Music Trade Review
Issue: 1915 Vol. 61 N. 4 - Page 6
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
6
RAIN HURTS KANSAS CITY TRADE.
Humid Weather Also a Detriment—Boosting
the Starr Grand—Nowlin Doing Well with
the Baldwin—Many Sales of Chickerings by
Carl Hoffman Co.—Manager Roberts Re-
ports on Kimball Conditions—Thomas Sells
Many Behning Pianos.
(Special to The Review.)
KANSAS CITY, MO., July 19.—The piano business
suffered a slight setback during the week, owing to
the vast amount of rain which fell the previous week
and the extra hot weather of the last. The dealers
have been busy with long lists of prospects in
their hands, but the answer has been, "It is too wet
or too hot for piano buying."
W. E! Rupe, manager of the Starr Piano Co. at
Kansas City, has been boosting the Starr grand
pianos as hard as possible during the last week.
Mr. Rupe sometimes changes his campaign for the
business. One week it will be a grand piano that
he is lauding to the skies and the next week it
will probably be an upright, but always a "Starr."
He is advertising it widely as the official piano of
the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco.
He says that he received two carloads for the July
sales and they are averaging rather good for the
conditions that exist here.
George E. Nowlin sold three Baldwin upright
pianos last week, and thought he was "cock of the
walk" of the piano business. But he says that he
will probably dispose of two grand pianos during
the next, few days. "The rains have hurt the busi-
ness greatly," says Mr. Nowlin. "I have prospectb
that are sure sales that intend to come to Kansas
City to live, but it impossible for them to make the
move at present because of too much water." E. J.
Schuessler is back with the Nowlin Music Co. from
his business trip to St. Louis.
C. C. Thomas goes after the piano business like
he plays golf—with his shirt sleeves rolled up. The
Behning piano, he says, has been selling nicely in
comparison with the others, although the sales have
not been very numerous.
Miss Frances Mooney, of the Mooney Music Co.,
put forth an excellent window display last week.
The display consisted of three Lakeside pianos ar-
ranged in the window ready for use. The sim-
plicity of the thing, with the proper background,
added greatly to the attractiveness of it.
The Nowlin Music Co. lost the creator of its new
method of advertising Grafonolas and records and
the store in general, recently. Allan Child, formerly
manager of the music roll department at the store,
resigned in order that he might give his entire at-
tention to his photographic business here.
W. B. Roberts, manager of the W. W. Kimball
Piano Co. here, says that the business, although it
has been rather slow, has been satisfactory for the
conditions that now exist. Although he does noi
say just how many pianos he sold last week, it was
noticed that he sent several out to private homes.
The collections at the store, he says, have been ex-
cellent, and in this respect the business is progress-
ing nicely.
L. E. Scott, manager of the Carl Hoffman Music
Co. piano department, says that the sales were a
trifle better during the last week than they were
during the previous week. Several Chickcring
pianos were sold last month, and Mr. Scott has
been busy boosting the sales in the Chickcring
grands.
George Nowlin, of the Nowlin Music Co., says
that he has been most fortunate since entering the
business for himself. Mr. Nowlin has been in the
business approximately five months and he has not
yet had to institute a replevin suit in any case. This
speaks well for his trade, for he sold a large num-
ber of pianos since entering the business.
R. E. BRIGGS OFFJTO MIDDLE WEST.
R. E. Briggs, second vice-president of the
National Piano Co., Boston, Mass., passed through
New York this week en route on a special mid-
summer business trip of about a month's duration.
He is planning to confine his traveling to the Mid-
dle West. Mr. Briggs stated that the summer
business this year was in excess of last year.
Practical Opinions
"1 am very much impressed with your Melal Angle
Rail, and would like to have one of the models."—George
R. Levere, of George R. Levcre & Son, Piano Merchants,
Sandusky. Mich.
"The very name, 'Bransfield Metal Angle Rail Piano
Action,' is self-explanatory and should meet with the
hearty approval of all piano men."—Rademacher Music
Company, Le Sueur Center, Minn.
