Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
48
THE MUSIC TRADE
GEMUNDER SEEKS FOREIGN TRADE
REVIEW
VIOLIN SCARCITY STILL PREVAILS
FEBRUARY 21, 1920
COLLEGE TRADE PICKING UP
Violin Manufacturer Contemplating Increasing
Exports to South America and Spain
Importations From Japan Insufficient to Sup- Mandolin and Banjo Growing in Popularity
With the Undergraduate After Wartime Letup
ply Demand for Instruments
The next few years should see a marked in-
crease in the exportation of musical merchan-
dise to South America, according to Oscar
Gemunder, of August Gemunder & Sons. His
company has already begun dealing with coun-
tries in the Southern Hemisphere and plans to
increase its South American business consider-
ably during 1920. The Gemunder company is
also, considering the export of its goods to
Spain, another nation whose romantic people
have been long noted for their love of stringed
instruments. Both these fields have been some-
what overlooked in the past, but indications
throughout the trade are that their attractive
possibilities are to^he, developed in the future.
The promised relief to the violin industry that
the close of the war was to bring has yet to
materialize, a prominent violin manufacturer
tells the Review. Violin makers formerly de-
pended largely upon Germany to supply the
raw materials essential to the proper tone qual-
ities of the violin, the correct mellowness of
the 'cello, and the deep resonance of the bass
viol.
More than a year has passed since the armis-
tice, but the German materials have not come.
Unsettled conditions, Government regulation of
exports and the adverse exchange have all played
a part. Meanwhile violin manufacturers have
helped out American production by importing
from Japan.
BOW GUIDE FOR VIOLINS
Patent Granted on Device Which Assists Be-
ginners on the Violin
ACCORDEON ARTIST ON KEITH TIME
College students throughout the country
seem to be growing more fond of stringed in-
struments, particularly the banjos and mando-
lins. During the war the college trade in this
line naturally fell off greatly, and for several
months following the close of the war the col-
lege boys seemed to return to their studies with
more zest and earnestness of purpose than in
the pre-war days.
More recently, however, there' has been a
tendency toward gradually drifting back into
the care-free days before the interruption caused
by the World War. The result has been an in-
creased demand for mandolins, and the balmy
spring months to come should see an even bet-
ter trade.
IMPROVEMENT ON THE VIOLIN
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 16.—George G.
Accordeon lovers who are patrons of New Going, Middletown, Conn., was last week
York City vaudeville houses have recently been
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 16.—^Solomon furnished a rare treat in the offering of granted Patent No. 1,329,594 for stringed musi-
Keles, Stamford, Conn., was recently granted "Grock," a noted international clown who is cal instruments, and, with respect to its more
Patent No. 1,325,251 for a bow guide for violins. appearing at the Keith theatres. This delight- specific features, to violins and the like. One
This invention has for its object to provide ful clown, after amusing his audience with a of the objects is to provide a practical con-
a. simple, light and inconspicuous attachment for generous assortment of better than average struction of violin, wherein the longitudinal
violins and other viol instruments for the pur- musical stunts and clownish tricks, completes component of the tensile stress on the strings
pose of assisting the performer in bowing cor- his act with a number of excellent selections on is taken off the body of the violin. Another ob-
rectly, and more particularly for training a pupil the accordeon. His program on this old fa- ject is to provide an efficient construction of
or beginner to draw the bow in a direct line at vorite instrument includes both classical num- violin, whereby it may be supported for being
played, but without damping the vibration of
the proper distance from the bridge and at a bers and up-to-the-minute jazz novelties.
the body of the violin.
right angle to the strings by the approved arm
and wrist movement, which attachment may be
IMPROVED MUTE FOR CORNETS
easily and quickly applied or removed, which
will not injure the instrument or affect the tone
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 16.—A mute for
thereof, and which is of such a character that, musical instruments such as cornets, trombones,
as the proficiency o.f the.plipil. increases and the etc., is a late invention of William E. Barnes,
correct use of the .bow. becomes; habitual, the Patent No.- 1,325,313 for which has recently
device may be gradually dispensed with in such been granted.
a manner as to permit the player comparative
THE OLDEST AND
It is a well-known fact among musicians and
freedom of action while serving as a reminder to others familiar with the subject that mutes com-
LAROEST MUSICAL
call attention to any material deviation from the monly used alter or disturb the pitch of the
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
correct movement.
instrument and have a tendency when the mute
IN AMERICA
is constructed of metal of introducing a metallic
quality into the tone, and in muffling the tone
Exclusively VFhoIosml*
KEY SYSTEM FOR CLARINETS
UTABUSHED 185*
and robbing it of its richness and brilliancy.
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 16.—James C.
It is the aim of this invention to produce
Fleming, Denver, Col., was recently granted a mute that will soften the tone to the desired
351-53FWRTHAVE.NEWYORKCUT
Patent No. 1,328,831 for a key system for clari- degree and at the same time preserve its origi-
Victor
Distributors
nets, which relates generally to certain improve- nal pitch and smooth quality.
ments in key systems for clarinets and other
like instruments and primarily has for its ob-
ject to provide a new and improved arrange-
WHOLESALE MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
ment of key systems that is more especially de-
BALTIMORE, MD.
signed to eliminate the awkward fingering of
the notes G, G sharp, A, A sharp, B and C
written on the staff and 'as fingered on the
ordinary instruments by eliminating the thumb
hole for G and the key for G sharp, A and A
BESTSTRINGS"""*
sharp and the awkward jump from A sharp to
JOHNFRIEDRICH&BRO
B which, as known to all skilled in the use of
Victor Distributor*
1108 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
clarinets and like instruments, is a difficult run,
Established
over half a century
and that most of the trills in that run are either
very difficult or impossible of execution for the
average performer.
RONQ
A. BURDWISE
WEYMANM
ior Quality MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Q
DURRO
AND
BOSTON MASS
Manufacturer*
Importers and Jobber* •»
STEWART
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Attractive Specialties
Modern Service
Buegeleisen & Jacob son
5-7-9 Union Square
Black Diamond
Strings
OLIVER DITSON CO.
NEW
UTABLISHBD 1884
YORK
THE WORLD'S BEST
I
National Musical String Co.
Ne*/ Brunswick, N. J.