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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JULY 23, 1921
CLEVELAND PIANO MEN FIGHTING PRESENT TAX SYSTEM
Join With Ohio Music Merchants' Association in Protesting to Congress Against Excise Tax
on Musical Instruments—Planning Fall Selling Campaigns—News of the Week
CLEVELAND, O., July 19.—Cleveland piano mer-
chants were preparing this week to co-operate
fully with the Ohio Music Merchants' Associa-
tion in its appeal to Representative Longworth
for relief from excise taxation on musical in-
struments. The status of the music industry oi
the State more than likely will be framed in a
communication to Mr. Longworth by the State
association, and individual merchants will show,
in personal communications, the evil this form
of revenue-raising has upon not only the music
industry, but the community generally. All
municipal associations are expected to unite with
the State body in this definite step toward re-
moval of excise taxes.
The bulletin of the State association, to be
issued for July by Secretary Rexford C. Hyre.
will contain information on the subject for the
benefit of members of the organization.
With a view toward bringing the piano pur-
chaser and the instructor in music closer to-
gether, a bureau for that purpose has been es-
tablished by R. E. Taylor, district manager, the
Starr Piano Co. Music teachers have been in-
vited to list their names with this bureau, so
that they can be reached by new piano owners.
It has been found that although the best teach-
ers may be recommended to the piano buyers
the teachers often are too filled up with clients
to take on more students. The establishment of
the Starr bureau will accomplish the double
purpose of giving conscientious and reliable in-
structors additional pupils, and the buyers of
instruments the needed instruction to make the
piano a worth-while benefit to their homes. A
considerable number of teachers have already
been listed with the bureau.
Piano merchants in the Ohio territory appear
to be planning their Fall campaigns now, even
though the amount of Summer business being
done by them is but normal for this time of
year. Inquiries and orders for benches received
lately by the Ottone Co. appear to bear this out
The better business on these accessories is
coming in from those communities not depend-
ing directly upon manufacturing activities, and
in this connection it reflects the general busi-
ness situation throughout the territory, manu-
facturing centers being about the slowest at the
moment. The fame of the Ottone benches
seems to be spreading beyond the confines of
Cleveland proper, as orders have been received
recently from Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Increased interest in player-pianos is reflected
in the steadily growing player roll business in
the State. New dealers are being added, on an
average of two a week, by the Melodee Sales
Co., and during the last week five new dealers
were listed, mostly in the smaller cities in the
southern part of the State. Within a few weeks
the Melodee here expects to re-equip its sales
and display rooms in upper Prospect avenue,
when an informal opening for dealers and mem-
bers of the trade will be held.
How interest in music is on the increase was
shown by the report of L. J. Dickey, business
manager of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra,
American
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ACOUSTIC DEPARTMENT
tOB S. LA SALLE ST., CHICAGO
which held its annual meeting this week. An
increase of business by 70 per cent over that of
the preceding year was shown. Greater public
interest in the orchestra and music has been
attained by the co-operation of the organization
with the Community Chest Fund work, said
Mr. Dickey. J. L. Severence was elected presi-
dent of the Musical Arts Association, under
whose supervision the orchestra appears.
While piano demand locally is still spotty it
shows better, hot weather considered, than most
merchants here anticipated at the beginning of
the Summer. This is believed to be due largely
to the selling of pianos now, instead of the mere
taking of orders, as in the recent past. Use of
real selling methods once more brings out the
real buyer, in the opinion of O. C. Muehl-
hauser, secretary-manager of the Muehlhauser
Bros. Piano Co. Through this method grand
piano sales have increased in the last few weeks.
On the other hand player instruments appear
to be more popular in some sections of the
community, particularly on the South Side, ac-
cording to A. L. Maresh, head of the Maresh
Piano Co. The new business being booked by
this firm, he says, is the result of square-deal
practices during the past year, prospects now
developing into purchasers as a result of the
good publicity these practices have given the
Maresh firm.
The many friends of M. O. Mattlin, head of
the Home Piano Co., were enviously reading
postal cards received here this week. While
Cleveland piano men sagged in the sun, because
the thermometer registered so high in the shade,
the humorous Mr. Mattlin wrote that his honey-
moon trip was marred by the hot weather in
the Canadian Rockies, so he and Mrs. Mattlin
have gone to Colorado, where they hope to
wear overcoats.
TELLS OF SOUTHERN CONDITIONS
Joseph H. Chase, Who Is Spending a Vacation
in the South, Tells of His Trip—Found
Dealers in the South Optimistically Inclined
UAYTONA, FLA., July 14.—Among recent arrivals
in this city is Joseph Hall Chase, who up to
recently was retail manager for the Mason &
Hamlin Co. in Boston, and who resigned pri-
marily because the climate in that city did not
agree with his family. He had arranged to
motor all the way to Florida, but some friends
in the trade discouraged him, so he took the car
as far as Baltimore and then put it on a boat and
went part way South and thence to Jackson-
ville, motoring from there to this city. Mr.
Chase expects to continue to St. Petersburg and
then into Texas and north to Chicago, thence
home, arriving in New York, unless business
takes him elsewhere, about October 1.
This is the first vacation Mr. Chase has had
in about ten years and he is spending all of his
time fishing, swimming and golfing. In a chat
with the writer he said: "Strange to say, it is
much cooler here than in New York, and I find
many Northern business men at the club who
are staying here simply on that account. There
is always a cool breeze and all one has to do is
to keep out of the sun in the hottest part of the
day. I called on many dealers along the way in
different sections and I do not believe that
there is a whole lot to a great deal of the calam-
ity howling I heard in the North. The people
southward seem to be doing business—a trifle
slow, to be sure—but, considering that this is
Summer time, I do not feel at all alarmed about
business. I believe that" every indication is for
a big Fall trade and a rapid approach to normal
times."
The Dell Music Store was recently opened in
the Hotel Indiana Building, Market and Miami
streets, Wabash, Ind.
"The first touch tells"
(Registered
V. 8. Pat. Off.)
The
Christman
Studio Grand
(5 feet over all)
and the
Christman
Reproducing
Grand
offer opportunities
to the dealer which
guarantee the steady
growth of his business.
The Studio Grand was
the first 5-foot Grand
and has become famous
on account of the qual-
ity and volume of its
tone.
The R e p r o d u c i n g
Grand embodies the
very latest features in
instruments of this type
—plus the Famous
Christman Tone.
It will pay you to
investigate.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St., New York
"The first touch tells"