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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
FEBRUARY 1, 1919
These will replace the Everett line, in which the
company had specialized for many years. Other
Minneapolis and St. Paul Dealers Setting New Sales Records for First Month in the Year—Un- lines will be added later, according to plans now
practically perfected.
employment Problem Not Serious in That Locality—Piano Shipments Still Delayed
At last the Twin Cities are to see a real piano
ness in all departments. Plans for extensive traveler after being deprived of this pleasure for
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, MINN., January 27.
—Twin City manufacturers did not obtain all the enlargement both of the retail and the whole- three months. D. F. Cordingley, of the Aeolian
war contracts that they wanted and now they sale branches are under way. These will in- Co., heralds his arrival for an early date in
are pleased with their poor success in that di- clude additional street frontage by the inclu- February. Why he is coming is somewhat un-
rection. The armistice caught those engaged in sion of 25 East Fifth street with desirable show certain unless it is to apologize for the war,
munition making and other forms of war work windows, a rebuilding of the entrance and the for the industrial restrictions and the transpor-
with a lot of special machinery and a capacity addition of two floors to the wholesale depart- tation muddle—which is not likely.
Daisy Nellis, a Steinway star, is booked for
staff of workers and temporarily has put such ments. Specially noteworthy during the week
plants out of business and turned loose an army were the sales of two pipe organs. One went the Orpheum theatres in Minneapolis and St.
of unemployed. It is a matter of much satisfac- to the Orpheum Theatre at Bismarck, N. D., in Paul this week. Concert grands will be placed
tion to the business men of Minneapolis and St. return for $4,000, and the other to the Orpheum at her service by the Metropolitan Music Co.
and W. J. Dyer & Bro.
Paul that unemployment does not cause any Theatre at Minot, N. D., for $4,500.
Foster & Waldo? Yep, they continue to do
The Brooks Piano Co. received a lot of
worry to the body politic—not as yet, anyway.
So far the returning soldiers and sailors have Kranich & Bach pianos, both upright and grands. big business.
been absorbed into the industrial system without
territory also report good business in both
any hesitation and the authorities in charge of
NEWARK PIANO TRADE IS BRISK
pianos and players.
the work of placing the warriors in peaceful oc-
Ford & Smith, distributors for Pease pianos
Healthy
Demand
for
Pianos
and
Players
Re-
cupations believe that they will handle the sit-
ported by Local Dealers—W. O. Black Re- in the Newark district, have felt so heavy a
uation without trouble unless the War Depart-
covering From Accident—News of the Week demand for players in recent weeks as to leave
ment should release the entire army at once.
them with few models on their floors. Edward
The armistice, instead of giving local indus-
Smith, of the firm, feels that some of this de-
Dealers
of
Newark
are
much
pleased
with
tries a severe jolt, as has been the result in some
cities, simply removed the lid from all restraints the results in the way of sales thus far in the mand is occasioned through the fact that players
and the people are living again in the good old new year. Practically every house has been will go up in price before very many more weeks
way except that they have much more money feeling a very healthy demand, mostly, how- elapse.
The interior of the Jacob Doll & Sons ware-
at their command. And they do not propose ever, in players. These the dealers are short of
to hoard it, for some of it is to be used in giving stock as a rule, but the situation is expected to rooms is now in the hands of the decorators.
A new color scheme is being arranged through-
vent to their long suppressed spirits. They be relieved shortly.
There has been comparatively little labor un- out and the walls of the various rooms are to
want music with which to express their joy and
to help in making a royal welcome to the boy rest here and the workers who have been con- have "musical" panels. Semi-indirect lighting
nected with wartime activities are fast being as- equipment throughout is also among the plans
that is coming back.
arranged.
January sales all along the line of the music similated in numerous other industries of which
Chas. Hunsberger, manager of the Armstrong
trades exceeded the records of the correspond- Newark proudly boasts.
