Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JANUARY 6, 1923
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ALL PROSPECTS POINT TO GOOD YEAR I N PITTSBURGH
SEES PRICE ADVANCES COMING
Activity in Steel Mills and Other Industrial Enterprises Indicates Increase in Buying Power
During Year—All Stocks at Low Ebb After the Holiday Rush—Recent News Happenings
Only a Question of Time When Manufacturers
and Consequently Retailers Must Announce
Advances in Prices of Pianos and Players
PITTSBURGH, PA., January 2.—General satisfac-
tion was expressed by the piano merchants of
this city over the business handled the past
year. As to the outlook for 1923 there is a
most optimistic view taken by every dealer in
the city. This is based on the excellent indus-
trial conditions that prevail in this district. The
iron and steel mills are operating steadily, many
of them having sufficient orders on hand to
keep the plants running for the next eighteen
months. Mining operations are also brisk and
the several other industrial enterprises here-
abouts are all enjoying a very good business
period.
W. C. Dierks, of the C. C. Mellor Co., in re-
viewing the business situation, said: "We are
closing a year that was a very good one in
every respect. In fact, the closing months were
marked by a demand for high-grade pianos,
such as the Steinway and Duo-Art, that we
were unable to supply, owing to our inability
to secure the instruments our patrons wished.
The last few days before Christmas a few
belated instruments were rushed to us by ex-
press. We are looking forward to 1923 with
keen anticipation and believe that it will in every
way be a better business year than the year
just ended."
Jacob Schoenberger, president of the Lechner
& Schoenberger .Co., was very much pleased
over the business of the last six months of
1922 and stated that the outlook for 1923 was
unusually bright. He said: "High-grade pianos,
player-pianos and grand pianos were in strong
demand for the last few weeks of the year and
it was rather difficult to obtain the right in-
strument for the right person. On the whole,
however, we feel gratified over the year's busi-
ness and feel confident that 1923 will be a good
selling year, provided the industrial activity that
now prevails is maintained."
E. G. Hays, of E. G. Hays & Co., said: "Our
business was good in every respect. We had a
good run on player-pianos, grand pianos and
uprights. To me the outlook for 1923 is ex-
ceptionally bright, provided that no industrial
disturbances occur." Mr. Hays spent several
weeks at Asheville, N. C, prior to the holidays
and expects to visit there again shortly. Horace
Hays, also a member of the firm, will take a
Southern trip in February, with Miami, Fla., as
his objective point.
Edward Hoffmann, of the J. M. Hoffmann
Co., said: "Our business was good in 1922 in
the several lines of pianos that we sell. We
disposed of every Sohmer grand piano that we
could secure and would have sold more of them
had we been able to obtain them in time for
Christmas delivery. We had a good sale also
of Brunswick phonographs and records. Our
sheet music department also had a brisk season
and we closed the year with keen satisfaction
over our accomplishments."
E. B. Heyser, of the W. F. Frederick Piano
Co., stated that the business handled by the
company in their several stores was unprece-
dented and that the closing weeks of the past
year showed a rush of business that totaled very
heavily in dollars.
Ben L. Sykes, manager of the Pittsburgh
branch of Chas. M. Stieff, Inc., who just re-
turned from a visit to Baltimore, said: "We
had a very good Christmas season and on the
whole the entire year shows up well. Decem-
ber was, I believe, the best month ever enjoyed
in the history of the Pittsburgh branch."
Feodor Chaliapin, the noted Russian basso,
was the star at a concert in Syria Mosque last
night that was noted for the large audience that
turned out to hear him. The Baldwin piano
was used, furnished by Gray & Martin, local
Baldwin representatives.
RECORD SALES VOLUME HANDLED IN SALT LAKE CITY
Music Merchants Without Exception Pleased With December Business Results—Daynes-Beebe
Music Co. to Open Branch Store in Hollywood, Cal.—Other Current News
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, December 29.—"Won-
derful business!" "Rushed!" "Couldn't take care
of everybody properly!" were a few of the ex-
pressions heard in making a round of the local
music houses during the two days immediately
following Christmas. Everyone, without excep-
tion, was enthusiastic. Manager Berry, of the
talking machine department of the Glen Bros.-
Roberts Piano Co., declared they had as many
as ten people waiting their turn in the record
department at one time. Machines also sold
well, he said. Mr. Berry said people were not
paying high prices for anything and most of
the sales of phonographs were from $100 to
$150.
Miss Susie Pearson, with the Utah Music
Co. for eight years, has joined the staff of
O'Loughlin's. Miss Pearson will act as a sales-
woman.
