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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SEPTEMBER 21, 1918
SHORTER WORKING DAYJN_P1TTSBURGH TO SAVE FUEL
Piano Dealers Find That Shorter Hours Do Not Result in Any Loss of Business—Hoffman Re-
views Present Conditions—Plan to Organize Pennsylvania Piano Merchants' Association
and thrift are sure to be ignored. Here is where
the high-minded and patriotic piano dealer can
play an important part in developing a sense of
thrift in the lives of the workers who want tu
own a piano. Instead of selling a $700 or $800
piano to a man who possibly is earning suffi-
cient wages to buy the high-priced instrument,
it-would be far better for the worker and for the
piano dealer to sell him a piano costing $300 or
$400. This will be more in keeping with his sta-
tion in life and when the readjustment period
comes, as come it will, after the war, the worker
tvill be more readily able to meet the new con-
ditions. This idea of mine I feel convinced is
in line with the general economy move urged
by the Government.
"With the growing scarcity of pianos, dealers
can now with more readiness than ever and with
more positiveness lay down their own terms to
prospective buyers and thus build up a gilt-
edged business and one that will be worth culti-
vating. As things now look to me the day of
the bargain piano and the various allurements
held out to would-be buyers are fast passing
and the piano dealer who fails to build up his
business on the new economic basis, as he can
readily do to-day, is missing a great opportunity
and is standing in his own light."
Hoffman & Co. handle the Sohmer, Behning,
Cable Company and the Gulbransen pianos and
player-pianos. As to immediate trade conditions
Mr. Hoffman stated that they were satisfactory
and that sales were moving steadily.
Theodore Hoffman, of J. M. Hoffman & Co., a
In announcing their fall piano sale Mellor's
well known piano house, sounded a new note used considerable newspaper advertising space,
that is worthy of more than ordinary considera- placing especial emphasis on the fact that "the
tion by the men in the music trade. In speak- most radical advance in pianos and player prices
ing to The Review representative Mr. Hoffman is about to take place, as all well-informed peo-
said, in referring to present-day business condi- ple know. The time to buy is now at this sale."
tions as they affect the piano and allied indus- Sales Manager Fleer, of the Mellor Co., stated
tries:
that the sale was one of the most successful
"This is the day when the piano dealer is in ever held by the firm.
the dominant position of being able to say who
Tentative plans are now being worked out that
shall and who shall not buy his pianos. With will undoubtedly result in the formation of a
the general curtailment of the output of pianos piano merchants' organization, not only in Pitts-
due to war conditions, the piano dealer now has burgh but also covering the entire State of
it in his power to put his house on a higher level Pennsylvania. C. J. Roberts, manager of the
than ever before, especially in dictating terms Pittsburgh branch of Charles M. Stieff, Inc., has
under which his instruments are to be sold.
been named as Commissioner for Pennsylvania
"The present period is one of abnormal pros- by Dan J. Nolan, of Cleveland, Ohio, president
perity for the wage earner. Mechanics who for- of the National Association of Piano Merchants,
merly earned $4 to $5 a day have increased their and given full authority to conduct the organi-
earnings to $9 and $10 a day and in some in- zation of the piano dealers of the Keystone
stances considerably higher, and the standards State. Mr. Roberts is now in consultation with
of living have been keyed up to this income. various members of the industry and it is ex-
The most important question to consider now pected that within a very short time a definite
is whether the workers who have been enjoy- plan of action will be outlined. The organiza-
ing the advance due to war conditions will be tion idea is understood to be a very pertinent
able to adjust their standards of living rapidly one here, and it is the general opinion among the
to meet new conditions. It is unfair to workers representative piano men that much good would
to let them labor under the impression that the result with a live body of men organized for
present scale of wages can continue, for, under their mutual welfare and advancement of the
this delusion, the proper measures of economy piano industry. It is pointed out that one of the
most successful bodies of men engaged in the
music trade is that of the Talking Machine Deal-
ers' Association of Pittsburgh. While a young
organization, it is a live body and has been a
powerful factor in shaping the successful career
of the talking machine trade in this section. It
is understood that an informal meeting of Pitts-
Grands, Uprights
burgh piano dealers will be called within aa
and Players
early date and the proposed organization "talked
over."
Manager Harwood, of the piano department
of Kaufmann's, reports sales of the Stultz &
Uprights and Players
Bauer players and pianos as very satisfactory.
A brief advertisement carried in the Pittsburgh
newspapers calling attention to the Stultz &
Uprights and Player-Pianos
Bauer instruments resulted in a number of sales.
If your competitor does not already have this
line, go after it at once.
PITTSBURGH, PA., September 16.—Following the
suggestions of the Federal Fuel Administrator
the various department stores as well as all of
the piano houses in Pittsburgh have been ob-
serving a shorter working day. In order to
conserve light as well as fuel it was deemed ad-
visable to have the stores open at 10 a. m. and
close at 5.30 p. m. daily, with the exception of
Saturday, when the closing hour was fixed at
6.30 p. in. With the characteristic desire to do
all in their power to aid the program of the Gov-
ernment in its war policy there was a general
unanimity on the part of the piano dealers of
Pittsburgh to fall in line and their places of
business have been observing the shorter busi-
ness day for the past two weeks. How long this
condition will continue is not known, but the
Fuel Administration has authorized the state-
ment that just as soon as possible the ban would
be taken off. The order was made owing to the
vast amount of plants in the Pittsburgh district
who are now engaged in war work and who need
all of the electricity that it is possible to make.
Representatives of the various music houses
seen by The Review representative stated that
in their opinion they were doing just as much
business in the short days as they did under the
old regime. The general expression was that
"10 o'clock is about the right time to open a
music house," as few people are really ready
for real business earlier than that in larger cities
and towns where there is much of a commuting
trade.
15
Why 2017 Schools
Prefer Hardman
Pianos
Consider the hard and constant
use which is the lot of the aver-
age school piano, and it is easy to
understand why Hardmans are so
popular among schools.
To their artistic qualities is
added a rugged constitution—an
inheritance from the first Hard-
man Piano—made 75 years ago.
So the tonal sweetness and
resonance of Hardman Pianos—
endorsed by Caruso and recog-
nized officially by the Metropoli-
tan Opera Company—are made
doubly desirable by an inbred
durability that measures up to the
requirements of every usage—in
the home, conservatory, church,
club and school.
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 Auiotone, the
Playotone, and the Standard
Player Piano—in a range of
prices that are further assur-
ance of their popularity and
profit to you.
THE LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
YORK PIANOS
LIVINGSTON PIANOS
Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
FACTORY
YORK, PA.
Established 1870
NEW INCORPORATION
Hardman, Peck & Co.
Founded 1842
HARDMAN HOUSE
433 Fifth Ave., New York
The Way Piano Co., of Grand Forks, N. D.,
has been incorporated with a capitalization of Chicago Office and Warerooms, where there is a complete
stock. Republic Building, corner of Adams and State Streets.
$25,000.