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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JULY 16, 1921
NEWARK PIANO TRADE ENJOYING VACATION PLEASURES
Business Has Gotten Down to Average Summer Level, Though High-priced Instruments Are in
Greater Demand Than Are the Cheaper Grades—Rural Trade Is Proving Quite Profitable
Vacation time in the Newark piano trade is
on in full force, with the result that a curtail-
ment in business is noted. Several of the larger
department stores which have piano depart-
ments are closing down entirely on Saturdays
during July and August. While a few concerns
report a very good volume of business during
the month of June and thus far in July, the
majority are unanimous in their declarations
that conditions are still unfavorable. What
business is being done, however, is centered
around the higher-priced instruments. The de-
mand for the cheaper grades seems to have
fallen off.
Opens Distributing Points
M. J. Connelly, sales manager of the piano
department of the L. Bamberger store, is over-
coming the unfavorable conditions existing in
the trade by increasing his efforts to obtain busi-
ness and also by making a more thorough can-
vass of the territory. To make more effective
his aggressive selling policy several small stores
have been hired in Plainfield and Summit. These
stores are used solely as distributing points, only
a few pianos being carried in stock. Each store
has a crew of salesmen and canvassers who are
not only going after business in the towns where
the stores are located, but are making a spe-
cialty of going after the rural trade. Pros-
pects who come to the distributing points to
look over the line of instruments and who are
unable to make up their minds as to the style
of piano desired are referred to the main store
in Newark.
A full line of Hardman, Peck instruments is
carried as the leader by this concern. Behning
pianos, as well as several other well-known
makes, are also handled and the Estey line
was recently added to the list.
The vacation season started here last week
with the departure of William Brockhaus and
J. Melica, floor men in the piano department.
W. J. Connelly, buyer for the firm, will go on
his vacation during - the latter part of July.
He will spend his time in Bellmore, Long
Island, where he has purchased a Summer home
within a block of the ocean.
Miss M. Stanley, in charge of the music roll
department, is beating the business depression
by making sales by telephone. Persons on the
prospect list who have telephones in their homes
are called up by Miss Stanley, who tells them of
the new numbers which are especially good and
which seem to be in popular demand. Many
sales have been made in this manner and while
business does not approach the boom days
enough sales are made to encourage further
The Lauter-Humana
A player-piano designed
to meet the needs of the
discriminating buyer.
Is Your Territory Open?
LAUTER-HUMANA CO.
NEWARK, N. J.
effort. Q R S and Artempo rolls are handled.
By far the most popular number being sold in
the Bamberger music roll department at the
present time is "Peggy O'Neil." Other numbers
which are meeting with public approval are
"Moonlight" and "Cherie." The demand for
jazz predominates, but while the sales of the
classics are not so numerous it is noted that
they are more steady and more repeat sales
are made.
Negotiations are under way for the purchase
of the entire block by the Bamberger Co., with
a view to enlarging the establishment. If the
plan goes through the piano and music roll de-
partments will be greatly enlarged.
Blames Labor and House Shortage
H. O. Black, manager of the piano depart-
ment of the Hahne department store, states that
business is slow. He declares that this is due
in a great measure to unemployment and lack
of building. Mr. Black is a firm believer in
co-operation between dealers and says that if
the piano men throughout the city organized
and made a concerted move toward better-
ment of the business conditions the entire trade
would gain in prosperity.
Vacation time started in the Hahne store with
the closing on Saturday policy, which went into
effect July 2 and which will end after the last
Saturday in August. Mr. Black, instead of tak-
ing his vacation in consecutive days, intends to
take Mondays off. He will spend his time at
his home in Allenhurst, near Asbury Park.
Jessie H. Warner, of the music roll depart-
ment, is leaving Saturday for her vacation. She
intends to go to Lake Copake, New York, where
she will remain for a period of three weeks.
Goes After Rural Business
An aggressive selling policy is marking the
Summer sales campaign of the Armstrong Piano
Co. Three crews of salesmen in automobiles
are covering the entire State. In this way the
outlying districts and rural communities, as well
as the cities, are thoroughly canvassed. The
country trade is being found especially good.
Farmers are buying only the higher-priced in-
struments. Ampico, Knabe and Haines Bros,
pianos are the leaders handled by this concern.
H. T. Armstrong, president of the company,
is spending the month of July in the Pocono
Mountains.
Victor
Supremacy
Victor supremacy
is the surest index of
which way the trade
goes.
It spells success for
every Victor retailer.
"Victrola" is the Registered Trade-
mark of the Victor Talking Machine
Company designating the products of
this Company only.
Warning: The use of the word
Victrola upon or in the promotion or
sale of any other Talking Machine or
Phonograph products is misleading and
illegal.
Important Notice. Victor Records
and Victor Machines are' scientifically
co-ordinated and synchronized in the
processes of manufacture, and should be
used together to secure a perfect re-
production.
Lauter Co. Vacations
Henry H. Dunklee, assistant manager of the
Lauter Piano Co., 593 Broad street, reports that
the vacation season is on in full force. J. M.
Cameron, vice-president, left for Vermont on
the first of the month. He will stay for an
indefinite length of time and Mr. Dunklee ex-
pects to leave on the 18th of the month for Twi-
light Park in the Catskill Mountains. E. C
Pullen, retail manager, believes in getting over
the vacation period as soon as possible, with
the result that nearly half of the sales force is
on vacation at the same time.
Mr. Dunklee, who is in charge of the music
roll department, declares that business can be
had by going out after it. An aggressive Sum-
mer campaign is being planned by him, which
will include advertising, special sales, etc. The
leaders handled by the Lauter Co. in this de-
partment are the Q R S and Republic rolls.
Victrola No. 90, $125
Griffith Wins Cup
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Theodore M. Griffith, of the Griffith Piano
Co., is in Saginaw, Mich., where he attended
the Sonora jobbers' convention. He was pre-
sented with a silver cup by the jobbers as a
prize for being the most efficient Sonora job-
ber. The cup was given for having sold more
Sonora machines than any other jobber during
the past year.
Harry Griffith, who is in charge of the talking
machine department, states that business dur-
ing the month of June was 25 per cent better
than at the same time last year and to date in
July an encouraging volume of sales has been
made.
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., u. s. A.