The Glen Bros.-Roberts Piano Co. gave its
men folks gold pocket knives for Christmas
presents. The ladies received two-pound boxes
of chocolates.
Members of the Granite State Junior Girls'
Service League collected more than 450 phono-
graph records and almost 700 pieces of sheet
music during the holidays. They will be dis-
tributed among seven institutions, including the
State prison. Five other institutions, said to be
in need of assistance in this respect, are to be
helped later, it is said.
The Dinwoodey Furniture Co., this city, has
announced its intention of closing out its line
of phonographs.
The Glen Bros.-Roberts Piano Co. are receiv-
ing congratulations from their friends on the
big success of S. A. Palmer's window, "Three
o'Clock in the Morning," which received na-
tional recognition Few local windows have at-
tracted more attention than this one did, and
Salt Lake City music stores are noted for their
timely and artistic window displays.
Fred Beesley, Sr., of the Beesley Music Co.
and secretary of the local music dealers' asso-
ciation, submitted to his second operation this
week. He is likely to be in the hospital, where
he has been for several weeks past, for some
time.
The Christmas carol singing proved a suc-
cess. R. W. Daynes, the general manager of
the Consolidated Music Co., was one of those
conspicuous in the direction of the singers. The
fire chief gave permission for the use of lighted
candles through which householders announced
their desire to be serenaded. The affair was
admirably handled.
The Daynes-Beebe Music Co., one of the old-
est, if not the oldest music house in the moun-
tain States, is opening a branch store at Holly-
wood, Cal., according to Colonel Joseph J.
Daynes. Mr. Daynes said they would start out
with 2,000 square feet of floor space on one
floor and would use a building heretofore oc-
cupied as a furniture store on the Hollywood
Boulevard. For the present they would carry
pianos, players and phonographs, he said, but
might add other lines later. The new store will
be right in the heart of the Hollywood shopping
center and will be under the management of
A. T. Christensen, until recently sales manager
of the company and father of the present sales
manager. Mr. Christensen went to California
several weeks ago. Colonel Daynes said they
had taken a long lease on the new store and
that there would be a formal opening, which
will be announced in due time.
Considerable activity was to be noted at
the warerooms of Mathushek & Son Piano Co.,
37 East Thirty-seventh street, during the week
between holidays, which is rather unusual for
this period of the year. The small grands seem
to lead in interest and the company reports that
the reproducing grand with Welte action, which
was introduced during September of the past
year, has met with considerable favor, such
favor in fact that it will be necessary to increase
the output in order to keep up with the call.
A good 90 per cent of the business done by this
concern has been on grands. It is thought here,
as in many other quarters of the trade, that
higher prices are only a matter of time. Some
in the trade are of the opinion that when in-
ventory is taken it will be seen that while a
large volume of business has been accomplished
not as big a profit as was estimated was being
made, and then will follow a general advance in
price. Some manufacturers have already sent
out notices that prices are to be advanced the
first two months of this year.
CABLE & SONS^FFICERS ELECTED
Louis S. Roemer Becomes President, Robert
Cable, Jr., Vice-president and Treasurer and
F. F. Weber Secretary—Herman Roemer Is
Now Sales Manager of This Institution
Following the incorporation of Cable & Sons,
550 West Thirty-eighth street, New York, with
capital for $100,000, announcement of which was
made in The Review last week, a meeting was
held at which the following officers were elected:
Louis S. Roemer, president; Robert Cable, Jr.,
vice-president and treasurer, and Frank F.
Weber, secretary. These officers also constitute
the board of directors. Herman Roemer,
brother of Louis S. Roemer, is now sales man-
ager of the corporation.
NEW MUSIC HOUSE IN MUSCATINE
MUSCATINE, IA., January 2.—The Muscatine
Music House has been opened at 210 Iowa ave-
nue, this city, under the management of W. J.
Burnett, who was formerly connected with the
Schmidt Music Co. in this city. Miss Mabel
Appel, who will be associated with Mr. Burnett,
was also a former member of the Schmidt or-
ganization.
NEW DEPARTMENTS IN SEATTLE
SEATTLE, WASH., January 2.—The local branch
of Sherman, Clay & Co. has added a sheet
music and small goods department, further
justifying the use of its slogan "Everything in
Music." It is planned to add these departments
to the other branches of this organization on
the Pacific Coast.
THE LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Grands, Uprights
and Players
YORK PIANOS
Uprights and Players
LIVINGSTON PIANOS
Uprights and Player-Pianos
If your competitor doeB not already have this
line, go after it at once
Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
FACTORY
YORK, PA.
Eatablithmd 1870