Music Trade Review
Issue: 1899 Vol. 28 N. 16 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
of the trust promoter are not many nor
substantial, inasmuch as the factories are
too numerous and the styles too varied to
admit of a general control of prices and
product by a united company. In that
trade a mutual agreement, such as an
understanding existing between the Eastern
and Western Associations seems to be fruit-
ful of excellent results.
It may be well for the Piano Association
to note the fact that under the auspices of
these two organizations fair prices are being
obtained, and the probabilities are that they
will be increased in the near future. Such
appears to be the extent to which any com-
bination of interests will be congenial and
successful in our industrial kin.
T H E R E is in many of these recent in-
dustrial combinations an element
which is destined to wreck many of them,
and that is a cohesive principle which leads
to an unanimity of opinion as to the proper
way of directing them; that in itself
should form a tremendous element in the
strengthening of these enterprises. A
manufacturing corporation which fails to
render to the public a better service for
the same money than any other already
existing, or better than any other that can
be formed, lacks the best element of per-
manency, and the most essential as well.
What will become of all of the industries
which have recently become consolidated?
It is a difficult question to answer. In
all cases — reorganization — new managers
will of course be factors, but the great
trouble with all of these combinations is
that they attempt to control a natural de-
mand by artificial means, and we affirm
that there is no one economic law for the
large corporations, and another for the
small ones. In this trade as in many
others, it will be the small competitor who
will defeat the plans of central organiza-
tions.
MANUFACTURERS ADVERTISING.
\ I 7 H I L E most of the trade papers have
been generous in their criticisms of
the methods adopted by the Philadelphia
dealers, yet it seems that none has criti-
cised Philadelphia manufacturers in their
plan of attracting retail trade.
It is well to emphasize at this juncture
the course adopted by •'manufacturers in
the alluring advertisements which they
have placed in the columns of the daily
papers of Philadelphia. The opinion is
formed after scanning them that they have
contributed largely towards establishing
the belief in the minds of readers that
there are certain irregularities prominent
in the conduct of the piano business. Now,
if manufacturers themselves will persist in
adopting such methods how can we blame
the dealers who follow some of the plans
first inaugurated by the makers.
We will take a recent card of Blasius &
Sons, who modestly announce in their ad-
vertisement that they are the "largest
piano house in America." The prominent
wording of their advertisement is that new
upright pianos can be purchased from them
for $7 5.00. They state further that these
instruments are '' full seven and one-
third octaves, carved rosewood case in re-
naissance style, three pedals, all modern
improvements."
Blasius & Sons, as an explanation of this
remarkable business announcement, state
that they sold pianos to a dealer who could
not meet his obligations nor return the in-
struments, and that they were compelled
to take these new " Cresson " uprights—it
doesn't matter what the name is—or noth-
ing, and they are offering them now for
$75.00. They state further that they are
being "sold under another name in Phil-
adelphia, at a phenomenal bargain for $150,
and still under other names as high as $250."
Now this seems to us to be adopting a
policy which in the end means business
suicide. In the first place the advertise-
ment is a direct insult to other dealers in
Philadelphia inasmuch as the Blasius con-
cern allege that they are offering pianos for
$75.00 which are being sold in that city for
nearly four times that figure.
Now, if this were true, it would be a
plain statement from Blasius & Sons, who
claim to be the "largest house in America,"
that the piano business itself is fraudulent,
for if values are legitimate how can one
concern, having no better credit than
others, sell goods for practically one-fourth
the value that other regular institutions
are doing? Such methods out-department-
ize department stores, and the Philadelphia
department stores which propose to handle
pianos will indeed have to travel at a lively
pace if they hope to keep in sight of Bla-
sius & Sons with such announcements.
Blasius & Sons claim to have two hun-
dred representatives in America. We
know a few Blasius dealers, but not nearly
such a number as that, and they must be
interested in reading such an announce-
ment emanating from the house from
which they purchase gobtfst'
T~\ID last week's make-up of The Review
strike you as being rather novel?
