Music Trade Review
Issue: 1913 Vol. 57 N. 10 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
9
GROWTH OF STEINWAY PIANO OUTPUT IN MIDDLE WEST
Assuming Large Proportions Under Able Management of R. E. Wells, Divisional Manager
with Headquarters in Cincinnati—Charles H. Steinway Plans to Visit Each of the Steinway
Branches in November to Get Close to Methods and Employes—Piano Men Rejoice at End
of Strike Troubles—To Boom Cincinnati's Industries—News of the Week.
(Special to The Review.")
S
CINCINNATI, O., September 2.—R. E. Wells,
Middle West divisional manager for Steinway
& Sons, will soon be acclaimed the third most im-
portant Steinway distributer in the country.
This information comes direct from Charles H.
Steinway and is expressed in a manner so as to
leave no room for doubt as to the relation be-
tween the noted New York house and Mr. Wells.
In a confidential letter to Mr. Wells there is
disclosed plans on the part of Mr. Steinway to aid
the former in building up his long dreamt plan of
a Middle West Empire from a Steinway stand-
point. Mr. Steinway, writing from Aix Les Bains,
in France, discloses his intention of spending at
least ten days in the vicinity of Cincinnati during
November. He wants to meet every person now
working directly under Mr. Wells. Mr. Steinway
will spend at least one day at each of the branches.
This move on the part of Mr. Steinway is part of
a plan to pave the way for entertaining all these
Steinway hustlers in New York City at different
times during January, 1914. They are to be the
guests of Mr. Steinway. The dates will be so ar-
ranged that delegates from each branch will be able
to make the journey without injuring the working
plans of the men.
Enough is known to 'leave no room for doubt that
the Steinway plan of a direct representation in the
Middle West has met with success, and credit for
carrying out the work has been given to Mr. Wells
without any effort at qualifying the praise. Mr.
Steinway, in making this assertion, recalls that the
plan, when first launched, was the subject of con-
siderable unfavorable comment, many of the
critics believing the scheme would result in failure.
Now that Mr. Steinway is satisfied with the turn
of events and has made his observations a matter
of record for the attention of the board of direc-
TEe
with
tors there does not appear to be any room for
holding adverse views as to the success which has
become a part of the work of Mr. Wells and his
assistants.
B. G. Griffith, one of the right hand men of Mr.
Wells, yesterday returned from Huntington,
W. Va., where he spent some days in search for a
suitable store, to be used as a branch for Steinway
& Sons. He was unable to find just what he
wanted on this journey and will make another trip
of observation very shortly. It is possible that he
may have temporary charge of the proposed branch
until some suitable person can be found to repre-
sent Steinway & Sons in that territory.
Labor Day was fairly well celebrated in piano
circles. From all appearances the teamsters'
strike has gone to pieces, and a normal resumption
of business is promised before the end of this
week. The only agitation of consequence on just
now is the laundry workers. Remarkable as'it may
seem the merchants claim August exceeded the
corresponding period of last year from a com-
parison standpoint. All claimed the volume of
new business was greater. This statement is par-
ticularly true of Cincinnati houses having branches
in the Ohio valley. In the flood towns the people
have been working steady, have not been bothered
by internal troubles and are buying pianos. From
a Steinway standpoint Dayton is second as a busi-
ness getter, being close to Cincinnati in that re-
spect. The Cable Company states August was
equal to the same month last year. While the lat-
ter house has no factory in this territory it had a
booth in the "Made in Cincinnati Exposition,"
which closed Saturday. A. C. Vaughan said the
outlay was justified by the results, one sale being
made at the booth and numerous prospects secured.
Cincinnati's varied industries are to be pushed
wherever a local salesman 'travels. This plan has
been launched by the Chamber of Commerce, which
have appointed the traveling salesmen a general
committee. Wherever they find a field in which
some article of local manufacture is not being
pushed they are to report the result of their ob-
servation to the Chamber which will take up the
"complaint" with the interested firms.
Wholesale Representative Summey, of the Cable
Company, is spending the week in Columbus.
W. B. Williams, of the Sterling Co., called on
his old friends last week.
Vice-President Volz, of the Otto Grau Piano
Co., returned yesterday from a trip to the Great
Lakes.
