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32
Musical Merchandise Section oi The Music Trade Review
Musical Merchandise Man Commends
New Type of Music With Extra Parts
TpALKING with Jay Kraus, president of the
Harmony Co., about business, he said: "One
of the most interesting things that I have
noticed the past few days is a new arrangement
issued by the house of Leo Feist, Inc., New
York, which deserves high praise because they
have made a departure which is of great benefit
to the player of fretted instruments, saxophones
and clarinets, and incidentally to the dealers
and manufacturers.
"I do not know how many arrangements in
this new form the house of Leo Feist has put
out, but the number th-ey sent me, which
arrangement appeals to me as one of great value
to makers of fretted instruments as well as
dealers and amateur musicians, is that of "I'll
Be Blue Just Thinking of You." The Feist
house calls these arrangements the "Feist Nu-
Style Multi-Part Edition," and it includes solos
or duets for saxophones and other E sharp, B
sharp and C instruments for tenor banjos,
Hawaiian guitars, with accompaniments for
banjo, guitar, and ukulele by lettered chords, all
in one piece to retail at 35 cents.
"This struck me as being so useful that I
commended it to another publisher and asked
why he had not got at this form. He gave
me the conventional reason why little atten-
tion had been paid by music publishers to the
amateur player of fretted instruments, etc., in
providing him with music at low cost which he
could readily play.
"This publisher said that if there had been
any demand they would provide the instru-
mental arrangements. But our angle and that
of every other manufacturer and many dealers
rests on the belief that if the music had been
provided there would be a large sale for it
because clearly there was a demand. I told my
friend the publisher:
" 'The facts are that last year more than
300,000 instruments of the guitar, ukulele and
mandolin class were made in this country. I
cannot say from personal knowledge how many
brass instruments were produced, but it is safe
to say that the quantity was even greater than
in the stringed instrument field. And it is im-
portant for every person in the trade to remem-
ber that for every instrument sold a new pro
spective buyer of current music is created.'
"The matter of providing suitable music," Mr.
Kraus continued, "for amateur instrumentalists
seems to have been a sort of vicious circle. The
publishers have been saying that if they hail
Richter Is Again Original
The new RICH-
TER oil hand-
painted line of
Guitars.
Finished in deli-
cate shade of
two-tone Duco
—in red, green,
black and gray.
Fingerboard in
< 'olor Harmony.
T h e s e h a n d-
painted r e p r o -
ductions can be
had, if desired,
as individual or
exclusive to the
jobber.
Will Furnish Job-
bers with Photos
for Salesmen
RICHTER MFG. CO.
2532 Irving Park Boulevard
Chicago, 111.
the demand they would provide the instrumental
arrangements, and the players were saying they
were handicapped because they could not secure
suitable music, which, of course, would increase
and maintain their interest in these instruments.
From the standpoint of the instrument maker
and the dealer, the players would seem to be
right, since there certainly has been a lack of
good arrangements for either the amateur
stringed instrument or brass instrument player.
"As manufacturers of instruments we can
only point out to the music publishers the great
volume of • instruments that are sold every year
and urge them to provide music to appeal to
the great number of new players which are
being created annually."
Wm. Frank Perfects
New Model French Horn
William Prank, head of the William Frank
Co., band instrument manufacturers of Chicago,
has just perfected a new model French horn
of his own design, which is possessed of excel-
l'-nt tone quality and can be sold at a price
within the reach of the average school band
musician. Illustration and descriptive matter
regarding the new French horn have already
been distributed to the company's dealers.
School Band Activities
Show Decided Increase
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.—E. J. Delano, who now
has charge of the small goods department at
Wurlitzers, reports business going great. Hav-
ing traveled pretty well over Central California
and made the acquaintance and friendship of so
many of the local band instructors and leaders,
they were not slow to make him a visit in
his new connection. The result was a fifty
The Richter Mfg. Co., Chicago, has just put per cent advance in sales during July, and a
out a new line of guitars of more than usual considerable advance in August, while Septem-
attractiveness. These are hand-painted in oil, ber was swinging up to the hundred per cent
v\ith scenic reproductions and finished in two- mark. There was more marked interest in
tone Duco in red, green, black or gray, with school and local band activities this year,
and more instruments to be replaced or bought
fingerboards in color harmony.
Talking with a representative of The Review, new. So that Delano feels that the latter part
President Carl Richter said: "I have already of the year is going to offer a good business
received from our jobbers sufficient orders to accounting.
justify us in the belief that there will be a
large sale of these new Richter guitars, par-
ticularly as we paint them in various scenic
reproductions and can confine any one model
to a particular line of customers.
"We also continue to make an inexpensive
PORTLAND, ORE.—Coincident with the anniversary
line of guitars, and we pride ourselves on the
promptness of our service as well as the de- of his eighth year in the Sherman, Clay & Co.
pendability of our instruments. With our organization, Ted W. Brown arrived in Port-
modern and complete factory and efficient or- land last month as new manager of the Port-
ganization, our business has been steadily land branch.
Mr. Brown came here from Tacoma, where
growing on a sound basis."
he was branch manager for several years. Be-
fore that he had charge of the Spokane store,
working up to the managerial post from his
first position as phonograph salesman.
Richter Mfg. Co. Puts Out
Line of Decorated Guitars
New Sherman-Clay
Manager in Portland
Show Musical Instruments
Decorated With Pyralin
The l)u Pont Products Exhibit on the Board-
\alk at Atlantic City, recently, displayed new
string musical instruments in one of the large
Boardwalk windows. Guitars, mandolins, uku-
leles and banjos decorated with Pyralin in
shell, pearl and mottled effects were shown.
These materials were used on the headpieces,
fingerboards, guard plates and resonators of
the instruments. The display was staged with
an orchestra setting against a drapery back-
ground. All of the musical instruments shown
were made by the Harmony Co., Chicago, 111,
THE
FRANK CATALOG
JUST OFF THE PRESS
describing three distinct lines of quality
band instruments of our own manufacture
for the Professional, School
Musician and the be-
ginner—a combination
no dealer can af-
ford to overlook.
Looking for a Thrill?
try a
MAJESTIC
KOEDER'S MAJESTIC
BAND INSTRUMENTS
made by
JONES-KOEDER CO.
Pekin, 111.
Brass and woodwind repairing
Write for circular
Write for
your copy and
dealer proposition
WILLIAM FRANK CO.
2029 Clybourn Are.,
CHICAGO
ILLINOIS
Manufacturers to the trade since 1909