Music Trade Review
Issue: 1907 Vol. 44 N. 15 - Page 4
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPDLLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
Quo. B. KDTJ.BR.
W. N. TTLEB.
F. H. THOMTSON.
BMILIB FBANCBB BAUUB.
L. B. BOWERS. B. BRITTAIN WILSON, WM. B. WHIT». L. J. CHAMBHHLIN. A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
B. P. "VAN HABLINGBN, 195-187 Wabash Aye.
TELEPHONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8643
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
L. WAITT, 278A Tremont St.
PHILADELPHIA :
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
A. W. SHAW.
CHAS. N. VAN BUBHN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI. O.: NINA PUGHSMITH.
BALTIMORE, MD.: PAUL T. LOCK WOOD.
LONDON, ENGLAND:
69 Basinghall St., E. C.
W. Lionel Sturdy, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION. (Including poitage), United Btates, Mexico, and Canada, $2.00 per
year: all otber countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, 576.00.
REMITTANCES, In otber than currency form, should be made payable to Bdward
Lyman Bill.
Directory of P l a i o
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporation^
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
Manufacturers for dealers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Wand Prim
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver MedaJ.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. .St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Jfedal.Lewls-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE—NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
Cable address: "Elblll N e w York."
NEW YORK, APRIL 1 3 , 1907
EDITORIAL
R
OBT. C. OGDEN, whose retirement from the firm of John
Wanamaker was announced in last week's Review, for years
has given a good deal of study and deep thought to the piano busi-
ness. It has been said that much of the Wanamaker advertising
which has been put forth in the New York papers, has been prepared
under Mr. Ogden's personal direction. He has been enthusiastic
concerning the future of piano selling in the Wanamaker stores,
and has contributed to the development of what has been frequently
termed the largest retail piano business in the world.
S
HORTLY after the announcement of Mr. Ogden's retirement
he gave out to a reporter some of his views on how it is pos-
sible for a young man to succeed.
Mr. Ogden has been a partner of John Wanamaker since 1885.
He welcomes his freedom, not because of his advanced years, for
his mind was never more alert, but because he wishes to devote the
remainder of his lifetime to educational work. He is the head of the
General Education Board, to which John D. Rockefeller recently
gave $32,000,000.
"The idealist in business," declared Mr. Ogden, "the man who
sees the ethical value of his work and does not strive day by day
merely to acquire a sum of money, is the only true and practical
business man. He is the only one to see and to grasp the real op-
portunity when it presents itself. Standards cannot be too high.
"To succeed a man must laugh at discouragements and re-
verses. He must be determined, persistent, confident and aggressive.
He must stubbornly forge ahead in the face of any obstacles. Plod-
ding industriously, prompted by ambition, self-reliance, cultivation
of originality in his particular line, he must put his whole soul into
his work. Success does not require genius, but common sense and
hard work.
"It is equally important that a young man should learn to master
principles as against impulsive and superficial influences, seekino-
high friendships, associating with persons of greater intelligence
than himself, persons who are well bred and well informed."
REVIEW
W
HEN we review the history of piano manufacturing for the
past decade it will be seen at once that some of the newer
concerns have made advances which appear almost phenomenal
when compared with the older institutions of twenty years ago.
New York State has a number of great piano-making institutions
which produce an enormous number of pianos annually. Take a con-
cern like the Foster-Armstrong Co. with its splendidly equipped plants
at East Rochester. As a distributing force this great corporation ex-
ercises tremendous influence in every section of the country. The
Bailey Piano Co. may be reckoned among the great piano-producing
concerns in this country. Kohler & Campbell is another concern that
has made a distinct success of piano making as have Jacob Doll &
Sons and Winter & Co.
T
HE combined annual output of the above-named factories would
run into big figures, and the end is not yet, because they are
preparing for larger outputs all of the time.
We mention these names because they fittingly illustrate the
great productive advance which has been made within a compara-
tively brief period of time. The great West too is prolific in great
piano-producing plants, and more are being added constantly.
With such concerns as the W. W. Kimball Co., Steger & Sons,
the Cable Company, Geo. P. Bent, the Smith, Barnes & Strohber
Co., and others, pianos are counted as easily by the thousands as
hundreds were named years ago, and the annual output of half a
dozen of these factories would astonish some of the old timers,
who thought that the business would reach its decadence in 1900.
