Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
1 necessary until certain matters which have
been under consideration were definitely
settled one way or the other." He adds:
"Owing, however, to the late failures in
the trade, and the premature publicity
given to the matter, the same has fallen
L\MAN
through." It seems that the unfinished
Editor and Proprietor.
stock on hand will be completed as speed-
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
ily as possible and offered to the trade.
3 East 14th St.. New York
"When this is done," Mr. Decker adds,
"unless unforeseen arrangements, of which
SUBSCRIPTION (Including postage) United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
to this time nothing is known, should be
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts..- special dis-
made, these pianos will be the last manu-
count is allowed.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
factured by Decker Brothers."
bo made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Mr. Decker closes his circular gracefully,
Bnteredat tht New York Post Office as Second Ua >J Matter.
acknowledging to the trade the appreciation
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 29, 1896
of their favors shown his firm in times past.
Thus it seems in a short time Decker
••THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER."
Brothers—a name great in the annals of
music trade history—will have passed from
the plane of piano manufacture.
There is something to be regretted about
this; while no one can say that Mr. Decker
has acted unwisely in taking this step,
because he himself understands the situa-
tion better than any of his would-be critics,
yet there is something to be regretted—
that indefinable and inexpressible feeling
of regret—sadness, almost—of this ending
of a great name.
It can be said, however, that Decker
Brothers have at all times occupied a high
and honorable position in the piano trade
of this country. Their methods, although
conservative, have been at all times hon-
orable, and there never has been a spot or
stain upon the escutcheon of Decker Broth-
ers. Vale Decker Brothers!
#
#
THE PASSING OF THE MONTH.
Regarding the Weber situation, there is
EBRUARY, 1896, has been unusual in but little to add. The daily papers in New
many respects. It may be, perhaps, York contain advertisements announcing a
owing to the nearness of the Perrine comet receiver's sale of pianos from the Weber
that has caused all of the topsy-turvyness of warerooms. Mr. Wm. Foster says that the
things pertaining to music trade affairs results are quite satisfactory, but there is
in this country. We have had the Weber- but little to chronicle, excepting if we
Wheelock crash, the passing of Decker mention the fact of the announcement of
Brothers, a few libel suits interjected, and the intended incorporation of the Albert
rumors ad lib. Besides, we have had five Weber Piano Co.
publication days in February—a fact that
Just at this point we have no criticism
will probably not occur again during the to make of the announcement beyond the
lifetime of those connected with THE MUSIC fact that if Mr. Albert Weber enters now
TRADE REVIEW.
into any business arrangement to be used
In casting a retrospective glance over in a certain sense as interfering with
the field, we can say matters have not those who are desirous of re-establishing
changed materially since last week's pub- the Weber Piano Co., he throws his actions
lication, with the exception that the Decker open to criticism. Such an act on his part
Brothers' affair seems to have been defin- would show an utter lack of loyalty toward
itely settled as far as the future of the his associates in the Weber Co., and we
business is concerned.
question very much if the better element
Wm. F. Decker has issued a circular to of the trade would accept such a move on
the agents of the firm, in which he reviews his part with approbation.
the situation, stating "that his postpone-
While no one can deny Mr. Weber's right
ment in sending out the circular was to earn a living, and perhaps he cannot be
F
denied the legal right of his name in pur-
suit thereof, but, at the same time, he will
be liable to less criticism should he act
fairly by those with whom he has been asso-
ciated in a business way, and to whose
downfall it is believed by some Mr. Weber
is in a sense responsible. More anon.
#
#
"Merely Rumors." Under this head a
local paper retracts a statement which it
had recently published regarding the issu-
ance of stock to dealers by the A. B. Chase
Co., also its announcement of the entree of
the same company into the domain of cheap
piano manufacture.
It occurs to us that a paper of the stand-
ing and influence which our local contem-
porary unquestionably has, would act well
and wisely if it pursued a policy of inves-
tigating the truth of statements which it
makes before publishing them. The mat-
ter of publishing rumors and investigating
as to their truth afterward, is hardly a
correct one, and oftentimes following such
a course results in the swallowing of that
birdjenown as crow in considerable quan-
tities, or the giving up of a considerable
amount of cash. We have in mind a*i
instance where it is said our local contem-
porary was placed at considerable expense
in the publishing of false rumors, and it is
said that the disgorging of a large amount
of money was also necessary to put a stop
to legal proceedings which were moving on
apace. The publishing of rumors is fre-
quently mighty expensive to newspapers.
#
#
The abandonment by Mason & Hamlin of
their retail establishment in Chicago, and
the announcement published in THE MUSIC
TRADE REVIEW that they would in the
future manufacture pianos containing the
pin-block system, as well as their own
stringer system, has created considerable
comment in the trade. There are many
who consider that the latter move of Mason
& Hamlin is a confession of weakness on
their part of their own stringer system.
#
#
The saddest event of the month was the
taking away of John N. Merrill. Mr.
Merrill's death will long be mourned by
his intimate friends, and all of those in the
trade who knew him will learn with sincere
regret of the sudden demise of this young,
brilliant member of the piano fraternity.
Mr. Merrill was a piano man in every
sense, and believed in building instruments
of a high grade. He was just beginning
to reap a benefit from his efforts in behalf
of the Merrill piano when death claimed
him.
#
#
Notwithstanding the dullness of the
times, the shipment of pianos in carload