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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
A FURTHER DISCUSSION OFTHE_S_MALL GRAND QUESTION
Opinions From Two Nationally Prominent Piano Dealers Who Believe the Small Grand Is Here
to Stay—An Addenda to the Symposium Which Appeared in -The Review Last Week
The views held by prominent piano merchants
regarding the present status of the small grand
and its future possibilities as presented in the
symposium in The Review last week have
aroused the interest of manufacturers and other
retailers alike, for the opinions represented the
trade in many different sections of the country.
There are presented herewith some other
opinions on the small grand question which were
received too late for publication in the sym-
posium. Both views are presented by piano men
of national prominence and venose views should
carry weig"ht and conviction in the trade.
Small Grand Here to Stay, Says G. R. Hughes
The first is from Geo. R. Hughes, of the Wiley
B. Allen Co., San Francisco, Cal., who says:
"Apparently the small grand has come to stay,
and it is equally apparent that it is here, not
because of any particular demand that formerly
existed for it, but because an intelligent manu-
facturing industry, seeking constantly to enlarge
their output and better their conditions, have
foreseen the probability of a ready sale for the
small grand if its exploitation were properly
undertaken and the piano itself was produced
in quantities, which would enable them to make
a fair price, and of a quality that would satisfy
the buying public.
"In our various houses along the Coast, the
small grand has proved a satisfactory seller, but
we are frank to say that the demand for the
instrument was not spontaneous. It commenced
with us after some months of consistent adver-
tising of the product, of advocating it as the
logical piano for the small apartment, the bunga-
low, or the flat, and particularly as a desirable
small grand which was within the reach of the
moderate priced buyer on convenient terms.
"It is our conviction that we can sell anything
that we get behind and stay behind insistently,
and we believe other merchants on the Pacific
Coast will agree with us when we say that the
demand for the small grand has been created
by advertising in this locality, rather than having
existed prior to its introduction and its advocacy
by the trade generally. We have found that our
advertising has brought people in to see the
small grand, and we have rarely been able to
sell it to those who inquired for an upright, and
we have also found that it has raised the stand-
ard of terms somewhat, not merely because it
was a grand piano, but because our schedule
on all grands requires a larger down payment
and better monthly payments.
"As to the permanency of the movement
toward the small grand and its acceptance by
the public, we can only say that we believe that
were we and our fellow-merchants on the Coast
to discontinue its advertising the sale would
materially decrease in a very short time. We
have not found that it either materially af-
fects the sale of straight uprights or the player-
piano, but that, on the other hand, it seems to
have created a place for itself and undoubtedly
it has been shown to many prospective cus-
tomers who buy it because it is a grand piano.
"To sum it all up, we believe the small grand
came at the opportune moment and that it will,
if properly exploited, continue to be an im-
portant factor in the trade."
Has a Great Future, Says O. A. Field
The other view is presented by Oscar A. Field,
of the Field-Lippman Piano Stores, St. Louis,
who sets forth his opinion as follows:
"The small grand piano has entered as a factor
in the business where it has been pushed. Our
company had a very disagreeable experience a
number of years ago in handling a moderately
priced grand piano, and the result of this ex-
perience was such that we have been exceed-
ingly chary in attempting to market any instru-
ment that comes below a certain wholesale price,
and even in the last few years, when instruments
of this type have been placed on the market,
we have been very careful not to place this
company and its reputation behind any of them
which sold below the price we had set as min-
imum, although we are compelled to admit that
there have been some very beautiful instruments
produced and sold in very large quantities at a
price lower than our standard.
"The writer personally believes that in not
sc very many years there will be practically
nothing produced in the musical line but
player-pianos, grand pianos and grand player-
pianos and upright pianos in a very limited quan-
tity. This condition with the manufacturer would
come about very much sooner, in my opinion, if
it were not for the cave-like habits of the mod-
ern city dwellers, who are living in more re-
stricted quarters every year. Here again the
small grand piano is a distinct benefit and an
advantage, as some of them are so constructed
that they will fit in the same space that an up-
right piano and bench will take up.
"In conclusion I wish to say that 1 firmly
{TRADE
believe that there is a great future for the small
grand piano, but I also believe that a price limit
must be placed on the manufacture of same, be-
low which no one can safely go and produce an
enduring instrument."
SHEELEY & ROSEJWING BIG TRADE
KNOWII.LE, TENN., March 19.—Sheeley & Rose,
v;ho recently moved into their new headquarters
at 707 Gay street, report a rapidly increasing
trade since their removal. The firm handles the
Sohmer, Gabler, Weser, Janssen, DeRivas &
Harris, Lindenberg and Angelus. lines, and their
new warerooms are among the most modern in
the State. The concern has been established
here for a number of years and enjoys a very
high standing in the trade.
JOINS WANAMAKER SALES STAFF
Elbert A. Miller is now connected with the
outside sales staff of the piano department of
the New York John Wanamaker store. Mr.
Smith was formerly connected with Fulton-
Driggs & Smith Co., of Waterbury, Conn.
/MARK,
MADE IN U. S. A.
Imported Felt
In a comparison between imported and
domestic hammer-felt the following
experience of ours should prove inter-
esting and instructive.
A few years ago we determined to find out
whether or not we, ourselves, had kept pace
with the German manufacturers in the way
of improvements in machinery, methods and
product.
From one of the best felt mills in Germany we
secured an expert whom we brought over to this
country to make hammer-felt just as he had made it in
Germany. He brought his own machinery and used
his own methods and nothing was spared to get the
best possible results.
As a result we found that the German machinery
was similar to some we had discarded as obsolete
several years before. Furthermore, we compared the
felt made by this German expert with our own product
and we were indeed gratified to find that ours was the
better. The expert admitted it himself.
An ever increasing number of manufacturers of
quality pianos have also discovered that "American"
hammer-felt meets their requirements better than the
imported article. We welcome the opportunity to
prove our case by actual tests.
AmericanFelt
Company
TRADE,
NEW YORK
114 £. 13th St.
.MARK
BOSTON
100 Summer St.
CHICAGO
325 So. Market St.