But still the output increases with each year, and a half million
pianos annually will be reached within the near future, as the total
output of the. American piano factories. An industry which con-
tains such enormous piano-producing institutions must be reckoned
as one of the important ones of this country.
I
N the retail trade there are great changes constantly going on
just the same as in the manufacturing world. Some of the
old timers are being slowly, but surely side-tracked by institutions
which have come into being within the past few years. It re-
quires a greater degree of activity to maintain trade to-day than
ever before, for no one who is engaged in business can lay claim
to certain exclusive preserves which he may hold as his own. The
old lines are constantly being broken, and new conditions and new
methods are being felt in every city in the land. No man engaged
in business to-day can afford to adopt an unprogressive policy.
It takes more money, it is true, to conduct a business on up-to-date
methods, but if the possibilities are there, it will pay to spend the
money.
W
HEN John Wanamaker commenced selling pianos in New
York the market had always existed here before ; he simply
took advantage of opportunities which were all about, and through
enormous advertising, interested the piano-purchasing public.
S
OME of the piano merchants affirm that their business does not
show as good results as they feel that it should. Evidently
they do not fully understand the changing conditions. They have
not awakened to the fact that the piano trade world of to-day is
very different from what existed a decade ago. It is useless to
deny that the commercial spirit is not becoming more and more
active all of the time, and whether or not we like the old days better
than the new, the new have come, and we must conform our methods
to the conditions of our dav.
I
T is the age of commercialism, and simply because a man has
an agency for a well-known piano is not sufficient reason why
people should throng his warerooms clamoring for that particular
product. Other instruments have their special merits interestingly
presented in the advertising columns of local papers, and as a re-
sult trade.very frequently passes the door of the merchant who does
not believe in a generous public exploitation of his wares. It is
evident that the retail piano merchant who does not note the chang-
ing conditions and govern himself accordingly is taking very seri-
ous risks. Yet as we have already asserted, many merchants have
so far failed to recognize the change which is constantly taking place.
The people are becoming better educated as to piano values, and the
enlightened portion of the public know that only in exceptional
cases are bargains to be obtained. The average purchaser in these
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPDLLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
Quo. B. KDTJ.BR.
W. N. TTLEB.
F. H. THOMTSON.
BMILIB FBANCBB BAUUB.
L. B. BOWERS. B. BRITTAIN WILSON, WM. B. WHIT». L. J. CHAMBHHLIN. A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
B. P. "VAN HABLINGBN, 195-187 Wabash Aye.
TELEPHONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8643
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
L. WAITT, 278A Tremont St.
PHILADELPHIA :
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
A. W. SHAW.
CHAS. N. VAN BUBHN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI. O.: NINA PUGHSMITH.
BALTIMORE, MD.: PAUL T. LOCK WOOD.
LONDON, ENGLAND:
69 Basinghall St., E. C.
W. Lionel Sturdy, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION. (Including poitage), United Btates, Mexico, and Canada, $2.00 per
year: all otber countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, 576.00.
REMITTANCES, In otber than currency form, should be made payable to Bdward
Lyman Bill.
Directory of P l a i o
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporation^
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
Manufacturers for dealers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Wand Prim
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver MedaJ.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. .St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Jfedal.Lewls-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE—NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
Cable address: "Elblll N e w York."
NEW YORK, APRIL 1 3 , 1907
EDITORIAL
R
OBT. C. OGDEN, whose retirement from the firm of John
Wanamaker was announced in last week's Review, for years
has given a good deal of study and deep thought to the piano busi-
ness. It has been said that much of the Wanamaker advertising
which has been put forth in the New York papers, has been prepared
under Mr. Ogden's personal direction. He has been enthusiastic
concerning the future of piano selling in the Wanamaker stores,
and has contributed to the development of what has been frequently
termed the largest retail piano business in the world.
S
HORTLY after the announcement of Mr. Ogden's retirement
he gave out to a reporter some of his views on how it is pos-
sible for a young man to succeed.
Mr. Ogden has been a partner of John Wanamaker since 1885.
He welcomes his freedom, not because of his advanced years, for
his mind was never more alert, but because he wishes to devote the
remainder of his lifetime to educational work. He is the head of the
General Education Board, to which John D. Rockefeller recently
gave $32,000,000.
