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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MARCH 22, 1919
PORTLAND, ORE., DEALERS REPORT UNUSUAL DEMAND
Shortage of Stocks Prevents Local Piano Merchants From Reaping Full Effect of Present Demand,
But Business Is Nevertheless Excellent—High-Grade Instruments Have the Call
PORTLAND, ORE., March 14.—Nothing but the
lack of pianos—and of talking machines—pre-
vents the music dealers of Portland from selling
goods and making money far ahead of anything
ever attained in the past. However, every
dealer sees a gleam of light in the not far dis-
tant future, as goods are beginning to arrive and
promises made in regard to early delivery are
being kept as far as it is possible to keep such
promises under present conditions.
The Bush & Lane Co., that is the local branch,
the managers and salesmen, seem particularly
happy over present conditions and the future
outlook. A good stock of instruments is on
hand and six experienced salesmen are handling
the trade most successfully. The new location
has, of course, much to do with the good busi-
ness the house is enjoying at the present time,
but those six salesmen on duty every minute
during working hours, and also outside of work-
ing hours, are the reasons for the unusual run
of sales during February and March. Frank
Taylor, who severed his connection with Lip-
man, Wolfe & Co. and became a Bush & Lane
salesman, sold two pianos during this his first
week with the company.
The Wiley B. Allen Co. is selling only high-
grade, high-priced instruments this month, and
G. V. Taylor says there seems to be little de-
mand at present for cheap pianos. The Mason
& Hamlin pianos have been very conspicuous
lately, as they have been used at nearly all the
recent concerts and by the San Carlos Grand
Opera Co. during its recent visit here.
A beautiful window display preceded the May
Peterson concert here and attracted much at-
tention to the Mason & Hamlin piano, which
was used at the concert. On the day The Re-
view correspondent visited the Wiley B. Allen
house G. V. Taylor sold a Mason & Hamlin
grand, and E. E. Gabriel sold a Mason & Hamlin
player grand—electric.
The Reed-French Co. have only a small stock
on hand but are doing a good business with what
they have. The store has a very prosperous ap-
pearance, well filled with customers in all depart-
ments. In the talking machine department a
good supply of machines is on hand and a con-
signment of records has just been received,
which will help out the stock as nearly all kinds
of records have been sold by M. C. Collins and
his assistants. Mr. Collins says that Edison
machines are particularly well liked.
G. F. Johnson, of the G. F. Johnson Piano Co.,
is in the East on a business trip, but his as-
sistants are selling all the pianos they have in
stock.
Foley & Van Dyke are doing a splendid busi-
ness in their new store. Chisholm & Moffett
arc- greatly encouraged by the trade they are get-
ting. These two are new firms, but well-known
and reliable piano men.
Gus Eilers, who has been in charge of Eilers
Music House during Hy Eilers' absence, has
returned to Spokane. Mr. Eilers is expected
home in a short time. Business is reported to
be excellent at this house.
Lipman, Wolfe & Co., which have one of the
biggest piano trades in Portland, are now with-
out instruments to supply the customers who
JANSSEN
The Most Talked About
Piano in the Trade
BEN H. JANSSEN
Manufacturer
82 Brown Place
New York
piefer the line carried by this house. H. H.
Princehouse says they will have a good stock
of pianos before very long.
Piano teachers in Portland are very pros-
perous this season. More students are enrolled
than ever before. Many teachers have been
obliged to refuse pupils, as every room was en-
gaged. The studios are all occupied and the
sheet music departments and stores are all busy.
LOUISVILLE DEALERS ORGANIZED
H. K. Mance Heads New Association of Piano
Merchants in Louisville—Plans Perfected for
General Co-operation Among Members
LOUISVILLE, KV., March 15—The Louisville piano
men at a meeting held at the Watterson Hotel
last week completed the organization launched
some weeks ago, and which will be known as
the Louisville Music Dealers' Association.
Officers elected were: Harry K. Mance, of the
Stewart Dry Goods Co., president;'W. C. Willis,
Baldwin Piano Co., vice-president, and M. W.
Brock, M. W. Brock Music Co., secretary-treas-
urer.
At this meeting considerable discussion was
heard relative to the entertainment of George
W. Pound, general counsel of the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce, upon his visit
to Louisville.
The association plans to foster any sugges-
tions or ideas for the betterment of conditions
in Louisville, and will lend every assistance in
plans for bringing great artists to the city, and
stimulating interest in better music and more
music. It is planned to bring the artists to the
city, even though the association may have to
personally take a hand in the effort.
At the meeting a very excellent talk was made
by W. C. Willis relative to what the association
could do in stirring up interest in music. Refer-
ence was made to the fact that to-day Louisville
isn't getting many artists, and the demand is
not as keen as it formerly was, due largely to
the fact that there isn't the proper interest in
music.
It is planned to interchange lists of dead
beats who have used the piano merchants as a
good thing. This information will be turned
over to the secretary by each house, and the
others notified. It is planned to meet once a
month at a local hotel for dinner, and at that
time exchange general information.
The by-laws of the organization provide:
"Any individual member of a firm, director of a
corporation or manager of either firm or cor-
poration engaged in the selling of pianos from
established retail warerooms shall be eligible to
membership. There will be no initiation fees, nor
periodical dues. In event of funds being needed
a two-thirds vote of the organization will be
needed in order to make a pro rata assessment.
Meetings will be held on the first Thursday of
each month, or upon the call of the president."
There has been considerable discussion rela-
tive to opening the doors to the talking ma-
chine, music dealers, and general musical in-
dustry. However, it is believed that it will be
better to meet with the other allied trades oc-
casionally, but operate as a single organiza-
tion at the outset anyhow, as many problems
confronting the piano merchant do not come
into the realm of the general retailer of small
goods or talking machines.
This is the first piano men's association that
Louisville has had in several years, although
there have been numerous efforts made to
organize a good representative body in the city
during the past five or six years.
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M. Doyle Marks, the well-known piano man
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597 E. 137th Street, New York