Music Trade Review
Issue: 1900 Vol. 30 N. 10 - Page 3
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V O L . XXX. No. 10. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, March 10,1900.
Felix Kraemer's Views
ON THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
TRAVELING MAN TO-DAY AS COMPARED
WITH TWENTY YEARS AGO—DEALERS
MORE PRONE TO DISCRIMINATE
DEMAND PROOFS, NOT GEN-
ERALITIES WHY THE
KRANICH & BACH
STANDS EVERY
TEST.
The Review, during a visit to the Kran-
ich & Bach warerooms on Friday last had
an interesting talk with Felix Kraemer,
the veteran traveling representative of the
firm, concerning the duties and responsi-
bilities, in these days, of men who under-
take to further the interests of the- firms
they represent by visiting out-of-town
dealers.
"Things are very different now from
what they were, say twenty years ago, in
the piano making and piano selling world,"
remarked Mr. Kraemer. "I remember the
time when the average piano dealer knew
comparatively little as to the actual con-
struction of the instruments he had for
sale. In those days a handsome case im-
pressed him as to-day it impresses the
person who calls to examine or to buy. He
looked no further, as a rule, and, if he
did, it was only in a casual way.
"But not so now. Competition is so keen
and outside appearances stand for so little
compared with what they then did, that
the dealer, in order to succeed, must be up
to date. And to be up to date he must
know why the piano of one maker—call
him 'A'—reflects greater credit on him as
a seller and gives greater satisfaction to
his patrons, than that of another maker—
call him 'B'—notwithstanding the fact that
' B' declares his products to be 'highest
grade ' and so forth.
"Hence it happens that when the travel-
ing salesman, or representative, calls to
see the live dealer of to-day with a view to
placing an agency, he must be strongly
fortified with facts of the most formidable
kind. If he is lacking in these details of
his calling, far better for him to stay at
home. At least, it so appears to me. Nor
does it help him any to fall back on his
'reputation' in the trade.
" My own case will serve as an illustra-
tion, if I may be excused for talking about
myself. I am widely known as a traveler
in this business, and am now traveling in
the interest of a firm having a national
reputation for good work. That would
not serve me, however, if I were not able
to take a Kranich & Bach grand or up-
right to pieces and replace it, explaining,
when necessary, the reasons why the firm
has gained a national reputation, not only
for faultless construction and perfect fin-
ish, but for tone—an essential, as you are
well aware, in every piano having any pre-
tentions in the direction of real artistic
merit.
"Glittering generalities will not do for
the best class of dealers of to day. You
must fight your, way, step by step, giving
them the zviiy and wherefore. They ask
awkward, technical questions, too, that
would floor a novice and make him shiver
in his shoes.
They make comparisons,
sometimes, merely to put a man on his
mettle, but each comparison is a challenge
and has to be met as such.
"I am frank to say that never yet have I
been 'floored' as a Kranich & Bach repre-
sentative, because I have had solid facts to
back me up. This firm's products—and I
have no apologies to make in saying it—
will stand every test, every kind of scru-
tiny, and, frequently, since I began to
travel for the firm, have I responded to
fiery challenges only to prove again what
I knew well beforehand that, as American
products of the highest class, the Kranich
& Bach pianos need fear no foe."
Big Sterling Purchase.
SECURE VALUABLE PROPERTY ON FULTON
STREET, BROOKLYN, FOR ABOUT $2OO,-
OOO ON WHICH THEY WILL ERECT A
MAGNIFICENT RETAIL EMPORIUM
CONTAINING A SPACIOUS
MUSIC HALL. •
The Sterling Piano Co., which under the
able management of W. S. Denslow has
made a magnificent record in Brooklyn,
has just consummated a most important
real estate transaction in the Borough
across the Bridge, by purchasing from
Thomas L. Blankley the famous landmark
situated at the southeast corner of Fulton
street and Hanover Place, known as 518-20
Fulton street, for a figure which is re-
ported to be more than $200,000. The
property in question comprises two lots
40x60 feet each fronting on Fulton street
and one lot of the same dimensions on
Hanover Place and contains two three-
story brick buildings, one of which is occu-
pied by Hooper's Art Store, and the other
by the English Chop House known as
" T h e Bank" which has been a famous
rendezvous for more than fifty years.
