Music Trade Review
Issue: 1899 Vol. 29 N. 2 - Page 4
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TWENTY-FIRST YEAR.
• EDWARD LYMAN BILL-
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION including postage). United States*
Mexico and Canada, $2,00 per year; all other countries,
the coming season else than a record-
breaking one.
Advancing prices means increased pros-
perity, and the advance made in labor
means a material augmentation in the
purchasing power of the people. All of
these count in the most liberal way in the
promotion of the general prosperity of
the country. There is no period for years
when the outlook for piano manufacturers
was as bright as this July of 1899.
$300.
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read-
ing matter $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at the New York Post Office at Second Clast Matter.
NCW YORK, JULY 8, 1899.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745--EiaHTEENTH STREET
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
TRADE CONDITIONS,
\ X / E cannot recall a summer for years
wherein trade has maintained such
activity up to July. The symptoms are
not only most favorable for an active sum-
mer, but from present indications the op-
ening of the fall season will be marked by
unusual activity. The outlook is auspi-
cious for a ready movement of pianos, both
in factory and showrooms. Under the
pressure of rising 1 prices, dealers will be
very likely to place their orders early for
fall shipments. This will stimulate unpre-
cedented activity for this season of the year
among manufacturers.
Altogether, there are excellent reasons
for believing that '99 will be prolific in an
excellent volume of business. Of course,
it frequently happens that prophesies go
awry, as the weather prognostications of
skillful observers are oftentimes contra-
dicted by the event; so in business circles
the forecast of the most experienced ob-
server cannot be depended upon as being
absolutely correct. Still, the man at the
masthead of The Review sees the most
flattering business prospects ahead, and
pessimistic opinions regarding the season
stand every chance of being proved false.
The present outlook of business should
be most encouraging to manufacturers and
cause them to put forth great efforts in the
production of stock, for the hopes of many
will be blighted unless there is an accumu-
lation of pianos sufficient to meet the de-
mands of a great volume of trade, which is
sure to come. All things considered, none
but those of the pessimistic instead of the
practical mind can see aught that will make
PIANO DECORATIVE ART.
""THAT wealth of ornamentation in piano
architecture which characterized the
product a few years ago, has been succeed-
ed by a very much plainer system.
The Colonial style of decorating and
furnishing is very popular to-day, and after
all, piano and furniture manufacturers as
well, only follow the popular trend in the
matter of styles.
There is, however, a marked tendency
towards creating special styles. The initial
step in this direction was taken by Stein-
way & Sons some years ago, and they have
to-day built up a magnificent clientele of
purchasers for their artistically decorated
instruments, some of which cost many
thousands of dollars.
The demand for this particular decorative
work as applied to pianos is steadily on the
increase, and during the past few months a
number of manufacturers have signified
their intention of entering this special
branch of piano making and devoting a
portion of their salesrooms for special ex-
hibition quarters for decorated instru-
ments.
It would seem from the popular trend
now that the specially decorated pianos
would cut a very important figure in the
national output in the near future, as the
wealth of the country increases and people
who build houses desire pianos made to
carry out the special decorative scheme
which they have in their salons or music
rooms.
The great bulk of instruments which
will be sold for the next few years will be
on plainer lines than those of the past
decade. If we study the best selling lines
of furniture to-day we will find that they
are on plainer lines than formerly.
LATIN AMERICAN TRADE.
I ATIN America is a most fertile field
for the exploiting of American pianos,
and the United States, the leading produc-
ing power of the world to-day, is destined
in the natural order of things to become
the greatest supplying market for the
countries south of us.
Taking into consideration the manifest
desire of the American manufacturer to
extend his foreign trade there seems to be
no real reason why the output of pianos
and organs should notbe largely augmented,
in Southern countries. Meanwhile man-
ufacturers must furnish instruments of the
design and quality desired.
Another thing which The Review first
mentioned years ago was that the casings
of pianos should be made specially for that
country. The pianos shipped from Europe
to Mexican and Southern points are in
metal lined boxes and we have heard many
complaints among Mexican importers of
the carelessness of American piano manu-
facturers in packing their goods as well as
not following shipping directions. Too
much attention cannot be given to these
matters.
ASSOCIATION THOUGHTS.
/\A ATTERS of importance connected
with the National Piano Manufac-
turers' Association will develop in the
near future. Organizations on a reason-
able basis for the purpose of correcting
existing abuses will have the effect of bene-
fiting not only the manufacturer, but the
dealer and consumer as well.
The association idea is at variance with
the trust. A consolidation of many indus-
trial interests, organized for the purpose
of centralizing the power in the hands of a
few and eliminating all competition will re-
sult ultimately in a state of paternalism.
This will entail vast disorganization, seri-
ous loss to the mass of the people, destroy
commercial values, and finally menace our
political institutions.
A spirit of individual independence and
progressive enterprise, the main-spring of
American advancement, will no longer ex-
ist if the course of the trusts is not checked.
The brain and genius which have from
small capital developed magnificent indus-
tries, will be throttled and the independent
spirit of the American which has made
him the standard of manhood for the
world, and which has made our people the
invincibles of the earth, will give place to
the subservient and passive spirit of the
employee.
Legitimate competition is wholly the
means of all commercial advancement, and
is the incentive to increased effort. The
competitive spirit has raised the American
manufacturer to the position where he has
made the quality of his product and the
price at which he sells, the standard of the
entire world.
