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The Music Trade Review
MARCH 19, 1927
40.4% Have Pianos in 1,940,183 American Homes
Cent radios; 32.5 per cent phonographs, and
40.8 per cent pianos. In fact, in towns and
to 100,000 or more, we find that more than
50 per cent of the homes are equipped with
telephones and close to 60 per cent have auto-
mobiles, while the phonograph still ranks
higher than the radio and in many sections
it is a close race between the phonograph
and the piano. The telephone reaches the
highest mark—58 per cent in communities be-
t!wteen 1,000 and 2,500, cities of 100,000 or more
coming next with 57.7 per cent. The heaviest
ownership rate in automobiles is found in
communities of under 1,000 population, 60.5
pef—cent, while 60.4 is the percentage in com-
munities of 1,000 to 2,500 population. The
lowest mark of automobile ownership is reached
in cities of 100,000 and over—54 per cent.
"The radio is supposed to be most popular
and of greatest value to families living in
isolated districts, or at least far from the cen-
ters of politics, education, culture and the
fine arts, yet we find that in communities of
less than 1,000 population only 18.7 per cent
of the homes are equipped with radios, while
in the two largest groups of cities is found
the largest equipment, 26.6 per cent in cities
between 50,000 and 100,000; 26.1 per cent
in cities of 100,000 and over. Possibly, how-
ever, these figures may have changed radically
since the survey was completed six months ago,
for the radio is a young, lusty, pushing in-
vention and may have increased its popularity
by leaps and bounds.
"In talking machines the high mark is
reached in cities of 100,000 and over—60.3 per
cent, of which fact those of us who live in
large cities can bear testimony. In cities of
the same class pianos are found in 43.6 per
cent of the homes. A study of these figures
proves the growing popularity of the instru-
ment which makes its own music without
human hands.
"For the larger cities, that is, 100,000 or
more, the State of Minnesota holds some in-
'teresting records; first in telephones with 82.5
per cent; second in automobiles with 93.7 per
cent; first in phonographs with 85 per cent,
and second in pianos.
"Going down the line a bit to cities with a
population of between 10,000 and 25,000, Utah
leads in telephones with 86 per cent; Oregon
holds two records: automobiles, 943 per cent;
phonographs, 75 per cent. Maryland leads in
pianos, 95.2 per cent of her homes being
equipped with this instrument. Rhode Island
comes second with pianos in 80 per cent of
her homes in such cities and also holds the
record for radios in this class, 75 per cent.
"Looking into cities between 5,000 and 10,000
we find that Vermont holds three records:
telephones, 90.9 per cent; radio sets, 50 per
cent; pianos, 78 per cent. In cities of this size
Michigan has the record for automobiles, 87
per cent, while Tennessee boasts of the largest
number of phonographs, 64.7 per cent.
"In communities of under 1,000 Connecticut
leads in telephones, 88.2 per cent, and in pianos,
54.5 per cent; while California holds three rec-
ords for towns of this size: automobiles, 90.1
per cent; radios, 33.8 per cent; phonographs,
45.1 per cent.
"In contrast to Vermont with its 78 per
cent of pianos, we find Nevada, in towns of
similar size with populations of from 2,500 to
10,000, with only 25.6 of pianos, but with 85.7
of automobiles. In Nevada, too, 8.5 per cent
have radios and 28.4 phonographs. The small
towns of Iowa show a record of 43.3 per cent
pianos, 36.6 per cent of phonographs and 26.7
per cent radio, while the sunshiny State of
California reports 34.9 per cent of pianos, 41
per cent of phonographs and 36.6 of radios,
with automobiles at the high percentage of 61.
In Delaware 33 per cent of families interviewed
(Contimied from page 3)
have pianos, while only 29.7 per cent have tele-
phones, which makes an interesting compari-
son."
For general purposes the survey took count
of such matters as stationary kitchen sinks,
flush toilets, stationary bathtubs, stationary
washtubs, electric washing machines, electric
irons, vacuum cleaners and sewing machines.
The proportion of those who own electric wash-
ing machines ranged in various localities from
16 to 39 per cent, vacuum cleaners from 15 to
50 per cent, electric sewing machines repre-
senting a much smaller percentage, but still a
factor to be considered, and other similar
equipment, proves distinctly interesting from a
credit standpoint, for there is no question but
that no matter how necessary these items may
be considered, they take a good proportion of
the money that might otherwise go for musical
instruments.
It is to be admitted that with approximately
only 2,000,000 families reporting on piano
ownership out of the 25,000,000 families or so
in the country, the figures presented cannot be
considered as in any sense complete, but they
do reflect the buying power and the buying
inclination of a representative cross section of
the country's population and are thus typical of
conditions.
