Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
SMALL GOODS FROM GERMANY
Large Decreases in Musical Merchandise from
the Markneukirchen District Are Shown in
Consular Reports for 1914 and 1915
Consular Agent W. Bruce Wallace, stationed
at Markneukirchen, Germany, gives some in-
teresting information regarding the conditions
which obtain in the musical merchandise in-
dustry in that section. This district is famous
as being the center of the small goods industry,
and the prosperity of the district as a whole
depends on the activity in this line. A great
decrease in the production of musical instru-
ments in 1915 was caused by the war, the main
reasons being the loss of markets and lack of
raw material, together with the withdrawal of
workmen from the industry. The manufac-
ture of musical instruments in this section is
principally a domestic industry, and while ma-
chines are used in making certain instruments,
hand work predominates. The withdrawal of
skilled instrument makers from the trade,
therefore, curtailed the production to a greater
extent than in industries where the places of
the men could be filled by women and girls.
Owing to the fact that there are sufficient
orders to furnish full employment when nor-
mal conditions resume in Germany, and also
owing to the extreme lack of raw material,
there is bound to be a general increase in the
prices of musical instruments.
The musical instrument industry of this dis-
trict requires great skill and talent. The in-
strument makers, as a rule, receive a good
price for their products, and their economic sit-
uation has always been good, so that there is
less suffering in this locality on account of
war conditions than there would be otherwise.
The large orders from the German army for
accordions, band instruments and harmonicas
also tended to keep conditions fairly normal.
There was a great lack of shipping facilities
for exporting to the United States during 1914,
DURRO
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
NEW
YORK
WuRUlZER
MUSICAL
Merchandise
Cincinnati
and the decrease in musical instruments ex-
ported during 1915 amounted to $256,575. The
declared values of exports to the United States
invoiced through the Consular Agency at
Markneukirchen in 1914 and 1915 were as fol-
lows: Horse hair for bows, $4,804 in 1914;
$1,114 in 1915. Musical instruments and parts,
$412,770 in 1914, dropping to $156,195 in 1915.
Catgut strings worth $67,568 were exported in
1914, the 1915 total being only $44,359. Steel
and other metal strings for musical instru-
ments valued at $829 were exported in 1914, the
figures for 1915 being $522. Violin rosin worth
$3,223 is shown on the 1914 report, the 1915
figures being $1,615. Harmonicas were export-
ed to the value of $103,330 in 1914, dropping to
$62,687 in 1915.
The declared exports from Markneukirchen
to the Philippine Islands in 1915 consisted of
musical instruments and strings valued at $2,-
466, as compared with $2,527 in 1914.
STORY WITH AN JMPOSSIBLE ENDING
The collection of musical instruments had
always been a fad with Mr. I. B. Sharp, so when
in passing a shop, he noticed a sale of second-
hand specialties, why, of course, he must rush
in and give the offering the once over. He was
particularly taken with a musty old violin,
which looked as though it might have been the
one Nero syncopated on while Rome was burn-
ing or the one Noah used to soothe the savage
beasts on the Ark. One thing was obvious, the
bridge on the violin was in such an enervated
condition that one had to cross it with slow
music—any attempt to joy-ride over it would
bring the bridge crashing down with disaster.
It became the property of Mr. Sharp for two
beans.
That night Ignatz Longhair, the famous vio-
linist, called on Mr. Sharp and casually exam-
ined his purchase. Carelessly he started to
play and then impatiently laid the instrument
aside with a sharp ejaculation.
The violin was not a Stradivarius.
HENRY STADLMAIR ON VACATION
STEWART
Chicago
EXCELSIOR DRUMS ™ STANDARD
Some dealers m»y say that they cost more than
others.
Excelsior Drums cost mor* because they are worth
more. Cost more to make.
We could make - them cost less by using cheaper
material, using less care In making them, and dis-
pensing 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. SOISTMAN, Vloe-Pres. and Gen. Manager,
CAMDEN, N. J.
Tenth and Market Streets,
47
REVIEW
Henry Stadlmair, vice-president of C. Bruno
& Sons, Inc., 353 Fourth avenue, New York,
accompanied by his family, went to Albany by
boat last week, motoring from there to Lake
George, where they enjoyed the week in recrea-
tion.
AND
113 University Place
MUSIC TRADE
Ed. N. Paulding, general traveler for the
Packard Piano Co., Fort Wayne, Ind., is also
president and sales manager of the Paulding
Sales Co., Rockford, 111., which is handling a
large line of piano and player benches. The
new concern was organized in March, 1916.
OLIVER DITSON GO.
BOSTON, MASS.
RUDOLPH F. GEMUNDER DEAD
Prominent Violin Maker Passed Away in
Leonia Last Week—Sixty-Six Years of Age
Rudolph F. Gemiinder, a member of the firm
of August Gemiinder & Sons, of 141 West
Forty-second street, internationally known as
violin makers, died on Saturday at his home,
223 Hillside avenue, Leonia, N. J., in his sixty-
sixth year. He was a son of August Gemunder,
who came to this country in 1846, and whose
masterpiece was a copy of Sarasate's Amati,
which that artist pronounced to be equal to the
original. His grandfather was a famous violin
maker of Wurttemberg, Germany, and was vio-
lin maker to Prince Hohenlohe.
Mr. Gemunder entered his father's studios in
1880 and a year later made his first violin, pat-
terning it after the Maggini model. During
1884-85 he assisted in making the instruments
exhibited by his firm at the New Orleans Expo-
sition, and during the early nineties worked on
those which won the highest awards at the
Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
He is survived by his wife, one sister, Miss
Magdalena Gemunder, and three brothers,
August M., Charles H. and Oscar A., all violin
makers and members of the firm.
NEW QUARTERSFOR ASHLAND CO.
The Ashland Mfg. Co. is rapidly getting set-
tled in its new headquarters at West Forty-
third street and Hermitage avenue, Chicago, 111.,
to which it moved last week. The concern now
has about 4,500 square feet of floor space, oc-
cupying a large four-story brick structure which
was formerly a public school. The building has
been completely remodeled, and the latest ma-
chinery for the manufacture of gut strings has
been installed. The grounds surrounding the
building will be improved, and when all changes
are completed the concern will have one of the
finest manufacturing plants in Chicago. Man-
ager C. E. Seaton states that the factory has
been working full time for may months past,
and that the great volume of business received
necessitated new and larger quarters for the
concern.
The oldest and
largest musical
merchandise house
in America —
SEND FOR
CATALOG
CBrimo&Soiiinc
Manufacturers
Importers and Jobbers of
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Attractive Specialties
Modern Service
ESTABLISHED 1834
WEYMAHH
Manufac-
turers of
Superior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1010 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Established orer half a century.
351-53 4V Ave. NewyorK
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.