Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
21
THE "SMALL GOODS" TRADE
The Ever=Popular Autoharp.
Notwithstanding the numerous instru-
ments of the harp family on the market to-
day, the autoharp maintains an undimin-
ished popularity. Their superior merits
have been recognized by more than five
hundred thousand purchasers, every one of
whom is a warm admirer and advocate of
the autoharp. It is obvious that such a
number of instruments would not be in use
did the autoharp not equal expectations as
a musical instrument of exceptional worth.
Dealers will find it will pay them to push
the autoharp—to give it the prominence it
well deserves as the oldest and most satis-
factory instrument before the trade.
The new autoharp catalogue contains a
number of "pointers" which are not only
an aid to the dealer in selling the autoharp,
but of great value in pushing business in
general. One should be in the possession
of every dealer.
If any of our readers have escaped se-
curing this catalogue, they should write
at once to Alfred Dolge & Son, of this
city, who are the general factors for the
autoharp.
The Workshop of a Violin
Expert.
To those who are interested in violins
and their makers, a visit to the workshop
of a violin expert is always entertaining
and instructive. Whatever exceptions there
may be to this statement, it is certainly
true of the Konig workshops in the historic
Bowery. When the Review called on Tues-
day, Mr. Louis Konig was hard at work
on an invaluable Amati, the owner of which
had allowed it to fall to pieces before at-
tempting its renovation. On every side of
Mr. Konig's bench were ancient and orig-
inal specimens representing in the aggre-
gate a vast amount of money. Among
them were a Stradivarius 'cello, brought
direct from Europe and placed in Mr.
Konig's hands for repair and adjustment;
a Klotz violin, a Maggini 'cello, and scores
of others, each worth almost as much as its
weight in currency.
Mr. Konig, whose reputation as an ex-
pert violin constructor and repairer extends
from Maine to California, receives instru-
ments for examination daily by express
from States outside of New York—even out your boat with it or use it for a warm-
from Europe. They are all more or less ing pan, biit you cannot destroy its sweet-
dilapidated in appearance when they reach ness of tone. Touch it and it will talk to
him, and are usually worse than useless for you. It is not only a good friend but also
practical purposes. After a few days they a strong one and unlike the antiquated in-
are put in perfect order, packed, and re- struments made of wood
'Will stand together
shipped to their owners, "better than
In all sorts of weather.'
new."
"Sportsmen, of all others, can appreciate
this long-desired quality in musical instru-
An 800-Piece Fiddle.
ments."
Aside fsom the sportsmen, the aluminum
Frank Mertz, of Empire, Wis., is the in-
ventive genius of that town. He has re- mandolin appeals to all who can appreciate
cently completed a violin which is made of an instrument of superior sweetness of
nearly eight hundred different pieces of tone and great carrying power—a mando-
butternut, maple, pine, and hickory. The lin that is beautiful in design, and perfect
instrument is not only a curiosity in its in finish and workmanship. Dealers who
workmanship, but has excellent tone, and have not yet examined this instrument
gives promise that some day it will be should not hesitate to look it up at once.
It is a novelty, and, moreover, possesses
worth considerable money.
special claims as a musical instrument of
Aluminum flandolin on Exhibi= unusual merit. We make this statement
after a personal examination of the instru-
tion.
ment.
Crowds have attended the Sportsmen's
Exhibition at the Madison Square Garden The Zobo and the Bicycle Season.
during the past week, and the many ex-
hibits are proving winning cards and are Now that the bicycle season of 1897 is
sources of great interest to the spectators. fairly under way, the demand for Mr. W.
A " taking " feature of one of the exhibits H. Frost's unique instruments, the zobos,
is the display of the beautiful aluminum big and little, has received renewed im-
mandolins made by the Hutchins Mfg. Co.,
of Springfield, Mass. They seem to have
made quite a "hit," judging from the gen-
eral interest excited. Their attractive ap-
pearance, fine quality of tone and their in-
destructibility make them especially suit-
able as part of the sportsmen's outfit.
A neat little circular is being issued by petus. Clubs all over the country are send-
the company, setting forth the special ing in their orders, with requests for sug-
claims of the aluminum mandolin. We gestions as to the drilling of band members
quote from it the following:
and the like. The present year is likely to
" The aluminum mandolin has a tone as be a red-letter one in the history of the
clear as a bell and of wonderful sensitive- zobo. After five rehearsals, zobo brass
ness and carrying power. No more warp- bands are, if properly instructed, ready for
ing, cracking or splitting! You can bail any mancxuvre on foot, wheel, or horse-
back. Many wide-awake dealers who are
located near bicycle club quarters have
WE ARE NOW PREPARED TO
been doing a lively business in zobos of
APPOINT AGENCIES FOR
late, and from the size and frequency of
THE ONLY ALL
their orders, they anticipate a big trade
during the next three months.
ALUMINUM MANDOLIN
The Greatest Musical Invention
of the Century
Hutchins flanufacturing Co.
MAKERS OF
THE ALUMINUM MANDOLIN
Springfield, flass.
CHAS. H.
PARSONS
Prest.
F. EDWARDS
Treas.
C. W.
HUTCHINS
Manager
Fossil Ivory.
Large deposits of fossil ivory are said to
have been discovered in the Yukon Valley,
Alaska. If the report does not exaggerate
the facts it seems not unlikely that mining
for the precious material will be conducted
some day in Uncle Sam's Arctic province
on a considerable scale, as is now done in
Siberia. Unquestionably there is truth in
the story for scientific men journeying
through that region have come across
many tusks, some of them lying exposed
on the ground and others sticking out of
clay banks.