Music Trade Review
Issue: 1916 Vol. 62 N. 12 - Page 9
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SENSATIONAL PIANO ADVERTISING PLENTIFUL IN DETROIT.
Dealers Declare That Publicity of Certain Houses Has Shattered Confidence of Public, but
Take No Action—"Gyp" Dealer Has Long Career—General News of the Trade.
(Snecial to The Review.)
DETROIT, MICH., March 13.—The subject of ad-
vertising is always an interesting one, the amount
spent in this form of publicity running into mil-
lions of dollars annually. The piano trade con-
tributes as much to the daily newspapers in the
course of a year as does any other line of trade
with the exception of the department and dry-
goods stores. Talk to any piano dealer and you
will get the same opinion—that he does not get
the full value of his advertising because the
people have lost confidence in piano advertising
to a great extent. It is just as one dealer said:
"We pay 100 cents for the advertisement, but we
only get about 60 per cent, value for our money."
People have lost faith in piano advertising simply
because of the misstatements, misrepresentations
and misleading arguments and prices given. This
subject is by no means a new one, but it is one
that can always bear discussing because if some-
thing could be done to uplift piano advertising
confidence would increase and results for money
spent in advertising would be greater. Another
dealer: "It is getting so that unless you use a
half page and some heading about 'bombs hitting
our prices/ 'the bottom has fallen out of prices,'
'at your own price,' 'make us an offer/ 'piano
prices go tumbling/ etc., you cannot get the public
interested."
Detroit has had a lot of such advertising in the
past twelve months, and it is a question of whether
the concerns using such methods to attract the
attention of the unsuspecting have really made a
great profit. They may have sold a lot of instru-
ments, but taking into consideration their high
rent, the number of repossessions which always
follow such sales and the money spent with the
newspapers they really have not made any substan-
tial profit.
There is a man who has lived for a great num-
ber of years on Twenty-fifth street, this city,
who regularly every Sunday advertises in the
newspapers that he wants to get rid of his piano.
As fast as he sells it another takes its place.
Can it be possible that this man can operate
such a misleading business under the very noses
of the local piano dealers without something
being done to stop him? Can't the Detroit Music
Trades Association take some action to put a stop
to such methods? What about the Truthful Ad-
vertising law in existence, which provides a fine
for misleading statements and misrepresentation
in advertising? The writer has talked with a num-
ber of dealers who know that this man and others
have been carrying on such things for many years
and they would like to see it eliminated, but they
do nothing to wipe it out. Who then is to blame
if such things continue? Is not the Detroit Music
Trades organization strong enough to go to the
publishers of the newspapers who accept such ad-
vertising and insist that it be refused?
This week will be an interesting one at the J.
L. Hudson piano store. Posters all through the
various departments announce "Baby Grand
Week." During this sale a limited number of baby
grand pianos (made by the Brambach Piano Co.)
will be sold at $460. There were three days of
courtesy—Wednesday, Thursday and Friday pre-
ceding the opening day—during which time cus-
tomers could inspect the instruments and have
one laid aside to be delivered after the sale started.
Manager Andrew has backed up the sale with
some splendid window displays and some unusually
attractive newspaper advertising, it is the first
time in the history of Mr. Andrew's experience
that he has conducted such a sale, and from the
number of people who have called at the store
and who have phoned for appointments there isn't
any doubt that the week of March 11-18 will show
a big baby grand business.
G. E. McNally, special representative of the
Brambach Piano Co., was in town for several
days last week. President Mark P. Campbell, of
this firm, was in town the previous week.
D. F. Cordingley, of the Aeolian Co., was in
Detroit Friday and Saturday of this week, during
which time he camped at the J. Henry Ling store,
this being the exclusive Detroit agency for Weber
pianos. Mr. Cordingley has been West since Jan-
uary 10 and expected to be in New York a few
days after leaving Detroit.
The past weeks have been strenuous ones for
C. A. Grinnell, of .Grinnell Bros., and E. P .
Andrew, of the J. L. Hudson Piano Store, both
of whom have been captains of teams campaigning
for the $300,000 fund for the Y. W. C. A. As
captains they were among the leaders. Grinnell
Bros, made an individual contribution of $1,000
toward the fund.
Friedrich's, 206 Monroe avenue, Grand Rapids,
advertised the A. B. Chase piano last week and
made this announcement in connection therewith:
"We take a special interest in showing the magnifi-
cent A. B. Chase piano because of the fact that
over forty years ago our Julius A. J. Friedrich,
Sr., purchased the first A. B. Chase instrument
placed on the market."
Smith & Hurst have opened a branch store in
the New Kelsey Building, 237 Division avenue S.,
where they will wholesale and retail pianos, player-
pianos and organs. The Grand Rapids store will
also be the executive headquarters and offices in
the future. The firm has maintained stores in
Kalamazoo and Traverse City for the past several
years. Ernest E. Smith is president, Joseph N.
Hurst is vice-president and treasurer and V. A.
Shutler is secretary.
Grinnell Bros, will soon make alterations to a
number of their mofe prominent branch stores
through the State.
