Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
35
In the Musical MercHandise Domain
to the manufacture of graphophone records. Very
little machinery will be made there, although
parts of talking machines will be shipped there
A Tendency Towards Improvement—Promi-
from the United States to be assembled. The
nent Firms Figure That There Will be Plenty
of Active Buying Later—Some Points of In- production of English records in this country
consumes so much time that the selections get
terest to the Small Goods Dealers—What
cut of date by the time the records reach Eng-
One of the Heads of a Great Establishment
land.
Says.
TRADE IN THE SMALL GOODS LINE.
Small goods circles have no specially startling BOSTON REPORTS SUBSTANTIAL BUSI-
or sensational reports to make relative to busi-
NESS.
ness—good or bad. It is neither one nor the other,
(Special to The Review.)
but yet the tone of trade is strong, with a ten-
Boston, Mass., August 10, 1904.
dency to improve with the closing weeks of sum-
Without
exception,
every one of the men en-
mer. More important buyers are either in mar-
gaged
in
the
small
goods
trade in Boston reports
ket, or preparing to get in touch with first hands,
a
better
July
business
than
ever before. The
and the sellers are figuring on considerable
volume
has
not
been
great,
when
compared with
action being displayed in the quantity of goods
the
winter
or
fall
months,
but
for
a hot, muggy,
ordered for fall and holiday consumption. Qual-
ity is also a factor not to be ignored in the cal- disagreeable summer month, July showed a
culations of the buyer, for low-grade goods are profit, and a substantial one. Except for an in-
always an obstacle that wholesalers must over- creasing business there is little new among the
come gracefully, if possible, but some way any- trade, as it is the vacation season and many are
how. Not but the margin of profit is there, but away.
F. E. Dodge, the drum and xylophone maker,
it is narrow and growing less with every season.
Musical jobbers and dealers are compelled to
carry an assortment of the cheap lines, but they
are so unsatisfactory to handle that notion
houses and department stores are absorbing this
cla?s of trade, leaving the lines musical on merit
to the regular trade.
Mail orders have increased during the past
week, and road men are booking many sizable
orders for early fall delivery from representa-
tive houses West and South. Eastern trade is
brightening up also, but disturbances of vari-
ous sorts, either in the material market or with
labor, has caused a shrinkage which looks as if
it will not be overcome for several weeks, even
under the most favorable conditions.
Referring to the outlook the chief of a firm
noted for its activity, remarked to The Review,
Tuesday: "We are not boasting of receiving
bushels of orders, but are moving along at a satis-
factory pace. We certainly are satisfied of a
strong trade on holiday goods and the movement
is already on. The talk about general business
apathy existing during the season preceding a
Presidential election is rank nonsense. With one
exception—only two well remembered—and in no
other year, has the pending election had any
effect upon the general trade of this country. It
is one of these fancies which, by wearisome re-
iteration, have come to be regarded as fact even
by sensible merchants. The small goods line in
no way reflects any untoward influence. Dealers
and jobbers are not holding off, but are buying as
usual for the time of year, and in their advices
no reference whatever is made to political con-
siderations affecting either their buying or pay-
ing, for collections are improving—always a good
indication of sound and healthy trading."
reports himself as being "more than satisfied"
with present conditions and the future outlook.
It has become necessary for him to enlarge his
workrooms and procure new workmen—and that
means a good deal.
The Review was much amused, in talking with
Edward Howe, of the Elias Howe Co., to notice
the different ways in which persons have spelled
the name of the firm in writing to it. Mr. Howe
has secured, from his mail, 58 different ways of
spelling, "taken from nature" as he describes it.
The list is a curious compilation.
UNIQUE VIOLIN ATTACHMENT.
The violin has so long been looked upon with
a feeling akin to sacredness that any innovations
and new attachments might well be viewed with
suspicion. The instrument on which the old
masters produced such sweet music and made
their reputations may well be considered as good
enough for the players of to-day without any
alterations or improvements- But if it should
prove possible to produce a quality of tone in a
new instrument which it is popularly supposed
AND
GRAPHOPHONE PLANT FOR ENGLAND.
The American Co. Plans to Make Records in
That Country.
(Special to The Review.)
Bridgeport, Conn., August 5. 1904.
Thomas H. McDonald, superintendent of the
American Graphophone Company, this city, has
returned from England whither he recently went
to perfect arrangements for the establishment of
a branch plant of the concern. A plant will be
leased near London, and Mr. McDonald says that
the company will shortly decide which one of
several available propositions it will accept. The
machinery is all ready for immediate shipment.
Several foremen from the Bridgeport plant will
go to England and take positions in the new
plant.
The English plant will be devoted principally
r I WANT YOUR SKIN
TRADE =
RENE GRUNEWALD,
818-824 Conti Street, NEW ORLEANS, LA
GET
MY
PRICES