Music Trade Review

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VOL.
XXV. No. 22.
Published Every Saturday at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, November 27,1897.
A Late Fischer Booklet.
The latest J. & C. Fischer booklet is as
novel in conception as its predecessors.
It is termed "Our Method." It states that
the Fischer method is "to manufacture a
piano which will stand the most exacting
test in regard to tone, action, workman-
ship and staying-in-tune quality; to*prac-
tically oversee with unerring skill and
judgment all our works; to select the best
seasoned and most enduring materials; to
neglect nothing that would make our work
fall short of perfection; to hold fast to our
reputation gained in the past fifty-eight
years in which the output of Fischer
pianos has been over 103,000; to secure
your permanent confidence in the merits
of the Fischer piano, not to gain it for a
day, but for all time."
••As method is the soul of business,"
says the booklet, "we trust that you will be
convinced with 'Our Method.'"
"Now," it continues, "if 'Our Method'
strikes you, may we not be able to estab-
lish satisfactory business relations based
on 'Our Method'?"
On the fourth page is a striking device
for bringing prominently to notice the fact
that over 103,000 Fischer pianos have been
manufactured and sold. Taking the four
groups of letters and figures, " o v e r "
' ' 103,000 " " manufactured " ' ' sold," each
word, or group of figures, is repeated
obliquely as often as there are letters and
figures in the word. By this means the
announcement, spelled letter by letter, can
be made vertically and produces the de-
sired effect of catching the reader's eye
at the first glance.
Haines Bros. Incor.
This week's report at the Haines Bros,
factory is encouraging. Steady shipments
of the leading styles are being made. In
another part of The Review will be found
a caution to dealers. Those who handle
pianos cannot be too careful about deceptive
claims or bids for patronage.
It is very easy to discover if any article
offered by manufacturers or alleged manu-
facturers is genuine. In the case of Haines
Bros, incorporated, it is only necessary to
correspond with the firm at the factory to
learn all particulars. The headquarters
of Haines Bros, is East 133rd street and
Alexander avenue, New York city. That
is the only place where Haines Bros, piano
is made.
Value of Credit^Statements.
VIEWS OF PROMINENT WHOLESALERS A RE-
TAILER SHOULD, THEY CLAIM, ALWAYS
KNOW HIS FINANCIAL CONDITION,
AND IF HE DOES NOT HE IS NE-
GLECTING AN IMPORTANT
PART OF HIS BUSINESS.
F. R. Boocock, secretary of the National
Association of Credit Men, recently ad-
dressed to members of the association and
others a circular requesting their views of
the reasons why merchants, particularly re-
tail merchants, should furnish statements
of their financial condition when requested.
The inquiry was made with a view of ob-
taining from the practical business men of
the country suggestions from which to
construct a uniform statement blank to be
adopted by the association, and also to ob-
tain data to aid in the general adoption of
such a blank. Mr. Boocock has already re-
ceived hundreds of answers to his inquir-
ies, and additional replies are being re-
ceived daily. Following are a few samples
of the replies from some of the largest and
most important firms in the business world
selected at random and kindly furnished
The Review.
" The reasons why a man seeking to obtain
credit should be willing to make a statement are
very plain and simple. If he buys for cash he has
the choice of the market and is under no obliga-
tion to the seller. If he wishes to obtain credit he
wants to buy just as cheap as if he bought for cash
and is unwilling to pay anything for the seller's
risk. No man has a right to credit unless he is
absolutely solvent. He knows himself, or ought to
know, if he is solvent or not, and he is the only
man who does know with certainty; hence the
very best information is that which the buyer can
himself furnish. He should give this information
in such a way as cannot be the subject of dispute,
as verbal statements are liable to be. He should
be truthful, transparent and honest, and willing to
place himself on record in an enduring manner.
An unwillingness to do this should be considered
proof that he hopes to obtain a better standing
from his references than he knows himself to be
entitled to, and should be sufficient cause for the
seller to refuse the extension of credit."
Another large concern writes: " I believe it
should be an established custom for merchants
asking credit to give a statement of their financial
condition, and I give you three reasons for such an
opinion: Firstly. The questions first coming into
a seller's mind in connection with a customer are
these: Is he worthy of credit, and how much?
The buyer is the natural source of supply for this
information. He knows, or should know all about
it, and is in the best position to furnish it accu-
rately and fully. Secondly. The higher a mer-
chant's credit standing the better are his facilities
for buying. He should, therefore, seek every
legitimate method of establishing his credit.
Thirdly. I have found men who objected to giving
a statement because they were not sufficiently
posted on their own condition to make it accurate.
I consider this a very important reason why state-
ments should be required. If a man does not know
his own financial condition he is neglecting an im-
I3.00PER YEAR-
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
portant part of his business, and the more prompt-
ly he is compelled to arrange his affairs so that he
can give a statement the better it is for himself
and his creditors."
McPhail Values.
In another part of this paper will be
found an announcement of the McPhail
Piano Co. which is worthy the attention of
dealers. The McPhail piano has made
splendid advances in trade esteem, during
the past few years particularly. The manu-
facturers are wide awake, enterprising live
men who not only make an instrument
which is most attractive in appearance and
satisfying in tonal quality, but they have
educated the trade and the public into the
recognition of its many points of superior-
ity. The McPhail is among the best val-
ues in the trade for the money, and dealers
who can appreciate a piano that can be sold
with confidence and pride should write the
manufacturers.
Kochmann's Thanksgiving.
There is great activity at the Krakauer
factory. The firm's newly-appointed am-
bassador, Mr. Kochmann, has lost no time
nor any opportunity during his absence.
His success entitles him to congratula-
tions. He has returned to town for Thanks-
giving, and it is now on record that, at
dinner, he asked for and received a leg, and
a wing, and a part of the breast, in cele-
bration of his good fortune. This was
done at the risk of indigestion, but the oc-
casion warranted his acceptance of des-
perate chances, along with the cranberry
sauce, and stuffing, and mince pie.
Staib Action Improvement.
Dnring The Review's visits to the Har-
lem factories on Wednesday, occasion was
taken to examine the latest edition of the
Twentieth Century action, containing the
improvements already announced, whereby
yb to A of an inch of motion, otherwise lost,
is saved to the player.
The simplicity of the plan is admirable,
and the results attained in its application
to practical piano-playing are highly satis-
factory. The slightest possible impression
on the keys produces a response in the
action. Mr. Abendschein made a successful
trip to Massachusetts last week. He con-
templates another tour shortly. General
business is reported as good.