Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 23

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 6,
IT
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1919
CLEVELAND WORKERS FEELING THE EFFECT OF STRIKES
Weeks of Idleness Beginning to Show Their 111 Effects in Decreased Retail Purchases in All
Lines—A. L. Maresh Reviews Present Conditions—Local Houses Advertising
CLEVELAND, O., December 3.—Cleveland's indus-
trial workers who have been idle because of the
steel strike and other labor troubles are begin-
ning to count the cost of weeks of idleness in
the face of increasing prices for food, rents,
clothing and other necessities.
No estimate of the amount of money lost
through idleness of 20,000 or more steel work-
ers in Cleveland has been given. Steubenville,
O., however, puts the gross loss to the strike
in the way of unearned wages at $2,000,000.
Other northern Ohio cities, Massillon, Elyria,
Ashtabula, Canton, Youngstown, Toledo and
smaller centers of industrial workers, estimate
the loss of wage earners at millions. Akron is
an exception, because more than 50,000 of the
city's wage workers have been steadily em-
ployed all fall in rubber plants.
The direGt and indirect effect of this heavy
loss in wages to idle workers is telling on the
retail merchants of all the cities affected and
musical instrument dealers have been among the
hardest hit. Sales have decreased and payments
owed by idle men have fallen off, resulting in
heavy accumulations of overdue instalments on
pianos, player-pianos and talking machines in
retail establishments that carry charge accounts.
The B. Dreher's Sons Co. is an exception in
Cleveland. This firm's sales are nearly all on a
cash basis. Not 5 per cent, of its sales are
charged.
Department stores which conduct musical in-
strument sections are among the largest hold-
ers of overdue instalments.
The continued idleness of thousands of men
will depress holiday sales in the musical in-
strument line, but retailers say that there are
buyers enough, and then some, to take all the
instruments available because of the shortage
in stock.
The 1920 "Community Chest" is now out of
the way. The eight-day financial drive for $3,500,-
000 to finance ninety social, charitable and
benevolent institutions next year resulted in
several hundred thousands dollars in over-
subscriptions. Musical instrument dealers who
gave the use of their show windows to exhibits
featuring the chest drive are now making use of
these windows to feature holiday offerings in
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
am
Strohber Co.
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wi$.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, III.
pianos, player-pianos, talking machines, records,
player rolls, sheet music and other merchandise.
"Early Shopping." This is the slogan of all
Cleveland's retail dealers in musical instru-
ments. Practically all of the stores are launch-
ing heavy advertising campaigns in the daily
newspapers. Whole pages of display advertis-
ing are being used. Combinations are being
made to give publicitj' to certain makes of in-
struments.
The McMillen Music Co. announce this week
that "we are prepared to take care of orders for
instruments of every description of American
manufacture." The head of the firm insists that
American-made instruments are better than
those imported and points out imported instru-
ments "will not be available for Christmas
trade." The firm's new East Ninth street loca-
tion, adjacent to the Miles Theatre, gives op-
portunities for attracting trade from the very
center of the city's shopping district.
Rex C. Hyre, secretary of the Piano Mer-
chants' Association of Ohio, just back from a
trip to Cincinnati, paid a high compliment to
that city's musical instrument trade.
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company is featur-
ing Kingston and Milton player-pianos in half-
page newspaper advertising.
Frank Billings, representing a Denver music
house, was mixing with Cleveland dealers Sat-
urday. He was en route to New York.
Harry Thompson, of St. Louis, dropped in on
the local trade for a day's visit Friday.
The Fischer Co. is featuring a Pathe Phono-
graph Club for Christmas. Seventy-five ma-
chines will b,e sold on the basis of small weekly
payments, payable between now and Christmas,
the buyers being allowed records to the value
of 10 per cent, of the price paid for a talking
machine.
The Superior Foundry Co. reports business
good. This firm is one of the Cleveland indus-
trial concerns which made satisfactory work-
ing arrangements with its employes after the
nation-wide steel strikers had walked out. The
piano plate manufacturing department of the
company is taxed heavily to meet demands.
