Music Trade Review

Issue: 1922 Vol. 74 N. 2

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
6
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
very optimistic, believing that the rains will help
the farmers in their territory, which good effect
will finally revert back to the piano trade.
Frank Anrys to Visit the North
Frank Anrys, general manager of the Wiley B.
Allen Co., who has just completed a round-up
of the Southern California trade, will leave for
Portland, Ore., and the Pacific Northwest early
next week. On the Northern trip Mr. Anrys will
be accompanied by James J. Black, of the talk-
ing machine end of the Wiley B. Allen business.
Mr. Anrys was greatly pleased with the condi-
tion of the company's business in Los Angeles
and other parts of southern California. He
found that the company's lines were moving
well everywhere, and that the southern end of
the State has not forgotten its old-time habit
of getting the lion's share of the tourist trade of
the Coast.
Some Striking Window Displays
Manager Eliaser, of the Hanson Piano House,
has been trying some experiments in the way
of striking window displays ever since Christ-
mas, and he reports that, either because of this
or because times are really mending, he has
been doing extremely well in all lines. The
after-Christmas movement of pianos has been
better than could have been anticipated, though
the small goods and sheet music ends of the
business have naturally lent themselves better to
the window advertising idea. Mr. Eliaser reports
that sheet music has been moving even better
than it did during the Christmas rush.
Byron Mauzy Back From Orient
Byron Mauzy, the well-known San Francisco
piano manufacturer and dealer, who returned a
few days since from the Orient, where he went,
with the delegation from the San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce, has come back to his
old haunts brimful of good ideas for the Ameri-
can piano manufacturer who feels disposed to
try his hand at exporting to the lands beyond the
Pacific Ocean. Mr. Mauzy says that his observa-
tions dispose him to conduct an anti-glue cam-
paign as far as pianos for export are concerned.
He found that the long sea voyage and the moist
climate played havoc with those pianos in which
much dependence was placed on glue. He also
found that for some reason German and English
pianos are more in evidence in the Far East than
are American makes. Some years ago Mr.
Mauzy did considerable manufacturing in this
city and has in times past sent a number of
musical instruments to China and elsewhere in
the Orient.
ANDERSON CO.'S FINE NEW STORE
F. R. GORHAM OPTIMISTIC
NEW YEAR STARTS OFF AUSPICIOUSLY IN SAN FRANCISCO
Removal of Excise Tax on Musical Instruments a Decided Stimulus to Local Music Trade—
Fotoplayers in Demand—Baldwin Dealers Planning Aggressive Campaign—Other News
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., January 7.—The optimis-
tic feeling still predominates among the music
merchants of San Francisco for the new year.
With the war tax removed on pianos, the cheaper
grades are moving much faster in comparison
with the higher grades. All merchants report
that the busier period was that following Christ-
mas, and that the period following New Year's
fell a little below expectations. The recent rainy
season has been quite an advantage to the music
trade, and because of the disagreeable weather,
which naturally turns one's mind to an evening
at home and to enjoy that evening with good
music, the music merchants have been making
the most of the situation.
One Creditor Explains
The American Photo Player Sales Co.'s col-
lection department received the following
epistle from one of its creditors, a moving-
picture house owner, in the southern part of
the State:
"Reserve your wire and will say i know i am
behine with the notes but times is bine mity
dul with me and i have got behine a little and i
hade to pay the rent and a lite bill and—so i
coulde keepe running i thank i will bee able to
pay you some money soone just the furst i cane
git ahede i am doing all i cane to meat the notes
just just reste easey as i ante trying to bete
you i ame doing all i cane if you dont thank so
just wright the furst naskie bonk so hav all the
pashin you cane an i will pay as soone as i cane
yours truly"
The letter above, states Jack Levy, of the
Photo Player Co., exactly senses conditions in
general in the music trade, and the only thing
that can be done is to hope and wait for the best.
Mr. Levy states that there are some exceptions
to the rule, and especially in his company's case,
as it is to install two new organs early in Feb-
ruary, one in Watts, Cal., and one in Juarez,
Mexico.
A Visitor From Chicago
E. T. Mogel, traveling representative of the
above company, with headquarters in Chicago,
visited the San Francisco office, renewing old
acquaintances, and incidentally passed the holi-
days in this city. Mr. Mogel reports that condi-
tions in Illinois are particularly bright, as he
brought in orders for three Robert-Morton or-
gans in this territory. He also mentions that
style No. 15 Fotoplayer is popular in towns
where the showing is only two or three nights a
week.
The Hauschildt Music Co. reports that the
piano business is rather quiet at the present
time, but this is causing no anxiety because of
the numerous prospects that are in sight. The
holiday season was a rather busy one and offi-
cials of the company look forward to a prosper-
ous new year.
