Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1918 Vol. 66 N. 22

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
NORMAL CONDITIONS PREVAIL IN TWIN CITY PIANO TRADE
Local Dealers Will Be Represented at Coming Conventions—Raudenbush Factory Not to Engage
in War Work—Dyer & Bro. Taking Inventory—Personals and Other News of Interest
ST. PAUL and
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May
27.—
Preparations for the big conventions in New
York interested a few of the Twin City piano
dealers last week, but not many. Only W. J.
Dyer, Robert O. Foster and C. L. Waldo had
decided definitely to attend the gatherings when
this letter was written, while Elmer A. Brooks
was on the fence of uncertainty. But he al-
ways goes at the last minute, and it will not
do to wager that he will not be on hand.
Raudenbush & Sons, who had been figuring
for several months to devote a part of their
plant to Government work to reimburse them
for the forced reduction in the output of pianos,
have quit figuring.
"We will stick to pianos," explained Mr. Rau-
denbush. "With the conditions so chaotic and
with the high cost of machinery necessary for
the proposition that was put up to us, we feel
that the risks are too great to venture deeply
into the game. We find that we can sell all the
pianos we are allowed to make and we simply
will confine ourselves to that one task."
Webb Raudenbush, who went from St. Paul
as Lieutenant Commander in the Minnesota
Naval Reserves, is attached to the ordnance bu-
reau of the Navy Department, having turned in
his commission and taken a civilian position.
He has responsible and exacting duties, but
there is no chance of promotion and his pay
does not begin to equal his salary as superin-
tendent of the piano factory.
W. J. Dyer & Bro. report that they are jog-
ging along at a moderate gait, but without creat-
ing any noticeable dust on the highways of
trade. The inventory work is keeping the staff
quite well occupied, but the sales for May were
handled with some ease. Several of the Foto-
players and pipe organs contracted for recently
are being installed, which keeps one depart-
JUNE 1,
1918
ment bustling considerably. The $7,500 organ
for the Mandarin Cafe will be formally dedicated
June 10 with appropriate American and Chinese
ceremonies.
Arthur L. Wessell, of Wessell, Nickel & Gross,
New York, action makers, is visiting the North-
west.
Piano factories are not quite as numerous in
this part of the United States as in the metro-
politan district, but there is no chance that he
will return empty-handed.
"We are very busy in our tuning and repair
departments, but we can't say very much for
the other branches just at present," said Presi-
dent Edward R. Dyer, of the Metropolitan Music
Co., when the inevitable and stereotyped ques-
tion was fired at him. "We are having some in-
quiries for Steinways, but persons who are af-
fected materially by the Liberty Loan and Red
Cross campaigns will not be in position to invest
ia pianos for a few weeks."
"Repeat what The Review said last week and
you won't miss the mark," advised Robert O.
Foster. The retail piano business in Minne-
apolis is slow, distinctly so. Everything looks
most hopeful and rosy for a big business in the
fall, with the outlook for a tremendous grain
crop and high prices, but we will not predict
that trade will be active. It should be, as the
preliminary conditions are very auspicious, but
who can tell what course business will take in
times of war?
Cable Piano Co. reports, both from St. Paul
and Minneapolis, indicate that piano sales can be
made, but it requires at least 100 per cent, more
effort to secure them than normally is the rule.
The St. Paul store has lost one of its best sales-
men in Ted Erickson, who has joined the navy.
He was a member of the Victrola staff and a
comer in the business.
KROEGER CO. ISSUES INVITATION
Dealers Throughout the Country Invited to At-
tend Music Show and Conventions and Get
Acquainted With the Kroeger Products
ion—Inspection—Inspection
Inspected three times are the wool fibers selected for American
Hammer Felt. This takes place in the "specking" department
shown in the illustration. Each tuft of wool is picked over and
over by trained workers, to make certain that it is free from
any foreign substance.
Before coming to that department all the wool is dusted in
special machines and thoroughly scoured with pure soap and
pure water to free it from spot and stain. After three inspec-
tions in the "specking" department we know it is right.
The reputation of many high-grade pianos is admitted by the
makers to be due in no small measure to the fact that the ham-
mers are made of American Hammer Felt, the unvarying uni-
formity of which is the result of inspection checking inspection.