Looking backward at the 1919 musical instru-
ment trade and peeping into conditions in 1920
as they now seem, A. L. Maresh, secretary of the
Cleveland Music Trades Association, says a
retrospective view does not "inspire anyone to
fall into an ecstasy of joy" over the future.
"The purchasing public," said he, "has had
plenty of money to spend and buyers were will-
ing to spend their cash, but the calamity howl,
'we can't get the goods,' has been the hobgoblin
confronting dealers. Would it not be a pos-
sible job to prick the bubble of 'no production'?
"The piano business during 1919 suffered a
loss of approximately 25 per cent. Talking ma-
chines fell short 20 per cent, and records 30 per
cent. The answer to present demands and needs
is, 'sold out for 1919.' Tn placing orders at the be-
ginning of the year we were met with 'can't get
material and labor,' and now, at the close of the
year, we hear 'all sold for 1919,' while labor is on
a strike.
"It would appear that all mankind has been
possessed with the desire to become a Croesus
at a single leap in business, but poor Diogenes,
he has had no followers.
"From the woodman and ore digger to the
manufacturer and merchant we find not only
'two hearts beating as one,' but all are beating
for the coveted goal—C-R-O-E-S-U-S. The
body politic needs a panacea that will cure ills
and bring capital and labor together. This can
only be done by treating laborers as human
beings. An extravagant and high-brow display
of predatory wealth causes labor to take notice."
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
$*.* JfW(\
i> 9a'Mi l^f>^3
k
9
WnHJA
\r l m
T
»ADE MAR 1 *
BUSINESS FOUNDED IN
EIGHTEEN F I F T Y - S I X
Present demands
require the highest
standard of quality
and artistic excel-
lence.
This is assured in
DECKER
U
EST. 1856 61 SON
Pianos and
Player-Pianos
which, founded by a
Decker in 1856,
have been manu-
factured by three
generations of the
D e c k e r family,
whose pride has
been to produce the
highest quality in-
struments in spite
of increasing costs.
DECKER & SON, INC
697-701 East 135th Street
NEW YORK
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
12
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ST. LOUIS DEALERS DISCUSS IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Shortage of New Instruments Emphasizes Trade-in and Service Problems—Slight Falling Off in
Demand—Raising Fund for Music Advertising—Tuning Prices Are Increased
ST. LOUIS, MO., December 1.—November's end-
ing was not in keeping with the business record
made by the month as a whole. There was an
easing up in the piano sales last week that
could not be mistaken. Whether it was merely
a temporary setback, due to the week being
bioken up by the Thanksgiving holiday, or the
beginning of a reaction is not certain. There
has been an expectation that sooner or later
there would occur a mild revolt against the
increasing prices of pianos and players, but the
opinion has been that this would not manifest
itself until after Christmas. However, there is a
suspicion in some quarters that such a reaction
has already begun. This view is strengthened
somewhat by the fact that there has been no
corresponding weakening of the demand for
talking machines and records.
With stocks of pianos and players steadily
dwindling the Music Merchants' Association is
wrestling with the growing problem of prices
to be paid for trade-ins. Trade-ins were given
top line space on the program at the last meet-
ing of the association Mbnday night at the
American Annex. A committee composed of
P. E. Conroy, E. A. Kieselhorst and John D.
Barthel had been appointed at a previous meet-
ing to struggle with the question and submit
recommendations. The committee struggled,
but it did not recommend. The reason was
that it was found that considerable more strug-
gling would be necessary before anything could
be recommended. Correspondence with East-
ern dealers who have been trying to solve the
problem helped some, but not enough. There
was a general discussion and the committee was
given more time. The plan which meets with
most favor is that employed by the typewriter
people, who make a fixed allowance for trade-
ins based on the make and number without re-
Nearly Half a Century of Growth
After nearly half a century of growth, this
company represents probably the largest com-
plete organization in the country devoted to
the production, manufacture and distribution of
Mahogany Lumber and Veneers
Growth is the natural result of service, and
now that we have co-ordinated all branches of
the industry under one organization we are
in a position to offer even more complete
service than in the past.
