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TILE MUSIC TRADE
JULY 9, 1921
9
REVIEW
PATRIOTIC WINDOW DISPLAYSJN PITTSBURGH STORES
Piano Dealers Observe Independence Day With Appropriately Dressed Windows—Resumption of
Activity in Steel Industry Will Stimulate Business in All Lines—News of the Week
PITTSBURGH, PA., July 5.—Piano merchants and
their sales and office staffs had a two and a half
day holiday this year, due to the coming of July
Fourth on Monday. In pursuance of the agree-
ment made to close the music shops at 1 p. m.
on Saturdays during July and August, the first
observance took place on Saturday. Many of
the music dealers went out of town for the
week end, others took automobile trips, while
others stayed amid the comforts of their own
homes and stated that they had a good time.
In keeping with the spirit of Independence
Day all of the music dealers had very attrac-
tive window displays, in which the American
flag was predominant. At the Lechner &
Schoenbcrger store a handsome Kranich & Bacli
"Grandette" was displayed with an American
flag in the rear. The C. C. Mellor Co. had a
miniature Goddess of Liberty in the center of
its show window, flanked by a Stroud player-
piano on one side and a Victrola on the other.
Trade conditions the past week were rather
sluggish and this, coupled with the torrid
weather, did not have a very good effect on
business. It is generally believed that there
will not be any marked revival in business until
the industrial readjustment has been started.
The iron and steel mills are operating at less
than 25 per cent of capacity in the Pittsburgh
district and the general consensus of opinion is
that there will be another wage reduction be-
fore the mills will be in a position to resume.
It is known that large tonnages for early de-
livery will be contracted for as soon as the
price basis has reached "rock bottom."
The Columbia National Bank of Pittsburgh,
in a business review issued July 1, says: "As
business enters the second half of 1921 the out-
look is for a much slower recovery of trade
activities than was indicated in the early Spring.
Although underlying conditions are slightly bet-
ter business finds itself at the moment in the
midst of Summer dullness, which renders more
acute the existing depression. Deflation has
been the most drastic in economic history and
many basic commodities apparently are at rock-
bottom levels, yet widespread readjustment re-
mains to be made."
Daniel Hart, manager of the piano department
of May, Stern & Co., left on Saturday for an
extended business and pleasure trip to Europe.
Mr. Hart sailed on the Cunard liner "Caronia"
for Liverpool.
W. C. Dierks and Thomas T. Evans, of the
C. C. Mellor Co.; George H. Rewbridge, of the
W. F. Frederick Piano Co., and Joseph C.
Roush, French Nestor and Wallace Russell, of
the Standard Talking Machine Co., all Victor
distributors, leave Thursday for Colorado
Springs to attend the Victor jobbers' meeting
at the noted resort.
Wm. Woodward. Jr., manager of the Ampico
department of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co.,
had a very pleasing display of the workings of
the Ampico in the large show window of the
firm that attracted a great deal of attention.
Tubes with colored liquids were displayed that
American
Piano Wire
"Perfected"
"Crown"
Highest acoustic excellence dating back to the
days of Jonas Chickering. Took prize over whole
world a t Paris, 1900. For generations the
standard, and used on the greatest number of
pianos in the world.
Services of our Acoustic Engineer always available — free
Illustrated books—free
American Steel & Wire
ACOUSTIC DEPARTMENT
108 3. LA SALLE ST., CHICAGO
Company
ascended and descended according to the oper-
at'ng of the Ampico. A Marshall & Wendell
piano was used for the window demonstration.
Many persons who watched the workings of the
instrument set stepped inside the store for fur-
ther information, which was cheerfully given
by Mr. Woodward and his staff. Mr. Woodward
stated that Ampico sales during June were satis-
factory, considering the general trend of busi-
ness.
TRADE NEWS FROM ST. LOUIS
Local Music Dealers Turning Their Thoughts
Vacationward—June
Proves
Satisfactory
Month—Plan Municipal Music Hall
ST. LOUIS, MO., July 5.-—St. Louis piano men
shut up shop yesterday and went away into the
sunny places and wide spaces and enjoyed them-
selves as their tastes inclined. There have been
other holidays when a salesman was left on
watch to see to it that nobody came down
Piano Row looking for a chance to buy a piano
without rinding a door hospitably open, but
there was nothing like that this time. Nobody
thought that it was any use, for people are
not buying pianos on holidays. It is hard
enough to get them to buy on other days. At
that, though, most of the dealers express them-
selves as fairly well satisfied with their June
business, for the books show that it averaged
up pretty well. Xo great expectations are in-
dulged of a marked revival before September or
October.
Beginning next Saturday the department
stores will inaugurate their second season of
all-day closing on Saturday. They tried it out
last Summer and were so well pleased witli it
that it is likely to be an annual feature. It was
thought when they began it last Summer that
the piano and talking machine departments
would suffer from the fact that the regular
stores kept open half a day or longer on Sat-
urday. Managers of these departments say, how-
ever, that they apparently suffered no disability.
O. R. Bowman, of the Steger & Sons Piano
Co., Chicago, passed through St. Louis on his
way to his home at Havana, 111., to spend the
Fourth of July with his family.
D. Stuart Pope, of Chickering & Sons, Boston,
passed through on his way back East from an
extended Western trip.
P. A. Lehman, president of the Lehman Piano
Co., on his Northern automobile trip, accom-
panied by Mrs. Lehman, went as far as Lake
Geneva, Wis. They returned to St. Louis
Wednesday.
Stanley Smith, formerly with the Lehman Piano
Co., but for the past two years in California,
has returned to St. Louis and is again with the
Lehman house. Miss Viola Ownes, of the Leh-
man Piano Co., has gone to Chicago on a vaca-
tion trip
L. D. Brewer, traffic manager of the Kiesel-
horst Piano Co., is receiving congratulations on
the birth of a son.
Thomas W. Phillips, formerly in business in
South Grand avenue, now has a store at 918 Pine
street, handling the Krell line of pianos.
The Civic Music Association at its annual
meeting decided on a campaign to arouse pub-
lic interest in a municipal music hall, which
would enable continuation of music activities
throughout the year instead of limiting them to
the Summer outdoor opera season in Forest
Park. Nelson Cunliff was re-elected president
of the Association, with P. E. Conroy, president
of the Conroy Piano Co., as first vice-president
Manager James B. Moran, of the Wurlitzer
Co., is visiting the Wurlitzer headquarters at
Cincinnati.
Jack Schusler, a piano man of Des Moines,
la., was in St. Louis last week to attend the
wedding of his sister, preliminary to her de-
parture for China to be a missionary.
"The first touch tells"
(Registered
U. S. Pat. Off.)
The voluntary praise of
a host of well-known
c o m p o s e r s and mu-
sicians is striking evi-
dence of the superior
tone quality of the
Christman
Studio Grand
Here is an instrument
that s e l l s itself and
makes friends.
Your sales will increase
as soon as you have
them on your floor.
Why let an opportunity
like this go by?
Write for particulars.
Christman
Piano Co.
Makers of
Grands, Uprights
Players
Reproducing
Grands
597 East 137th St., New York
"The first touch tells "