Music Trade Review

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T H E 7VYUSIC TRHDE
It is not yet announced whether Philadel-
phia will elect from the warring element on
Chestnut street a delegate to talk upon the
subject of "why leading pianos in the Quaker
City have gravitated to the department
stores/' It will be an exceedingly interesting
topic, and Philadelphia could furnish some
man who could give excellent reasons why
some of the great names in piano history
are no longer shown in glittering signs along
were benefited." The occasion created such
a warm and friendly feeling among the
thirty-five merchants that it was unanimously
decided to make the banquet an annual af-
fair. Thus we see how a piano scheme
brought about the formation of an associa-
tion, and how the piano man was knocked
out in the end, but not until he made his
sale, as all good piano men do.
How absurd, too, on the part of the mer-
chants to cut out future schemes! They all
the Chestnut street piano rialto.
made money out of this one; it brought
A PIANO ADVERTISING SCHEME.
about an era of good feeling, but they saw
"THERE are all kinds
What came of it—
none of this, only the fact that the piano man
Merchants all made
of a d v e r t i s i n g
money out of it—De-
had been benefited.
schemes rampant nowa-
cided to accept no
more schemes — The
days, and occasionally
result of a smart sales-
THE BUFFALO ACTION FACTORY.
man's work.
D U B L I S H E D reports
our attention is called
No one has correct-
in the newspapers
to some which possess more or less of eccen-
ly sized up the Buf-
falo factory—A care-
regarding
the erection
tric features. This story comes to us from
fully considered move
and
one
which
will
be
the West:
of a new piano supply
of great interest to
the trade.
To a certain town in Michigan there came
factory at Buffalo have
a piano salesman possessing that kind of ar- C1 - ea ted no little comment in music trade
gumentative force, combined with loqua- c j r c i e s
Thus far all have been at sea re-
ciousness, which caused him to interest ten
of the leading merchants in the following
scheme:
Upon the payment of $32 each, or a total
of $320, a piano was purchased of a local
piano dealer.
Our friend, the salesman,.at-
garding
location of the powers behind
a n d s p e c u l a t i o n h a s b e e n wide of
t h e bull > s
eye
the gupply
ing, and his plan was that each of these ten
a n d clear . headed
industry> a n d a m a n o f pract i ca l
ideas
pianQ
manufacturers.
brjng
tQ b e a r
upon
the needs
of
Furthermore, he will
in t h e n e w enterprise
a ripe
credit purchase. These tickets could be experience—an experience which, by the way,
voted for any church, society or other organ- h a j j b e e n o f g r e a t a d v a n t a g e t o a n o t h e r i n .
ization in town, and the organization receiv-
ing the largest number of votes at the expira-
tion of a certain time-about four m o n t h s -
D I A N O - P L A Y E R S of some brand or
another are now found in the ware-
rooms of well organized music trade estab-
h'shments all over the country. They have
e to be recognized as permanent educa-
ti° n a l factors in the cultivation of musical
taste
- flayers have come to stay, and there
a r e more of them
coming along bidding for
tra
d e patronage all the time. This is a
m
ighty big country and there is room for
com
a11
-
Now that the comic papers have com-
menced to caricature the piano-player, there
When the facts relating to this new move s l l 0 l l l d b e increased business in that line, for
t told it will be found that the originator t h a t k i n d o f publicity only emphasizes the
importance of the player as a necessary piano
o f t h e p l a n j s o n e o f t h e b e s t p o s t e d m e n i n
tended to all the expenses, advertising, print-
merchants would give tickets to their cus-
tomers with every twenty-five cent cash or
ally ceases to exercise to the fullest extent
the faculties which have helped him to rise
to that indispensable point. He becomes ar-
rogant and dictatorial, and his influence in
an organization is bound to be more or less
demoralizing."
