Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the highest value, as surely as children cry
for Castoria. Now, to apply the same rule
to the piano trade.
Can any intelligent, sane, reasonable hu-
man being, living A.L>. 1897, tell why man-
ufacturers of piano actions should not ad-
R LVMAN
Editor and Proprietor.
vertise and should not stamp their name
or trade-mark, if they so desire, upon
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
every set of actions that is made under
3 East 14th St., New York
their supervision?
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and
If a satisfactory explanation can be given
Canada., $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
why a firm should not create, through
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dia-
•oont i« allowed.
legitimate channels, a demand for and an
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
interest in their wares, whether piano ac-
to made payable to Edward Lyman BilL
tions or threshing machines, we should be
8nt*r*d mt tha N**> Y»rk Post Offict as Second- Oass Mmttm.
mightily pleased to hear it. Of course,
NEW YORK, JULY 31, 1897.
there are a limited number of manufactur-
TELEPHONE NUMBER 1743. — EIGHTEENTH STREET.
ers who supply every part of the instru-
THE KEYNOTE.
ment ; again, there are others who carefully
The first week of each month, The Review
eschew all mention of the action-maker's
will contain a supplement embodying the liter-
name
when referring to their instruments,
ary and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
and still others who will state that their
will be effected without in any way trespassing
actions
are made under patents of their
on our regular news service. The Review will
own—are in the strictest sense their own
continue to remain, as before, essentially a trade
paper.
actions. All this is perfectly proper from
an ethical standpoint, but let us take a
THE TRADE DIRECTORY.
view from the action-maker's position. If,
The Trade Directory, which is a feature of
The Review each month, is complete. In it ap-
by taking a proper advantage of every op-
pear the names and addresses of all firms en-
portunity, and by following every channel
gaged in the manufacture of musical instruments
and the allied trades. The Review is sent to
We could continue with an endless list of of publicity that he can force open, he can
the United States Consulates throughout the
obtain for his wares a fixed and unassail-
world, and is on file in the reading rooms of the names but no one can or will attempt to
able
position, then is he not acting for the
principal hotels in America.
deny that every man who is at the head of
an industrial institution is wisely using all preservation and advancement of his own
avenues that are accessible to augment the interests?
THE VALUE OF A NAME.
Action making is his specialty and the
N every industry may be found men who fame of his wares and render them more
higher standard he can create for his
have concentrated the energy of a life- and more a fixed necessity.
particular
brand, the better off he is com-
The close of the century while iconoclastic
time upon the production of certain
wares. They have witnessed with honest in many ways has not destroyed those mercially and the stronger the demand for
pride the evolution of their business from things which have helped to increase the his actions continues.
If he can go beyond the manufacturer
inconsequential nothingness to majestic value of special articles of trade.
and
popularize the actions with the dealers,
proportions. It is but natural that men
Even in that most modern of all industries
who have contributed the energy which —the bicycle business—we find the value the musicians and the public, then he is
springs from enthusiasm to the expansion of a name or trade-mark, as associated with making his position more and more secure.
of a commercial enterprise should con- certain special articles which enter into the Every one in business is striving to
template their work with the satisfaction make-up of a wheel, strongly emphasized. create a demand for his product and should
which comes to them as a rightful heritage. Not only do the compilers of the different action manufacturers be different than the
Take away that desire to create—to evolute wheels keep their names strongly to the rest i
—to be a recognized factor in the marts front, but they are also shrewd enough to
Are they cast in different clay?
of trade, and you at once level all to the advertise the names of the makers of the
Is there no desire on their part to in-
socialistic plane.
different parts of the wheel who have crease the value of their wares?
Are they to be deprived of the right of
Look at the military cadet, he hopes to gained prominence for the excellence and
forge ahead to a commanding position. He reliability of their work. We see enumer- stamping a trade mark if they so desire
wishes to be a power in his chosen pro- ated in the specifications such items as so- upon their actions?
Let us interrogate here. Was it not the
fession. The young naval officer fresh and-so's tires, saddles, etc.
Courier
Trade Extra which advised "no
from Annapolis may be an embryo Farra-
This may be interpreted as meaning that
gut if the occasion ever arises in our na- the makers of the advertised parts not only names on piano actions?" The same paper
tion's history when such a man is needed. perform excellent work, but they have lib- which by the way has been assailing
Every professional reader of Blackstone erally advertised it, so that the purchas- Wessell, Nickel & Gross of late and pre-
can not be a Choate or an Evarts but he ing public has learned to look upon such senting weekly a partial list of the cus-
hopes for distinction in his profession.
a name as meaning standard of merit. tomers of that firm.
No higher compliment could be paid a
Every man who follows industrial pur- Wise men they were, too, because an idea
suits is actuated by that same desire to once formed is difficult to uproot, and we firm than for those who use its products to
naturally ask for certain brands that we advertise them and while we have no de-
achieve distinction.
It is ambition—sometimes a dangerous have grown to look upon as representing sire to criticise Wessell, Nickel & Gross in
possession—that spurs us all on to further
accomplishments.
In the music trade ever) 7 artisan who
leaves the employ of a firm and begins on
his own account cannot reasonably expect
to become a Steinway or a Chickering in
national esteem, but way down in the
hidden recesses of his heart is safely stored
the hope that some day he may achieve
prominence for himself and his wares.
If it were not so in all probability he
would never have embarked in business on
his own account. In the field of journalism
it is the same—the individuality of the
man becomes a part of the paper. The
combined strength of men is condensed in
the name of the paper. Some are fortu-
nate enough to have the span of life
extended so that they can look back with
composure upon the obstacles which they
have overcome and experience an intense
satisfaction which comes from the occu-
pancy of a vantage ground. William
Steinway, at one time a workman at the
bench, lived long enough to see his name
an acknowledged power in all the art and
commercial circles in the world. It was
pride, ambition—that spurred him on to
higher accomplishments.
I