"The idealist in business," declared Mr. Ogden, "the man who
sees the ethical value of his work and does not strive day by day
merely to acquire a sum of money, is the only true and practical
business man. He is the only one to see and to grasp the real op-
portunity when it presents itself. Standards cannot be too high.
"To succeed a man must laugh at discouragements and re-
verses. He must be determined, persistent, confident and aggressive.
He must stubbornly forge ahead in the face of any obstacles. Plod-
ding industriously, prompted by ambition, self-reliance, cultivation
of originality in his particular line, he must put his whole soul into
his work. Success does not require genius, but common sense and
hard work.
"It is equally important that a young man should learn to master
principles as against impulsive and superficial influences, seekino-
high friendships, associating with persons of greater intelligence
than himself, persons who are well bred and well informed."
REVIEW
W
HEN we review the history of piano manufacturing for the
past decade it will be seen at once that some of the newer
concerns have made advances which appear almost phenomenal
when compared with the older institutions of twenty years ago.
New York State has a number of great piano-making institutions
which produce an enormous number of pianos annually. Take a con-
cern like the Foster-Armstrong Co. with its splendidly equipped plants
at East Rochester. As a distributing force this great corporation ex-
ercises tremendous influence in every section of the country. The
Bailey Piano Co. may be reckoned among the great piano-producing
concerns in this country. Kohler & Campbell is another concern that
has made a distinct success of piano making as have Jacob Doll &
Sons and Winter & Co.
T
HE combined annual output of the above-named factories would
run into big figures, and the end is not yet, because they are
preparing for larger outputs all of the time.
We mention these names because they fittingly illustrate the
great productive advance which has been made within a compara-
tively brief period of time. The great West too is prolific in great
piano-producing plants, and more are being added constantly.
With such concerns as the W. W. Kimball Co., Steger & Sons,
the Cable Company, Geo. P. Bent, the Smith, Barnes & Strohber
Co., and others, pianos are counted as easily by the thousands as
hundreds were named years ago, and the annual output of half a
dozen of these factories would astonish some of the old timers,
who thought that the business would reach its decadence in 1900.
But still the output increases with each year, and a half million
pianos annually will be reached within the near future, as the total
output of the. American piano factories. An industry which con-
tains such enormous piano-producing institutions must be reckoned
as one of the important ones of this country.
I
N the retail trade there are great changes constantly going on
just the same as in the manufacturing world. Some of the
old timers are being slowly, but surely side-tracked by institutions
which have come into being within the past few years. It re-
quires a greater degree of activity to maintain trade to-day than
ever before, for no one who is engaged in business can lay claim
to certain exclusive preserves which he may hold as his own. The
old lines are constantly being broken, and new conditions and new
methods are being felt in every city in the land. No man engaged
in business to-day can afford to adopt an unprogressive policy.
It takes more money, it is true, to conduct a business on up-to-date
methods, but if the possibilities are there, it will pay to spend the
money.
W
HEN John Wanamaker commenced selling pianos in New
York the market had always existed here before ; he simply
took advantage of opportunities which were all about, and through
enormous advertising, interested the piano-purchasing public.
S
OME of the piano merchants affirm that their business does not
show as good results as they feel that it should. Evidently
they do not fully understand the changing conditions. They have
not awakened to the fact that the piano trade world of to-day is
very different from what existed a decade ago. It is useless to
deny that the commercial spirit is not becoming more and more
active all of the time, and whether or not we like the old days better
than the new, the new have come, and we must conform our methods
to the conditions of our dav.
I
T is the age of commercialism, and simply because a man has
an agency for a well-known piano is not sufficient reason why
people should throng his warerooms clamoring for that particular
product. Other instruments have their special merits interestingly
presented in the advertising columns of local papers, and as a re-
sult trade.very frequently passes the door of the merchant who does
not believe in a generous public exploitation of his wares. It is
evident that the retail piano merchant who does not note the chang-
ing conditions and govern himself accordingly is taking very seri-
ous risks. Yet as we have already asserted, many merchants have
so far failed to recognize the change which is constantly taking place.
The people are becoming better educated as to piano values, and the
enlightened portion of the public know that only in exceptional
cases are bargains to be obtained. The average purchaser in these
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