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NOVEMBER 20, 1920
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Piano Co., was sick most of last week and that
left the burden of the business on Vice-president
Seasonable Weather Will Bring Increasing Interest in Music With Consequent Demand for In- Harry. He got by with it very well except one
day, when the boiler blew a bung and the store
struments, Say Local Piano Men—Local Association Adopts By-laws—Baldwin Store Opened
went cold and the new elevator got jammed and
ST. LOUIS, MO., November 16.—The kind of proposed to the secretary in writing, the nomina- the water pipes got stopped up, which gave the
weather that is being served in these parts ought tion to be accompanied by the membership dues. vice-president the busiest few hours of his young
to make good November business. It is keen and Upon recommendation of the membership com- life, but everything came out all right.
A. W. Meyer has joined the sales organization
zestful weather which puts life into people, but mittee the applicant may be elected to member-
of the Stix, Baer & Fuller piano department. He
so far it has not put very much life into busi- ship by a two-thirds vote.
ness. There has been a fair run of sales during
There are three classes of dues, A, B and C, was formerly in another line of salesmanship.
E. W. Furbush, of the Chicago headquarters of
the past week, with high-priced instruments pre- $100, $50 and $25 respectively. The classifying
the Haddorff Piano Co., Rockford, 111., spent part
dominating, as usual, but there has been no is done by the board of directors.
marked general improvement in sales. With the
The membership of any member who is in de- of the past week in St. Louis. Other visitors
coming of cool nights, which encourage home- fault on dues for thirty days may be declared were R. Roth, of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.,
staying, there has been an improvement in the void upon the recommendation of the board of Chicago; Sydney N. Mayer, of J. & C. Fischer,
Inc., New York.
sales of music rolls and record.
Generally directors.
The enlarged and remodeled store of the Bald-
speaking, the people are playing a waiting game in
Special assessments may be levied upon the
the matter of purchases.
recommendation of the board of directors and a win Piano Co., at 1111 and 1113 Olive street, had
its formal opening to-day. The open spaces of
The Stix, Baer & Fuller piano department an- two-thirds vote of the members present.
The annual meeting will be held the first Thurs- the large main floor salesroom were filled with
nounced in connection with the firm's six-day
underselling campaign on Saturday a reduction day in October and regular meetings are to be plants and flowers. Local artists gave a program
of $100 on every piano and player-piano in the held on the first Thursday of each month. Seven in the recital hall on the fourth floor. There were
entire stock, regardless of make or finish. Now members will constitute a quorum. The consti- throngs of visitors. The main floor salesroom is
everybody is waiting to see what the result will tution and by-laws may be amended by a two- the largest of any regular piano store in the city,
40 by 104 feet. The frescoing is in warm putty
thirds vote.
be, specifically and generally.
Ray Miller's Black and White Melody Boys shades, with mulberry decorations. The booths
The following is the plan of organization of the
new Music Merchants' Association, as con- were here last week with the Ed Wynn Carni- are in old ivory and the rest of the woodwork is
densed from the new constitution and by-laws val at the American Theatre and they showed that fumed oak. There are six booths on each side,
they were regular fellows by taking their melody with a service counter for music rolls on one
adopted at the last meeting:
around
to the stores of the Aeolian Co. and the side and a service counter for records on the
The objects of the Association are to unify the
music industries of the city and vicinity, pro- Lehman Piano Co., playing an hour at each place other.
Mrs. T. M. Atwood has been placed in charge
mote the mutual welfare and protect the general to crowds that jammed the store so that it was
interests of the members of such industries, to difficult for piano buyers to get In. One did get of the music roll and record departments of the
co-operate with all agencies to promote and sup- in, though, at the Lehman store while the concert Lehman Piano Co. She was formerly with the
port the advancement of music and music indus* 1 - was in progress. He edged his way to a salesman Floyd Piano Co. at Memphis, Tenn.
Bruno Heintzc, formerly with the Stix, Baer &
tries and to promote fellowship and social inter- and said the concert was very nice, but what he
wanted was a player-piano and would the sales- Fuller piano department, has taken a position
course among members of the music industries.
Individual members of a firm, directors of cor- man be so kind, and so forth. The salesman with the Conroy Piano Co.