"I have never understood why we did not get a Metal
Action years ago, especially the angle and flange fasten-
ings. Your system is seriously needed, and ought to he
universally adopted without delay."—W. Huntington,
Piano Merchant, Valparaiso, Ind.
"Looks good to me! I can say this from the standpoint
of being somewhat a judge, having worked in a piano
factory four and one-half years before going into the re-
tail part of it."—F. A. Shoeneberg, of F. A. Shoeneberg
& Company, Piano Merchants, St. Joseph, Mich.
"T consider it as near perfect, as far as any liability of
trouble is concerned, as can be made. With all the trouble
that tuners have with all wooden actions, I think they
would like to see them (P>ransfield Metal Angle Rail Ac-
tions) installed in all pianos; for with tightening screws,
etc., a tuner spends a good many days in the course of a
year. Even though the screws are not loose, he does not
dare pass it by without tightening."—Edgar A. Child,
Tuner and Repairer. Hartford, Conn.
"Your argument in favor of the 'Brass Flange Idci' is
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, and my weary knees, kneel-
ing on a parlor floor, and my hand also showing cal-
louses from tightening from about 183 to over 400 screws
in an Action, two and three times a day, for about nine
months in the year, are wearisome realities! All because
of the necessity of tightening wooden flanges and re-
fitting hammers, that every Action needs at least once a
year, and is too often neglected by the average tuner, who
thinks, 'Let well enough alone; seems fair,' and will not
bother with using the screwdriver. And so it goes, until
often the piano is not tuned as seldom as even once in two
years (have often had several years, even up to seven
years). You can imagine the work to restore flanges all
tight, and hammers refitted properly ! Just put me down
as one friend of the 'Brass Flange Idea!'"—John E. Kel-
ler, Piano Tuner, Augusta, Me.
If you would like to know more about
the Bransfield Metal Angle Rail Action,
ask us for illustrated booklet and a
model—free to dealers or tuners.
Bransfield-Billings Action & Supply Co.
FRED K. KURTZ, Gen. Mgr.
SAGINAW, MICH.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
6
RAIN HURTS KANSAS CITY TRADE.
Humid Weather Also a Detriment—Boosting
the Starr Grand—Nowlin Doing Well with
the Baldwin—Many Sales of Chickerings by
Carl Hoffman Co.—Manager Roberts Re-
ports on Kimball Conditions—Thomas Sells
Many Behning Pianos.
(Special to The Review.)
KANSAS CITY, MO., July 19.—The piano business
suffered a slight setback during the week, owing to
the vast amount of rain which fell the previous week
and the extra hot weather of the last. The dealers
have been busy with long lists of prospects in
their hands, but the answer has been, "It is too wet
or too hot for piano buying."
W. E! Rupe, manager of the Starr Piano Co. at
Kansas City, has been boosting the Starr grand
pianos as hard as possible during the last week.
Mr. Rupe sometimes changes his campaign for the
business. One week it will be a grand piano that
he is lauding to the skies and the next week it
will probably be an upright, but always a "Starr."
He is advertising it widely as the official piano of
the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco.
He says that he received two carloads for the July
sales and they are averaging rather good for the
conditions that exist here.
George E. Nowlin sold three Baldwin upright
pianos last week, and thought he was "cock of the
walk" of the piano business. But he says that he
will probably dispose of two grand pianos during
the next, few days. "The rains have hurt the busi-
ness greatly," says Mr. Nowlin. "I have prospectb
that are sure sales that intend to come to Kansas
City to live, but it impossible for them to make the
move at present because of too much water." E. J.
Schuessler is back with the Nowlin Music Co. from
his business trip to St. Louis.
C. C. Thomas goes after the piano business like
he plays golf—with his shirt sleeves rolled up. The
Behning piano, he says, has been selling nicely in
comparison with the others, although the sales have
not been very numerous.
Miss Frances Mooney, of the Mooney Music Co.,
put forth an excellent window display last week.
The display consisted of three Lakeside pianos ar-
ranged in the window ready for use. The sim-
plicity of the thing, with the proper background,
added greatly to the attractiveness of it.
