Music Trade Review
Issue: 1898 Vol. 26 N. 21 - Page 23
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The War and European Trade.
An Extraordinary Statement.
It is difficult to see in what way the
piano trade will be adversely affected by
the war between Spain and America, says
the Piano, Organ and Music Trades Jour-
nal of London. Much depends, doubtless,
on its duration. Should the Americans
find it impracticable to effect a complete
conquest of Cuba until the late summer or
autumn, as some contend, hostilities may
be indefinitely protracted. If this prove
to be the case, the scarcity of hardwood
from America will have to be seriously
considered, as the pressure of freight can-
not fail to be very great with so many
American liners appropriated for purposes
of war. The war again may be fortunate
for those of our readers, who hold any
considerable stock of American organs,
although it must be borne in mind that,
should trade greatly decline in America, a
large number of these might eventually be
thrown upon the English market. We do
not, however, anticipate that this will be
the case to any grave extent. Spain has
already sustained a severe defeat in the
Philippine Islands. The only satisfaction
that she can hope to reap from the war will
be the satisfaction of her honor. A har-
vest more likely to result will be internal
revolution and civil war. It may not fall
to the lot of the present Government of
Spain to make peace at all, as the view is
widely held that a complete Spanish sur-
render would result in the overthrow of
the monarchy. Were this the case, the
conclusion of peace would presumably
be facilitated by the return to power of a
Government to which there did not attach
the stigma of defeat.
Meanwhile,, to
British interests generally, it seems by no
means unlikely that the conflict between
America and Spain will turn out mainly
beneficial.
The fellow-feeling for the
Americans in this country has been great-
ly appreciated across the "Pond," and a
friendlier disposition has grown up towards
us in the States than has been known for
many a long year. Already we hear that
the Behring award, for which we have
waited so long and patiently, is at last to
be paid; and other indications are not
wanting of a marked change of attitude
towards the old country. It is noteworthy
that this growth of amity occurs just at
the time when all talk of annexation on
the Canadian side seems finally to have
died away, and we may well cherish the
hope that one of the earliest results of this
reawakening of the dormant feeling of
brotherhood between kindred nations may
be the relaxation, if not gradual abolition,
of the tariff war along the frontier, which
has in the past inflicted such incalculable
injury upon Canada's trade and general
prosperity.
A recent "leaderette" in the London
Daily Chronicle made the extraordinary
statement that the Stradivarius violins
have been going up in price lately on ac-
count of the purchases of Senator Hawley,
of Connecticut, who has been visiting
Italy and buying up all the choicest in-
struments he could find, to the number of
500.
This, however, was a distortion of
the well-known Hawley collection of
twelve magnificent violins, which was
lately sold and removed from Hartford to
California.
Concerning the matter, a
Hartford writer says: " Violins were the
hobby of the late R. D. Hawley, of this
town, but Senator J. R. Hawley's taste
runs rather to firearms. He passed his
vacation in Surrey, not Italy." And there
would seem to be no great rise in the price
of old Italian instruments, if this state-
ment from the New York Evening Post
is accurate :
The Buffalo Sunday Times has pur-
chased two beautiful Sterling pianos from
C. H. Utley, of that city, which they are
offering as two first prizes in the Times
Second Railroad Contest. Seven thous-
and ballots have already been cast.
"Violin dealers put all sorts of fancy
prices on old Italian instruments up to
$5,000 each, but when such instruments
are sold at auction they fetch much lower
prices. At a recent sale in London the
highest price reached was $600 for a Gua-
dagnini, while an Andreas Guarnerius
fetched only $180, and a Pietro Guarnerius
realized $400.
An Italian violoncello,
upon which Patti has often played, was
sold for $200."
But it is impossible to say how much
these figures mean without knowing the
instruments in question. They may be of
a good kind and yet not good of their
kind. But as to the famous Hawley col-
lection there could be no room for ques-
tion. They are a wonderful collection—
enough to make the true musician or col-
lector envious.
Delay Harmful to Business.
During The Review's visit to the Sturz
factory and warerooms this week, occasion
was taken to ask the views of the firm as
to the probable effect of a lengthy war on
business. In response, the opinion was
expressed that continuous delays in bring-
ing about a settlement, by force or other-
wise, cannot but be harmful. On the other
hand, it is believed that one or two more
decisive actions like that at Manila will
raise public confidence promptly and re-
store business to its normal condition.
The Gibson Piano.
The record of the Gibson Piano Co.
since the beginning of the present season
has been phenomenal. Mr. Boothe, dur-
ing a recent visit of The Review to the
factory, showed the progress and develop-
ment of the various departments.
Gibson pianos were seen in every stage
of construction, all being completed to fill
orders awaiting shipment. A big force is
kept busy and infinite pains are taken to
insure accurate and satisfactory work.
The duplication of orders already sent to
distant out-of-town dealers indicates that
the Gibson products are giving satisfaction.
