Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 12,
1921
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
PITTSBURGH DEALERS ANTICIPATE GOOD HOLIDAY TRADE
Continuous Improvement in Demand Forecasts Excellent Business During Coming Season, Say
Local Music Merchants—Association to Meet This Month—News of the Week
PITTSBURGH, PA., November 7.—"Trade condi-
tions are showing a very excellent improvement
and it appears to me as though we will have an
old-fashioned holiday season," said D. L. Aaron,
the well-known manager of the piano depart-
ment of Kaufmann's (The Big Store) to The
Review representative today. Mr. Aaron stated
that the return to normal trade is evidently
under way and is also of the opinion that as
the general prosperity of the Pittsburgh dis-
trict increases there will be reflected a similar
upward trend in the music trade. Mr. Aaron, in
speaking of the demand for pianos, said: "The
call for the better grades of players and straight
pianos, as well as grands, is quite apparent and
indicates that the people with the money to pur-
chase are ready to buy. The past week we had
some very substantial sales that have been a
great help in creating an optimistic sentiment in
this department. We disposed of several Mehlin
grand pianos during the week and made some
other sales that would attract more than the
usual attention. I am quite fortunate in having
a very loyal force of salesmen who take great
pride in their profession."
• The Kaufmann piano department is one of
the largest in the city and occupies a very
large section of the eleventh floor, which also
cares for the Victrola and player roll depart-
ments.
William C. Hamilton, president of the Pitts-
burgh Music Merchants' Association, is making
very rapid progress toward a complete restora-
tion to health, following his recent operation
for appendicitis. He is planning to call a meet-
ing of the association some time during the lat-
ter part of the present month when some impor-
tant matters that have been pending for several
months will be taken up and disposed of. One
of the matters is that of a proposed Music Week
to an Eminence
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for Pittsburgh. The committee named by Mr.
Hamilton last Spring, it is understood, is ready
to present a report of its activities and also
submit recommendations as to future association
procedure.
The question of Saturday night closing, an-
other problem that has been under consideration
for a long time, is also expected to be acted on.
Some of the music dealers are strongly of the
opinion that there be some uniform rule relative
to closing on Saturday evenings. At present the
closing hour is 9 p. m. Some of the dealers
favor closing at 6:30 p. m., pointing out that
the large department stores close at that hour
and that it is in line with modern business to
eliminate the late Saturday night hours. An
exception, however, would be made in the case
of any dealer who wished to keep open to 9 p. m.
and later if necessary during the Saturday nights
in December prior to Christmas. One of the
well-known piano merchants here is on record
as saying that when he goes through the down-
town business district on a Saturday night all
the stores that he finds doing business are
"cigar stores, Greek candy stores and piano
stores."
Volkwein Bros., the well-known sheet music
and musical instrument dealers of Pittsburgh,
have just published a new song by Jessie S.
Miner, entitled "Beloved." It is set to music by
Richard Kountz, a rising young musician of the
Steel City.
O. H. Doll and Edward M. Boothe, of Jacob
Doll & Sons, New York, were business visitors
to Pittsburgh the past week, as was E. A. Mah-
ler, of the Jesse Erench & Sons Piano Co., New
Castle, Ind. Arthur O. Lechner, secretary of the
Lechner & Schocnberger Co., spent several
days in Philadelphia recently.
One of the attractive window displays in the
downtown piano row this week is that of the
Lechner & Schoenberger Co., whose entire win-
dow is given over to a showing of the Gulbran-
sen player-piano with the well-known "baby"
operating the pedals.
E. W. Lightner, musical critic of the Pitts-
burgh Dispatch, in referring to musical enter-
prise in Pittsburgh, has this to say in a lengthy
article that appeared in The Dispatch yester-
day : "Why should not Pittsburgh have musical
organizations of highest rank for home enter-
tainment and to visit other cities?
"The Chamber of Commerce junkets every
year with its trade tours, intensive, enthusiastic,
picturesque, jolly and altogether commendable.
Yet I dare the assertion that if the chamber
would guarantee support of a fine symphonic
orchestra, perhaps an opera association which
might, during each season, give entertainments
in each of the cities and towns visited on trade
tours, the esthetic and artistic appeal would
accomplish vastly more for enhancement of the
reputation of their town, and advancement of its
trade, though apparently free from and adverse
to all sordid motives. There could be no more
appealing or lasting boom, and the refining and
uplifting influence at home would be of civic
value beyond measure."
CAMPAIGN ON BILGER LOADER
Piano Movers Supplies Co. Also Featuring a
Number of Other Specialties
BUCKINGHAM, PA., November 7.—The Piano
Movers Supplies Co. is conducting a special
opening drive on its new Bilger loader, which
drive ends on November IS. This drive has been
successful, thus far, in every sense of the word,
and many orders have been received. The Piano
Movers Supplies Co. has built up a large busi-
ness in the furnishing of modern equipment for
the piano mover. The various specialties pro-
moted by this company have met with much
demand, especially the hoisting machine which
enables the dealer to place instruments in upper
stories of houses. ThijB company is continuously
experimenting in this field, and plans to add to
its line as the experiments are worked out to a
successful conclusion.