Music Trade Review
Issue: 1897 Vol. 24 N. 2 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
bly as you possibly can, and pin your faith to it.
Just how rapidly it will improve depends
wholly and entirely upon the manufacturer's
system of conducting business.
Manufacturers must get out of that old rut.
In '97 it is the firm who works hardest for busi-
ness will get it.
That is the whole thing in a nutshell, devoid
of verbiage or sentiment.
0-
4-
No trade-paper bulldozing.
No advertising payments in ad-
vance.
No monetary loans to support
newspaper mendicancy.
In a recent communication to a Southern
paper, Comptroller of the Currency Eckels,
speaking of business conditions, particularly
of the recent bank failures in the West, which
he says " have been entirely due to local con-
ditions," closes his letter with the following
excerpt, which should be taken to heart alike
by politicians and " croakers " :
" If the attention of the country could be
directed towards attending to business affairs
in a business way, undisturbed by ' wars and
rumors of wars,' and promises of renewed and
continued agitations, the country would enter
upon an era of prosperity, which in the largest
measure would fall to the lot of the people of
the South.
" The opportunity presented to Americans
to become rich, prosperous, and happy by con-
fining themselves strictly to the immediate
needs of their own country was never so great
as at this present moment."
*
*
A determined effort is again being made to
enact the Torrey Bankruptcy bill at the present
session of Congress. This bill has been pend-
ing for seven years. It has the support of
business men of all shades of opinion as well
as the trade press. It aims to give a stability
to credit. It should be successful.
Haines' Ambassador.
T. Linton Floyd-Jones left this city on Wed-
nesday night last for a two weeks' road trip in
the interest of Haines Bros., Incorporated. He
will journey as far as Chicago, visiting Buffalo,
Cleveland, and Detroit en route. Mr. Floyd-
Tones is a son of Thos. Floyd-Jones, president
of Haines Bros., Incorporated. He is a cult-
ured and capable young man with a host of
friends not only in the metropolis but in the
West as well, having been connected with the
Chicago trade for some years, when his father
was a resident in that city. He is in every re-
spect a " chip of the old block," and we will be
much mistaken if he doesn't give a good ac-
count of himself on this his maiden trip.
Suits for Accounting.
THE
MUCH-TANGLED SMITH &. NIXON
AGAIN IN COURT.
New Scale Knabe Grands.
AFFAIRS
Assignee Woodmansee, for Smith & Nixon,
has filed two of a series of suits, the purpose
of which is to obtain ail accounting between
creditors and the firm. The defendants are
Steinway & Sons and John M. Crawford. It
is alleged that Steinways were to have received
$2,000 a month, yet they were given $6,000 a
month for three months, and the Court is
asked to order the excess for benefit of general
creditors. The assignee states he has dis-
charged $200,000 of the liabilities. A creditor
states that the nominal assets are $896,209.41
and the direct liabilities $741,789.21, but the
contingent liabilities are large.
It is hinted that the amount of actual assets,
as compared with the nominal assets, when the
former are finally determined, will be a most
unwelcome surprise.
The committee's report to creditors show
that between the first of last year and April 22
the receipts were $691,535.27, while the dis-
bursements were $703,932.90, which all but
exhausted the firm. From the merchandise
alone can the creditors hope to recover, as all
their accounts have been transferred as col-
lateral, while a large number of pianos which
the books show were received are unaccounted
for.
i
The largest single asset is bills receivable,
$456,535-94-
.
An Important Kroeger Move. Tl
Owing to heavy and increased business, the
Kroeger Piano Co., of this city, find it neces-
sary to enlarge their manufacturing facilities.
On Wednesday last an important deal was
consummated, whereby that portion of the
Haines Bros.' factory facing i32d Street,
which has been unused for the past two years,
will shortly be occupied by the Kroeger Com-
pany.
' f
A five years' lease has been obtained on a
most satisfactory basis, and with the largely
increased space at their disposal, the outlook
for an extended Kroeger trade is decidedly
promising.
Sohmer & Co.
" Business, both wholesale and retail, has
opened up in good shape this year," said Mr.
Geo. Reichman, of Sohmer & Co., to the
Review on Friday last. " We are kept quite
busy filling orders, and there is no suggestion
of a let -up."
Frank W. Thomas, of Albany, N. Y., and
J. M. Hoffman, of J. M. Hoffman & Co., Pitts-
burgh, Pa., were callers at the Sohmer ware-
rooms, East Fourteenth Street, this city, dur-
ing the week.
Resume Operations.
The Sebastian Sommer Piano Co., who were
recently burned out, have resumed operations.
Their factory is located at 205 to 209 East
Forty-ninth Street, near Third Avenue, this
city.
