Music Trade Review
Issue: 1907 Vol. 44 N. 11 - Page 10
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10
THE
TRADE CONDITIONS IN BROOKLYN.
Otto Wissner Discusses the Situation for the
Past Two Months—Trade Good Everywhere
Except in East—Many Sales of Autotones—
Good Call for High Priced Sterlings.
(Special to The Review.)
Brooklyn, N. Y., March 13, 1907.
Piano business in this Borough is gradually im-
proving as the spring advances. This does not sig-
nify by any means that trade has been at a stand-
still, but the cold weather and continued snow-
storms experienced during the past few months
has paralyzed shipping facilities and clogged
the wheels of progress to an annoying extent.
Trade at Wissner Hall during the past week has
been very satisfactory. In a chat with The Re-
view about existing conditions, Otto Wissner
•said: "I must be frank and admit that business
in this city for the past two months has not
come up to the mark. Collections have also
dropped below all records during the past six
years. With prosperity all around us the only
cause for this slump, we believe, is the unusual-
ly cold weather that has held this city in its
grip, and killed trade. Our business in all other
parts of the country has been most encouraging.
R. Preszberg, our road man, who came in on
the 9th, reported most favorably on conditions
along the Pacific Coast. However, the coming of
balmier Weather is bringing a large increase in
business, and I consider the outlook to be most
promising."
MU3IC TRADE
REVIEW
is doing any worrying, though all keep the
weather eye peeled on the calendar for the re-
turn of W. S. Denslow, the popular head of this
house, who is expected back around the first of
the month. Collections have only been fair dur-
ing the past week. The demand for high-priced
instruments continues strong. One of the most
popular is style No. 65, made in mahogany, wal-
nut, oak, rosewood and ebony. This piano is of
the cabinet grand type and semi-Colonial design.
The call for their miniature and baby grands is
increasing steadily.
CLEVER CROWN POST CARDS.
George P. Bent, manufacturer of the famous
Crown piano, has favored the trade with the
March, ,or third, number of his series of post
cards. A calendar of the month appears at the
bottom a s usual, while at the top is reproduced
that well-known picture entitled "A Helping
Hand," depicting a small girl pulling at the oar
of a fishing boat, assisted by an old salt. The
rest of the card is taken up with a convincing
talk upon the helping hand extended by those
back of the Crown piano to the dealers who do
their share in promoting the sales of those in-
struments. The qualities that have led to Crown
success are also mentioned.
TRADE OPENING IN BELGIUM.
Consul-General G. W. Roosevelt, in a recent re-
port upon music trade affairs in Belgium, wrote
"Business fair," said Hardman, Peck & Co. as follows: "There are four conservatories of
"Nothing startling, except possibly that the de- music in Belgium, located at Brussels, Ghent,
mand for our autotone is rapidly exceeding our Liege and Antwerp, all of international renown.
output. Speaking of winning the public's confi- There are also two schools of music at Louvain
dence," said J. C. Franke, the enterprising man- and Bruges. These numerous excellent musical
ager, "Here is a sale just made to J
, of this institutions indicate that the Belgians are a mu-
city, over the 'phone, and he has not seen the in- sic-loving people, and the retail trade in musical
strument yet. Evidently they know and trust instruments of all kinds is good. The sale of
pianos is principally confined to uprights, there
the Hardman product in Brooklyn."
Things are moving along smoothly at the being also a fair demand for the baby grand.
warerooms of the Sterling Piano Co., and no one The best manner for introducing American
pianos and organs, piano players and phono-
graphs into Belgium would be through personal
French-speaking representatives, who would sell
goods direct from manufacturer to dealer. The
duty on pianos and organs and all other musical
instruments is 10 per cent, ad valorem."
BRANCH STORES MUST PAY PROFIT.
Believing that branch stores should be con-
ducted upon a profit-paying basis separate from
the general business. F. J. Schwankovsky, the
prominent dealer of Detroit, Mich., is having
the affairs of his branches investigated and those
that are not paying a satisfactory dividend will
be discontinued.
NARROW ESCAPE OF HICKENL00PER.
Andrew Hickenlooper, vice-president of the
Krell Piano Co., Cincinnati, had a narrow escape
from serious injury last week when his auto-
mobile was caught between two street cars going
in opposite directions, and was reduced to scrap-
iron. Mr. Hickenlooper suffered from a few
scratches and a general shaking up.
LEVIS MOVES TO NEW QUARTERS.
Samuel W. Levis, a piano dealer, of Rochester,
N. Y., has moved to new quarters, at 39 South
avenue, directly opposite his old store. Mr.
Levis handles the Fischer piano as leader.
ANDERSON PIANO FORGING AHEAD.
The Anderson piano, made by the Anderson
Piano Co., Van Wert, Ohio, is rapidly forging
to the front. The first two months have brought
business of a volume which, if continued
throughout the year, will greatly surpass the
very satisfying record of last year.
The Anderson piano is very carefully con-
structed, and besides pleasing the purchaser at
sight it possesses these musical qualities that
give permanent satisfaction.
e
Names which Stand for Quality!
* HE KURTZMANN PIANO is conceded to be one of the
most reliable instruments created; it is in every sense an
attractive instrument, both architecturally and musically. It
is now possible to secure the combination of the Kurtzmann
and the Chase & Baker interior piano-player. With the
Chase & Baker installed within the Kurtzmann piano, there is as good
a combination for quality as can well be named. ^ We have some
territory still open for allotment, and shall be glad to hear from deal-
ers who desire a combination piano and player which it is difficult to
surpass.
