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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
t
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stall
V. D. WALSH, W M . BHAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH,
L. M. ROBINSON.
C. A. LEONARD, KDWAKD I.YMAN HILL, SCOTT KI NGWII.L, Tims. \V. HKKSNAIIAN. A. J.
NICKI.IN, L. K. MOWERS
W E S T E R N DIVISION:
BOSTON OFFICE:
Republic Bldg., 209 So. State St., Chicago.
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Wabash 5774.
Telephone, Main 69S0.
LONDON, ENGLAND:
1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
N E W S SERVICE IS S U P P L I E D WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries. $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch single column, per insertion.
On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $150.
REMITTANCES, in othef than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
PlavAl* PlanA and
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
|
a r e dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Parii Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.... Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 190S
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting: all Departments
Cable address: "KlblU, New York"
Vol. LXX
NEW YORK, MARCH 20, 1920
N The Review this week there are presented a number of expres-
sions of opinion from exhibitors at the recent National Music
Show regarding the success of that venture and the manner in
which future exhibitions of the sort should be conducted. The ex-
pressions are offered without any comment, because it is felt that
as the exhibitors paid the expenses of the show and made sub-
stantial investments in connection with the exhibition they have the
best right to make criticisms of past shows and suggestions regard-
ing future displays. The great majority feel that the recent show,
so far as it went, was very successful, but the feeling is that future
exhibitions should be designed for the trade rather than for the
public. The opinions offered should have some weight when it
comes time to consider plans for future National Music Shows.
I
THE CHILD AS A FUTURE PROSPECT
OME years ago the talking machine manufacturers realized that
it was through the child that they must prepare a clientele for
the future—that the youngster of to-day is the grownup and the
buyer of to-morrow, and that the impression created upon the child
mind is very likely to influence that same child when the time conies
for him to invest on his own account.
A number of piano manufacturers and dealers have also caught
the idea, and the result is that there has appeared in the trade
recently considerable literature designed to appeal particularly to
children and to parents. The argument used is that the child should
be permitted to enjoy the piano and player-piano to the full, and
a proper elementary knowledge of music may thus be gained in a
way that is pleasant and profitable. Thousands of pianos have been
sold by appealing to the parent in behalf of the child, and it is
quite likely that thousands more will be sold in the future by appeal-
ing directly to the child, and through the child to the parent.
The politician of yore made it a point to kiss all the babies
in his district, because by so doing he won the favor of the parents,
and even before suffrage came this added more votes to his list.
He did not care in the least about the child itself. The piano man,
S
STRENGTHENING LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS
D
URING the coming year locai associations are going to re-
ceive a full share of attention from the officers of the Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants, and a campaign to this
end is already being mapped out. It is felt that there should
be established some direct contact between all the local associations
and the national body for the support and advice that the national
organization can give to the minor organizations, as well as for the
advantages that will accrue to the national association through such
affiliation.
The really strong local associations—city or State—in the coun-
try can be numbered on the fingers. We hear of the formation of a
local association of music merchants, and it is reported that the
move was received enthusiastically. ( )fficers are elected, a con-
stitution and by-laws adopted, and then the quietus sets in. In all
too many instances enthusiasm seems to wane after the first or
second meeting for some reason or another.
During the tour of Geo. \Y. Pound last year there were formed
as a result of his visit in the various cities perhaps a dozen trade
associations, and yet out of that dozen there are only two or three
that can be reasonably considered substantial organizations with
any promise of permanence, Jt is quite likely that a serious study
of the local association question by the National Association officials,
and the giving of adequate support to local movements, may have
a desirable effect in stabilizing this factor in association work. If
so, it would be a move well worth making.
NO CAUSE FOR WORRY
No. 12
ANENT THE NEXT MUSIC SHOW
MARCH 20, 1920
however, is directly interested in the child. He does care about the
kiddies because they are going to be his customers in the years to
come.
The work that is being done for the cause of music in the
schools has long been recognized as most important, and is no doubt
most helpful to the music industry, but the work of the manufac-
turer and dealer in reaching and appealing to the child is the work
that gets direct results in the matter of sales.
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
ourth Aye., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
REVIEW
I
N a large number of the cities of the country retail piano mer-
chants report an apparent slowing down in the demand for pianos
and players—not that they are piling up surplus stock at all, but the
orders are not quite as far ahead of available supplies as was the
case a few months ago.
There are very few dealers apparently who have more stock on
their hands than they can conveniently take care of. Almost with-
out exception they have been faced with an abnormal retail demand,
and as soon as that demand drops close to normal the reaction has
rather an exaggerated effect. The majority of retailers have been
making some hay while the sun shines, and they can keep right on
making hay with the feeling that fewer sales are going to get away
from them because of lack of goods. p Only when the pendulum
swings far in the other direction, and when available goods are more
plentiful than orders, need the music men start to worry, and it is
hoped that when that time comes—and it must come eventually—•
the lessons in solid financing and sound credits learned during the
war and reconstruction period will not be forgotten.
PROTECTING AMERICAN TRADE-MARKS
M
EMBERS of the music industry are, or should be, greatly in-
terested in the organization of the International Bureau for
Trade-Mark Protection, which will provide for agreements between
the United States,and South American countries regarding the regis-
tering of trade-marks for the protection of the citizens of the various
countries. Particularly interesting, too, is the bill passed by Con-
gress and now waiting the signature of the President, which is de-
signed to grant trade-mark protection to citizens of this country
who have used their trade-marks in foreign countries for the period
of a year or more.
One of the problems of export trade has been that of coun-
teracting the effects of trade-mark "sharks" who take advantage
of the laws of various European and South American countries
and register therein the trade-marks of American manufacturers
to which they have no just claim. This registration prevents the
American from marketing his products under their established
trade-marked names, unless he first buys off the registrant, thus
opening the way for general blackmail and fraud.