The National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation, as we view it, is formed on broad
and generous lines, and is an organization
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TWENTY-FIRST YEAR.
• EDWARD LYMAN BILL-
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION including postage). United States*
Mexico and Canada, $2,00 per year; all other countries,
the coming season else than a record-
breaking one.
Advancing prices means increased pros-
perity, and the advance made in labor
means a material augmentation in the
purchasing power of the people. All of
these count in the most liberal way in the
promotion of the general prosperity of
the country. There is no period for years
when the outlook for piano manufacturers
was as bright as this July of 1899.
$300.
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read-
ing matter $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at the New York Post Office at Second Clast Matter.
NCW YORK, JULY 8, 1899.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745--EiaHTEENTH STREET
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
TRADE CONDITIONS,
\ X / E cannot recall a summer for years
wherein trade has maintained such
activity up to July. The symptoms are
not only most favorable for an active sum-
mer, but from present indications the op-
ening of the fall season will be marked by
unusual activity. The outlook is auspi-
cious for a ready movement of pianos, both
in factory and showrooms. Under the
pressure of rising 1 prices, dealers will be
very likely to place their orders early for
fall shipments. This will stimulate unpre-
cedented activity for this season of the year
among manufacturers.
Altogether, there are excellent reasons
for believing that '99 will be prolific in an
excellent volume of business. Of course,
it frequently happens that prophesies go
awry, as the weather prognostications of
skillful observers are oftentimes contra-
dicted by the event; so in business circles
the forecast of the most experienced ob-
server cannot be depended upon as being
absolutely correct. Still, the man at the
masthead of The Review sees the most
flattering business prospects ahead, and
pessimistic opinions regarding the season
stand every chance of being proved false.
The present outlook of business should
be most encouraging to manufacturers and
cause them to put forth great efforts in the
production of stock, for the hopes of many
will be blighted unless there is an accumu-
lation of pianos sufficient to meet the de-
mands of a great volume of trade, which is
sure to come. All things considered, none
but those of the pessimistic instead of the
practical mind can see aught that will make
PIANO DECORATIVE ART.
""THAT wealth of ornamentation in piano
architecture which characterized the
product a few years ago, has been succeed-
ed by a very much plainer system.
The Colonial style of decorating and
furnishing is very popular to-day, and after
all, piano and furniture manufacturers as
well, only follow the popular trend in the
matter of styles.
There is, however, a marked tendency
towards creating special styles. The initial
step in this direction was taken by Stein-
way & Sons some years ago, and they have
to-day built up a magnificent clientele of
purchasers for their artistically decorated
instruments, some of which cost many
thousands of dollars.
The demand for this particular decorative
work as applied to pianos is steadily on the
increase, and during the past few months a
number of manufacturers have signified
their intention of entering this special
branch of piano making and devoting a
portion of their salesrooms for special ex-
hibition quarters for decorated instru-
ments.
It would seem from the popular trend
now that the specially decorated pianos
would cut a very important figure in the
national output in the near future, as the
wealth of the country increases and people
who build houses desire pianos made to
carry out the special decorative scheme
which they have in their salons or music
rooms.
The great bulk of instruments which
will be sold for the next few years will be
on plainer lines than those of the past
decade. If we study the best selling lines
of furniture to-day we will find that they
are on plainer lines than formerly.
LATIN AMERICAN TRADE.
I ATIN America is a most fertile field
for the exploiting of American pianos,
and the United States, the leading produc-
ing power of the world to-day, is destined
in the natural order of things to become
the greatest supplying market for the
countries south of us.
Taking into consideration the manifest
desire of the American manufacturer to
extend his foreign trade there seems to be
no real reason why the output of pianos
and organs should notbe largely augmented,
in Southern countries. Meanwhile man-
ufacturers must furnish instruments of the
design and quality desired.
Another thing which The Review first
mentioned years ago was that the casings
of pianos should be made specially for that
country. The pianos shipped from Europe
to Mexican and Southern points are in
metal lined boxes and we have heard many
complaints among Mexican importers of
the carelessness of American piano manu-
facturers in packing their goods as well as
not following shipping directions. Too
much attention cannot be given to these
matters.
ASSOCIATION THOUGHTS.
/\A ATTERS of importance connected
with the National Piano Manufac-
turers' Association will develop in the
near future. Organizations on a reason-
able basis for the purpose of correcting
existing abuses will have the effect of bene-
fiting not only the manufacturer, but the
dealer and consumer as well.
The association idea is at variance with
the trust. A consolidation of many indus-
trial interests, organized for the purpose
of centralizing the power in the hands of a
few and eliminating all competition will re-
sult ultimately in a state of paternalism.
This will entail vast disorganization, seri-
ous loss to the mass of the people, destroy
commercial values, and finally menace our
political institutions.
A spirit of individual independence and
progressive enterprise, the main-spring of
American advancement, will no longer ex-
ist if the course of the trusts is not checked.
The brain and genius which have from
small capital developed magnificent indus-
tries, will be throttled and the independent
spirit of the American which has made
him the standard of manhood for the
world, and which has made our people the
invincibles of the earth, will give place to
the subservient and passive spirit of the
employee.
Legitimate competition is wholly the
means of all commercial advancement, and
is the incentive to increased effort. The
competitive spirit has raised the American
manufacturer to the position where he has
made the quality of his product and the
price at which he sells, the standard of the
entire world.
The National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation, as we view it, is formed on broad
and generous lines, and is an organization
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