C KURTZMANN & COMPANY
10
THE
TRADE CONDITIONS IN BROOKLYN.
Otto Wissner Discusses the Situation for the
Past Two Months—Trade Good Everywhere
Except in East—Many Sales of Autotones—
Good Call for High Priced Sterlings.
(Special to The Review.)
Brooklyn, N. Y., March 13, 1907.
Piano business in this Borough is gradually im-
proving as the spring advances. This does not sig-
nify by any means that trade has been at a stand-
still, but the cold weather and continued snow-
storms experienced during the past few months
has paralyzed shipping facilities and clogged
the wheels of progress to an annoying extent.
Trade at Wissner Hall during the past week has
been very satisfactory. In a chat with The Re-
view about existing conditions, Otto Wissner
•said: "I must be frank and admit that business
in this city for the past two months has not
come up to the mark. Collections have also
dropped below all records during the past six
years. With prosperity all around us the only
cause for this slump, we believe, is the unusual-
ly cold weather that has held this city in its
grip, and killed trade. Our business in all other
parts of the country has been most encouraging.
R. Preszberg, our road man, who came in on
the 9th, reported most favorably on conditions
along the Pacific Coast. However, the coming of
balmier Weather is bringing a large increase in
business, and I consider the outlook to be most
promising."
MU3IC TRADE
REVIEW
is doing any worrying, though all keep the
weather eye peeled on the calendar for the re-
turn of W. S. Denslow, the popular head of this
house, who is expected back around the first of
the month. Collections have only been fair dur-
ing the past week. The demand for high-priced
instruments continues strong. One of the most
popular is style No. 65, made in mahogany, wal-
nut, oak, rosewood and ebony. This piano is of
the cabinet grand type and semi-Colonial design.
The call for their miniature and baby grands is
increasing steadily.
CLEVER CROWN POST CARDS.
George P. Bent, manufacturer of the famous
Crown piano, has favored the trade with the
March, ,or third, number of his series of post
cards. A calendar of the month appears at the
bottom a s usual, while at the top is reproduced
that well-known picture entitled "A Helping
Hand," depicting a small girl pulling at the oar
of a fishing boat, assisted by an old salt. The
rest of the card is taken up with a convincing
talk upon the helping hand extended by those
back of the Crown piano to the dealers who do
their share in promoting the sales of those in-
struments. The qualities that have led to Crown
success are also mentioned.
TRADE OPENING IN BELGIUM.
Consul-General G. W. Roosevelt, in a recent re-
port upon music trade affairs in Belgium, wrote
"Business fair," said Hardman, Peck & Co. as follows: "There are four conservatories of
"Nothing startling, except possibly that the de- music in Belgium, located at Brussels, Ghent,
mand for our autotone is rapidly exceeding our Liege and Antwerp, all of international renown.
output. Speaking of winning the public's confi- There are also two schools of music at Louvain
dence," said J. C. Franke, the enterprising man- and Bruges. These numerous excellent musical
ager, "Here is a sale just made to J
, of this institutions indicate that the Belgians are a mu-
city, over the 'phone, and he has not seen the in- sic-loving people, and the retail trade in musical
strument yet. Evidently they know and trust instruments of all kinds is good. The sale of
pianos is principally confined to uprights, there
the Hardman product in Brooklyn."
Things are moving along smoothly at the being also a fair demand for the baby grand.
warerooms of the Sterling Piano Co., and no one The best manner for introducing American
pianos and organs, piano players and phono-
graphs into Belgium would be through personal
French-speaking representatives, who would sell
goods direct from manufacturer to dealer. The
duty on pianos and organs and all other musical
instruments is 10 per cent, ad valorem."
BRANCH STORES MUST PAY PROFIT.
Believing that branch stores should be con-
ducted upon a profit-paying basis separate from
the general business. F. J. Schwankovsky, the
prominent dealer of Detroit, Mich., is having
the affairs of his branches investigated and those
that are not paying a satisfactory dividend will
be discontinued.
NARROW ESCAPE OF HICKENL00PER.
Andrew Hickenlooper, vice-president of the
Krell Piano Co., Cincinnati, had a narrow escape
from serious injury last week when his auto-
mobile was caught between two street cars going
in opposite directions, and was reduced to scrap-
iron. Mr. Hickenlooper suffered from a few
scratches and a general shaking up.
LEVIS MOVES TO NEW QUARTERS.
Samuel W. Levis, a piano dealer, of Rochester,
N. Y., has moved to new quarters, at 39 South
avenue, directly opposite his old store. Mr.
Levis handles the Fischer piano as leader.
ANDERSON PIANO FORGING AHEAD.
The Anderson piano, made by the Anderson
Piano Co., Van Wert, Ohio, is rapidly forging
to the front. The first two months have brought
business of a volume which, if continued
throughout the year, will greatly surpass the
very satisfying record of last year.
The Anderson piano is very carefully con-
structed, and besides pleasing the purchaser at
sight it possesses these musical qualities that
give permanent satisfaction.
e
Names which Stand for Quality!
* HE KURTZMANN PIANO is conceded to be one of the
most reliable instruments created; it is in every sense an
attractive instrument, both architecturally and musically. It
is now possible to secure the combination of the Kurtzmann
and the Chase & Baker interior piano-player. With the
Chase & Baker installed within the Kurtzmann piano, there is as good
a combination for quality as can well be named. ^ We have some
territory still open for allotment, and shall be glad to hear from deal-
ers who desire a combination piano and player which it is difficult to
surpass.
C KURTZMANN & COMPANY
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