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JUNE 22,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1918
REVIEW
PAPER CURTAILMENT MAY CREATE SHORTAGE OF ROLLS
Washington Music Dealers Stocking Up on Player Rolls, Pending Federal Regulation of the Paper
Supply of the Country—Important Ruling on Retail Prices for Sheet Music
Manufactured by
"cease and desist" from use of the methods here-
tofore employed to fix and maintain the price at
which its sheet music is sold to the public.
Washington dealers have reconciled themselves
to the fact that there is at present no legal
sanction for standardized prices. However,
they believe that pending the passage by Con-
gress of the Stephens bill or some other sim-
ilar measure much can be accomplished if every
merchant eligible to membership is brought into
the local trade association, and with a "full
house" to work upon, every effort is made in
the local body to line up all members for rigid
observance of the list prices of the manufac-
turers.
Cohen & Hughes, Inc., have received not a
little commendation in Washington music cir-
cles for their action in "interning" all German
records. The firm has removed from sale all
records sung in the German language, but with
a view to satisfying customers there has been
stocked, so far as there can be, a substitute for
each displaced German record—that is, a rec-
ord of the selection rendered in another lan-
guage.
With the organization of a big ukulele or-
chestra by members of the Hawaiian contingent
of our National Army (detailed at the military
cantonment nearest to the capital), Washington
is in the midst of a new burst of enthusiasm for
Hawaiian music. The firm of E. F. Droop &
Sons Co., exclusive distributors for the Pianista
player-piano, have cleverly taken advantage of
this to exploit the ukulele attachment which is
a unique feature of the 1918 models of the
Pianista. As a reward for patience the Droop
house has recently received a carlot shipment
and is thus fortified for the time being for
current demand.
Another McCormack concert, the fourth of
the season, gave the Washington merchants an
opportunity to feature the records of the great
Irish tenor and the sheet music of his newly-
introduced selections. Speaking of sheet music,
it may be noted that the latest patriotic project
launched by the War Work Council of the Y.
M. C. A. aims at the systematic collection of
sheet music for the soldiers in camp and canton-
ment. Almost every "hut" has one or more
pianos or players, but there is reported a great
dearth of sheet music and an effort will be
made to secure on a large scale donations of
sheet music to be turned over to the camps.
Manager De Moll, of Washington's Aeolian
Hall, is giving the "shock troops" of his sales
force intensive training in the art of meeting
price competition unflinchingly. The De Moll
code is that the various instruments made by
the Aeolian Co. are sold everywhere at prices
permanently based on actual value, and that it
is just as well that in the case of every prospect
this issue should be squarely joined and the
plea made that only standard prices give an ele-
ment of security.
Smith, Barnes
WRITES BOOK ON CARE OF PIANO
WASHINGTON, D. C, June 19.—Music trade men
at the national capital who are naturally fore-
handed and who, by reason of personal acquaint-
ance with leading Federal officials, are enabled
to guess pretty accurately "what is coming"
have been inaugurating this past week or two
a new form of business "preparedness." These
dealers, in addition to bestirring themselves to
get next winter's coal supply in the cellar, are
stocking up heavily on player rolls—especially
the standard and operatic selections that are
steady sellers all through the year.
The explanation of this particular "rainy day"
policy is found in the information that has been
quietly passed in Washington this past fort-
night that the paper situation—more especially
the fuel and transportation situation as affecting
paper production—is shortly to be reflected by
Governmental action that will curtail paper
consumption in all fields. Why, even the news-
papers and magazines are going to be called
upon for economies and readjustments that will
permit them to use less paper, so that it is a
foregone conclusion that producers of player
rolls will be "rationed" and, having before them
as an object lesson the inconvenience that can
be occasioned by a shortage of talking machine
records in the face of increased consumer de-
mand, some of the dealers have chosen to take
time by the forelock. A few of the music trade
factors who usually have inside information at
Washington are also fortifying themselves with
liberal supplies of printed stationery and adver-
tising literature in regular forms on the theory
that the crusade for paper conservation that is
coming may affect even this class of supplies.
Knabe Warerooms, Inc., is featuring with ex-
cellent results in sales the Knabe Mignonette
grand. An instrument that is but five feet two
inches in length has much to commend it to resi-
dents of a congested and overcrowded com-
munity such as wartime Washington and when
to advantage of dimension is added a singing
quality and richness of tone there is afforded a
means of strong appeal to prospects.
Little surprise was occasioned in the music
trade colony in Washington by the action of the
Federal Trade Commission in serving notice
upon the Clayton F. Summy Co., of Chicago, to
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
PIANOS
and
Strohber Co.
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
Why Wilmington's
Militia chose the
Hardman
Before the war, Company C,
Delaware Militia, Wilmington,
bought a Hardman. If a fighting
army is a singing army, we'll do
our practicing to a Hardman ac-
companiment, thought they.
Armory life is hard on the aver-
age piano. Aside from occasional
hard usage, it has to stand a lot
from the weather. In winter,
particularly, the widely varying
temperatures are very trying to
tone and action.
Company C knew these things,
so it bought a Hardman. There
was something soldierly about the
Hardman's amazing durability
that appealed to them.
The unsurpassed tone, that
Caruso calls wonderful and the
Metropolitan Opera House en-
dorses officially, became doubly
interesting and valuable from
their standpoint, because it lasts
and lasts.
This phenomenal durability
and these pronounced artistic
qualities are found throughout
the Hardman line, which com-
prises six instruments: the
Hardman, the Harrington, the
Hensel, the Autotone,
the
Playotone, and the Standard
Player Piano—in a range of
prices that are further assur-
ance of their popularity and
profit to you.
F. C. Billings Offers Some Valuable Hints to
Piano Merchants and Owners
MILWAUKEE, Wiis., June 17.—F. C. Billings,
well-known inventor of piano action features,
new types of music rolls, etc., has just issued a
most interesting booklet containing twenty-four
pages of valuable advice for piano owners re-
garding the proper care of the instrument. Mr.
Billings erhphasizes par-ticularly the necessity
of keeping'an even temperature about the in-
strument, and of protecting it against damp-
ness or extreme heat. He also has something
to say in the matter of tuning and the protec-
tion of the instrument from mice and moths.
The volume has been carefully compiled, and a
proper study of the suggestions given should
serve to aid in the preservation of many pianos.
Hardman, Peck & Co.
Founded 1842
HARDMAN HOUSE
433 Fifth Ave., New York
Chicago Office and Warerooms, where there is a complete
stock. Republic Building, corner of Adams and State Streets.