The conditions under which the survey was
made develop contact with the better element
in the various communities, or rather those
recognized as possessing and maintaining rep-
resentative American homes. From the families
interviewed alone, there remain well over a
million who do not include pianos among their
earthly possessions, but might be considered
reasonably good prospects for the purchase of
such instruments. To take care of this number
alone should give the members of the trade
something tangible to work on for a couple of
years at least, to say nothing of the millions
who did not commit themselves in the survey
or were not interviewed. With 40 per cent
of the families interviewed owning pianos,
there is evidence of a genuine interest in the
instrument, exceeding when comparative values
are considered the interest in any other instru-
ment. That is satisfying. Then it is shown
that there is still 60 per cent to be supplied,
which marks the field for cultivation and sale.
That, too, should be satisfying.
Baldwin Piano Co. Reports Good Demand
From Representatives on Pacific Coast
Chopin Piano Shown in Chickering Hall—Eardley Buys Interest in Ferguson Music
Co.—New Music Store Opened—Ed. Bitner on Coast—George Heller a Visitor
C A N FRANCISCO, CAL., March 12.—Both
from North .and South excellent reports of
Baldwin Piano business were brought to San
Francisco this week. O. A. Berger, of Seattle,
has been a caller at the Baldwin store here and
reports fine business for his territory, which in-
cludes the States of Oregon and Washington.
He brought an order for several carloads of
Baldwin pianos. Mr. Berger is impressed by
the fact that the greatest demand is for grand
instruments of the higher-priced kind, including
art grands.
Another visitor to Baldwin headquarters here
is J. J. Griffith, representative for the Baldwin
Piano Co. in southern California, with head-
quarters in Los Angeles. Mr. Griffith reports a
very good year with extremely promising pros-
pects for the year 1927. He too has experienced
a heavy demand for high-grade instruments, in-
cluding art grands.
Antique Piano in Chickering Hall
Piano men have been much interested in the
last piano owned by Frederick Chopin, which
stands to-day in the Chickering Concert Hall
of Lee S. Roberts and to-morrow will be played
at the Columbia Theatre, at the fourth concert
of the Young People's Symphony Orchestra by
Maurice Dumesnil, well-known French pianist.
Eardley Buys Interest in Music Co.
George S. Eardley, who until recently was
manager of the San Jose branch of Sherman,
Clay & Co., has bought a one-third interest in
the Ferguson Music Co., of San Jose, making
him a co-partner with the Ferguson brothers,
Allyn and Edwin J. Ferguson. They are re-
ported to have built up a thriving trade since
they took over a pioneer music store of San
Jose six years ago. Mr. Eardley is an experi-
enced piano man and will devote much of his
time to the piano department of the firm. The
Ferguson Music Co. is a Baldwin dealer. Re-
cently the firm added a couple of lines dis-
tributed in the territory by Kohler & Chase, the
William Knabe and the Kohler & Chase piano.
New Music Store on Stockton Street
The Amphion Music Studio has been opened
on the third floor of 45 Stockton street. The
firm carries Brunswick and Victor lines, Zenith
radio, etc, F. W. Kolkmann is in charge of
the service department. There is a pretty re-
cital hall which has a seating capacity of 150
and it is to be used for teachers' and artists'
recitals.
Cashier Joins Twenty-five Years Club
A "birthday" parly was given yesterday by
Sherman, Clay & Co. to Mrs. M. R. Snyder,
head cashier for the company, to celebrate the
fact that she has been twenty-five years with
Sherman, Clay & Co. The party took the form
of a luncheon at a leading restaurant.
The
president of the firm, P. T. Clay, was in the
chair and all the directors were present as well
as some fifteen members of the Twenty-five
Years Club, members of which must have been
with Sherman Clay & Co. for at least twenty-
five years. Mrs. Snyder was initiated into the
Club and was presented with a beautiful wrist
watch of platinum, set with sapphires and
diamonds.
Ed. Bitner on Business and Pleasure
Edgar F. Bitner, general manager of Leo
Feist, and Mrs. Bitner are leaving this evening
for the Northwest after spending some days in
San Francisco, in the course of which Mr. Bit-
ner paid a business call on Ed. Little, manager
of the publishing and sheet music department of
Sherman Clay & Co. Their Coast trip is one
of business and pleasure combined.
Winter & Co. Representative Here
G. Heller, secretary of Winter & Co., has
been visiting the trade this week, accompanied
by H. T. McCallon, Coast representative of
Winter & Co.
Well-known Piano Men Still Here
Henry L. Mason, of the Mason & Hamlin
Co., is still in San Francisco, making his head-
quarters with the Wiley B. Allen Co. C. Alfred
Wagner, president of Chickering & Sons, will
probably remain here for some days longer. R.
K. Painter, president of Wm. Knabe & Co., is
expected to-morrow by Kohler & Chase and G.
C. Kavanagh, president of the Foster-Arm-
strong Co., will complete the visiting American
Piano Co. men here.
Keefer Instruments at Union Music Co.
The Pacific Coast Keefer Co., established in
1926 by George E. Brenner, proprietor, has
moved its headquarters from 277 Eddy street to
the store of the Union Music Co., 140 O'Farrell
street.