Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
John Wanamaker as a Piano Manufacturer—His Purchase of the Schomacker Factory Name and
Assets Through a Representative Has Resulted in Many Comments—Plainer Piano Styles in
Vogue—The Lester Factory in Good Position to Increase Output—Increased Demand for the
Lester Player-Pianos—Fine Class of Instruments Shown in Local Warerooms.
(Special to The Review.)
Philadelphia, Pa., June 19, 1907.
The piano business in Philadelphia is continu-
ing normal for June. The month is up to its
average, although there has not been the spurt
in business that was anticipated. As the weather
promises to be temperate through the summer,
the dealers are expecting to enjoy a fair busi-
ness during July and August, for it is generally
accepted that there will not be nearly the money
carried out of the city this year as heretofore,
and the piano men expect to profit by this, in
that the public will have more money to spend
in their homes this fall. They are naturally
anticipating a very heavy fall business, and there
is reason for this.
All the piano stores are well stocked up, and
seem to be experiencing no trouble in obtaining
goods. As far as workmanship is concerned, the
pianos that are arriving here are of a particu-
larly fine class of workmanship, showing that
even in this art, which long ago it was thought
had reached the acme of perfection, there is still
room for "Improvement, which the piano design-
ers have not been slow to grasp. The plain case
seems to continue in popularity, and it is really
remarkable the effects some of the manufactur-
ers are getting out of undecorated wood. A few
of our manufacturers within the year predicted
that the trade were gradually drifting away
from the plain cases, but this is evidently not
true, for the dealers tell me that the plain
cases are taken two to one of those that are
ornamented.
The crowded appearance of some of the stores
indicates the extent of their rental list, these
instruments having come back from the conser-
vatories and private schools who had rented
them for the teaching season. This rental list
is growing larger and larger as the music stu-
dents increase.
The manufacturers of Philadelphia have never
been in better shape than at the present time.
The Lester factory, where recently was installed
and started a new 200 horse-power boiler, is now
working at an output that must be greater than
the demand, in spite of the fact that the firm
have almost doubled their wholesale business
over a year ago. The firm are now in a position,
for the first time in a year, to hope to get some
pianos ahead of their orders. But there are so
many orders standing on their books for future
shipment that it is hardly to be anticipated that
they will have much of a surplus at any time
during the remainder of the year, but they will
be able at least to supply any demands upon
them.
The firm will now turn their attention to find-
ing some way out of the congestion in their
concealed player department. This is a separate
part of their business, which was started less
than two years ago. At that time they were
unable to calculate its extent. They experi-
mented nearly a year with this instrument, and
when it was finally issued from the factory it
gave hopes of being a 'winner.' These hopes
have been more than realized to the extent that
more than double the amount of Lester con-
cealed players have been manufactured than
they had expected, and they have been com-
pelled to work on this instrument many times
under trying circumstances in order to satisfy
the call for it.
While the conditions at the Lester factory have
been unique, for a Philadelphia made instru-
ment, yet the other factories, probably not to the
same extent, have had calls upon them far be-
yond their best anticipations.
This leads up to the new firm of Philadelphia
manufacturers, John Wanamaker. I t is yet too
early to learn just to what extent this firm will
enter into the manufacture of pianos, but on
Cunningham Piano Co., returned at the end of
this week from a two weeks' v/edding tour, hav-
ing been married on the evening of June 4 to
Miss Gwendolyn Plass at the First Presbyterian
Church of Germantown. They will live at 741
East Chelten avenue, Germantown.
INTERESTING COMPOSITE PICTURE
Friday last they were added to the Philadelphia
list, and as the Wanamaker house never does Is That Which Appears Elsewhere in The Re-
anything by halves, it may be expected that at
view of Eminent Artists Who Endorse the
as early a date as possible they will put the
Knabe Piano—How the Idea Was Conceived
present Schomacker factory into such a condi-
and Developed a Story in Itself.
tion that an output at least double any previous
record will be had at that factory.
