Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer. C. L. Bill 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
T. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stall
REVIEW
MARCH 11, 1922
sales, or at least for cutting down delays in the meeting of contract
obligations by the customer. It is quite evident that if the instalment
buyer is made aware of the fact that all his purchases are carefully
checked up he will be more cautious in incurring obligations, and
cease the not uncommon practice of holding up payments to Peter
to meet Paul's demands.
Under existing conditions, when collections in certain sections
of the country and among certain classes are proving rather slow, it
is most important for the instalment seller to know that the pur-
chaser who cannot meet his obligations as they stand is not going
out and incurring new obligations.
RECOGNITION FOR THE INDUSTRY
G
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $150.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
anil
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
I W h n f o a l i t o n a r t m P I l t C regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
l C C M l l C a l l H j p d r l l H x l l l S are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
ENERAL recognition of the importance of the music industry,
locally as well as nationally, is found in the movement in a
number of cities to provide for manufacturers and sellers of musical
instruments special divisions in local chambers of commerce and
general business associations. The tendency in this direction is to be
encouraged, not alone because it means recognition for the trade, but
it places the music men in a position to take part in the work of
chambers of commerce and other business bodies for the betterment
of business conditions.
It sometimes happens that separate local associations of music
interests do not prosper for one reason or another, either through
lack of interest or through the fact that there is not enough material
available upon which to build a sizable organization. When enlisted
in a separate division of the chamber of commerce, however, music
men are not only in a position to institute and carry out important
movements for the benefit of their own line, but can have in their
work the support of merchants in other lines, in return for the
support that they themselves can offer when the occasion arises.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
BETTER AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS
EDWARD VAN HAHLINGEN, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKI.IN
WESTERN DIVISION:
BOSTON OFFICE:
Republic Bldg., 209 So. State St., Chicago.
JOHN II. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Wabash 5242-5243.
Telephone, Main 6950.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN THE LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Xntered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Grand Pfix
Diploma
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal... .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition. 1904
Gold Medal—-Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 6982—5983 MADISON 8Q.
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Elbill, New York"
Vol. LXXIV
NEW YORK, MARCH It, 1922
No. 10
TWO WAYS OF CALCULATING
F
IGURES do not lie, apparently, but by manipulation they can be
made to create very peculiar impressions. A recent daily news-
paper statement to the effect that the output of pianos has decreased
50 per cent from 1914 to 1921 would, on the surface, indicate that
the trade had gone to the bow-wows. When the calculations are
made on the value of the output of the factories rather than upon
the number of instruments then the situation takes on an entirely new
complexion.
Unfortunately, the exact figures are not available, but it is safe
to believe that the dollar and cents value of the output of the piano
trade in 1921 would measure up surprisingly well with correspond-
ing figures for 1914, for one of the significant features of the trade
has been the increased demand for the better grade and more expen-
sive instruments. The sale of even a few reproducing grands at
$3,500 or more will add surprisingly to a weekly or monthly sales
total.
BETTER CREDIT INFORMATION
T
HE establishment of a Credit Clearance Bureau by the Asso-
ciated Retail Credit Men of New York City, as reported in The
Review last week, marks a distinct forward step in the handling of
instalment accounts on a sound basis. There has been available in
many cities, of course, more or less complete credit information of a
general character, compiled by associations of retailers or regular
commercial bureaus, but up to this time the collection of specific
information regarding those who purchase on the instalment plan
as a class has been rather limited.
An interesting function of the new bureau is that, in addition to
providing the necessary credit information when the account is
opened, the creditor company will be kept informed regarding fur-
ther obligations incurred by the instalment purchaser, which may be
calculated to have some influence on the delaying or stopping of
payments on previous purchases.
New York piano merchants have been quick to see the oppor-
tunity thus presented for cutting down losses through instalment
T
HE steadily increasing value of farm products, particularly the
better prices being realized for wheat and hogs, is of great impor-
tance to merchants in every line of business, for this increased value
of farm products means corresponding increase in the ability of the
farming element to buy those things that go to make for culture and
better living.
There are those who are inclined to decry the paternal attitude
toward the farming element shown by the Government, the result
of strong action brought by the agricultural interests rather than
through any voluntary goodness of heart. Whatever burden may
be placed upon the business men of the country through loans made
to farmers and to other movements for the benefit of the agricul-
turist, however, is likely to be more than offset by the increased stim-
ulation of general business. A hog may not be a very impressive
animal, but when his value to the farmer doubles he is likely to mean
more sales of musical instruments.
THE EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC
T
HE formal opening of the $2,000,000 Eastman School of Music
in Rochester, N. Y., the gift of the late George Eastman to the
University of Rochester, is an event of distinct significance, for it
marks a definite forward step in the provision of facilities for the
musical education of the youth of the country. Of particular inter-
est to the trade is the fact that the new school is to be generously-
equipped with pianos, thirty-eight Stein way instruments in all having
been ordered, twenty-three of them being grands.
The point is not that nearly two score of instruments have been
ordered for the school, a very sizable order as it were, but that the
piano is to play such an important part in the work of the school.
This fact in itself should have an important bearing on piano sales
in the future.
THE FOREIGN TRADE CONVENTION
T
H E ninth National Foreign Trade Convention, to be held in
Philadelphia May 10, 11 and 12, is already attracting more than
the usual amount of attention ordinarily given to gatherings of this
sort. A very practical program has been arranged for the conven-
tion, and the results of the discussions and addresses should serve to
give American business men a greater understanding of the methods
whereby foreign trade can be increased, as well as impressing on
them the value of a substantial foreign trade to serve as an outlet
for goods when the home market has been supplied.