M. P. Thompson, of the Baldwin Piano Co.,
states that it is a little hard to tell as yet just
what the new year will bring, but owing to the
fact that December sales were so high as to
bring the total sales far above the sales of the
preceding December he feels safe to say that the
company's business is steadily increasing. The
Baldwin dealers of the Coast have duplicated the
meeting of the various dealers at different points
in the State, and the idea of these meetings is
to outline a business campaign that will mate-
rially benefit all concerned. The idea has met
with reasonable success.
Those who attended the last meeting in San
Francisco were A. R. Loury, of Watsonville,
Cal., and E. J. Jurgensen, who has been work-
ing in the interior of the State. These men are
JANUARY 14, 1922
Chester D. Anderson Features A. B. Chase General Traveling Representative of DeRivas &
Grand Piano in Window Display in New Day-
Harris Mfg. Co. Made Interesting Observa-
ton, O., Establishment, Recently Opened
tions on Recent New England Trip
DAYTON, O., January 10.—One of the finest piano
houses in this part of the State is the C. D.
Anderson Piano Co., recently established by
F. R. Gorham, general sales representative of
the DeRivas & Harris Mfg. Co., 135th street and
Willow avenue, New York, left this week on a
trip through New York,
Pennsylvania and Ohio.
This trip followed one
which he recently conclud-
ed through the New Eng-
land States, where he had
remarkable success.
"At every store I called,"
he said this week to a rep-
resentative of The Review,
"1 secured an order and
found the dealers looking
ahead for a good trade dur-
ing the coming year. The
general belief is that prices
have become stable and
that people have begun to
realize that they can pur-
chase, feeling secure in the
prices paid. Personally, I
believe that the dealer and
the manufacturer will have
a prosperous year if both
will not try to force busi-
ness by selling at too low
A. B. Chase Window Display at Anderson Store, Dayton, O.
Chester D. Anderson, who has been connected prices and giving too long time. I believe in
with the piano business for the past seventeen profit to everyone and value to the dealer and
years. The new store, which has been in exist- the customer, and shorter time will make these
ence only about three months, occupies the first conditions. During the coming year let every
and second floors of a four-story building at 111 one connected with the industry make a fair
East Third street. The main display room is on margin of profit and get out and hustle, because
the first floor and the second is given over to the business is there to get. All it needs is the
four spacious piano demonstration rooms. One right spirit and push and I am sure that there
of these is devoted entirely to the A. B. Chase is a good business ahead for everybody in 1922.
reproducing piano, which the company is fea- These are observations I made during my first
turing. This line was only acquired a few weeks trip this year."
'•-- '
ago. The accompanying window display con-
tains an A. B. Chase grand and it is illustrative
HOLDING REMOVAL SALE
of the aggressive manner in which the company
A disposal sale of pianos is being held by
is setting out to build up its piano business.
Mr. Anderson, the proprietor, is a piano man Frank L. Suffern, music dealer, at 139 East
of wide experience in both the technical end of North street, Decatur, 111., due to the fact that
he is forced to discontinue that location.
piano construction and merchandising.
PREMIER BABY GRAND PIANOS
Stimulate Sales—Promote Prestige and Profits
PREMIER GRAND PIANO CORPORATION
-
-
510-532 West 23rd Street, New York
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
JANUARY 14, 1922
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
MILWAUKEE DEALERS PLEASED WITH 1921 BUSINESS
Completion of Inventories and Compiling of Sales Statistics for the Year Show That Retail
Trade Was Much Better Than Was Anticipated—Interview With Edmund Gram,
MILWAUKEE, W I S . , January 11.—Completion of
inventories and trial balances of the year's busi-
ness reveal the fact that practically all music
stores in Milwaukee fared a great deal better
than they expected during 1921. Generally
speaking, the volume was larger than in 1920, and
more customers were on the books at the close
of the year than twelve months before, giving
1921 rank as the very best year, with the only
possible exception of 1919.
New business so far in 1922 has been of a
small order, as might naturally be expected after
the holidays. Tax-paying time is here, and a
great big burden stares the average family in
the face. Taxes, plus the other heavy expenses
growing out of the payment of Christmas bills,
are keeping the average purse pretty well
"strapped" for the time being, and music stores,
as well as other retail merchants, are not looking
for any marked revival of sales until later in the
month, and possibly not until after February 1.
Discussing business conditions with The Re-
view representative, Hugh W. Randall, president
and general manager of the J. B. Bradford Piano
Co., said: "We ended a magnificent December,
it having exceeded every expectation of what
the month would likely be. We beat every De-
cember in the forty-nine years of the existence
of the Bradford house, with the sole exception
of the one December which followed the cessa-
tion of hostilities. At that, we came within a
very few dollars of reaching even that towering
peak. But as a comparative month we are sup-
posed to forget the last month of 1919. In fact,
we never expected to do better than 50 per cent
of that month this last year."