The composite picture of some of the artists
The sale of the Schomacker factory, name and who indorse the Knabe piano, which appears on
all of its assets, was consummated last Friday page 48 of this week's issue of The Review, car-
in room 336, Postoffice building. It was sold for ries with it an interesting story. R. F. Nolley,
the benefit of the creditors and at their consent. of the Nolley Advertising Agency, who has charge
Most of the stock had been previously purchased of the Knabe advertising, has a hobby, and that
by the Wanamakers at 25 cents per share, and hobby is photography. He knows no greater
they have undoubtedly a clear title to enter into pleasure than to focus his camera and delve into
the manufacture of that instrument, in spite of
the mysteries of films and plates and dark rooms,
any threats to the contrary.
and even though the Nolley Agency maintains its
The price paid was $40,100, and the bidding own corps of photographers, whenever he has a
was spirited. Previously the highest bid was spare moment his feet irresistibly turn toward
$34,000. This $40,100 does not nearly cover the this department. One day while handling photo-
cost of the plant to John Wanamaker. There is graphs of some of the artists who have charmed
a mortgage of $50,000, and it will require at this country with Knabe recitals, he accidentally
least $40,000 to put the factory into good shape, combined the plates of several of them, and ob-
so $100,000 may be put down as the purchase serving that the eyes of each met, he combined
price. The bidding for the plant was started the entire lot—eager to see what kind of a face
by a bid of $34,250, made by W. Howard Wilson, would be developed. The result is the picture in
of the Estey house, who was there in the inter- William Kna'be & Co.'s ad.—and the face com-
est of a would-be purchaser who could not be mands instant attention. I t is the face of a
present. Another spirited bidder was Julius C. genius, of a rare, sensitive soul, of moods as
Levi, who, it is said, was bidding for the Gimbel many as the sands of the seashore, of aspirations
firm. At several intervals he asked for a halt as high as the heavens. Two men once stood in
in the bidding for further consultation with the an art gallery, and as they lingered before a pic-
firm he represented. It was evident, however, to ture there, tears welled in the eyes of one as he
all bidders that the Wanamaker firm was in to said to his companion: "It's only a little country
purchase at any price, so when $40,000 was scene, but I hear the nightingale and smell the
And, looking upon this com-
reached the bidding was discontinued by other honeysuckles."
posite face, one sees more than a curious acci-
bidders.
dent. One sees the sturdy founder of the house
Mr. Measey, the attorney in the interest of the of Knabe dreaming and building a piano whose
stockholders, is very much pleased at the out- tone stirs men's souls, awakes dormant capacity
come, and he now believes that the creditors will and calls to achievement; one sees the sons and
be paid in full, as the plant brought at least grandsons turning away from mere commercial-
more than $5,000 of the sum he had anticipated. ism, building pianos that nobly expound the
He says the real estate and other assets already moods and emotions of humanity, that respond to
accounted for is upward of $47,000, and will un- the every touch of the world's greatest musicians,
doubtedly reach $50,000 or more, while more and that are inseparably identified with the artis-
than $7,000 has already been collected and is tic and ideal in music.
held in bank by the trustees in the interest of
the creditors. The creditors should feel very
fortunate in having had such a competent man
"DISTINCTIVELY HIGH GEADE"
as Mr. Measey in charge, for undoubtedly his
close attention to the estate has left the creditors
many thousands of dollars to the good.
It has long been the desire of the Wanamaker
house to enter the field as manufacturers. They
came near having their desires satisfied several
years ago when the Mason & Hamlin business
was on the market for sale, and when the Cable
Company secured that property. For the Wana-
makers the Schomacker property is a good asset.
They do not expect to carry on the wholesale
business to any extent, although the piano has
quite a following outside of this city, particu-
larly through Pennsylvania, where a large num-
ber of them have been sold, that it is no doubt
that many of them will find a place in other
than Wanamaker stores. I t is also thought
likely that there will be a Wanamaker piano
made at the Schomacker factory to satisfy other
desires, or the Schomacker may be labeled with
the words "Made by John Wanamaker."
At any event, at least by fall the Wanamaker
is the greatest success of the day.
stores will no doubt contain an ample stock of
It possesses a scale of rare even
the Schomacker piano. Now it remains to be
ness, a tone of remarkable sonority
seen what the H. C. Schomacker Co. will do.
and richness, with a quality that
this firm was no doubt organized in good faith,
is highly orchestral. Our latest
and there is a substantial backing to it, Mr.
styles of Grands and Uprights
Tily, the president, being one of the best busi-
mark a decided advance in the art
ness men in Philadelphia. They were waiting
of piano-making. We court inves-
to see what was to become of the old factory, and
tigation. Some territory still open.
now that that is settled they will be able to
CHRISTNAN SONS,
go ahead and do what they think is the most
FACTORY AND OFFICE:
WAREROOMS:
advisable thing.
35 Weai 14th St.
869-873 East 137 Ih St.
Bhe CHRISTMAN
STUDIO GRAND
Thomas Allison Patton, head salesman of the
NEW
YORK