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Music Trade Review

Issue: 1917 Vol. 65 N. 10

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE, L. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St. E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Republic Building.
Telephone, Main 6950.
209 So. State St. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
H. SCOTT KINGWILL, Assistant Manager.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. 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 Nezv 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, $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $130.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
PiaitA anil
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
TlaUU aUU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
Itonartmpnte
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
IFCpdl I11ICI1I&. a r e d e a l t w i t h ; w i ii be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concern-
ing which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. .Charleston Exposjtion, 1902
Diploma.. .Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal.... St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW Y O R K ,
SEPTEMBER
4
8, 1917
EDITORIAL
IANO dealers will do well to read carefully the article, which
P
appeared in last week's Review, relative to the freight em-
bargo situation, which included a letter from Vice-President
Campbell, of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad,
addressed to E. A. Leveille, traffic manager of the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, in which Mr. Campbell stated that
freight conditions were such that it is not possible to give more
than twenty-four or forty-eight hours' notice of the placing of
an embargo.
In spite of the warnings which have been reiterated by
manufacturers and trade papers alike, there are still piano deal-
ers in this country who have thus far neglected to make any
provision for securing a stock sufficient to tide their business
over in the event of an embargo. These dealers seem to think that
because an embargo has not yet been declared which has affected
them, there will be plenty of time to worry about the embargo
when it actually comes. This is merely a policy of locking the
stable door after the horse is gone. There is as much logic in
the attitude of these dealers as there is in the attitude of the
man who refuses to carry fire insurance because his house has
never burned down.
The military preparations now being prosecuted with vigor
have already made heavy demands upon the railroads. Within
the present month it is fair to assume that the railroads of this
country will be hard pressed to handle the troops which will be
sent to the various training camps, and even after the embryo
soldiers have been concentrated at the designated points, the
constant carrying of supplies to the military camps will throw
upon the railroads a burden not lightly to be borne. The needs
of the Government must and will be taken care of first. Uncle
Sam is now a preferred customer, and his demands, no matter
how stringent they may be, must be satisfied fully, and ahead of
all others.
Without taking a pessimist's or an alarmist's view of the
situation, freight embargoes of all kinds can be expected in the
immediate future. That these embargoes will affect the move-
ment of such articles as musical instruments goes without say-
ing. The dealer who finds himself suddenly shut off from his
source of supplies by reason of a freight embargo has only him-
self to blame when he sees his more provident competitor garner-
ing in the sales by reason of an adequate stock of instruments
on hand. The only way to beat an embargo is to lay in a
sufficient supply to last through the embargo period. Wise deal-
ers have already done this; others are tardily awakening to the
seriousness of the situation and are placing orders with manu-
facturers at the present time.
There will be some dealers, however, who will not heed the
many warnings which have been given, and there will be but
scant sympathy for them in their loss of profitable business which
could have been theirs had they but exercised an ordinary amount
of foresight.
OR the fiscal year ending July 31, 1917, the Ford Motor Co.,
F
of Detroit, manufactured 735,000 automobiles, according to its
published report. This is an astounding figure and offers a basis
for much earnest speculation. For a basis of discussion it may be
assumed that taking all types of Ford cars into consideration, the
average retail price is in the neighborhood of $350 to $360 per
car, and that after deducting the number of cars sent to Europe
for army use, and for other purposes, there were over one-half
million people in America with over $350 in cash to spend for
"flivvers."
The. average retail price of all pianos sold is considerably
below $350, even at present-day prices, and it might be safe to
say that the average of pianos and players sold would not be
much over $350 per instrument. With an estimated output of
325,000 instruments a year, the Ford Co. turned out twice as
many automobiles as there were pianos and players produced
during the year with a neat 100.000 or so to spare, not taking
into consideration the outputs of dozens of other automobile
manufacturers, the figures of which are undoubtedly propor-
tionately as large.
Working on the Ford figures alone we find that five or six
hundred thousand people had $350 or more to spend on auto-
mobiles. Buyers of automobiles as a rule are not poor people.
They do not spend their last nickel for joy riding. It is, therefore,
to be assumed that they have some money left with which to
invest in home comforts, under which heading pianos and players
properly come.
It gives rise to the thought, too, whether each one of those
600,000 people had been properly approached by piano salesmen.
If 25 per cent, of them were overlooked, it means that 150,000
people, possible prospects, were allowed to spend their money in
other fields without having a single piano argument put before
them.
With over 600,000 people with enough money to buy Fords
alone, to say nothing of the thousands who have bought every-
thing from Saxons to Packards during the year, and are theo-
retically at least able to maintain them, the piano man cannot use
as an argument for poor sales that money is scarce. The money
is there—apparently more of it than ever before. The problem
is to get it.
increase in cash purchases of musical in-
A NOTICEABLE
struments has been in evidence in almost every section of
the country during the past few weeks. Many dealers to whom
a cash transaction was somewhat of an event report that their
cash sales are growing in volume all the time. While this does
not obtain in every section, the fact remains that cash sales are
increasing, and that where instalment sales are made, better
terms and larger first payments are the rule.
