concerned
S TRENUOUS
to make the prosperity convention of the National Associa-
tion of Piano Merchants in conjunction with the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, and the National Travelers' Asso-
ciation, to be held in New York during the week of June 19
to 24, the greatest in the history of these organizations.
The Pre-Convention Number of The Review this week has
been designed to arouse the piano merchants of the country to
a full realization, of the importance of the work which is to be
transacted in New York at this great gathering of members of
the industry, so that they may perfect their plans in good season
with a view of visiting New York during convention week.
In this issue there is presented the complete programs of
the various meetings and tournaments, as well as of the lavish
entertainment that will be provided for the visitors by the New
York piano men who have been working for months to make
the convention a notable one. A perusal of the programs,
together with a realization of the important topics that will be
discussed in the meetings, should move every wavering piano
man to complete his plans for being in New York and at the
Hotel Astor during the week of June 19-24.
accomplished that would elevate the trade ethics in the industry.
One of the especial features of this convention of the Indiana
association was the very practical ideas embodied in the papers
read by the various speakers. The dealers who were present
cannot fail to have been benefited by listening to J. Edwin
Butler's paper, which was full of sales pointers on the subject
of "When Not to Sell." The same may be said of Olin Bell,
on "Clean Competition," in which he pointed out how confidence
is the lubricant that makes the retailing of pianos an easier
matter. In this connection he emphasized the value of the
handling of instruments of quality, as well as the importance
of one price and good advertising copy. The evil of sales-
breaking came in for a thorough and vigorous treatment from
E. L. Lennox, while interesting reasons were set forth by W. P.
Chrisler, on why the public has become skeptical of piano
methods, piano prices and piano qualities, with the remedy as
to the best means of restoring the confidence of the public in
the piano dealer.
We trust that the report of this convention, which appeared
in last week's Review, has not escaped the closest reading of
our subscribers, because there was so much that is really valu-
able and helpful contained in the various papers presented, that
no piano merchant can fail to be interested and benefited by
knowing what his brethren in the State of Indiana are not
only thinking about but taking action on.
the development of musical appreciation throughout
W ITH
the country, and the general interest shown in the musical
education of the children, it is pleasing to note that the educa-
tional authorities of the various cities of the country appear to
have obtained a new conception of the importance of having
only first-class pianos in schools, not only from the economical
point of durability, but also from the point of musical quality.
If children are to learn about music they might better learn the
proper tones through the medium of an instrument that is capa-
ble of producing them.
The larger cities, such as New York, have for some time
past shown an inclination to select pianos of established reputa-
tion for quality, even when the same were offered in competition
with pianos selling for a much lower price. It remained for a
smaller city, Berkeley, Cai., for instance, to arrive at the conclu-
sion that grand pianos were the proper instruments for schools
and to ask for bids on five of those pianos. It was declared by
music supervisors that a grand piano not only supplied the
quality and volume of tone necessary for school use, but also
had the advantage of permitting the pianist to view the scholars
over the top of the instrument, while with an upright it was
necessary to turn the instrument sideways. Whatever the rea-
son that influences the school authorities to turn to grand pianos,
the move should be heartily endorsed by the piano men. There
has never before been such a demand for grand pianos as at
present and the teaching of school children to the music of a
grand piano should do much to develop sales of that class of
instruments in the future.
National Vigilance Committee of the Associated Adver-
T HE tising
Clubs of the World has issued a booklet entitled
"Building Better Business," written by Secretary H. J. Kenner,
which describes the methods and benefits of truth-in-advertising
work as conducted by Vigilance Committees and Better Busi-
ness Bureaus of advertising clubs in co-operation with other
business organizations. Taking the position that modern busi-
ness is built upon whole-hearted service to the public, and that
CONVENTION brimful of results was that held by the advertising, the most vital force in business, has come to be
Indiana Piano Merchants' Association in Indianapolis last
known as an investment in public confidence, the booklet de-
week. Definite steps were taken to discourage the practice of
scribes the work being done by advertising men and business
sales-breaking, to the end that a contract signed in good faith is
men alike to purge advertising of deceit and falsehood.
a sale completed. The association also placed itself on record
The work done by the National Vigilance Committee is
against fraudulent advertising in the piano business, and steps
constructive rather than destructive, in nature. It seeks to
were taken to see that all complaints are prosecuted, a special
show the advertiser who is addicted to the use of questionable
committee being appointed to this end.
advertising, that instead of gaining trade by advertising so-
This is constructive work of the right kind. Of course, inten-
called "wonderful reductions," "sacrifice sales" and "bargain
tions and resolutions mean but little unless they are adhered
prices," he is in reality destroying the confidence of the public
to, and if the State associations throughout the country act
in himself and in his goods, so that even when he does make
vigorously and consistently in the matter of these two important
statements which are predicated absolutely upon fact his pros-
questions discussed by the Indiana association much could be
pective customers are inclined to doubt them.
A