.._ .
,J.,i<
MAYER REVEALS THE EXCELLENCES OF THE KNADE
NEW SCALE CONCERT GRAND—A NOBLE IN-
STRUMENT— MME. CARRENO CHARMED
WITH ITS ATTRIBUTES.
As we go to press before the time assigned
for Mme. Carreno's re-entree in this country,
which event took place yesterday (Friday)
afternoon at the Philharmonic Society's Con-
cert, Carnegie Hall, we are unable to make
more than passing allusion to the new scale
Knabe concert grand used by the celebrated
artist on that occasion. Through the courtesy
of Mr. Ferdinand Mayer, however, we have
been afforded an opportunity of passing judg-
ment on the instrument in question, and from
a critical examination of same we feel thor-
MME. TERESA CARRENO.
oughly justified in prognosticating a magnifi-
cent indorsement of the new scale Knabe
concert grands by artists, critics, and the
public.
Reference "should certainly be made to Mr.
Ferdinand Mayer's exceptional ability as—
shall we say—a tone producer. To use the
vernacular, he " shows off " a piano in a man-
ner that few in the business can approach, and
probably none excel. His chromatic runs,
trills, chords, and modulations, all delightfully,
improvised, are an object lesson to anyone
who is interested in this very important func-
tion of a piano salesman's numerous duties.
In addition to possessing an excellent touch,
his pianistic efforts are accompanied by a little
oral effort explanatory of vital characteristics
of tone, touch, mechanism, etc., that to the
purchaser must be almost hypnotic, in the way
of influencing his or her decision.
The new scale Knabe grands are made in
three sizes, baby, parlor, and concert. The
action of these instruments is particularly re-
sponsive, the scale is even, without the sem-
blance of a break, and the tone magnificent.
The bass is rich and sonorous, middle register
well rounded, and treble flute-like. There is
a decided individuality of tone, orchestral in
its intensity, and bell-like in its purity. They
are built on advanced lines, and both archi-
tecturally and acoustically are beyond criti-
cism. We congratulate Wm. Knabe & Co. on
their successful effort, and predict a magnifi-
cent and abiding success for their splendid
product.
It may be of interest to note that Mme.
Carreno, accompanied by a few distinguished
friends, made a social call on Mr. Mayer at
the Knabe warerooms, this city, early in the
week. The distinguished artist was prevailed
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
bly as you possibly can, and pin your faith to it.
Just how rapidly it will improve depends
wholly and entirely upon the manufacturer's
system of conducting business.
Manufacturers must get out of that old rut.
In '97 it is the firm who works hardest for busi-
ness will get it.
That is the whole thing in a nutshell, devoid
of verbiage or sentiment.
0-
4-
No trade-paper bulldozing.
No advertising payments in ad-
vance.
No monetary loans to support
newspaper mendicancy.
In a recent communication to a Southern
paper, Comptroller of the Currency Eckels,
speaking of business conditions, particularly
of the recent bank failures in the West, which
he says " have been entirely due to local con-
ditions," closes his letter with the following
excerpt, which should be taken to heart alike
by politicians and " croakers " :
" If the attention of the country could be
directed towards attending to business affairs
in a business way, undisturbed by ' wars and
rumors of wars,' and promises of renewed and
continued agitations, the country would enter
upon an era of prosperity, which in the largest
measure would fall to the lot of the people of
the South.
" The opportunity presented to Americans
to become rich, prosperous, and happy by con-
fining themselves strictly to the immediate
needs of their own country was never so great
as at this present moment."
*
*
A determined effort is again being made to
enact the Torrey Bankruptcy bill at the present
session of Congress. This bill has been pend-
ing for seven years. It has the support of
business men of all shades of opinion as well
as the trade press. It aims to give a stability
to credit. It should be successful.
Haines' Ambassador.
T. Linton Floyd-Jones left this city on Wed-
nesday night last for a two weeks' road trip in
the interest of Haines Bros., Incorporated. He
will journey as far as Chicago, visiting Buffalo,
Cleveland, and Detroit en route. Mr. Floyd-
Tones is a son of Thos. Floyd-Jones, president
of Haines Bros., Incorporated. He is a cult-
ured and capable young man with a host of
friends not only in the metropolis but in the
West as well, having been connected with the
Chicago trade for some years, when his father
was a resident in that city. He is in every re-
spect a " chip of the old block," and we will be
much mistaken if he doesn't give a good ac-
count of himself on this his maiden trip.
Suits for Accounting.
THE
MUCH-TANGLED SMITH &. NIXON
AGAIN IN COURT.
New Scale Knabe Grands.