C. W. Cross, of the Bush & Lane Piano Co., re-
ports that the first week of the "clean-up" sale
has been better than he anticipated, and that the
sale will close March 18.
A. W. SCHEU RESIGNS MANAGERSHIP. NEW PIANO STORE IN GLENS FALLS.
A. W. Scheu, manager of the Louisville, Ky.
branch store of Steinway & Sons, has resigned his
position, the resignation taking effect April 1. Ill
health has necessitated this move and Mr. Scheu
will take a long rest, after which time he will re-
enter the Steinway service, probably somewhere in
Ohio. His place as manager will be taken by Wal-
ter Smyth, who has already begun his new work
under the coaching of Mr. Scheu and will be ready
to assume full charge of the store by the first of
next month.
j POOLE CO. ISSUES SOUVENIR.
*The Poole Piano Co., Boston, Mass., recently
sent out to the trade a very handy prospect book,
vest pocket size, bound in baby walrus leather. It
contains some excellent illustrations of the Poole
instruments and a brief description of the various
features which they possess. Space is afforded for
memoranda, and a 1916 and 1917 calendar is printed
on the inside covers of the little book.
Fred Snyder and H. Davis Will Open a New
Music Store on April 1.
(Special to The Review.)
GLENS FALLS, N. Y., March 13.—Fred Snyder,
formerly in business with his brother in the con-
fectionery business at 22 Warren street, has sold
out the candy store and will enter the piano busi-
ness at the same address in partnership with his
father-in-law, H. Davis, starting the business on
the first of April. The new concern will feature
the Bradbury, Webster, Krakauer, Ricca & Son
and Ernest & Co. pianos, and will also carry one
of the high-class talking machines. Mr. Davis has
been in the piano business for the past thirty
years, and at present is conducting a music store
in Saratoga, N. Y.
The Hough Electric Pipe Organ Co. will locate
its new factory at Bay City, Mich. Modern ma-
chinery will be installed.
Victrola XVI, $200
Vlctrola XVI, electric, $250
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $15 to $400
Victrola
supremacy—all the
time and everywhere
Viewed from the stand-
point of musical art,
judged by the character
and prestige of the stores
that handle it, measured
in dollars for its ability
as a profit-producer, the
Victrola is supreme.
Victor Talking Machine Co.,
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
Berliner Gramophone Co., Montreal,
Canadian Distributors.
Important Warning.—Victor records can be
safely and satisfactorily played only with Victor
Needles or Tungs-tone Stylus on Victors or Victro-
las. Victor Records cannot be safely played on
machines with jeweled or other reproducing: points.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SENSATIONAL PIANO ADVERTISING PLENTIFUL IN DETROIT.
Dealers Declare That Publicity of Certain Houses Has Shattered Confidence of Public, but
Take No Action—"Gyp" Dealer Has Long Career—General News of the Trade.
(Snecial to The Review.)
DETROIT, MICH., March 13.—The subject of ad-
vertising is always an interesting one, the amount
spent in this form of publicity running into mil-
lions of dollars annually. The piano trade con-
tributes as much to the daily newspapers in the
course of a year as does any other line of trade
with the exception of the department and dry-
goods stores. Talk to any piano dealer and you
will get the same opinion—that he does not get
the full value of his advertising because the
people have lost confidence in piano advertising
to a great extent. It is just as one dealer said:
"We pay 100 cents for the advertisement, but we
only get about 60 per cent, value for our money."
People have lost faith in piano advertising simply
because of the misstatements, misrepresentations
and misleading arguments and prices given. This
subject is by no means a new one, but it is one
that can always bear discussing because if some-
thing could be done to uplift piano advertising
confidence would increase and results for money
spent in advertising would be greater. Another
dealer: "It is getting so that unless you use a
half page and some heading about 'bombs hitting
our prices/ 'the bottom has fallen out of prices,'
'at your own price,' 'make us an offer/ 'piano
prices go tumbling/ etc., you cannot get the public
interested."
Detroit has had a lot of such advertising in the
past twelve months, and it is a question of whether
the concerns using such methods to attract the
attention of the unsuspecting have really made a
great profit. They may have sold a lot of instru-
ments, but taking into consideration their high
rent, the number of repossessions which always
follow such sales and the money spent with the
newspapers they really have not made any substan-
tial profit.
There is a man who has lived for a great num-
ber of years on Twenty-fifth street, this city,
who regularly every Sunday advertises in the
newspapers that he wants to get rid of his piano.
As fast as he sells it another takes its place.
Can it be possible that this man can operate
such a misleading business under the very noses
of the local piano dealers without something
being done to stop him? Can't the Detroit Music
Trades Association take some action to put a stop
to such methods? What about the Truthful Ad-
vertising law in existence, which provides a fine
for misleading statements and misrepresentation
in advertising? The writer has talked with a num-
ber of dealers who know that this man and others
have been carrying on such things for many years
and they would like to see it eliminated, but they
do nothing to wipe it out. Who then is to blame
if such things continue? Is not the Detroit Music
Trades organization strong enough to go to the
publishers of the newspapers who accept such ad-
vertising and insist that it be refused?