In view of these conditions, the piano dealer who makes no
effort to cut down the time on his instalment sales is missing a
golden opportunity. The day of "a dollar down and a dollar
a month" is fast fading; it need never return if piano dealers will
tighten their selling terms and educate their customers to the
fact that purchasing pianos on small payments and long-drawn-
out instalments is unwise, unnecessary and unprofitable to both
the dealer and the purchaser in the long run.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
KERSHNER PIANOiCO. DISSOLVED
TO PAY OBLIGATIONS IN FULL
PIANO SALES_AVERAGE UP
Portland, Me., Corporation Terminated Upon
Vote of Stockholders
Affairs of J. P. Simmons Piano Co. Being
Wound Up Satisfactorily
Declares the New York Times in Its Commer-
cial Report This Week
PORTLAND, ME., September 3.—The corporation
known as Kershner Piano Co. has been ter-
minated and dissolved by a decree of the Su-
preme Judicial Court on an action in equity-
brought by O. K. Houck, of Memphis, Tenn.,
president and a director of the company.
The company was organized in this city
January 19, 1897, with a capital stock of $100,000.
The officers were Oliver Kershner Houck, of
Memphis, Tenn., president; William H. Poole,
of Boston, treasurer; Edwin K. Milliken, of
Portland, John C. Houck, of Memphis, and
Henry S. French, of Nashville, Tenn., as di-
rectors.
At a meeting of shareholders held in this
city July 16, it was voted to institute proceed-
ings for the termination of the corporation.
Attorney B. B. Sanderson appeared for the
petitioner and attorney Robert Hale was counsel
for the company.
NEW ORLEANS, LA., September 4.—According to
a statement made last week by A. Dumser, re-
ceiver for the J. P. Simmons Piano Co., the
liabilities of the concern will be paid in full,
and a small balance will be left over to be
divided among the stockholders. It is stated
that the assets of the concern exceed the liabil-
ities by $30,000. The business will be wound
up at its present location in Canal street, but
J. P. Simmons, head of the bankrupt concern,
states that he will open a new store in another
location.
The following rather interesting summary of
piano trade conditions appeared in the section
of the New York Times devoted to commercial
reports on Sunday last:
"Piano manufacturers report that while they
have not experienced this year what they term
a normal increase in business over last year,
they have not fallen behind. They also say that
just at this time they have more unfilled orders
on their books than last year. Conditions in
the trade are looked upon as satisfactory con-
sidering the war situation and the wave of
economy that is sweeping over the country.
This, it was said, might be expected to make
itself felt in this line as soon as in any other.
Preparations for the fall and holiday trade are
under way, and a good business is anticipated,
despite the drawbacks attendant on the war."
FEATURE THE KNABE IN LOS ANGELES
Fitzgerald Music Co.'s Special Advertising in
Local Papers in Interest of That Instrument
Los ANGELES, CAL., August 31.—The Fitzgerald
Music Co. of this city carried in the local news-
papers last week an interesting and effective
column advertisement devoted exclusively to the
Knabe piano, which it handles as its leader.
OPENS WAREROOMS IN MUSKEGON This
advertisement featured illustrations of
MUSKEGON, MICH., September 3.—Lawrence P. Leopold Godowsky, world-famous pianist, who
Collins, formerly connected with Sohmer & Co. is an ardent admirer of the Knabe; Emil Sauer,
as an expert on player repairs and as piano renowned pianist, who has praised that instru-
tuner, and for the past two years employed by ment for its splendid singing tone, and Alma
the W. W. Kimball Co. in a similar capacity, Gluck, famous operatic soprano, who uses the
has opened warerooms at 147 West Western Knabe piano at all her concerts, and who is
avenue, this city, where he will handle the com- enthusiastic in her approval of the Knabe
plete W. W. Kimball Co. line of pianos and also "Mignonette" grand, which she purchased some
the Gulbransen-Dickinson Co.'s line of players. time ago.
This advertisement attracted considerable at-
E. A. Howes, piano and music dealer of tention from musicians and music-lovers who ap-
Waukon, la., has retired from business and has preciated the value of these endorsements from
celebrated artists, and who recognized in this
disposed of his musical merchandise stock, with
publicity clean, high-class advertising.
the exception of his pianos, to Prof. Phillips.
KANSAS CITY DEALERS WELL PLEASED WITH CONDITIONS
J. W. Ong Tells of Prosperous Agricultural Situation—W. G. Nourse Joins Jones Store Co. Staff
—August Was Banner Month for Wunderlich—Personals and News of Interest
KANSAS CITY, MO., September 3.—The local
piano trade situation is well summed up by J.