In regard to this purchase W. S. Dens-
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
low, president of the Sterling Piano Co.,
said that the work of demolishing the old
buildings will be begun in May, 1901, when
the lease of the building occupied by
Hooper expires. There will then be erect-
ed a seven-story modern fireproof building
which will be occupied by this company.
Five floors and basement will be used as
salesrooms, one of which will be furnished
as a parlor, or a number of parlors, in order
that purchasers may have an opportunity
to hear pianos tested to the end that they
may sound as in the home. A large assem-
bly room, or music hall, will be a feature of
the building. There will be also a spacious
repair shop. The new building will be "L"
shaped, with a frontage of forty feet on
Fulton street and a depth of eighty feet on
Hanover Place.
The Sterling Piano Co.'s main office has
been at 530 Fulton street for three years,
and their lease expires in May, 1903, at
which time it is expected that the new
building will be ready for occupancy.
The advance of the Sterling Co. in
Brooklyn, is a tribute to the intelligent
methods adopted by Mr. Denslow and his
associates in the development of this busi-
ness. He is a believer in printers' ink and
appreciates the aid of publicity in the
prosecution of his plans. His main re-
liance, of course, has been the excellent
instruments which the Sterling Co. are
turning out. They have given satisfac-
tion to the purchasers and this has helped
to make friends for the house.
Those dealers who are continually com-
plaining about "poor trade" should keep
an eye on Mr. Denslow and the Sterling
Co. It may be helpful.
Few real estate deals in many a day
have commanded more notice than the
Sterling purchase above recorded. The
Brooklyn and New York papers have con-
tained columns in which the Sterling Co.
and their methods come in for no small
share of commendation. Of course, the
fact, that the establishment owned by
Blankley has been a famous one, having
been patronized by leading Brooklynites
for more than a generation, has helped to
concentrate attention on this move.
The Starr Boom!
A special despatch from Richmond, Ind.,
the early days of the week says: Begin-
ning to day, the Starr Piano Co. of this
city, will keep the factory working night
and day, and 150 pianos will be manufac-
tured each week.
V O L . XXX. No. 10. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, March 10,1900.
Felix Kraemer's Views
ON THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
TRAVELING MAN TO-DAY AS COMPARED
WITH TWENTY YEARS AGO—DEALERS
MORE PRONE TO DISCRIMINATE
DEMAND PROOFS, NOT GEN-
ERALITIES WHY THE
KRANICH & BACH
STANDS EVERY
TEST.
The Review, during a visit to the Kran-
ich & Bach warerooms on Friday last had
an interesting talk with Felix Kraemer,
the veteran traveling representative of the
firm, concerning the duties and responsi-
bilities, in these days, of men who under-
take to further the interests of the- firms
they represent by visiting out-of-town
dealers.
"Things are very different now from
what they were, say twenty years ago, in
the piano making and piano selling world,"
remarked Mr. Kraemer. "I remember the
time when the average piano dealer knew
comparatively little as to the actual con-
struction of the instruments he had for
sale. In those days a handsome case im-
pressed him as to-day it impresses the
person who calls to examine or to buy. He
looked no further, as a rule, and, if he
did, it was only in a casual way.
"But not so now. Competition is so keen
and outside appearances stand for so little
compared with what they then did, that
the dealer, in order to succeed, must be up
to date. And to be up to date he must
know why the piano of one maker—call
him 'A'—reflects greater credit on him as
a seller and gives greater satisfaction to
his patrons, than that of another maker—
call him 'B'—notwithstanding the fact that
' B' declares his products to be 'highest
grade ' and so forth.
"Hence it happens that when the travel-
ing salesman, or representative, calls to
see the live dealer of to-day with a view to
placing an agency, he must be strongly
fortified with facts of the most formidable
kind. If he is lacking in these details of
his calling, far better for him to stay at
home. At least, it so appears to me. Nor
does it help him any to fall back on his
'reputation' in the trade.