This week will be an interesting one at the J.
L. Hudson piano store. Posters all through the
various departments announce "Baby Grand
Week." During this sale a limited number of baby
grand pianos (made by the Brambach Piano Co.)
will be sold at $460. There were three days of
courtesy—Wednesday, Thursday and Friday pre-
ceding the opening day—during which time cus-
tomers could inspect the instruments and have
one laid aside to be delivered after the sale started.
Manager Andrew has backed up the sale with
some splendid window displays and some unusually
attractive newspaper advertising, it is the first
time in the history of Mr. Andrew's experience
that he has conducted such a sale, and from the
number of people who have called at the store
and who have phoned for appointments there isn't
any doubt that the week of March 11-18 will show
a big baby grand business.
G. E. McNally, special representative of the
Brambach Piano Co., was in town for several
days last week. President Mark P. Campbell, of
this firm, was in town the previous week.
D. F. Cordingley, of the Aeolian Co., was in
Detroit Friday and Saturday of this week, during
which time he camped at the J. Henry Ling store,
this being the exclusive Detroit agency for Weber
pianos. Mr. Cordingley has been West since Jan-
uary 10 and expected to be in New York a few
days after leaving Detroit.
The past weeks have been strenuous ones for
C. A. Grinnell, of .Grinnell Bros., and E. P .
Andrew, of the J. L. Hudson Piano Store, both
of whom have been captains of teams campaigning
for the $300,000 fund for the Y. W. C. A. As
captains they were among the leaders. Grinnell
Bros, made an individual contribution of $1,000
toward the fund.
Friedrich's, 206 Monroe avenue, Grand Rapids,
advertised the A. B. Chase piano last week and
made this announcement in connection therewith:
"We take a special interest in showing the magnifi-
cent A. B. Chase piano because of the fact that
over forty years ago our Julius A. J. Friedrich,
Sr., purchased the first A. B. Chase instrument
placed on the market."
Smith & Hurst have opened a branch store in
the New Kelsey Building, 237 Division avenue S.,
where they will wholesale and retail pianos, player-
pianos and organs. The Grand Rapids store will
also be the executive headquarters and offices in
the future. The firm has maintained stores in
Kalamazoo and Traverse City for the past several
years. Ernest E. Smith is president, Joseph N.
Hurst is vice-president and treasurer and V. A.
Shutler is secretary.
Grinnell Bros, will soon make alterations to a
number of their mofe prominent branch stores
through the State.
C. W. Cross, of the Bush & Lane Piano Co., re-
ports that the first week of the "clean-up" sale
has been better than he anticipated, and that the
sale will close March 18.
A. W. SCHEU RESIGNS MANAGERSHIP. NEW PIANO STORE IN GLENS FALLS.
A. W. Scheu, manager of the Louisville, Ky.
branch store of Steinway & Sons, has resigned his
position, the resignation taking effect April 1. Ill
health has necessitated this move and Mr. Scheu
will take a long rest, after which time he will re-
enter the Steinway service, probably somewhere in
Ohio. His place as manager will be taken by Wal-
ter Smyth, who has already begun his new work
under the coaching of Mr. Scheu and will be ready
to assume full charge of the store by the first of
next month.
j POOLE CO. ISSUES SOUVENIR.
*The Poole Piano Co., Boston, Mass., recently
sent out to the trade a very handy prospect book,
vest pocket size, bound in baby walrus leather. It
contains some excellent illustrations of the Poole
instruments and a brief description of the various
features which they possess. Space is afforded for
memoranda, and a 1916 and 1917 calendar is printed
on the inside covers of the little book.
Fred Snyder and H. Davis Will Open a New
Music Store on April 1.
(Special to The Review.)
GLENS FALLS, N. Y., March 13.—Fred Snyder,
formerly in business with his brother in the con-
fectionery business at 22 Warren street, has sold
out the candy store and will enter the piano busi-
ness at the same address in partnership with his
father-in-law, H. Davis, starting the business on
the first of April. The new concern will feature
the Bradbury, Webster, Krakauer, Ricca & Son
and Ernest & Co. pianos, and will also carry one
of the high-class talking machines. Mr. Davis has
been in the piano business for the past thirty
years, and at present is conducting a music store
in Saratoga, N. Y.
The Hough Electric Pipe Organ Co. will locate
its new factory at Bay City, Mich. Modern ma-
chinery will be installed.
Victrola XVI, $200
Vlctrola XVI, electric, $250
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $15 to $400
Victrola
supremacy—all the
time and everywhere
Viewed from the stand-
point of musical art,
judged by the character
and prestige of the stores
that handle it, measured
in dollars for its ability
as a profit-producer, the
Victrola is supreme.
Victor Talking Machine Co.,
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
Berliner Gramophone Co., Montreal,
Canadian Distributors.
Important Warning.—Victor records can be
safely and satisfactorily played only with Victor
Needles or Tungs-tone Stylus on Victors or Victro-
las. Victor Records cannot be safely played on
machines with jeweled or other reproducing: points.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).