E. J. Ford, Starr dealer at Danville, Ky., was in
town over Sunday getting a new supply of goods.
The Cincinnati branch is highly elated over the
sale of a Style W, Starr player-piano, to a promi-
nent Ciiicinnatian during the past week.
F. W. Japp, of the Smith & Nixon store, re-
turned Saturday, from New York City.
MADE IN LOUISVILLE WEEK.
Piano Houses Give Over Show Windows to Dis-
plays of Local Manufacturers.
New artistic case designs in
especially selected veneers
Mahogany Oak Walnut
A number of the piano houses in Louisville, Ky.,
gave their show window space over to various of
the local manufacturers who desired to display
their products on the main thoroughfares during
"Made in Louisville" week. The appearance of
stoves, furnaces, furniture and other similar prod-
ucts in windows usually devoted to the display of
pianos and other musical goods caused somewhat of
a sensation.
TO RE=ENTEITPIANO TRADE.
INCORPORATED
347 Rider Avenue
New York
Harry J. Strong, who resigned as manager for
the Baldwin Co. in Chicago, 111., several months
ago and purchased an orange grove near Mobile,
Ala., announces that he will re-enter the retail
piano trade in the near future, probably through
the purchase of some going business.
Victor - Victrola
The acknowledged
leader of all musical
instruments
The s u p r e m a c y of the
Victor-Victrola as a musical
instrument and as a com-
mercial success is coincident.
The fact that the Victor-
Victrola is the greatest of
all musical i n s t r u m e n t s
makes it the most important
factor in the entire musical
instrument industry.
What the Victor-Victrola
has done in educating the
public to a proper apprecia-
tion of the best music, what
it has done in fostering the
modern luxurious and well-
appointed music showrooms,
what it has done in uplifting
the music trade to a position
of dignity and unequaled
prosperity, all attest to the
greatness of the Victor-
Victrola.
And the supremacy of the
V i c t o r . V i c t r o l a is more
marked every day and its
value to every dealer greater
than ever before.
Victor Talking Machine Co.,
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
Berliner Gramophone Co., Montreal,
Canadian Distributors.
Always use Victor Machines with Victor Records
and Victor Needles—the combination. There is no
other way to get the unequaled Victor tone.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
9
GROWTH OF STEINWAY PIANO OUTPUT IN MIDDLE WEST
Assuming Large Proportions Under Able Management of R. E. Wells, Divisional Manager
with Headquarters in Cincinnati—Charles H. Steinway Plans to Visit Each of the Steinway
Branches in November to Get Close to Methods and Employes—Piano Men Rejoice at End
of Strike Troubles—To Boom Cincinnati's Industries—News of the Week.
(Special to The Review.")
S
CINCINNATI, O., September 2.—R. E. Wells,
Middle West divisional manager for Steinway
& Sons, will soon be acclaimed the third most im-
portant Steinway distributer in the country.
This information comes direct from Charles H.
Steinway and is expressed in a manner so as to
leave no room for doubt as to the relation be-
tween the noted New York house and Mr. Wells.
In a confidential letter to Mr. Wells there is
disclosed plans on the part of Mr. Steinway to aid
the former in building up his long dreamt plan of
a Middle West Empire from a Steinway stand-
point. Mr. Steinway, writing from Aix Les Bains,
in France, discloses his intention of spending at
least ten days in the vicinity of Cincinnati during
November. He wants to meet every person now
working directly under Mr. Wells. Mr. Steinway
will spend at least one day at each of the branches.
This move on the part of Mr. Steinway is part of
a plan to pave the way for entertaining all these
Steinway hustlers in New York City at different
times during January, 1914. They are to be the
guests of Mr. Steinway. The dates will be so ar-
ranged that delegates from each branch will be able
to make the journey without injuring the working
plans of the men.
Enough is known to 'leave no room for doubt that
the Steinway plan of a direct representation in the
Middle West has met with success, and credit for
carrying out the work has been given to Mr. Wells
without any effort at qualifying the praise. Mr.
Steinway, in making this assertion, recalls that the
plan, when first launched, was the subject of con-
siderable unfavorable comment, many of the
critics believing the scheme would result in failure.
Now that Mr. Steinway is satisfied with the turn
of events and has made his observations a matter
of record for the attention of the board of direc-
TEe
with
tors there does not appear to be any room for
holding adverse views as to the success which has
become a part of the work of Mr. Wells and his
assistants.