Piano Co., the local Knabe agents, has had some
The
two-year
limit
on
instalment
contracts
is
ing month of years past. Many houses hung
busy days during the past two weeks, owing to
up a new January mark and all did excellent the rule, and there is hope that normal times
will not be able to lower this standard. Cer- several members of his sales force being con-
business. There is nothing in sight that will
tainly it will not be reduced as long as there fined to their homes with sickness. When it
cause any cessation of the business activity, and
comes to selling pianos he is right at home, but
is a possibility of instruments being scarce.
February without much doubt will prove a
W. O. Black, manager of the piano depart- he had some worried moments when inquirers
profitable month. It may be that the weather is
ment of Hahne & Co., returned recently to his called for certain selections of talking machine
responsible for the boom. There has been no
desk after an absence of twelve weeks, due to a records, necessitating his being lost in the laby-
winter at all as yet. Only on a few days has broken thigh. He still must assist himself with rinths of record catalogs.
the thermometer shown sub-zero. There have crutches, and it will be several weeks more
been very few days of skating, and curling and before he will be able to discard them. Busi-
MAKING STATISTICS PROVE USEFUL
hockey, which usually continued three full ness at the above department has been good in
months in this region, have been entirely sus- January.
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce Re-
pended or else played in water. Citizens are
arranging Its Tabular Statistics of Imports
The F. G. Smith warerooms are hard put to
out and about as freely as in May. or September. keep a sufficient supply of players on hand.
and Exports So as to Be of More Service
One of the chief concerns of the piano deal- George Cassa, the manager, however, does not
The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com-
ers of Minneapolis and St. Paul is to assemble seem to be displeased with this condition. Mr.
slocks of instruments, and this is being accom- Cassa's brother,-Charley, who is sergeant in the merce is engaged in the task of rearranging its
plished as rapidly as the manufacturers and the military police at Camp Dix, expects to obtain tabular statistics of imports and exports so as to
make them of greater service. The first great
Government controlled railroads will permit. his discharge shortly.
Shipments still are badly delayed, and it does
Otto Wissner, Inc., are having an exception- siep in this direction is the preparing of a proper
not appear that the entire blame lies with the ally good January, the sales being much larger and adequate classification. Up to the present
piano makers. The Metropolitan Music Co. re- than those of last year at this season. Players time articles brought in or shipped out have been
ports that some Steinway orders still remain here are having the heaviest calls and a very arranged in alphabetical order, with a few
unfilled.
Raudenbush & Sons received this spirited demand is felt also in the talking ma- groups classified. This has its disadvantages, as
those can testify who have tried, for instance, to
week the first lot of orders placed four months chine department.
ago.
Piano floors generally are bare of instru-
Orville Settle, manager of the Steger & Sons look up "rubber" only to find it, after needless
ments, but the dealers are hopeful that they warerooms, states sales have been good for the labor, under the I list as India rubber. Then
soon will be on a comfortable footing.
past several weeks, this following a big holi- the lists were subdivided in accordance with
W. J. Dyer & Bro. continue to do a fine busi- day business. All the Steger branches in this provisions in the tariff acts, which may have had
its advantages when the duties were td be tink-
ered with, but which was the despair of all who
had to consult them. The latter were forever
running across the "N. E. S."—otherwise, not
elsewhere specified—which included very many
of the articles which business men were inter-
A Leader
ested in. In the new classification there is not
only a natural grouping similar to that in use
in British and other statistics of trade, but the
at
subdivisions are sufficiently detailed and explicit
to be really informing.
Home
Another good idea which is being carried out
is a co-operation with the Census Bureau, so that
and
a similar classification of domestic production
may be made. In this way it will be possible to
Abroad
make comparisons of production, imports, and
exports of the same articles. Suggestions are
still invited from all interested for further im-
provement.
NORTHWEST JANUARY TRADE BEATING FORMER FIGURES
Grands
Uprights
Players
WILLIAM TONK & BRO., Inc.
Tenth Ave., Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Sts., New York
The Steinway piano will be used at the second
piano recital to be given by John Powell, the
celebrated American pianist, on Monday evening,
February 3, at Carnegie Hall.