How does this carefulness affect the cost of American Ham-
mer Felt? Let our quotation answer.
American Felt
Company
TRADE,
100 Summer St.
BOSTON
k MARK
25 Madison Ave.
NEW YORK
32S So. Market St.
CHICAGO
The Kroeger Piano Co., of Stamford, Conn.,
has recently mailed a very interesting letter to
the trade urging dealers in all sections of the
country to go to the convention and the Na-
tional Music Show, and incidentally to shake
hands in person with the Kroeger officials and
make a personal inspection of the Kroeger in-
struments which will be on exhibition at the
show. The letter reads in part as follows:
"June 1-8 is the occasion of our music show in
conjunction with the various convention gather-
ings that are scheduled in the same period.
"We aim to have a lot of visitors, and the
occasion will not be as complete as we could
wish it if you are not among that number. Can
you arrange to be with us and help us make this
a bigger and better music show and one that
will make for business progress for all of us
and a more intimate relationship between the
musical factors and fabrics of which our in-
dustry is built up?
"We want you to be with us; we want to
meet and greet you and tell you of our plans
and purposes. We want to show you what is
being done in the way of developing Kroeger
quality to a point where it will be supreme of
its kind, and we hope to learn your views upon
a lot of points that are vital to our joint inter-
ests and through which we may be enabled to
serve you more successfully.
"And incidentally, if we can sit across the table
from each other and talk face to face, we know
that we can assimilate a lot of helpful ideas that
will have continual bearing upon the future
problems that are certain to arise because of the
world disturbance that is so largely influencing
present-day trade conditions. And finally, in
the words of the Biblical scribe, 'Come with us
and we will do thee good.' (Memo.: Be care-
ful how you interpret this scriptural quotation.)"
The North American Music Store, Chicago,
has been incorporated with capital stock of
$2,500 by C. A. Grimm, R. Huttman and Harry
L. Shaver.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
JUNE 1, 1918
MUSIC TRADE
11
REVIEW
INCREASE REPORTED IN EXPORT AND IMPORT TRADE
Exports of Musical Instruments for Nine Months Ending March 31, 1918, $903,855 More Than Total
for Same Period in 1917—Imports Show Gain During Same Period of $115,987—Figures Re-
garding Trade in Player-Pianos, Music Rolls, Piano Players and Small Goods
WASHINGTON, D. C, May 27.—The summary of
exports and imports of the commerce of the
United States for the month of March, 1918,
the latest period for which it has been compiled,
has just been issued, and 1 is as follows:
The dutiable imports of musical instruments
during March, 1918, amounted to $48,222, as
compared with $37,839, which was imported the
same month of 1917. The nine months' total,
ending March, 1918, showed importations valued
ai $489,947, against $373,960 worth of musical
instruments imported during the same period in
1917, and $443,886 in 1916. This gives an in-
crease in imports for the nine months of
$115,987.
The total domestic exports of musical instru-
ments for March, 1918, amounted to $312,464, as
compared with $376,384 for the same month of
the previous year. The nine months' exporta-
tion of musical instruments amounted to $3,-
728,436, as against $2,824,581 for the same period
of 1917, and $2,522,723 in 1916. This shows an
increase for the nine months of $903,855.
Of the aggregate exportations in March, 1918,
there were 96 organs, valued at $4,174, as com-
pared with 208 organs in 1917, valued at $14,407.
The nine months' total showed that we ex-
ported 1,933 organs, valued at $118,310, as against
1,888 organs, valued at $107,000 for the same
period in 1917, and 2,752 organs, valued at $168,-
633 during 1916.
In March, 1918, we exported 788 pianos, valued
at $134,658, as compared with 882 pianos, valued
at $143,050 for the same period of the previous
year.
The nine months' total shows 10,902
pianos, valued at $1,784,492, as compared with
8,591, valued at $1,313,410, exported for the same
period of 1917, and 6,593 pianos, valued at $1,-
200,432 sent abroad during the same period in
1916.
Of the aggregate exportations there were 4
piano players, valued at $2,726 in March, 1918,
as against 42 piano players, valued at $12,294
for the same period of 1917. For the nine
months' period 118 of these instruments, valued
at $34,291 were sent abroad, as compared with
119, valued at $32,781 in 1917, and 200, valued
at $54,198 sent abroad during 1916.