25
At the Concert given at Central Music
Hall, Chicago, by David Bispham, Thurs-
day afternoon of last week, the new scale
Everett concert grand piano was used and,
as might be expected, gave the utmost sat-
isfaction and delighted the cultured audi-
ence present.
Among the business visitors leaving or-
ders at the Mason & Hamlin warerooms
this week were D. Rockafellar, of Leba-
non, N. Y. ; Mr. Curtis, of Curtis & Davis,
Red Bank, N. J. ; and J. A. Brown, of El-
lenville, N. Y., all Mason & Hamlin rep-
resentatives.
Charles Jordan, of Bristol, Tenn., has
been arrested and jailed for stealing a
highly-prized violin from Benj. L. Dula-
ney. The missing musical instrument was
made in Europe in 1663, and was esteemed
by Mr. Dulaney as a most rare relic.
Edward P. Mason, president of the
Mason & Hamlin Co., expects to sail June
1st, for a five weeks' trip to Europe. The
date of sailing, however, depends upon the
exigencies of business.
A despatch to the Toledo Blade from
Norwalk, O., says that owing to the war,
and slackness of orders, the A. B. Chase
Co. have decided to run their factory for
only two days each week for the present.
William T. Miller and Frank L. Gibson,
of the Henry F. Miller & Sons Co's. forces
have gone to the front with their regi-
ments. Mr. Miller is connected with the
first corps cadets, and Mr. Gibson is a
member of the ambulance corps.
G. O. Heine, of the San Francisco music
house of G. O. Heine & Co., is traveling
through the East, placing orders for pianos
and general music stock for his establish-
ment.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co., accord-
ing to the Peoria Star, has opened a branch
house in that city at 430 Main street, which
is under the management of John Alcott.
The Hamilton Organ Co., of Chicago,
have just issued a new catalogue which we
shall take pleasure in noticing in a future
issue of The Review.
The Weaver Organ & Piano Co. have re-
linquished their branch warerooms at Lan-
caster, Pa., and have moved to an office at
7 South Duke street, with R. E. Hemme
in charge, where they will transact busi-
ness generally.
A. B. Cameron, of the A. B. Cameron
Piano Co., is still traveling and securing
good orders for the Cameron Products.
Henry B. Fischer, of J. & C. Fischer,
left town for Chicago on Wednesday for a
brief visit.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co. expect
to turn out over 700 Kingsbury pianos next
month. These instruments are having a
phenomenal sale.
Chas. N. Post, vice-president of Lyon &
Healy, will reach home from his extended
journeyings about June xst,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The War and European Trade.
An Extraordinary Statement.
It is difficult to see in what way the
piano trade will be adversely affected by
the war between Spain and America, says
the Piano, Organ and Music Trades Jour-
nal of London. Much depends, doubtless,
on its duration. Should the Americans
find it impracticable to effect a complete
conquest of Cuba until the late summer or
autumn, as some contend, hostilities may
be indefinitely protracted. If this prove
to be the case, the scarcity of hardwood
from America will have to be seriously
considered, as the pressure of freight can-
not fail to be very great with so many
American liners appropriated for purposes
of war. The war again may be fortunate
for those of our readers, who hold any
considerable stock of American organs,
although it must be borne in mind that,
should trade greatly decline in America, a
large number of these might eventually be
thrown upon the English market. We do
not, however, anticipate that this will be
the case to any grave extent. Spain has
already sustained a severe defeat in the
Philippine Islands. The only satisfaction
that she can hope to reap from the war will
be the satisfaction of her honor. A har-
vest more likely to result will be internal
revolution and civil war. It may not fall
to the lot of the present Government of
Spain to make peace at all, as the view is
widely held that a complete Spanish sur-
render would result in the overthrow of
the monarchy. Were this the case, the
conclusion of peace would presumably
be facilitated by the return to power of a
Government to which there did not attach
the stigma of defeat.
Meanwhile,, to
British interests generally, it seems by no
means unlikely that the conflict between
America and Spain will turn out mainly
beneficial.
The fellow-feeling for the
Americans in this country has been great-
ly appreciated across the "Pond," and a
friendlier disposition has grown up towards
us in the States than has been known for
many a long year. Already we hear that
the Behring award, for which we have
waited so long and patiently, is at last to
be paid; and other indications are not
wanting of a marked change of attitude
towards the old country. It is noteworthy
that this growth of amity occurs just at
the time when all talk of annexation on
the Canadian side seems finally to have
died away, and we may well cherish the
hope that one of the earliest results of this
reawakening of the dormant feeling of
brotherhood between kindred nations may
be the relaxation, if not gradual abolition,
of the tariff war along the frontier, which
has in the past inflicted such incalculable
injury upon Canada's trade and general
prosperity.
A recent "leaderette" in the London
Daily Chronicle made the extraordinary
statement that the Stradivarius violins
have been going up in price lately on ac-
count of the purchases of Senator Hawley,
of Connecticut, who has been visiting
Italy and buying up all the choicest in-
struments he could find, to the number of
500.