J. F. Ditsell, manager of the Famous & Barr
porations and managers of firms or corporations hated to miss the concert, but he hated worse
engaged in music merchandising are eligible to to miss a sale, so he showed the man a Steger Co. music salon, left Saturday night on a trip to
membership. The board of directors has con- & Sons player and the man said he would take it. Chicago and New York, to be gone a week or
E. A. Kieselhorst, president of the Kieselhorst ten days.
trol and management of the affairs and funds of
the Association. In case of a disagreement on
any question the minority may appeal to a mem-
cream parlors. Wurlitzer's here report placing
TO BOOST BUFFALO TRADE
bership vote of the entire Association.
a number of these instruments within the last
Any grievance involving charges of a nature Music Dealers Endeavoring to Stimulate Sales week. Wurlitzer's have also just installed two
pertaining to the interests of the music industries
for Holidays—Good Advertising Campaigns large pipe organs in Shea's two new theatres
may be brought before the board of directors.
here, the Criterion and the North Park.
Started—Other News of Interest
There are three standing committees, mem-
A number of representatives of the large
bership, press and talking machine. The latter
BUFFALO, N. Y., November 16.—Despite the fact houses paid Buffalo dealers a call during the
will report business to the board of directors, who that the holidays are close at hand the Buffalo last week. Among them were Paul Fink, of the
will have final decision. Each committee is to piano dealers are not so cheerful as might be Behning Piano Co., and Charles Cunningham,
have three members.
expected. Many of them are complaining that of the American Piano Co.
Candidates for election to membership will be the trade, which generally begins to pick up at
this time of year, is not showing the signs of
JAPANESE EXPORT TRADE FIGURES
renewed life that it did in former seasons.
With election over the piano dealers expected 1919 Shows 300 Per Cent Increase Over 1918
to United States—Marked Change in Figures
that the trade, which had been on the down
Covering Hawaii and the Philippine Islands
grade for some time, would once more regain
its upward stride as the holiday season drew
With 3 sounding boards
Exports of musical instruments from Japan to
near. But they have met with disappointment.
in each (Patented) nave the
The general let-down in local business is the United States during the year 1918 were
greatest talking points in
blamed for the poor trade. Many of the plants valued at $190,666. The total for 1919, includ-
the trade.
which previous to the election laid off large ing parts, was $562,457, showing an increase of
numbers of men have not yet taken them back. $371,791, or nearly 300 per cent.
The exports of musical instruments and parts
Although Buffalo has not been hit as hard in
this respect as some of the other large cities, to Hawaii in 1918 were valued at $3,678. This
still there have been a large number of men likewise showed a marked increase in 1919, the
who have been temporarily thrown out of em- total being $5,011, or approximately 150 per
ployment when plants curtailed their working cent.
Exports of musical instruments and parts to
forces for the time being.
Many of the dealers are now busy with plans the Philippine Islands during 1918 were valued
t© boost trade. Many of them are planning ex- at $16,573, which decreased to $4,978 in 1919, a
tensive advertising campaigns this season. Al- falling off of nearly 75 per cent.
ready a number of good-sized display ads have
Three new branch stores have been opened by
appeared in the newspapers, and there is a
noticeable brightening of the shop windows. the Pierce Piano Co., of Eureka, Cal. These
Some of the larger stores are putting on at- stores are located in Arcata, Ferndale and For-
tractive piano displays. J. N. Adam & Co. had tuna. In each of the branches the complete line
two attractive piano windows last week, one on of musical instruments of the main house is
the Main street side of their store and one on carried.
We fix " o n e p r i c e " —
the Washington street side. A. B. Chase, Schaff
wholesale and retail.
Bros, and other makes were featured in this
display. The windows were fitted out to give a
Sold in any quantity
cozy, homelike setting for the instruments.
1108 DeKalb Ave.
Many of the Buffalo dealers are remarking
Brooklyn, N. Y.
about
the
increased
demand
for
automatic
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Telephone Bmhwlok 3054
pianos in movie houses, restaurants and ice-
ST. LOUIS PIANO DEALERS ANTICIPATE GOOD TRADE
3 Great Pianos
The Heppe Piano Co.
USED PIANOS
KURTZ & CO.