3 Great Pianos
With 3 sounding boards
in each (Patented) have the
greatest talking points in
the trade.
The exports of player-pianos show that 231
of these instruments, valued at $67,217, were ex-
ported during March, 1918, as compared with
317, valued at $92,439, exported in March, 1917.
The nine months' total shows that 2,659 player-
pianos, valued at $821,909, were exported during
1918, as compared with 1,689, valued at $532,844
in 1917, and 882, valued at $273,831 in 1916.
The exports of perforated music rolls for the
month of March, 1918, amounted in value to
$11,438, as compared with $9,471 in March, 1917.
The nine months' total amounted in value to
$110,644, as compared with $66,820 in exports
for the same period in 1917, and $41,106 in 1916.
The value of all other musical instruments and
parts thereof sent abroad during March, 1918,
amounted to $92,251, as compared with $104,723
in 1917. The total exports for the nine months
under this heading foot up $858,790, as against
$771,726, exported during the same period of last
year, and $784,523 in 1916.
MAY REDRAFT THE STEPHENS BILL
Believe That a Remodeled Measure, or an En-
tirely New Bill, Providing for Maintenance
of Resale Prices Under Auspices of Federal
Trade Commission, Will Be Offered
It is now predicted that in view of the vari-
ous recent decisions against the existing methods
of providing for the maintenance of fixed retail
prices, and particularly in view of the recent
action of the Federal Trade Commission in the
matter of price fixing, a new, or amended, Ste-
phens bill will be introduced into Congress at
an early date which will be drafted along lines
to meet the situation as now developed.
It is believed that in its new form the Ste-
phens bill will still be designed to give manu-
facturers of trade-marked goods the right to
fix the retail selling price, or the resale price, on
their goods, but will also provide that the price
fixin'g must have the approval of the Federal
Trade Commission. It is believed that legisla-
tive and judicial interests at present opposed to
the fixing of retail prices by private concerns
can be won over to the policy of price mainte-
nance, provided such a policy shall be under
Government supervision.
Even Justice Brandeis, of the United States
Supreme Court, in a dissenting opinion in a
recent price-fixing case, gave it as his view that
price maintenance should be brought about
through legislation, and intimated that the Fed-
eral Trade Commission should be given some
authority in the matter.
With the Federal Trade Commission in
charge, the retailer, or the final purchaser, will
have some recourse in the event that he felt
that the price fixed on a certain article was
higher than was warranted by the cost of manu-
facture and distribution, in which event the Com-
mission would probably order an adjustment.
BRADBURY LINE AT MUSIC SHOW
F. G. Smith House Will Also Have a Compre-
hensive Display of Webster Pianos
We fix " o n e p r i c e " —
wholesale and retail.
The Hcppe Piano Co.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
It was announced this week that the house of
F. G. Smith, Brooklyn, N. Y., had arranged to
have a display at the National Music Show,
which opens at the Grand Central Palace on
Saturday night, June 1. A full line of Bradbury
and Webster grands, uprights and player-pianos
will be exhibited under the direction of William
Knabe, general manager of the house. Booth
67 has been assigned to the Smith interests.
Paul M. Zeidler, formerly of the firm of Strich
& Zeidler, is now operating a plant at 279
Morris avenue, Bronx, for the manufacture of
shrapnel parts for the U. S. Government.
Do You Know the
Need of Amusement?
What do you know about
the needs of your theatre
men ?
Have you found out how
much trouble the confection-
eries, restaurants and dance
pavilions have with music
problems ?
Did you ever get the views
of your lodges on what a
dependable source of music
would mean to them ?
They know the needs and
will welcome your bringing
them.
COINOLAS
or
REPRODUCOS
The pianos and organs that
have MADE GOOD.
What can you do to help
these men, knowing it means
extra PROFITS for you ?
Get our free trial offer and
you will find out.
See the Coinola exhibit
at the National Music
Show, Grand Central
Palace, New York, June
1-8. It will occupy
spaces SI -52 on the mez-
zanine floor.
OPERATORS
PIANO CO.
LOUIS M. SEVERSON, Pre«.
16 South Peoria Street
CHICAGO, ILL.

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