Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JULY 12, 1919
OPENS IRISH HARP DEPARTMENT
SMALL GOODS A SELLING ASSET TO THE PIANO MERCHANT
H. L. Rothwell Assists J. W. Jenkins' Sons in
Establishing New Department
Samuel Buegeleisen, of Buegeleisen & Jacobson, Points Out How Piano Dealers Can Create
Prospects for Pianos and Players by First Attracting Them Through Smaller Articles
SYRACUSE, N. Y., July 7.—Herbert L. Rothwell,
Samuel Buegeleisen, of Buegeleisen & Jacob-
the well-known baritone soloist and harpist of son, who in a recent interview with The Review
this city, left recently for Kansas City, repre- spoke of the advantages for the piano dealer in
senting the Clark Harp Manufacturing Co. Mr. adding small goods, again spoke interestingly
Rothwell will make his headquarters with the on the subject this week. Mr. Buegeleisen also
J. W. Jenkins' Sons Music Co. for the next few emphasized the importance of proper window
months, overseeing the installation of the large display. He said in part:
and well-equipped Irish harp department which
"The harmonica buyer of to-day is the piano
J. W. Jenkins' Sons Music Co. are establishing. buyer of to-morrow. With little or po extra
Mr. Rothwell will conduct an informal "selling expense the dealer can put in a very good line
school" for the local salesmen and also plans to of small goods which if properly displayed will
give a series of- short demonstrating recitals not only add luster to his establishment, but will
on the Clark' Irish harp.
make his place the headquarters of everything
Mr. Rothwell has built up an enviable reputa- •musical. To become known as 'the' musical
tion as an exponent of the Irish harp to supple- dealer of the town is the reputation sought for.
ment his name as a vocalist.
"There are over a hundred million people in
the U. S. and every one of them is a likely
ATTACHMENT FOR VIOLIN BRIDGES purchaser of something in the musical line. Each
dealer has his own town to work on, and he
Fred A. Hart Devises Small Metal Clips, Which certainly can get all of its business if he will
Are Attached to the Top of the Bridge
go after it. Why do the mail order houses pull
so much business from small towns? Because
WASHINGTON, D. C, July 7.—Fred A. Hart, the people's wants cannot be supplied by the
New Brunswick, N. J., has been granted Patent local dealers, whereas the mail order houses
No. 1,306,663 for an attachment for violin carry complete lines, and advertise in such an
bridges. The scarcity of gut strings, particularly attractive manner that they draw the buying
those for the higher notes in such instruments public to them. Why should the town dealer
as violins, and the liability of those obtainable let all that business get away, when it is per-
to break even under normal hygrometric condi- fectly possible for him to obtain a part if not
tions of the atmosphere have led to the use all of it?
of metal strings, especially E strings, in their
"Piano dealers spend thousands of dollars
stead. These substitutes, however, are not en- a year to advertise bargains in pianos, to bring
tirely free from objection on several grounds. prospects into the store. Much of this expense
Being relatively fine or small in diameter, and will not be necessary if they also carry small
caused, in tuning, to be drawn back and forth goods, and have a proper window display. They
over the bridge, such strings have a tendency will then be catering to the masses and the man
to settle into or saw the bridge and to thereby who wants something in the musical line will
sink to a lower level than the best results de- not send miles away for it if he can get it in
mand. In their use, however, under the bow his home store.
tbej r are apt to produce at times a twanging ef-
"The subject of display is a vital one. To
fect which is noticeable to a trained ear.
the average person nothing looks more bleak and
With a view to rendering more practicable cold in a store window than just a piano or a
and general the use of wire strings for instru- talking machine. How many people stop to look
ments of this class there are devised small metal at such a window, even though it may have a
clips, which are detachably attached to the top setting of fine draperies and a handsome lamp
of the bridge to form a substantially indestruc- or something of that sort entirely foreign to
tible seat for the strings, or if the twanging effect the nature of the merchandise displayed? You
is to be avoided the top of such clips is cut away can fill fifty windows with pianos and they will
instead of merely indenting them to receive not get half as many 'lookers' as one window
and hold the string against lateral movement and properly dressed with violins, banjos, drums,
lay under the clips along the top edge of the band instruments, etc. Why not these instead
bridge a small piece of leather.
of the lamp and the draperies or other trimmings
which take up valuable space and can bring you
nothing? There is no line of merchandise in the
world, and I say this without prejudice, that is
capable of such attractive window display as
musical instruments—well arranged with prices
shown on the various articles. Such a window
will be so full of human interest that it will
take the 'looker' by the coat and lead him right
into your store.
"By way of comparison learn the lesson that
the modern cigar store has to teach. In former
years the usual tobacco store was a dingy place,
a window full of junk and a wooden Indian in
front. The only way you could tell it was a to-
bacco store was because the Indian stuck so
manfully to his job. What was the result? At-
tracted by clever magazine advertising on the
part of manufacturers of cigars, the discriminat-
ing cigar smoker sent away for his smokes. A
certain tobacco company solved the problem by
studying the wants of the public and by up-to-
date methods of display that made their win-
dews almost speak to the passerby. Other ci-
gar stores followed suit and as a result the mail
order advertising of cigars, etc., has practically
ceased. The consumer can now get what he
wants in his home store.
"The music dealer can bring about the same
results if he will take the tip. We have repre-
sentatives in every part of the country who are
trained to assist the dealer in selecting his line,
and if any that are interested will communi-
cate with us, we will have our salesman drop in
to see them personally the next time he is in
their locality."
DURRO
AND
STEWART
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
NEW YOX.K
j 13 University Place
A. BURDWISE
WHOLESALE MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
BALTIMORE, MD.
JOHNFRIEDRICH&BRO
OLIVER DITSON CO.
BOSTON. MASS.
Manufacturers
Importers and Jobber* of
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
T H E OLDEST AND
LARGEST MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
IN AMERICA
Exclusively Wholegafo
ESTABLISHED 183*
3 5 1 - 5 3 I W R T H AVE. NEWYORKCHT
Victor Distributors
Attractive Specialties
Modern Service
BSTABLISHKD 1834
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
Nev Brunswick, N. J.
flL iff Ann
Manufac
of
Superior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Victor Distributors
1108 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Established over half a century
I WILL BUY
FOR CASH
Sheet Music and Small Goods
Peate's Music House,
Utica, N. Y.