DECEMBER 6, 1919
gard to condition. The difficulty of adapting
the method to pianos is presented by the stencil
instruments. The committee hopes to be able
to make recommendations at the next meeting.
The committee is also working on a uniform
guarantee which is expected to eliminate the
causes of controversies between dealers and
customers. It is intended to cover the condi-
tions under which the sale is made and make it
plain that there are to be no free tunings and
that the dealer is not responsible for checking
of the varnish. It will set forth the interest to
be paid on deferred payments and it is intended
to have the purchaser sign it, so that there will
be no ground for dispute later on.
The music merchants are not going to let
the music teachers get the best of them when it
comes to advertising music. It was decided to
raise among the members of the association an
amount equal to that raised by the teachers,
to be used in a local advertising campaign.
The need of a constitution and by-laws is
felt and W. P. Chrisler, J. F. Ditzell and P. A.
Lehman were appointed a committee to draw
up and submit one at the next meeting.
Prices for tuning were increased as follows:
Pianos, from $2.50 to $3.00; players, from $3
to $3.50; grands, from $3.50 to $4. Most of the
dealers have been charging these prices, but
there has been lack of uniformity.
O. A. Field, president of the Field-Lippman
Piano Co., has returned from a trip to the Texas
branches of the firm.
Edward Mahoney, of Kranich & Bach, was
in St. Louis during the week. From here he
went to Cincinnati.
The Ampico will share honors with Leo Orn-
stein when he appears at the Odeon Wednesday
evening. Three of his numbers, En Batau, Noc-
turne Op. 15, No. 2 F Sharp, and Liebestraum
No. 3 will be reproduced on the Ampico imme-
diately after he has played them. The dicker-
ing Ampico used in the demonstration will be
furnished by Manager J. F. Ditzell, of the
Famous & Barr Co. piano department.
The Mengel Music Co., Fortieth and Olive
streets, has been admitted to membership in
the Music Merchants' Association.
C. P. Tyler, president of the Tuners, Polish-
ers and Repairmen's Union, has filed suit in the
Circuit Court against the Lehman Piano Co.
for $15,000 damages on account of injuries re-
ceived in a fall down the elevator shaft at the
store.
The recital given Friday evening at the Stat-
ler Hotel by Magdeleine Brard, pianiste, and
Maurice Dambois, cellist, under the auspices of
the Aeolian Co., was a complete success artis-
tically and in point of attendance. The Duo-
Art piano, for which Miss Brard records exclu-
sively, was, of course, featured, and its per-
formance aroused unbounded enthusiasm.
A NEW MUSIC SECTION IN DALLAS
Evening Journal Devotes Entire Section of
Eight Pages to Music and Things Musical
Astoria Mahogany Company, Inc.
347 Madison Avenue, New York
Successors to
Huddleston-Marsh Mahogany Co.
Astoria Veneer Mill and Dock Co.
Mills and Yards, Long Island City, New York
44 North Market Avenue
Grand Rapids, Mich.
2256 Lumber Street
Chicago, 111,
Music sections in the local papers are becom-
ing a habit in Dallas, where music appears to
have become a dominating feature. Last week,
for the second time recently, the Dallas Evening
Journal ran a special section of eight pages de-
voted entirely to music, with most of the space
given over to articles on what local schools and
colleges were doing to train children along
musical lines. There was also an excellent ar-
ticle on the activities of the music industry of
Dallas, and considerable news about musicians
and musical affairs generally. The local piano,
talking machine and music houses supported the
section with some liberal advertising, Sanger
Bros, taking an entire page to tell why they
feature the Victrola exclusively.
NEW INCORPORATION
The Bernard-Scheib Music Co. has been
formed in Rochester, N. Y., with a capital of
$100,000. The incorporators are R. H. Wilkin-
son, G. H. Putnam and C. J. Scheib.

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