This, however, was a distortion of
the well-known Hawley collection of
twelve magnificent violins, which was
lately sold and removed from Hartford to
California.
Concerning the matter, a
Hartford writer says: " Violins were the
hobby of the late R. D. Hawley, of this
town, but Senator J. R. Hawley's taste
runs rather to firearms. He passed his
vacation in Surrey, not Italy." And there
would seem to be no great rise in the price
of old Italian instruments, if this state-
ment from the New York Evening Post
is accurate :
The Buffalo Sunday Times has pur-
chased two beautiful Sterling pianos from
C. H. Utley, of that city, which they are
offering as two first prizes in the Times
Second Railroad Contest. Seven thous-
and ballots have already been cast.
"Violin dealers put all sorts of fancy
prices on old Italian instruments up to
$5,000 each, but when such instruments
are sold at auction they fetch much lower
prices. At a recent sale in London the
highest price reached was $600 for a Gua-
dagnini, while an Andreas Guarnerius
fetched only $180, and a Pietro Guarnerius
realized $400.
An Italian violoncello,
upon which Patti has often played, was
sold for $200."
But it is impossible to say how much
these figures mean without knowing the
instruments in question. They may be of
a good kind and yet not good of their
kind. But as to the famous Hawley col-
lection there could be no room for ques-
tion. They are a wonderful collection—
enough to make the true musician or col-
lector envious.
Delay Harmful to Business.
During The Review's visit to the Sturz
factory and warerooms this week, occasion
was taken to ask the views of the firm as
to the probable effect of a lengthy war on
business. In response, the opinion was
expressed that continuous delays in bring-
ing about a settlement, by force or other-
wise, cannot but be harmful. On the other
hand, it is believed that one or two more
decisive actions like that at Manila will
raise public confidence promptly and re-
store business to its normal condition.
The Gibson Piano.
The record of the Gibson Piano Co.
since the beginning of the present season
has been phenomenal. Mr. Boothe, dur-
ing a recent visit of The Review to the
factory, showed the progress and develop-
ment of the various departments.
Gibson pianos were seen in every stage
of construction, all being completed to fill
orders awaiting shipment. A big force is
kept busy and infinite pains are taken to
insure accurate and satisfactory work.
The duplication of orders already sent to
distant out-of-town dealers indicates that
the Gibson products are giving satisfaction.
25
At the Concert given at Central Music
Hall, Chicago, by David Bispham, Thurs-
day afternoon of last week, the new scale
Everett concert grand piano was used and,
as might be expected, gave the utmost sat-
isfaction and delighted the cultured audi-
ence present.
Among the business visitors leaving or-
ders at the Mason & Hamlin warerooms
this week were D. Rockafellar, of Leba-
non, N. Y. ; Mr. Curtis, of Curtis & Davis,
Red Bank, N. J. ; and J. A. Brown, of El-
lenville, N. Y., all Mason & Hamlin rep-
resentatives.
Charles Jordan, of Bristol, Tenn., has
been arrested and jailed for stealing a
highly-prized violin from Benj. L. Dula-
ney. The missing musical instrument was
made in Europe in 1663, and was esteemed
by Mr. Dulaney as a most rare relic.
Edward P. Mason, president of the
Mason & Hamlin Co., expects to sail June
1st, for a five weeks' trip to Europe. The
date of sailing, however, depends upon the
exigencies of business.
A despatch to the Toledo Blade from
Norwalk, O., says that owing to the war,
and slackness of orders, the A. B. Chase
Co. have decided to run their factory for
only two days each week for the present.
William T. Miller and Frank L. Gibson,
of the Henry F. Miller & Sons Co's. forces
have gone to the front with their regi-
ments. Mr. Miller is connected with the
first corps cadets, and Mr. Gibson is a
member of the ambulance corps.
G. O. Heine, of the San Francisco music
house of G. O. Heine & Co., is traveling
through the East, placing orders for pianos
and general music stock for his establish-
ment.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co., accord-
ing to the Peoria Star, has opened a branch
house in that city at 430 Main street, which
is under the management of John Alcott.
The Hamilton Organ Co., of Chicago,
have just issued a new catalogue which we
shall take pleasure in noticing in a future
issue of The Review.
The Weaver Organ & Piano Co. have re-
linquished their branch warerooms at Lan-
caster, Pa., and have moved to an office at
7 South Duke street, with R. E. Hemme
in charge, where they will transact busi-
ness generally.
A. B. Cameron, of the A. B. Cameron
Piano Co., is still traveling and securing
good orders for the Cameron Products.
Henry B. Fischer, of J. & C. Fischer,
left town for Chicago on Wednesday for a
brief visit.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co. expect
to turn out over 700 Kingsbury pianos next
month. These instruments are having a
phenomenal sale.
Chas. N. Post, vice-president of Lyon &
Healy, will reach home from his extended
journeyings about June xst,
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).