Does the present issue encourage thoughts
in the same direction? There will be a
number of attractive and original fea-
tures connected with this publication, as it
is the aim of the management to get out
of the old beaten paths and constantly im-
prove the service, the appearance and the
make-up of The Review.
T^O outsiders it looks as if the Annex
editor got sadly mixed up with the
association buzzsaw with the usual results,
but never before has he exhibited such
a mingling of disappointment, chagrin
and sourness as appeared in his Convention
report of last week. We cannot well recall
a date where he subscribed himself a
weaker man than on April 15th. He should
learn by this time that there is a new
journalism in the saddle—a journalism
which smacks neither of bluff nor intrigue
but that which is straightforward, in-
dependent and reliable. The old has been
relegated to an unhappy past. The new is
a pleasing feature of our present condi-
tions.
STORE THOUGHTS.
T^vRESS up your store windows. Have
something attractive and desirable
therein that your competitors have not.
Doing things in a different way than the
other stores has a tendency to set your
store apart from all the rest and gives it a
distinct individuality—an exclusiveness,
which will not only help you to survive
department store competition, but put
profit in your pocketbook as well.
Don't advertise pianos at such a ridicu-
lous rates as some have already done be-
cause in so doing you are laying the
foundation which is sure to destroy your
business later.
Don't adopt the flamboyant methods of
advertising, but rather adhere to a quiet,
convincing style that makes a good im-
pression and resound with truth.
See if you cannot touch the interior of
your store up a bit and make it more at-
tractive. Get a little color; a few pictures
and articles of virtu well displayed add to
the attractiveness of your business es-
tablishment and remove that chill which
has a depressing effect upon everyone who
enters. Revel in an atmosphere which
no other store possesses.
Get out of the ordinary rut and create a
new one of your own.
Make your store more than ordinarily
attractive, make it exclusive—a leader—
pioneer, and you will not go hungry for
trade.
A/l ANY complimentary communications
have been received from different
parts of the country anent The Review
of last week. It is indeed gratifying to
have our efforts appreciated by our con-
stituency.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
of the trust promoter are not many nor
substantial, inasmuch as the factories are
too numerous and the styles too varied to
admit of a general control of prices and
product by a united company. In that
trade a mutual agreement, such as an
understanding existing between the Eastern
and Western Associations seems to be fruit-
ful of excellent results.
It may be well for the Piano Association
to note the fact that under the auspices of
these two organizations fair prices are being
obtained, and the probabilities are that they
will be increased in the near future. Such
appears to be the extent to which any com-
bination of interests will be congenial and
successful in our industrial kin.
T H E R E is in many of these recent in-
dustrial combinations an element
which is destined to wreck many of them,
and that is a cohesive principle which leads
to an unanimity of opinion as to the proper
way of directing them; that in itself
should form a tremendous element in the
strengthening of these enterprises. A
manufacturing corporation which fails to
render to the public a better service for
the same money than any other already
existing, or better than any other that can
be formed, lacks the best element of per-
manency, and the most essential as well.
What will become of all of the industries
which have recently become consolidated?
It is a difficult question to answer. In
all cases — reorganization — new managers
will of course be factors, but the great
trouble with all of these combinations is
that they attempt to control a natural de-
mand by artificial means, and we affirm
that there is no one economic law for the
large corporations, and another for the
small ones. In this trade as in many
others, it will be the small competitor who
will defeat the plans of central organiza-
tions.
MANUFACTURERS ADVERTISING.
\ I 7 H I L E most of the trade papers have
been generous in their criticisms of
the methods adopted by the Philadelphia
dealers, yet it seems that none has criti-
cised Philadelphia manufacturers in their
plan of attracting retail trade.
It is well to emphasize at this juncture
the course adopted by •'manufacturers in
the alluring advertisements which they
have placed in the columns of the daily
papers of Philadelphia. The opinion is
formed after scanning them that they have
contributed largely towards establishing
the belief in the minds of readers that
there are certain irregularities prominent
in the conduct of the piano business. Now,
if manufacturers themselves will persist in
adopting such methods how can we blame
the dealers who follow some of the plans
first inaugurated by the makers.
