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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
j . B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff
V. D. WALSH, WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, L. M. ROIINION,
C. A. LEONARD, EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THOS. W. BBESNAHAN, A. J.
NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
WESTERN DIVISION:
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NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
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Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
PlovAi*
and
1 l a j vl "I DianA
lallU allU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
y
are 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.
APRIL 3, 1920
conflicting interests, and while an organization of supply men has
been, and is, eminently desirable, there was, and is, no reason why
an existing association, even though inactive, should be superseded
by another organization that, without a definite plan to support it,
will be likely to prove just as unsuccessful.
With a committee representing every division of the supply
trade charged with the work of investigating conditions and mak-
ing suggestions calculated to rejuvenate the present association and
make it a live factor in the trade, results may be expected that will
add strength to the organized industry as a whole and prove of
direct benefit to the supply men.
The recommendation of the committee that consideration be
given by the supply men to the question of the use of American-
made supplies in American-made pianos through co-operation with
piano manufacturers and music merchants; the development of
standardized parts to increase production and decrease cost, and
the maintenance of proper credit conditions, is most important and
timely. These three questions alone should in their handling more
than justify the active existence of the Musical Supply Association,
although if the Supply Association were organized simply to lend
its support to the Advancement of Music campaign, the organiza-
tion would be well worth while, for any increased demand for
musical instruments resulting therefrom would naturally mean an
increased demand on the supply houses.
WHY PIANO PRICES MUST INCREASE
recorded in recent issues of The Review the various supplies
A S which
enter into the manufacture of pianos continue to climb
steadily in price, thus compelling piano manufacturers to get in-
creased prices for their products. While ivory may be superficially
considered a small item in the construction of a piano, yet when it
is known that the increase in price of from $75 to $125 per hundred-
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
weight
last October was still further advanced at the quarterly ivory
Diploma
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
sale
in
London late in January, one can realize that a substantial
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS S082—5»8S MADI8ON 8Q.
Connecting all Departments
advance
in the cost of piano keys became an essential.
CabU address: "ElbUl, New York"
At this last sale the advance in price of large and medium tusks
NEW YORK, APRIL 3, 1920
No. 14
Vol. LXX
from East Africa, Zanzibar and Mozambique rose irregularly by
$250 to $500 per hundredweight. A little less than twenty-six tons of
THE CONSOLIDATION OF TWO FAMOUS HOUSES
ivory were offered for sale, and the entire lot was grasped quickly
HE consolidation of the interests of F. G. Smith, Inc., and the by buyers from the United States and Great Britain.
Lumber has also been steadily advancing in price, and the cost
Wilcox & White Co., bringing together as it does two old estab-
of all kinds of varnish and supplies of that nature is in the ascendant.
lished manufacturing concerns of distinctly American origin, rep-
If we add to the increasing cost of supplies the present trend
resents a move of unusual importance and significance in trade
history. For over sixty-five years the Bradbury piano and the of the labor market it can easily be seen that higher prices for
pianos and players will be the rule for quite some lime. There is
manufacturers thereof have been prominently" before the trade and
no getting away from this fact, although there are some dealers who
the public, and the product has enjoyed a recognized standing among
seem
to be under the impression that piano manufacturers are de-
American pianos of the higher class. The Wilcox & White Co., on
manding
prices for instruments which are out of proportion to cost.
the other hand, rank among the pioneers—the pathfinders—in the
The
men
who hold these views have evidently not given close con-
art of reproducing piano music mechanically. Their Angelus piano
sideration
to the present cost of producing pianos.
player was one of the first—if not the first—piano player to be
offered to the trade and public as a commercial proposition, pre-
NEW YORK AHEAD OF TIME, AS USUAL!
vious to which time they were engaged success fully in the manu-
facture of organs for many years.
OR the first time in history time in New York and the Middle
For the past quarter of a century all the interests of Wilcox
West is now exactly the same, due to the energetic, though some-
& White have been devoted to the development of the piano player
what misguided, action of the New York State Legislature in pass-
and of the player action, resulting in the final perfection of the ing the Daylight Saving Bill. As a national measure it proved a
Artrio. The linking of the Artrio and the Bradbury may be expected
great success so far as the business world was concerned. As a
to lead to some important and interesting developments in the repro-
local measure it causes more confusion than the extra hour of day-
ducing piano field, where we may be expected to look for the most
light is worth. When it is 12 o'clock in New York, it is only 11
noticeable trade progress in the immediate future.
o'clock across the river in New Jersey. Some trains will run on
The move will tie up definitely the Artrio with a piano of
New York time and others on standard time, and judging from
the proper calibre, and thus permit of development work on a the experience of the average human in catching trains we will
permanent and altogether satisfactory basis.
more often than not guess the wrong time. In financial circles it
is expected that the local daylight saving time will result in con-
REVIVING THE SUPPLY MEN'S ASSOCIATION
fusion and heavy losses. Meanwhile New York will be just one
hour ahead of most of the country for six months or more.
HE decision arrived at last week to revive and put new life
into the existing, though somewhat dormant, Musical Supply
BUSINESS AND THE WEATHER
Association of America, rather than to endeavor to solve the ques-
tion of bringing the supply men together by laying plans for a new
USINESS for the past ten days has shown a decided betterment
organization, is a move in the right direction, particularly now that
throughout the country, and this is undoubtedly due to more sea-
sonable weather. Shipments and deliveries of pianos, in fact, all
the Music- Industries Chamber of Commerce is being organized in
kinds of musical instruments, have been seriously interfered with
a manner to give to that Association adequate attention and support.
by railroad embargoes and bad roads, but each day now shows a
There are those in the trade who tell us that too many asso-
betterment in this respect.
ciations are already in existence in the trade, some of them with
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