Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIENA/
MUSIC TRADE CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA.
CHICKERING QUARTER GRAND
The Pianos Most in Favor Are the German, English and American in the Order Named—The
People of That Country Are Musical and There Is Quite an Opening for an Increased Trade
for American Musical Instruments, According to United States Consul Killmaster.
One of the Big Favorites at the Wanamaker
Piano Salons—Most Effectively Introduced
to Public Notice.
Washington, D. C, Dec. 3, 1912.
G. B. Killmaster, United States Consul at New-
castle, writing to the Department at Washington,
regarding music trade conditions in Australia, says
that the people of that country are music loving
and that mostly every home has either a piano or
organ. He adds that the pianos most in favor are
the German, English and American, in the order
named. The American instruments compose only
about 5 per cent, of the total. There is no prejudice
against them, and it is said they would find a
readier sale if they were as good instruments in
tone, appearance, etc., as the German pianos and
were sold at as low a pr:ce. German pianos sell
at retail for $250 to $600 and wholesale for $165 to
$300. They are generally purchased by dealers for
one-third cash and the balance on consignment,
and are usually sold on the time-payment plan,
with payments of $5 to $12.50 per month.
The piano warehouses here are branch establish-
ments, the chief houses being located in Sydney
and Melbourne, where all the importing is done,
and the supplies being forwarded here as required.
No piano parts are imported here, but a firm in
Sydney imports German parts and assembles them
there.
Uprights of 4 feet 4 inches to 4 feet 6 inches
high are the most popular style on this market.
Rosewood, natural mahogany and walnut finishes
are preferred to the black woods. Cost is an im-
portant consideration in the sales, and as long as
the mechanism is good not so much attention is
paid to the case. The heat and moisture material-
ly affect piano§ here.
The market for organs appears to be good, those
with solid wood cases of burr walnut and dull
finish and medium and chapel styles being pre-
ferred.
The organs are advertised and sold much the
same as pianos, wholesale prices running from $70
to $200 and retail prices from $100 to $400.
A large number of gramophones have been sold
here lately, with a correspondingly large number of
records. Some of these instruments are Australian
made and are of very good quality, but are usually
sold under some name, such as Hessaphone, etc'
Popular selections on cylinder records are pre-
ferred. A considerable number of machines with
concealed sounding horns are in use and seem to
be popular, but the probable market for high-grade
machines is not large. Machines are mostly im-
ported from the United States. Quotations f. o. b.
American ports are usual.
The new Chickering quarter grand piano is the
subject of a forceful advertisement appearing in
daily newspapers this week over the signature of
John Wanamaker, New York. This handsome
product of Chickering & Sons is attracting a great
deal of favorable attention from the music-lov-
ing populace of New York, and the Wanamaker
piano salons are crowded each day with pros-
pective purchasers and visitors who wish to hear
this instrument.
Not only are these visitors charmed with the
deep, rich tone of this admirable example of Chick-
ering quality, but they are more than pleased with
its handsome appearance and artistic finish. As
stated in the advertisement. "A new Chickering
production is an event in the musical world," and
judging from the number of sales closed in the
past fortnight, the event is being celebrated by
numerous lovers of finely constructed pianos.
The new piano is five feet seven inches in length,
four feet five and three-quarter inches in width,
and three feet two and three-eighths inches in
height; case of figured mahogany; keyboard of
seven and one-third octaves, new overstrung scale,
three strings, patent agraffe bridge, harmonic bar,
double fallboard, sostenuto pedal, and retails for
$725.
LOVETT MAKES ASSIGNMENT.
NEW MILWAUKEEJONCERN OPENS.
MAHER BROS. EXPAND.
Canton, O., Piano Dealer Claims Assets of
$25,000 and Liabilities of $12,000.
F. Leslie Clarke Piano Co. Has Handsome
Quarters at 710-12 Grand Avenue, That City
— K . A. Graner's Success with Haddorff—
Tel-Electric Line to Gram—Goerch's Plans.
(Special to The Review.)
(Special to The Review.)
Canton, O., Dec. 2, 1912.
Referring to his assignment, H. D. Lovett, piano
dealer, said on Saturday that it was made for the
benefit of his creditors, with assets approximating
$25,000 and liabilities about $12,000. Mr. Lovett
said he was forced to the assignment and as to the
cause, he ascribes it to unfair business rating.
