Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
NOVEMBER 5, 1927
Piano Revival Here, Say, Manufacturers to Review
{Continued from page 3)
"We have more orders booked with us by our
dealers for the month of September than for
any previous month since September, 1921, and
October has been going just as strong, so our
main problem at present is to get production
up to a point where we can take care of the
orders that are pouring in on us from nearly all
sections of the country and nearly all insisting
on immediate shipments. This goes to prove
that the dealers' stocks are low as a result of
the hand-to-mouth buying policy that has pre-
vailed for some time past, so that with improved
conditions in their various localities they all
want goods shipped at once. These demands
are causing such problems as we are facing at
the present in connection with getting the
goods out on time and rendering the service
that we like to give."
Another Eastern company reports: "Our
company notices an improvement in the num-
ber of pianos being sold by our dealers. During
the first nine months of this year our business
dropped back 20 per cent below our 1926 level,
but in September, 1927, we did 90 per cent as|
much as in September, 1926.
"One of the most encouraging features of
this improvement is that it is coming from a
large number of dealers. There have been
times in the last two years when unusual activ-
ity by two or three dealers has improved
shipments and sales for us, but this time the
orders are very much more widespread than
they have been for about two years. Naturally
we, therefore, feel very optimistic not only
about the Fall business but about 1928."
Still another says: "Regarding our business
we would say that we have been very busy
since the middle of August and several of our
departments are working overtime and have
been since the early part of September. Our
business is ahead of the same period last year."
A manufacturer of high-grade pianos reports
briefly as follows: "Our business for the cur-
rent year compares favorably with 1926, which
was the best year in our history."
Optimism on the part of business is reported
by an Eastern manufacturer who travels about
a bit and sees things for himself. In comment-
ing on the situation he said:
"Regarding the business situation with us,
it began getting good the latter part of August
and has become increasingly so right up to
the present time. September showed a decided
increase in shipments over the corresponding
month last year and from present indications
October will even do better proportionately, in
fact our records show a general increase in
business in all parts of the country and in
our export department as well. On a recent
trip I found a sort of elation existing among
the dealers and salesmen I talked with, which
seemed to be something more than just mere
optimism. In other words, the talk was mostly
on business already written up and other busi-
ness in prospect that seemed to be just as
good as written up."
Another maker of quality instruments says
that "Regarding the business situation of the
piano business, we certainly note a decided
improvement and believe that the higher-priced
pianos will ultimately come into their own, as
the public appreciates high-class merchandise.
"September business for 1927 has been some-
what better than it has been for the year 1926,
?md we believe that October will be a fairly
pood month. We are still selling pianos to many
institutions and schools throughout the country
and scarcely a day passes but that we receive
an order from some prominent institution."
One manufacturer who believes in frank com-
ment says:
"We find business is picking up and looking
very much better. Inquiries are coming in
faster and dealers who were suffering from a
bad dose of the 'blues' are beginning to wake
up and realize that business of any kind has
to be worked at and looked after.
".Personally I think there are more dreamers
in the piano business than in any other indus-
try and some of them were dreaming they
were making money, when in fact they were
going on the rocks. However, as already stat-
ed, things are improving and we are looking
forward to a good holiday business."
A manufacturer near New York says: "Re-
garding the situation in general, the business
situation is unfortunately nothing like it should
be at this time of the year, though September
was a little better than last. With the ex-
tensive advertising propaganda being done by
the association, better conditions in our indus-
try can be looked for, but this will take time
until the effects of this advertising are absorbed
by the general public. Automobiles have hurt
our business most, with washing machines, oil
burners, electric refrigeration, ironing machines
and radio contributing in no little measure,
but the piano industry will survive and come
into its own again when the public will have
been fed up on canned music and the like."
A successful Middle Western piano maker
sees marked improvement and says: "Regard-
ing the piano business since September 1 we
have found a very marked improvement in
same, especially as to the demand for straight
pianos, both upright and grands. This seems
to show us that interest is being developed in
the piano for itself as a musical instrument.
"What makes us believe the piano business
is much better is that we are getting quick re-
sponses in requests for orders and also re-
ceiving a tremendous amount of inquiries for
catalogs and -prices. All of this means that
there has been something that has surely in-
creased the demand.