The Nowlin Music Co. lost the creator of its new
method of advertising Grafonolas and records and
the store in general, recently. Allan Child, formerly
manager of the music roll department at the store,
resigned in order that he might give his entire at-
tention to his photographic business here.
W. B. Roberts, manager of the W. W. Kimball
Piano Co. here, says that the business, although it
has been rather slow, has been satisfactory for the
conditions that now exist. Although he does noi
say just how many pianos he sold last week, it was
noticed that he sent several out to private homes.
The collections at the store, he says, have been ex-
cellent, and in this respect the business is progress-
ing nicely.
L. E. Scott, manager of the Carl Hoffman Music
Co. piano department, says that the sales were a
trifle better during the last week than they were
during the previous week. Several Chickcring
pianos were sold last month, and Mr. Scott has
been busy boosting the sales in the Chickcring
grands.
George Nowlin, of the Nowlin Music Co., says
that he has been most fortunate since entering the
business for himself. Mr. Nowlin has been in the
business approximately five months and he has not
yet had to institute a replevin suit in any case. This
speaks well for his trade, for he sold a large num-
ber of pianos since entering the business.
R. E. BRIGGS OFFJTO MIDDLE WEST.
R. E. Briggs, second vice-president of the
National Piano Co., Boston, Mass., passed through
New York this week en route on a special mid-
summer business trip of about a month's duration.
He is planning to confine his traveling to the Mid-
dle West. Mr. Briggs stated that the summer
business this year was in excess of last year.
Practical Opinions
"1 am very much impressed with your Melal Angle
Rail, and would like to have one of the models."—George
R. Levere, of George R. Levcre & Son, Piano Merchants,
Sandusky. Mich.
"The very name, 'Bransfield Metal Angle Rail Piano
Action,' is self-explanatory and should meet with the
hearty approval of all piano men."—Rademacher Music
Company, Le Sueur Center, Minn.
"I have never understood why we did not get a Metal
Action years ago, especially the angle and flange fasten-
ings. Your system is seriously needed, and ought to he
universally adopted without delay."—W. Huntington,
Piano Merchant, Valparaiso, Ind.
"Looks good to me! I can say this from the standpoint
of being somewhat a judge, having worked in a piano
factory four and one-half years before going into the re-
tail part of it."—F. A. Shoeneberg, of F. A. Shoeneberg
& Company, Piano Merchants, St. Joseph, Mich.
"T consider it as near perfect, as far as any liability of
trouble is concerned, as can be made. With all the trouble
that tuners have with all wooden actions, I think they
would like to see them (P>ransfield Metal Angle Rail Ac-
tions) installed in all pianos; for with tightening screws,
etc., a tuner spends a good many days in the course of a
year. Even though the screws are not loose, he does not
dare pass it by without tightening."—Edgar A. Child,
Tuner and Repairer. Hartford, Conn.
"Your argument in favor of the 'Brass Flange Idci' is
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, and my weary knees, kneel-
ing on a parlor floor, and my hand also showing cal-
louses from tightening from about 183 to over 400 screws
in an Action, two and three times a day, for about nine
months in the year, are wearisome realities! All because
of the necessity of tightening wooden flanges and re-
fitting hammers, that every Action needs at least once a
year, and is too often neglected by the average tuner, who
thinks, 'Let well enough alone; seems fair,' and will not
bother with using the screwdriver. And so it goes, until
often the piano is not tuned as seldom as even once in two
years (have often had several years, even up to seven
years). You can imagine the work to restore flanges all
tight, and hammers refitted properly ! Just put me down
as one friend of the 'Brass Flange Idea!'"—John E. Kel-
ler, Piano Tuner, Augusta, Me.
If you would like to know more about
the Bransfield Metal Angle Rail Action,
ask us for illustrated booklet and a
model—free to dealers or tuners.
Bransfield-Billings Action & Supply Co.
FRED K. KURTZ, Gen. Mgr.
SAGINAW, MICH.
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