" My own case will serve as an illustra-
tion, if I may be excused for talking about
myself. I am widely known as a traveler
in this business, and am now traveling in
the interest of a firm having a national
reputation for good work. That would
not serve me, however, if I were not able
to take a Kranich & Bach grand or up-
right to pieces and replace it, explaining,
when necessary, the reasons why the firm
has gained a national reputation, not only
for faultless construction and perfect fin-
ish, but for tone—an essential, as you are
well aware, in every piano having any pre-
tentions in the direction of real artistic
merit.
"Glittering generalities will not do for
the best class of dealers of to day. You
must fight your, way, step by step, giving
them the zviiy and wherefore. They ask
awkward, technical questions, too, that
would floor a novice and make him shiver
in his shoes.
They make comparisons,
sometimes, merely to put a man on his
mettle, but each comparison is a challenge
and has to be met as such.
"I am frank to say that never yet have I
been 'floored' as a Kranich & Bach repre-
sentative, because I have had solid facts to
back me up. This firm's products—and I
have no apologies to make in saying it—
will stand every test, every kind of scru-
tiny, and, frequently, since I began to
travel for the firm, have I responded to
fiery challenges only to prove again what
I knew well beforehand that, as American
products of the highest class, the Kranich
& Bach pianos need fear no foe."
Big Sterling Purchase.
SECURE VALUABLE PROPERTY ON FULTON
STREET, BROOKLYN, FOR ABOUT $2OO,-
OOO ON WHICH THEY WILL ERECT A
MAGNIFICENT RETAIL EMPORIUM
CONTAINING A SPACIOUS
MUSIC HALL. •
The Sterling Piano Co., which under the
able management of W. S. Denslow has
made a magnificent record in Brooklyn,
has just consummated a most important
real estate transaction in the Borough
across the Bridge, by purchasing from
Thomas L. Blankley the famous landmark
situated at the southeast corner of Fulton
street and Hanover Place, known as 518-20
Fulton street, for a figure which is re-
ported to be more than $200,000. The
property in question comprises two lots
40x60 feet each fronting on Fulton street
and one lot of the same dimensions on
Hanover Place and contains two three-
story brick buildings, one of which is occu-
pied by Hooper's Art Store, and the other
by the English Chop House known as
" T h e Bank" which has been a famous
rendezvous for more than fifty years.
In regard to this purchase W. S. Dens-
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
low, president of the Sterling Piano Co.,
said that the work of demolishing the old
buildings will be begun in May, 1901, when
the lease of the building occupied by
Hooper expires. There will then be erect-
ed a seven-story modern fireproof building
which will be occupied by this company.
Five floors and basement will be used as
salesrooms, one of which will be furnished
as a parlor, or a number of parlors, in order
that purchasers may have an opportunity
to hear pianos tested to the end that they
may sound as in the home. A large assem-
bly room, or music hall, will be a feature of
the building. There will be also a spacious
repair shop. The new building will be "L"
shaped, with a frontage of forty feet on
Fulton street and a depth of eighty feet on
Hanover Place.
The Sterling Piano Co.'s main office has
been at 530 Fulton street for three years,
and their lease expires in May, 1903, at
which time it is expected that the new
building will be ready for occupancy.
The advance of the Sterling Co. in
Brooklyn, is a tribute to the intelligent
methods adopted by Mr. Denslow and his
associates in the development of this busi-
ness. He is a believer in printers' ink and
appreciates the aid of publicity in the
prosecution of his plans. His main re-
liance, of course, has been the excellent
instruments which the Sterling Co. are
turning out. They have given satisfac-
tion to the purchasers and this has helped
to make friends for the house.
Those dealers who are continually com-
plaining about "poor trade" should keep
an eye on Mr. Denslow and the Sterling
Co. It may be helpful.
Few real estate deals in many a day
have commanded more notice than the
Sterling purchase above recorded. The
Brooklyn and New York papers have con-
tained columns in which the Sterling Co.
and their methods come in for no small
share of commendation. Of course, the
fact, that the establishment owned by
Blankley has been a famous one, having
been patronized by leading Brooklynites
for more than a generation, has helped to
concentrate attention on this move.
The Starr Boom!
A special despatch from Richmond, Ind.,
the early days of the week says: Begin-
ning to day, the Starr Piano Co. of this
city, will keep the factory working night
and day, and 150 pianos will be manufac-
tured each week.
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