"Whenever we have any news items which
will be of interest we will be glad to take ad-
vantage of your kind offer and send them to
you for publication."
A New York manufacturer has no occasion
to complain, for he says:
"The business situation certainly has im-
proved very materially since the first of Sep-
tember, over what it was the months previous,
in fact our September business was greater than
it was a year ago, and we have every reason
to believe that the months to come in 1927
will each outdo last year's record."
H. Edgar French, president of the Jesse
French & Sons Piano Co., said:
"Regarding the business situation we really
have nothing to complain of. Our sales of
3' 8" Midget or Apartment pianos have been
way ahead of last year. The sale of Jesse
French Grands is also ahead of 1926. It is true
that there has been a drop in the sale of player-
pianos, but we really anticipate that we will sell
as many instruments this year as we did last
with the possibility of even exceeding last year's
production. This depends entirely upon whether
the orders come in for the styles which we
have in process.
"Orders received during August were way in
excess of our capacity to ship. In September
the shipping department also failed to keep up
with the orders. This month, orders have not
been coming in quite so freely, but we have suf-
ficient volume of business to keep us all busy
with some of the boys working nights."
Still another New York manufacturer reports,
"Although we enjoyed a very nice increase in
business up until the first of September, since
then business has not been up to expectations
as compared with September and October a year
ago. For this reason we are really at a loss
to state what the balance of the year may show.
The demands has been better since September,
of course, and for the previous two or three
months, while on the other hand, it was not so
good as for the same month last year."
And so it goes with the great majority of
manufacturers taking an optimistic view of the
situation, based on actual conditions. It may
take some heavy business during the last four
months of the year to strike a sales average
that will match up with, or exceed, that of 1926,
but there are a number in the trade who believe
that there is a strong possibility of business
being good enough for these last four months
to make such a result possible.
J. M. Gattelle Returns
From Southern Trip
demand for this and our other styles has be-
come stimulated to the point that we have
found it necessary to work our factory force
overtime for the last few weeks. This is cer-
tainly encouraging and it looks to me as if the
piano business is gradually getting back to its
old standard."
Reports Conditions With Mathushek Dealers
There Are Good—Factory Now Working
Overtime.
John M. Gattelle, secretary and manager of
the Mathushek Piano Mfg. Co., New York, re-
turned home last week from an extensive trip
through the South. This was Mr. Gattelle's
first Southern trip since he took over the active
management of the Mathushek business and he
expressed himself to The Review this week
with the greatest enthusiasm regarding the re-
ception which he received from all the dealers
in the territory he covered.
"There is one thing about Mathushek deal-
ers," he said, "they are certainly enthusiastic
about the Mathushek product. My trip resulted
in the securing of a large number of
orders, both for immediate and future delivery.
I found that one of the most popular styles
is the upright Mathushek style M. For this
instrument we have a constant demand from
all over the country. Dealers told me that
the reason they are so enthusiastic regarding
the Mathushek is because it has so many in-
dividual talking points that are distinctively
different from the ordinary. Of course the
Mathushek has always been well known for its
exclusive features and aside from this we are
maintaining the quality of our instruments to
the highest degree.
"Another instrument which is particularly
popular is our five-foot Colibri grand. The
Duo-Art Featured in
Cincinnati Radio Program
Fred Colber, Aeolian Co. Representative, Gives
Comparison Recital Over the Air—Listeners-
in Display Much Interest
CINCINNATI, O., October 17.—A special Duo-Art
program sponsored by the Otto Grau Piano
Co. was broadcast over station WSAI last
week by Fred Colber, an exclusive Duo-Art
recording artist, which was the occasion for
many favorable comments from radio fans.
A unique feature of the program, and used
for the first time in Cincinnati, was the actual
comparison playing between the Duo-Art and
Mr. Colber, the recording artist.
Bayley in Caricature
In a series of caricatures of prominent De-
troiters, published by the Detroit News, is
found a sketch of Frank J. Bayley, president
of the Detroit Music Trades Association and
general chairman of the music carnival staged
in that city recently. Mr. Bayley was also
active in establishing the Masonic News.