Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
8
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN DILL,
Editor and Proprietor.
J. B. SPILLANE, Manatfintf Editor.
EXECUTIVE STAFF:
THO». CAMPBELL-COPKLAND,
W. MURDOCH LIND,
Gso. B. KELLER,
A. J. NICKLIN,
BOSTON OFFICE:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
GKO.
W. Q U U I P B X .
CHICAGO OFFICE:
ERNEST L. WAITT, 255 Washington St.
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE:
EMILIK FRANCES BAUER,
E. P. VAN HAELINGXN, 80 La Salle St.
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL:
R. J. LEFEBVRE.
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE:
ST. LOUIS OFFICE:
CHAS. N. VAN BUREN.
ALFRED MBTZGBK, 325 Davia St.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including; postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, $2.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00; opposite reading
matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
THE ARTISTS'
DEPARTMENT
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
"Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or service of the trade
section of the paper. It has a special circulation, and therefore aug-
ments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
M v r r T n R Y «r PIANO
MTMIIC Ar-riZ r . e
MANUFACTURERS
The o directory
of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
n
P a ^ e 31 will be of great value as a reference for
dealers and others*
found
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745 GRAMEECY.
NEW YOWl, APRIL 30. 19O*.
T
HERE is no denying the fact that everywhere excepting,
perhaps, certain sections of the South, trade at retail for
the year has been decidedly unsatisfactory. This condition has
been largely the result of the tardy arrival of spring. It would
seem, however, from the temperature of the past week that the
long delayed spring is with us, and we may expect summer
weather to come on with a rush. There is no good reason why
the piano business should not show material advance.
Special efforts will now be made by merchants in various
lines to offset the loss occasioned by delayed buying on the part
of consumers. Now, as a matter of fact, the delayed spring
should have really a beneficial effect upon the piano trade in this
way.
T
HE prolonged cold weather has been a period of lessened
expenditure on the part of the consumer, for the majority
of women have foregone the purchase of many articles of apparel
that during more normal weather conditions would have been
regarded as essential. With money saved on their spring outfit
they might, under proper inducements, be prepared to expend
a considerable number of dollars in pianos, at least the merchants
whose sales have been lost through the obstinacy with which
old winter has persisted in remaining with us, will have an ex-
cellent occasion to try their persuasive powers upon the public
with better chances of success than they have had for many
weeks. Work for the dollars. Piano quality and one price.
Don't help to retard business but hustle for it.
SUBSCRIBER in a communication to The Review asks:
"Do you believe that dealers are in dead earnest about
the adoption of the one price system? Do they really desire it?"
We shall reply by saying that whether they desire it or not,
or whether they are sincere in their advocacy of the one price
system it is gradually being forced upon them. One price has
come to be a synonym for business honesty.
There are, of course, plenty of men in the retail trade who
do not sincerely believe in it, or who feel that the time is not
A
ripe for its positive and unalterable adoption. There are many
of the leading institutions, however, who have put this system
into a practice which is rigidly adhered to in all cases, and we
have been present when they have permitted customers to leave
There is no denying the fact that everywhere excepting
their establishments rather than accept a price a trifle under that
marked in plain figures upon the instruments.
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HERE should be not only one price, however, but that price
should be in accordance with the worth of the instrument,
it should be the right price. In other words, piano selling is be-
coming more and more a business proposition, and the time will
come when standard makes of pianos will be sold at practically
the same prices in all parts of the Union.
There are a number of houses now who are earnestly striving
to bring about this condition, and when there are many serious
minded, influential men interested in such a laudable task as this,
they are bound to accomplish far-reaching results. The time will
have gone by when a dealer can charge a customer a hundred
dollars more for the same make and style of an instrument than
his competitor a hundred miles away. Uniform prices will be
conceded, of course, in far away sections there will be some ad-
ditions on account of excessive freight rates, but it will be im-
possible in days to come to sell a piano of mediocre grade at a
price which should entitle the purchaser to own a first class in-
strument.
T
WO powerful factors to help along this move would be the
Manufacturers and Dealers' Associations, but then the
time is hardly ripe for such action and organizations cannot ac-
complish the impossible. There are too many fictitious claims
made for instruments, and too many reputations that would be
irretrievably damaged should a grade price be universally en-
forced at the present time. This will ultimately come, however.
Not because any special individual may desire it, but because it is
right, and no man or institution or industry can halt the tendency
toward right which is more apparent to-day than ever in the
commercial world.
L
AST fall the McPhail Piano Co wrote to us asking what
impression the word "Quarter" conveyed to our mind
when used in connection with grand pianos. Our reply to this
query was that Chickering & Sons, through the expenditure of
considerable money and continuous exploitation had associated
the name with their small grand product so that when the name
"Quarter" grand was heard it was immediately connected with
the Chickering piano.
x
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HIS we believe to be universally conceded by the trade.
We do not, however, propose to discuss the "Quarter"
grand from a legal viewpoint, for there are many claims which
might be made, whereby the use of a descriptive word by any
firm has a restrictive effect upon others in the same line. We
simply wish to view this matter from purely a moral standpoint.
Chickering & Sons have created a value for a piano name
which to our minds belongs to them. They have acquired it
through continued publicity, and in conceding them this right,
we see no evidence of unfair or restrictive monopoly on their part.
Certainly in a mathematical sense, a quarter grand is not one--
fourth of a grand piano, so it is not in a mathematical or de-
scriptive manner that Chickering & Sons have used the word.
As we interpret it, it is a particular form of phraseology which
identifies and individualizes their small grand as an unique
creation.
HERE are a number of manufacturers who have adopted
certain descriptive words for their small grands. Steinway
& Sons term theirs the "Miniature Grand." J. & C. Fischer,
not knowing of this claim of Steinway and Sons placed a "Minia-
ture Grand" upon the market. A courteous communication from
the Steinway house informing them of the previous use of this
name caused the Fischer firm to immediately withdraw the word
"Miniature" from their advertisements.
That was fine business courtesy. The Knabe firm designate
their piano the Mignon Grand, the Pease is known as the "Petite"
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