We reprint this opinion because we can
name some men who certainly have an elon-
gated opinion of their own capabilities and
possibly their employers may be built along
the lines of the gentleman whom we quote,
and if so they are approaching extremely
near the danger line,
the
t h e movC)
1
REiZIEW
s t i t u t i o n t h a t w e cou ld
]t win be
found>
^
name in this industry,
t h a t h e h a g a m p l e cap _
h a l b e h i n d h[m> a n ( J t h a t t h e Buf£aXo
scheme
adjunct.
j
U S T
J
which
about
this
time
considerable specu-
lation is rampant as to possible changes
w i l l o c c u r a m o n g the ranks of trav-
elers.
chatting
When prominent road men are seen
nowadays with members of out-
side firms, the rumors at once become rife
As
tha( . t r a n s f e r s o f a l l e g i a n c e a r e i n o r d e r .
a m a t t e r o f fact? w e b e l i e y e t h a t f e w c h a n g e s
would get the piano.
j s n o t ^ a g s o m e a n e g e j a newspaper story, will occur at the opening of the year. Of
It was a pretty good scheme, and the mer- Q r s o m e i m m a t u r e s c h e m C j b u t > o n t h e c o n _ c o u r s C j t h e r e w i U b e s o m C j b e c a u s e t h g r e i s
chants on the outside soon saw that those in ^ ^ ^ h a g b e g n c a r e f u l l y p l a n n e d a n d i s a l w a y g S Q m e s h i f t i n g a b o u t a t t h e b e g i n n i n g
the deal were getting a good benefit, so they t h c r e s u k o f a m o g t t h o r o u g h i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f the year.
got together and decided upon a plan to ^ {Q t h g
- n Q r d e r t Q g u p p l y
UITE naturally, men are now figuring
counteract the smooth piano man, who, by f a c t u r e r s . b o t h E a s t a n d W e s t ,
as to the piano output of the present
the way, was getting a superb start. They
From a
ersonal
. . .
.
,
•
,
,
,
P
acquaintance,
of
many
ff
f
f
Some h
e s t i m a t e d t h a t i t w i n ex-
succeeded in getting thirty-five merchants on
^
^
thg m a n behind
ceed one hundred and fifty thousand. It is
the outside to pay $10 each, and they offered
is inclined to the belief that the in- too early yet to predict with any degree of
a piano having a better reputation locally s t i t u t i o n w i l l
heard from in no uncertain certainty, for we have pretty nearly three
than the other fellows were giving. Their
way when once in complete working order.
weeks ahead, and the manufacturers are
expiration date was set about the same time
sending out pianos at an astonishing rate.
the others had planned. There was quite a
FLOATSAM AND JETSAM
There is, however, no doubt that the figures
little antagonistic feeling developed on fToth
HATTING recently with a business man
will surpass those of any previous year.
sides, but as time rolled on this soon became
of prominence, he said: "I make it
eliminated. When the contest was over, the a rule to dispense with the services of any / C H A R L E S T O N ' S South Carolina and
thirty-five merchants found they had a neat man in my employ, no matter how impor-
West Indian Exposition has been op-
sum on hand, and they decided to have a tant his position may be, as soon as he comes ened with appropriate ceremonies. May the
little banquet at the leading hotel, and invited to regard himself as indispensable, or, in fair prove a success, financially and other-
as their guests the ten merchants who were other words, affected with a chronic state of wise, and may there be enough money in the
in the original deal. It was a great occasion, big-headedness.
treasury at its close to supply the exhibitors
and speeches were made on both sides, and
"This may seem harsh, but.1 will show you with awards and diplomas. May not that
as a result it was decided "to cut out all the that there is wisdom in this practice. Ex- unfortunate deficit which has been so pain-
advertising schemes where no one but the perience proves that the moment a man looks fully apparent in the late Pan-American Ex-
smooth salesman and the piano merchant upon himself as absolutely necessary, he usu- position be a legacy of the Charleston Fnir.
Q