We will take a recent card of Blasius &
Sons, who modestly announce in their ad-
vertisement that they are the "largest
piano house in America." The prominent
wording of their advertisement is that new
upright pianos can be purchased from them
for $7 5.00. They state further that these
instruments are '' full seven and one-
third octaves, carved rosewood case in re-
naissance style, three pedals, all modern
improvements."
Blasius & Sons, as an explanation of this
remarkable business announcement, state
that they sold pianos to a dealer who could
not meet his obligations nor return the in-
struments, and that they were compelled
to take these new " Cresson " uprights—it
doesn't matter what the name is—or noth-
ing, and they are offering them now for
$75.00. They state further that they are
being "sold under another name in Phil-
adelphia, at a phenomenal bargain for $150,
and still under other names as high as $250."
Now this seems to us to be adopting a
policy which in the end means business
suicide. In the first place the advertise-
ment is a direct insult to other dealers in
Philadelphia inasmuch as the Blasius con-
cern allege that they are offering pianos for
$75.00 which are being sold in that city for
nearly four times that figure.
Now, if this were true, it would be a
plain statement from Blasius & Sons, who
claim to be the "largest house in America,"
that the piano business itself is fraudulent,
for if values are legitimate how can one
concern, having no better credit than
others, sell goods for practically one-fourth
the value that other regular institutions
are doing? Such methods out-department-
ize department stores, and the Philadelphia
department stores which propose to handle
pianos will indeed have to travel at a lively
pace if they hope to keep in sight of Bla-
sius & Sons with such announcements.
Blasius & Sons claim to have two hun-
dred representatives in America. We
know a few Blasius dealers, but not nearly
such a number as that, and they must be
interested in reading such an announce-
ment emanating from the house from
which they purchase gobtfst'
T~\ID last week's make-up of The Review
strike you as being rather novel?
Does the present issue encourage thoughts
in the same direction? There will be a
number of attractive and original fea-
tures connected with this publication, as it
is the aim of the management to get out
of the old beaten paths and constantly im-
prove the service, the appearance and the
make-up of The Review.
T^O outsiders it looks as if the Annex
editor got sadly mixed up with the
association buzzsaw with the usual results,
but never before has he exhibited such
a mingling of disappointment, chagrin
and sourness as appeared in his Convention
report of last week. We cannot well recall
a date where he subscribed himself a
weaker man than on April 15th. He should
learn by this time that there is a new
journalism in the saddle—a journalism
which smacks neither of bluff nor intrigue
but that which is straightforward, in-
dependent and reliable. The old has been
relegated to an unhappy past. The new is
a pleasing feature of our present condi-
tions.
STORE THOUGHTS.
T^vRESS up your store windows. Have
something attractive and desirable
therein that your competitors have not.
Doing things in a different way than the
other stores has a tendency to set your
store apart from all the rest and gives it a
distinct individuality—an exclusiveness,
which will not only help you to survive
department store competition, but put
profit in your pocketbook as well.
Don't advertise pianos at such a ridicu-
lous rates as some have already done be-
cause in so doing you are laying the
foundation which is sure to destroy your
business later.
Don't adopt the flamboyant methods of
advertising, but rather adhere to a quiet,
convincing style that makes a good im-
pression and resound with truth.
See if you cannot touch the interior of
your store up a bit and make it more at-
tractive. Get a little color; a few pictures
and articles of virtu well displayed add to
the attractiveness of your business es-
tablishment and remove that chill which
has a depressing effect upon everyone who
enters. Revel in an atmosphere which
no other store possesses.
Get out of the ordinary rut and create a
new one of your own.
Make your store more than ordinarily
attractive, make it exclusive—a leader—
pioneer, and you will not go hungry for
trade.
A/l ANY complimentary communications
have been received from different
parts of the country anent The Review
of last week. It is indeed gratifying to
have our efforts appreciated by our con-
stituency.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).