B. G. Griffith, one of the right hand men of Mr.
Wells, yesterday returned from Huntington,
W. Va., where he spent some days in search for a
suitable store, to be used as a branch for Steinway
& Sons. He was unable to find just what he
wanted on this journey and will make another trip
of observation very shortly. It is possible that he
may have temporary charge of the proposed branch
until some suitable person can be found to repre-
sent Steinway & Sons in that territory.
Labor Day was fairly well celebrated in piano
circles. From all appearances the teamsters'
strike has gone to pieces, and a normal resumption
of business is promised before the end of this
week. The only agitation of consequence on just
now is the laundry workers. Remarkable as'it may
seem the merchants claim August exceeded the
corresponding period of last year from a com-
parison standpoint. All claimed the volume of
new business was greater. This statement is par-
ticularly true of Cincinnati houses having branches
in the Ohio valley. In the flood towns the people
have been working steady, have not been bothered
by internal troubles and are buying pianos. From
a Steinway standpoint Dayton is second as a busi-
ness getter, being close to Cincinnati in that re-
spect. The Cable Company states August was
equal to the same month last year. While the lat-
ter house has no factory in this territory it had a
booth in the "Made in Cincinnati Exposition,"
which closed Saturday. A. C. Vaughan said the
outlay was justified by the results, one sale being
made at the booth and numerous prospects secured.
Cincinnati's varied industries are to be pushed
wherever a local salesman 'travels. This plan has
been launched by the Chamber of Commerce, which
have appointed the traveling salesmen a general
committee. Wherever they find a field in which
some article of local manufacture is not being
pushed they are to report the result of their ob-
servation to the Chamber which will take up the
"complaint" with the interested firms.
Wholesale Representative Summey, of the Cable
Company, is spending the week in Columbus.
W. B. Williams, of the Sterling Co., called on
his old friends last week.
Vice-President Volz, of the Otto Grau Piano
Co., returned yesterday from a trip to the Great
Lakes.
E. J. Ford, Starr dealer at Danville, Ky., was in
town over Sunday getting a new supply of goods.
The Cincinnati branch is highly elated over the
sale of a Style W, Starr player-piano, to a promi-
nent Ciiicinnatian during the past week.
F. W. Japp, of the Smith & Nixon store, re-
turned Saturday, from New York City.
MADE IN LOUISVILLE WEEK.
Piano Houses Give Over Show Windows to Dis-
plays of Local Manufacturers.
New artistic case designs in
especially selected veneers
Mahogany Oak Walnut
A number of the piano houses in Louisville, Ky.,
gave their show window space over to various of
the local manufacturers who desired to display
their products on the main thoroughfares during
"Made in Louisville" week. The appearance of
stoves, furnaces, furniture and other similar prod-
ucts in windows usually devoted to the display of
pianos and other musical goods caused somewhat of
a sensation.
TO RE=ENTEITPIANO TRADE.
INCORPORATED
347 Rider Avenue
New York
Harry J. Strong, who resigned as manager for
the Baldwin Co. in Chicago, 111., several months
ago and purchased an orange grove near Mobile,
Ala., announces that he will re-enter the retail
piano trade in the near future, probably through
the purchase of some going business.
Victor - Victrola
The acknowledged
leader of all musical
instruments
The s u p r e m a c y of the
Victor-Victrola as a musical
instrument and as a com-
mercial success is coincident.
The fact that the Victor-
Victrola is the greatest of
all musical i n s t r u m e n t s
makes it the most important
factor in the entire musical
instrument industry.
What the Victor-Victrola
has done in educating the
public to a proper apprecia-
tion of the best music, what
it has done in fostering the
modern luxurious and well-
appointed music showrooms,
what it has done in uplifting
the music trade to a position
of dignity and unequaled
prosperity, all attest to the
greatness of the Victor-
Victrola.
And the supremacy of the
V i c t o r . V i c t r o l a is more
marked every day and its
value to every dealer greater
than ever before.
Victor Talking Machine Co.,
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
Berliner Gramophone Co., Montreal,
Canadian Distributors.
Always use Victor Machines with Victor Records
and Victor Needles—the combination. There is no
other way to get the unequaled Victor tone.
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