W. Ong, general manager of the piano depart-
ment of the Jones Store Co. here, and of the
John Shillito Co., Cincinnati, who said, in talk-
ing of general conditions:
"The Kansas corn crop is fine, and that will
mean a good business in our department, and
the reports from E. P. O'Connell, our traveler
in Kansas, who handles the trade among the
farmers, justifies me in saying that the pros-
pect for the fall is for a record-breaking sale
of pianos. We have just received three car-
loads of pianos and are taking everything we can
get, using every available space we have on the
floor and our stockroom is full.
"The cool weather the past two weeks has
helped to increase the floor drop-in trade. Dur-
ing the recent strike we advertised we would
call for anyone who telephoned to us that they
wanted to look at pianos, and I am afraid we
have started something. Just this last week
we had two telephone calls from prospective
customers to send our machine for them, which
we did, making, a sale in both cases."
W. G. Nourse has been added to the office
force of the piano department of the Jones
Store Co. Mr. Nourse was for fourteen years
general manager of the Bollman Bros. Piano
Co., St. Louis, Mo., and during that length of
time gained the reputation of never losing a
piano. For the past two years Mr. Nourse has
been on the road for the Jesse French & Sons
Piano Co., of New Castle, Ind.
The Wunderlich Piano Co. report that August
was by far the best month of the year, and way
beyond all expectations, and 60 per cent, better
than last year. The sale of eight grand pianos
during the month helped to swell the total as
well as good sales in the used piano depart-
ment.
E. C. Wood, general manager of the Werner
Industries Co., was a recent visitor in the city.
Miss Lillian Hudson has been added to the
office force of the piano department of the.
Jones Store Co. Miss Hudson has had special
training in credit work and will handle this de-
partment.
T. E. Johnston, manager of the Kansas City
branch for the Smith, Barnes & Strohber Piano
Co., has returned from a trip to Ohio.
The Jenkins' Sons Music Co. during the last
weeks in August have been holding their mid-
summer clearance sale and the amount of busi-
ness done has been larger than was anticipated.
They have been running large advertisements
daily in all the local papers.
J. L. Replogle, wholesale traveler out of
Kansas City for the Starr Piano Co., is on a
business trip to the factory in Richmond, Ind.
W. G. Means, of the Means & Pearson Piano
Co., is spending two weeks' vacation in Hutch-
inson, Kan. He will make the trip both ways
by automobile, accompanied by his wife and chil-
dren.
The Starr Piano Co. is making a few improve-
ments in its salesroom, adding a private office
with four divisions.
J. C. Means, of the Means & Pearson Piano
Co., is on a three weeks' business trip through
Kansas.
W. B. Roberts, Jr., manager of the Kimball
Piano Co., has returned from a vacation spent
in Green Mountain Falls, Colo.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
OUR METHODS^ NOT LIKED
Australian Dealers Complain About Deliveries
and Prices on Certain Commodities from the
United States, Says Consul General
Many commercial houses in the United States,
when writing to Australian importing houses for
business, fail to indicate when the merchandise
will be delivered, and frequently fail to allude to
the abnormal conditions caused by the war, re-
ports Consul General J. I. Brittain from Sydney.
While the Australian importer realizes that cer-
tain difficulties exist, he expects some assurance
as to when he may expect delivery when placing
his orders, also whether he can depend on prices
quoted being in force when the merchandise is
exported.
"There is no difficulty in selling American mer-
chandise here, provided the purchaser can be
given assurance when the goods can be deliv-
ered," says Mr. Brittain. "One importer in-
forms me that he received a letter from the
United States, saying that any merchandise pur-
chased must be paid for before it leaves the
United States and that it must be paid for at
the prices prevailing when the merchandise is
shipped instead of when the contract is made;
further, that the shipper will not assume re-
sponsibility for the delivery of the goods. It
can readily be seen that such terms would not
favorably impress any Australian importer."
DIVIDEND FOR CREDITORS
DAYTON, O., September 4.—By order of Judge
H. N. Routzohn the creditors of John A. Feter-
ley, formerly engaged in the piano business in
this city, will receive a dividend of 10 per cent,
on claims aggregating $9,315.47. Following the
insolvency proceedings, the administrator re-
ported the sum of $942.52 remaining to be dis-
tributed among the creditors.
SUPPLIES ORGANS^ FOR SOLDIERS
ALBANY, N. Y., September 4.—The Thomas Music
Stores, Inc., of this city, have just supplied the
State with twenty-one organs for the soldiers
in France. These instruments will be used for
hospital and tent service and are collapsible
when ready for moving, being about the size of
a small trunk with handles on ends.
HEARING ON COMPOSITION OFFER
SAGINAW, MICH., September 4.—The hearing
upon the application of the Bransfield-Billings
Action & Supply Co., for the confirmation of its
offer of composition to its creditors, will be held
in open court before Judge Arthur J. Tuttle, in
Bay City, September 8, according to a notice
sent out by Referee George A. Marston.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos

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