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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
FEBRUARY 9, 1918
NO EXPORT LICENSE NECESSARY FOR PIANOS OR PLAYERS
George W. Pound Gets Important Ruling in Favor of the Musical Instrument Trade From the
War Trade Board in Washington—Amount of Wool Used in Hammers Not Considered Important
George W. Pound, counsel and general man-
ager of the Music Industries. Chamber of Com-
merce, announced this week another most fa-
vorable decision in favor of the trade from the
authorities in Washirfgton. As is generally
known, the War Trade Board some time ago
ordered that export licenses must be secured
for shipment out of the country of any articles
containing wool in any form. Mr. Pound took
the matter in hand, and found that the actual
amount of wool used in the piano was only
about two and one-half pounds, and was for
the most part Australian wool, the fibre of which
is best suited to piano manufacturers.
When
this fact was brought to the attention of the
War Trade Board the authorities agreed that
pianos should be exempt from the ruling cover-
ing licenses. Owing to the general increase in
the American export business in pianos, the de-
cision is of particular interest to the trade, and
will prove a saving in both time and expense in
eliminating red tape.
ZERO WEATHER SLOWS UP PIANO TRADE IN ST. LOUIS
Local Dealers Keeping Busy, However, and Are Optimistic Regarding the Immediate Future—Co-
lumbia Sales Staff Meets—Kieselhorst Leaving for the Southwest—News of the Week
and
{o get his men together to give them the benefit
of his new views, but so much work had been
awaiting him on his return that he was unable
to find time to devote to the preparation of the
meeting. Also he wanted to get some of the
ideas to working around the wholesale head-
quarters so that he could illustrate to the men
when they came in.
W. A. Lippman is back at the Field-Lippman
Piano Stores after visiting the Sedalia and Kan-
sas City branches. He extended his trip to
Camp Funston to see some National Army
friends.
The long-delayed formal opening of the ware-
rooms of the Silverstone Music Co. is on this
week, beginning Monday. The attractions are
informal tone test concerts by Prof. Chas. Kaub,
of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Mme.
Blanche Skrainka, of this city.
A band of
Hawaiian players will be an added attraction.
Also there will be exhibited the first phono-
graph made by Mr. Edison in 1878, the massive
iron affair. Mr. Edison has sent his regrets.
Recent visitors include: Kenneth W. Curtis,
Western representative of the Milton Piano Co.;
Charles Onderdonk, of the Schumann Piano
Co., and Col. F. B. T. Hollenberg, president
of the Hollenberg Music Co., of Little Rock.
E. A. Kieselihorst will leave this week on his
long-delayed winter trip. A month ago he gave
up hope of making satisfactory bookings on a
steamer, even to nearby islands, so he then en-
gaged a drawing room in a sleeping car for
southern California.
He will be accompanied
by Mrs. Kieselhorst, whose health prompted the
trip, and they will be gone until after the se-
vere weather has passed, possibly two months.
They will spend a short time in Arizona, but the
rest of the time in southern California. The
two boys have been placed in the Western Mili-
tary Academy.
J. J. McDonaugh, of the Smith-Reis sales
staff, is back at work after several days' serious
illness.
C. B. Hammond, manager of the Vandervoort
Music Salon, has gone to New Orleans to take
his family for an extended stay. Mr. Ham-
mond will return after a few days.
R.' W.
Elan, assistant manager, is in charge.
Bruno E. Heintz has left the Vandervoort
Music Salon sales staff.
Strohber Co.
0. K. HOUCK AIDS HOSPITAL FUND
ST. LOUIS, Mo., February 4.—Another week of
near zero weather and very had transportation
service has been anything but encouraging to
local musical instrument men. This week is
promised as warmer by the weather forecaster
and Piano Row hopes that he is correct. Also
it hopes that the fuel administrator will keep
his word and lift the closing restrictions this
week. While the closing has hit the piano busi-
ness only slightly, there appears to be a psy-
chological effect connected with its restricting
power that affects the people very widely. Pros-
pects, especially in the wage earning class, re-
gard these restrictions as probably leading to a
deeper cut and perhaps a closedown which will
stop the revenue of the family. This feeling
has hit pretty hard, especially in record sales.
But along with w*hat appears to be better
weather and fuel conditions another cloud ap-
pears in a threatened street railway strike. If
that comes it will mean a complete disorgan-
ization of local business affairs, say the piano
men. The showdown of this strike is due this
week.
The entire sales staff of the Columbia Co. for
this district was here Monday at a meeting
called by Manager Irky W. Reid, who wanted
to meet the men to pass on to them the en-
thusiasm and ideas gathered by him at the re-
cent New York meeting of the branch store
managers. Mr. Reid is very enthusiastic over
that meeting and said that he had been anxious
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Well-Known Piano Man of Memphis Works
Hard to Corner the Dollars
Pianos of Character
the O. K. Houck Piano Co., is one of the most
active workers in raising a fund of $200,000 for
the Baptist Memorial Hospital in this city. Mr.
Houck has not only worked hard in getting ac-
tual subscriptions, but has been one of the prin-
cipal speakers at the various meetings held to
stimulate the work. Mr. Houck's well-known
fund of humor has in many cases gotten more
results than some of the more serious discus-
sions of other business men.
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, III.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
You will Gladly Pay
the little extra they
cost when you know
how fine
Christman
pianos and players
really are.
T h e i r beautiful
tone is alone worth
the difference with-
o u t considering
their exquisite ve-
neers and excep-
tionally fine finish.
The CHRISTMAN
Agency enables you
to give your cus-
tomers better value
for their money
than your com-
petitor can, and
means more sales
and more profits for
you. Write for par-
ticulars today.
MEMPHIS, TENN., February 5.—O. K. Houck, of
"The First Touch Tells"
Christman Piano Co.
601 E. 137th Street
New York