Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
• EDWARD LYMAN BILL*
Editor and Proprietor
~~
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
ufacturing' interest in the Lester piano and
it is probable that their energies have been
largely devoted to pushing- this instrument.
It is the old story so oft-repeated in this
trade—a great name used as a drawing
card but other wares pushed to its ex-
clusion, in a selling sense.
While Philadelphia piano tactics have
become a by-word of trade reproach in that
they have sunk to a mercantile level which
none should be desirous of imitating,
yet there is a lesson to be learned by the
revolution in the marketing of high-grade
pianos, which has had its inception in that
city.
The whole system of manufacturing and
marketing is undergoing prodigious
changes.
The honest, intelligent dealers should
be benefited by these changes.
They should learn the lesson and adapt
themselves quickly to conditions. The
time is now.
H. D. CABLE'S DEATH.
\X7HEREVER The Review journeyed
$300.
this week the sudden and unexpected
ing matter $75.00.
death of Mr. Herman D. Cable—announced
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
in last week's Review—was the occasion
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Clast Matter.
for expressions of the sincerest sorrow at
the passing of' a man who combined so
N E W YORK, M A R C H I I , 1 8 9 9 .
\ I / I L L the revolution spread?
many rare qualities that command admira-
That depends whether the dealers as
TELEPHONE NUMBER, I745--EIQHTEENTH STREET.
tion and respect.
a whole profit by the turn of affairs in the
THE KEYNOTE.
H. D. Cable was unquestionably one of
Quaker City so that makers of high-grade
The first week of each month, The Review will
the
forceful personalities of this industry,
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and reputable wares find that their instru-
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
ments are carried in stock to be sold, not and moreover a type of man that has done
will be effected without in any way trespassing
so much to make the United States the
on our regular news service. The Review will to attract customers to stores where other
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
instruments are sold, to their exclusion. great industrial power it is to-day. A
trade paper.
The stool-pigeon day is over, and the thinker and a worker from his earliest years,
THE TIME FOR ACTION.
quicker the piano dealer recognizes this he had the ability not only to plan but to
execute. And herein lay the secret of a
A MOTHER break has been made in the wholesome truth the better.
success which would be worthy of a life
ranks of the high-grade piano manu-
In this very question lies to a large ex-
lengthened by more than a quarter of a
facturers towards the department stores. tent his business future. For, once the great
century than that extended to this remark-
This time it is Knabe, whose instruments department stores all over the country have
able man. His ideals, however, were not
will be placed on sale in the store of secured the agencies of leading makes they
altogether of the material kind. In his
Gimbel Bros, in Philadelphia.
then will form a competition which can be
many-sided nature there were united those
The move is full of interest and one hardly realized at this date. It is the great
admirable qualities that win love and
which will be watched keenly, as its names they wish now. The others they
esteem in social and family circles as well as
resultant effect may be far-reaching, follow- can have at any time for the asking or with-
in his business life. By nature he was opti-
ing, as it does, closely upon the Chickering- out for that matter, for they are persist-
mistic, yet withal, there was a tender sym-
ently drummed for that trade to-day.
Wanamaker deal.
pathy in his nature that made him a loyal
Do such moves upon the trade chess-
The dealers, in order to preserve their
friend with kindly consideration for his
board mean that similar moves will be own future, must be loyal to interests which
fellow man less fortunate than himself.
made elsewhere and that there will be a are in their hands and which they are
And, after all, there is something more
steady gravitation towards the department supposed to represent and not misrepre-
in
life than the mere acquisition of money.
stores on the part of piano manufacturers? sent.
There
is honest affection- and regard—;
Will these colossal institutions become
To prevent trade disintegration they
great depots of supply for the piano-pur- must not hold an agency merely as a draw- what is more, there is character. These
Mr. Cable possessed, and the outpouring of
chasing public as in all other lines of man- ing card to attract customers.
ufactures?
They must not push the cheap to the ex- business associates, competitors and neigh-
bors at his funeral last Sunday testified
These and similar questions are being clusion of the good.
potently to the high esteem in which he
propounded throughout pianodom to-day.
They must talk instruments in their
The uncertain future holds the secret and respective classes and sell them in their was held.
The death of Mr. Cable in the prime ot
she is loath to give it at this early date. No respective grades.
life
is a loss not only to the institution, to
matter how men may theorize and speculate
They must give their customers the
the time is premature for any thing like grade of instruments to which their pay- whose upbuilding he contributed his ex- >
ceptional talents, but to the music trade in-
positive deductions. The Knabe move, ments honestly entitle them.
like the Chickering, had its inception in an
They must be fair to their customers and dustry of this country.
unsatisfactory Philadelphia representation. just to the manufacturers whose interests
Were it otherwise the department store are in their keeping.
SOME METHODS OF COMPETITION.
problem would not have entered at this
They must stop selling the "thump T H E line of demarcation between com-
juncture, although as a logical sequence it box " for the "just as good" and sell it
petition and animosity in trade mat-
may have come later.
for what it really is worth and in its ters is well defined. The one is distin-
F. A. North & Co. have been for years proper class.
guished by commendable efforts to- excel,
Knabe factors in the citadel of Quakerdom
They must meet their business obliga- and by excelling win greater fame and
and had their annual sales been satisfac- tions with, cash and not with promises.
profit; the other represents a mean en-
tory to the Knabes it is safe to say the
They must reorganize their system, prun- deavor to crush down all rivals, to keep
agency would have remained with them. ing here and there with the keen scalpel them down and climb to a questionable
However, the North concern have a man- of common sense and business honor.
success over their failures. Talking along
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