AFFAIRS
Assignee Woodmansee, for Smith & Nixon,
has filed two of a series of suits, the purpose
of which is to obtain ail accounting between
creditors and the firm. The defendants are
Steinway & Sons and John M. Crawford. It
is alleged that Steinways were to have received
$2,000 a month, yet they were given $6,000 a
month for three months, and the Court is
asked to order the excess for benefit of general
creditors. The assignee states he has dis-
charged $200,000 of the liabilities. A creditor
states that the nominal assets are $896,209.41
and the direct liabilities $741,789.21, but the
contingent liabilities are large.
It is hinted that the amount of actual assets,
as compared with the nominal assets, when the
former are finally determined, will be a most
unwelcome surprise.
The committee's report to creditors show
that between the first of last year and April 22
the receipts were $691,535.27, while the dis-
bursements were $703,932.90, which all but
exhausted the firm. From the merchandise
alone can the creditors hope to recover, as all
their accounts have been transferred as col-
lateral, while a large number of pianos which
the books show were received are unaccounted
for.
i
The largest single asset is bills receivable,
$456,535-94-
.
An Important Kroeger Move. Tl
Owing to heavy and increased business, the
Kroeger Piano Co., of this city, find it neces-
sary to enlarge their manufacturing facilities.
On Wednesday last an important deal was
consummated, whereby that portion of the
Haines Bros.' factory facing i32d Street,
which has been unused for the past two years,
will shortly be occupied by the Kroeger Com-
pany.
' f
A five years' lease has been obtained on a
most satisfactory basis, and with the largely
increased space at their disposal, the outlook
for an extended Kroeger trade is decidedly
promising.
Sohmer & Co.
" Business, both wholesale and retail, has
opened up in good shape this year," said Mr.
Geo. Reichman, of Sohmer & Co., to the
Review on Friday last. " We are kept quite
busy filling orders, and there is no suggestion
of a let -up."
Frank W. Thomas, of Albany, N. Y., and
J. M. Hoffman, of J. M. Hoffman & Co., Pitts-
burgh, Pa., were callers at the Sohmer ware-
rooms, East Fourteenth Street, this city, dur-
ing the week.
Resume Operations.
The Sebastian Sommer Piano Co., who were
recently burned out, have resumed operations.
Their factory is located at 205 to 209 East
Forty-ninth Street, near Third Avenue, this
city.
.._ .
,J.,i<
MAYER REVEALS THE EXCELLENCES OF THE KNADE
NEW SCALE CONCERT GRAND—A NOBLE IN-
STRUMENT— MME. CARRENO CHARMED
WITH ITS ATTRIBUTES.
As we go to press before the time assigned
for Mme. Carreno's re-entree in this country,
which event took place yesterday (Friday)
afternoon at the Philharmonic Society's Con-
cert, Carnegie Hall, we are unable to make
more than passing allusion to the new scale
Knabe concert grand used by the celebrated
artist on that occasion. Through the courtesy
of Mr. Ferdinand Mayer, however, we have
been afforded an opportunity of passing judg-
ment on the instrument in question, and from
a critical examination of same we feel thor-
MME. TERESA CARRENO.
oughly justified in prognosticating a magnifi-
cent indorsement of the new scale Knabe
concert grands by artists, critics, and the
public.
Reference "should certainly be made to Mr.
Ferdinand Mayer's exceptional ability as—
shall we say—a tone producer. To use the
vernacular, he " shows off " a piano in a man-
ner that few in the business can approach, and
probably none excel. His chromatic runs,
trills, chords, and modulations, all delightfully,
improvised, are an object lesson to anyone
who is interested in this very important func-
tion of a piano salesman's numerous duties.
In addition to possessing an excellent touch,
his pianistic efforts are accompanied by a little
oral effort explanatory of vital characteristics
of tone, touch, mechanism, etc., that to the
purchaser must be almost hypnotic, in the way
of influencing his or her decision.
The new scale Knabe grands are made in
three sizes, baby, parlor, and concert. The
action of these instruments is particularly re-
sponsive, the scale is even, without the sem-
blance of a break, and the tone magnificent.
The bass is rich and sonorous, middle register
well rounded, and treble flute-like. There is
a decided individuality of tone, orchestral in
its intensity, and bell-like in its purity. They
are built on advanced lines, and both archi-
tecturally and acoustically are beyond criti-
cism. We congratulate Wm. Knabe & Co. on
their successful effort, and predict a magnifi-
cent and abiding success for their splendid
product.
It may be of interest to note that Mme.
Carreno, accompanied by a few distinguished
friends, made a social call on Mr. Mayer at
the Knabe warerooms, this city, early in the
week. The distinguished artist was prevailed
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