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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
BL00M1NGDALE BROS. PIANO CO., INC.
URCHS PLEASEDJVITH CONDITIONS
Chartered With Capital Stock of $1,500,000 to
Take Over Retail Department in Blooming-
dale Bros.' Store in New York—Will Not
Manufacture Pianos Under That Name
Wholesale Manager of Steinway & Sons Gives
Interesting Interview to Alabama Paper
ecutive head of the company is Charles H. Stein-
way, a grandson of the founder of the company,
Henry Steinway.
" 'Charles Steinway is the head of our com-
pany, and he is a democratic executive. He sits
in the office with bookkeepers and can be ap-
proached easily by any person having business
with him. He is the third generation, and there
is a fourth and fifth generation coming on to
perpetuate the name of Steinway.' "
The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala.,
recently published an interesting interview with
The Bloomingdale Piano Co., Inc., New York, Ernest Urchs, wholesale manager of Steinway &
was chartered this week with a capital stock of Sons, New York. Mr. Urchs visited Birming-
$1,500,000, to manufacture pianos, player-pianos, ham and spent some time with the Clark &
and musical instruments, the incorporators being Jones Piano Co., of that city, Steinway repre-
S. J., 11. C. and I. I. Bloomingdale, who at the sentatives. The interview, which is headed
same time incorporated Bloomingdale Bros., "Piano Business Is the Biggest in History,"
NUTTING MUSIC^STORE OPENED
Inc., to take over the big department store at reads as follows:
New Musical Headquarters in Nashua, N. H.,
Third avenue and Fifty-ninth street that has
"Although the United States is at war, and
Artistically Decorated and Equipped
operated under that name for many years.
business conditions in some respects have been
Inquiry at Bloomingdale Bros, headquarters
NASHUA, N. II., August 6.—The Win. L. Nut-
brought forth the information that the incor-
ting music store was opened last week, and is
poration of the piano company was effected sim-
one of the most modern piano stores in this
ply to enable the retail piano department in the
section of the State. The store occupies what
Bloomingdale store to be conducted as a sep-
was formerly two stores, one of which is now
arate institution and that it was not planned to
fitted up as a piano wareroom, where upright,
manufacture instruments under the name of
grand and player-pianos are on display. The
Bloomingdale Bros., in the near future at least.
other room is given over to the demonstration
Bloomingdale Bros, have for some time past
of Victrolas and Edison phonographs. Over
controlled the Walters Piano Co. and have fea-
6,000 talking machine records are carried in
tured the Walters instrument in their retail de-
stock, as well as 1,000 player rolls. Both rooms
are finished in hardwood trim, with artistic steel
partment.
ceilings, the side walls being tinted a pale green.
PIANOS FOR WARD BELMONT SCHOOL
An indirect lighting system has been installed.
The Welte-Mignon Autopiano is carried by the
O. K. Houck Piano Co. Makes Excellent Sale of
store and will be featured extensively.
Steinway and A. B. Chase Instruments
MEMPHIS, TENN., August 6.—The«O. K. Houck
Piano Co., of this city, recently carried a large
advertisement in the local newspapers announc-
ing the sale to the Ward Belmont School, of
this city, for fall delivery, the following pianos:
one Steinway largest size concert grand, seven
Steinway artists' grands, one Steinway verti-
grand and fifteen A. B. Chase pianos.
The Ward Belmont School is one of the
finest educational institutions in the South, and
the O. K. Houck Piano Co. takes pardonable
pride in calling attention to the fact that the
music department of this school selected the
Steinway and A. B. Chase pianos because of
their recognized musical qualities. The com-
pany's advertisement stated that these pianos
constitute the initial order for instruments to be
used by the faculty and advanced pupils of this
school, and the O. K. Houck Piano Co. be-
lieves that it is only a question of time when
all of the many pianos vised in the Ward Bel-
mont School by the pupils will be Steinway and
A. B. Chase pianos.
The Ward Belmont School uses a Stein-
way Duo-Art piano in its classes on theory and
musical appreciation. This instrument was also
purchased from the O. K. Houck Piano Co.