KANSAS LAW HELD INVALID.
Foreign Corporations Cannot Be Required to
File Statements.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Dec. 2, 1912.
The Kansas corporation regulation law requir-
ing corporations of other States trading in Kansas
to file annual statements at the State Capitol was
held invalid so far as it affects interstate commerce
by the Supreme Court of the United States to-day
in a test case brought by the Buck's Stove &
Range Co. of St. Louis.
The law was held to apply only to the domestic
corporations of Kansas. The decision followed
former Justice Harlan's ruling in a similar case.
South Dakota laws providing civil and criminal
penalties for persons selling goods lower in one
city than in another in order to suppress com-
petition were upheld by the Supreme Court.
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made, good
instruments; in other words,
the sweetest things out.
RUDOLF PIANO [CO.
721 East 137th St.
NEW YORK
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 3, 1912.
The handsome salesrooms of the F. Leslie Clarke
Piano Co., recently incorporated by F. Leslie Clarke
were opened at 710-12 Grand avenue this week. Mr.
Clarke has secured both first and second floors of
the recently remodeled establishment, and is show-
ing a fine line of pianos and players. The new
store is located almost in the heart of the retail
district, and the display facilities are of the best.
Mr. Clarke was formerly manager of the Milwau-
kee Piano Manufacturing Co.'s store.
K, A. Graner, one of Milwaukee's musician
piano men, representative of the Haddorff line, has
been making some fine sales of late to well known
musical people of Milwaukee. Mr. Graner is a
pianist of known ability, and his interpretation of
the Haddorff qualities has built up a big business
here in the well known Rockford line.
C. L. Goersch, who has been in charge of the
Tel-Electric agency in Milwaukee since it was
opened last winter in the Empire building, has
several propositions in mind, but it is reported that
he is-to return to Gimbel Bros., and take charge of
the player department. Mr. Goersch had been as-
sociated with Gimbel Bros, for several years be-
fore taking up with the Tel-Electric and is a well-
informed and experienced player man.
The change in the local agency of the Tel-Elec-
tric to Gram was expected, when it became known
that the Tel-Electric Piano-Player Co. had discon-
tinued its Western branch in Chicago, and had
placed the agency in that city with Lyon & Healy.
The Milwaukee agency has been conducted as a
branch of the Chicago office.
DEATH OF NEW JERSEY DEALER.
George B. Sharrette, who for a number of years
conducted a music store on High street, Morris-
town, N. J., and who was also well known as an
orchestra leader, died suddenly jn that city re-
cently of stomach trouble.
Joseph Benedict, proprietor of the Joseph Bene-
dict Music House, Galesburg, 111., which handles
the Kimball and other lines of pianos in that city,
announces that he will close out the business owing
to advanced age,
Piano House of Jackson, Mich., Builds Addition
to Present Quarters.
Maher Bros., the well-known piano dealers of
Jackson, Mich., are building a two-story addition
to the rear of their present building to provide
the extra facilities required by their growing busi-
ness. When the increased space is available the
entire second floor of the present building will
be given over to player-pianos and grands. The
main salesroom and office will be located on the
first floor.
The record of the Starr pianos in the schools of
Texas was again strengthened recently through the
sale of a full carload of Starr pianos to the School
of Industrial Arts, at Denton, Tex., this being
the second order for Starr pianos placed by that
institution. The sale was made by the Field-Lipp-
mann Co., of Dallas, Tex.
BEALE& CO.,Ltd.
A N N A N D A L E , near Sydney
AUSTRALIA
PIANO MAKERS, largest piano factories in
the British Empire.
VENEER MANUFACTURERS from choice
Australian and other woods, for export.
IMPORTERS of Music and Musical Instru-
ments, and Talking Machines.
IMPORTERS of Interior Players for Pianos.
MAKERS of fine Cabinet work.
The only musical-instrument firm having
its own branches in every State of the
Commonwealth.
Particulars of anything connected with the
above lines, and of labor-saving methods and
machinery, always welcome. Give fullest de-
tails in your first letter, so as to save time.
For the guidance of intending suppliers, illus-
trations of our factories, with full description
of the work and method, may be inspected at
the office of our Agents upon presentation of
business card.
AGENTS IN U. S. A . :
ILSLEY-DOUBLEDAY & CO.
Front Street
NEW YORK