The newspapers of Milwaukee during the past
week made much of the fact that "Bankrupt pays
debts in full; has $65 left." The reference is to
Herman W. Schumacher, manager of Steger's
Piano House at 786 Third street, who about
three months ago filed a voluntary petition in
bankruptcy, scheduling his debts at $2,493. The
assets consisted principally of an equity in piano
contracts. Oscar E. Schwemer was appointed
trustee, and his administration of the bankrupt
estate was so satisfactory that the final report
showed that every creditor has been paid 100
cents on the dollar, and there is a cash balance
of $65, which has now been returned to Mr.
Schumacher upon his discharge from bank-
ruptcy.
A handsome Pianola piano has been installed
in the new dormitory of the nurses' home of Mt.
Sinai Hospital, Twelfth and Cedar streets, Mil-
waukee, by the J. B. Bradford Piano Co. The
hospital has recently completed an addition,
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. ,
doubling the size of the institution and costing
$500,000.
The addition accommodates the
nurses' home, heretofore housed in a separate
building. There was much competition among
piano men for the contract to furnish the instru-
ment, and the Pianola won out after a thorough
trial in competition with at least six other makes.
The piano has been placed in the recreation parlor,
where about 150 nurses spend their spare time.
The B. H. Anderson Piano Co., of Fond du Lac,
Wis., recently won a hard-fought battle for the
honor of furnishing a player-piano for the club-
room of the Masonic Temple. The Autopiano
was selected, and Mr. Anderson is receiving a
great many compliments upon the high quality
of the instrument.
A full-fledged music store is being opened at
204 King street in Madison, Wis., by Edward
J. Skelton, formerly musical director of the
Orpheum Theatre, who, two years ago, began
handling instruments as a side line. Not only
has his business grown to the point that it re-
quires a building all its own, but Mr. Skelton
has developed a furniture trade of wide propor-
tions. He now has a three-story building well
stocked with musical instruments and high-grade
furniture and specialties in keeping with the
musical merchandise.
Mrs. Georgia Hall Quick, of Milwaukee, for
many years prominent on the American con-
cert and recital stage as a pianist, has recently
returned from New York, where she spent a
fortnight in the Aeolian Co.'s recording studios.
Mrs. Quick only a short time ago accepted the
offer of being placed on the list of exclusive Duo-
Art recording artists. The new recordings are
expected to be available for Duo-Art owners
within a short time. President Hugh W. Ran-
dall, of Bradford's, will make a special campaign
in appreciation of the fact that Mrs. Quick is a
"home artist," and contributing much to keep
Milwaukee on "the music map."
In reviewing the past, present and future of
the music industries of Milwaukee, the news-
papers of Milwaukee generally chose Edmund
Gram, former president of the National Asso-
ciation of Piano Merchants, as the spokesman
for the trade, especially since he is both a manu-
facturer and dealer. Mr. Gram is quoted as
follows:
"With the music trade, 1921 has been marked
by long strides toward normal conditions with
the close of the year pointing to prosperity dur-
ing 1922. The improvement noticeable at the
close of 1920 continued at a gratifying rate.
Workers attracted by the high wages paid by
war industries have returned to their old places
in the music industries.
"There has been a marked increase in the de-
mand for higher-priced pianos, the buying pub-
lic having evidently reached the sensible conclu-
sion that quality in a musical instrument is far
more important than mere price.
"Prohibition is undoubtedly one of the reasons
for the flourishing condition of the musical trade.
Money which in the past has gone to the saloon-
keepers is being spent in the homes. This has
resulted in a demand for player-pianos, pianos
and phonographs for homes where in former
years such instruments were considered impos-
sible luxuries.
"The effect of automatic musical instruments
in cultivating a taste for, and enjoyment of, music
is undoubtedly being felt by the music trades.
This influence will undoubtedly continue to have
a larger and larger effect. Homes without music
will grow fewer, and those at first satisfied with
poor music will demand better-
"Appreciation of music is growing and assures
a prosperous future for the industries which
supply the means for its gratification."
Will Bard, formerly in the insurance business,
has been made manager of the Clarksburg, W.
Va., branch of the Davis, Burkham & Tyler
Piano Co.
-
>
Victrola No. 130, $350
Victrola No. 130, electric, $415
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor
Supremacy
Musically, artistically,
commercially, V i c t o r
s u p r e m a c y is always,
everywhere, in evidence.
Its universal recogni-
tion makes success easy
for every dealer in Victor
products.
"Victrola" is the Registered Trade-
mark of the Victor Talking Machine
Company designating the product! 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.
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., u. s. A.

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