C. A. STEIN BACK/T HIS DESK
Advertising Manager of Kohler & Campbell,
Inc., Returns From Atlantic City
Ernest Urchs
more or less unsettled, the business of Steinway
& Sons is the greatest in its history, and the
company now has on hand unfilled orders
amounting to more than $1,250,000, according to
Ernest Urchs, wholesale manager of the com-
pany, who is in Birmingham visiting the firm
of Clark & Jones, Alabama distributors for the
Steinway.
" 'If we could, overnight, manufacture and fill
orders for more than a million dollars' worth of
pianos we would be back to about normal in
our business,' said Mr. Urchs when seen at
Clark & Jones Wednesday. 'Considering the
fact that the Steinway piano is a high priced
piano, that does not look as if the war is hav-
ing any effect on our business. And this is
not temporary. It has continued this way for
eighteen months, and even since the United
States declared war the condition has been prac-
tically unchanged.'
"Mr. Urchs talked interestingly of business
conditions in the South. He says that Georgia
STANDARD RECEIVER DISCHARGED
Affairs of Standard Piano Co., of Newark, N. J., and Louisiana are in particularly good condi-
tion, and comes ahead of Alabama in this re-
Have Been Successfully Adjusted
spect.
NEWARK, N. J., August 6.—Vice-Chancellor Fos-
" 'We are pleased with conditions everywhere,
ter has discharged Chas. L. Farrell, president of however, and why shouldn't we when we have a
the Essex County National Bank, as receiver million dollars' worth of unfilled orders on hand,'
for the Standard Piano Co. Mr. Farrell was ap- he said."
pointed receiver of the concern in January,
"Mr. Urchs declares that the war has dem-
1916, at which time its liabilities exceeded its onstrated the fact that musical instruments, in-
assets by more than $10,000. A satisfactory cluding pianos, are not luxuries but necessities.
settlement has been made of the affairs of the
" 'Music is a necessity or else we would not
concern and all small claims have been paid have bands with our armies, we would not have
in full.
the orchestras in theatres playing patriotic airs,
we would not have the community singing.
UNIFORM PRICE^FOR TUNING
Music is an inspiration in time of war, and helps
At a recent meeting of the New Orleans Music to keep the spirit of patriotism flaming. If
Dealers' Association a uniform price of $2.50 music is good in war it is good in times of
for tuning players and $3 for tuning grand peace, hence music is surely not a luxury.'
"Discussing the history of Steinway & Sons
pianos was agreed upon. This practically estab-
lishes the cost of tuning in New Orleans at Mr. Urchs says the plant of the company is lo-
these figures, as there are only two dealers in cated at Steinway, N. Y., on Long Island, and
that the firm is sixty-four years old. The ex-
the city not members of the association.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
C. A. Stein, advertising manager for the Koh-
ler Industries, who is one of the busiest men in
this particular line of work in New York, has
returned from a well earned vacation at Atlantic
City. He was accompanied by his wife and his
brother, Ernest Stein, a member of the Rudolph
Wurlitzer staff. Mr. Stein enjoyed his stay at
Atlantic City very much, according to all re-
ports, though those who know him best believe
that even while he was ostensibly resting, he
was busy devising new layouts and copy which
will be used to feature the Kohler & Campbell
line of instruments during the coming season.
ADJUSTING SIMMONS CO. AFFAIRS
NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 6.—The J. P. Sim-
mons Piano Co., recently adjudicated bankrupt,
is advertising a liquidation sale, in order to dis-
pose of its stock of musical instruments. Louis
Dederich and A. Dumser, receiver, are in charge
of the affairs of the concern at the present time,
although it has not been determined whether or
not the business will be continued after a re-
organization.
R. N. WATKIN BACK_FR0M VACATION
DALLAS, TEX., August 6.—Robert N. Watkin,
of the Will A. Watkin Co., piano dealers of this
city, returned last week from his annual vaca-
tion spent in the mountains of Colorado. Mr.
Watkin, who was recently appointed on the
membership committee of the National Asso-
ciation of Piano Merchants, has also been made
chairman of the city plan committee of the Uni-
versity Club of this city.
A. R. SPOERL REPORTS FINE BUSINESS
A. R. Spoerl, manager of the piano department
of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., 113 West Fortieth
street, New York, reports that despite the ex-
cessive heat that enveloped New York the first
part of last week, several purchasers braved
the torrid weather and found their way to the
warerooms at the above address and bought one
grand, one player-grand, and three players.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos