Music Trade Review
Issue: 1916 Vol. 63 N. 25 - Page 4
L
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
KEVIFW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
. ,
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE, L. M.ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAJD WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON
OFFICE i
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
CHICAGO OFFICE«
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Consumers' Building,
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
I.OXDON, ENGLAND! l Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., C. C.
N E W S SERVICE] IS SUPPLIED W E E K L Y BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $3.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $110.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
inA Unit
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
allV aUU
,
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, vegu-
Honnpfmonte
lating and repairing
of pianos and player-pianos ave
V t : » d l I l l i e i l l b . d e a l t w i t h i w i l l b ? s f o u n d i n another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix *
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal. .. Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma . . . . Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal..Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
SZSTAHCX TBMPHOWES—VmiBSBS
6988—8*83 XADIBON SQ.
Connecting 1 all Departments
Cable addreMi "Blbifi, New York."
NEW YORK. DECEMBER 16, 1916
EDITORIAL
REVIEW
their copy and consequently contains more total advertising" than
any other daily in the metropolis of the United States.
In the December fifth issue of the New York Journal, The
Review measured the column inches of advertising, classifying
the different ads along general lines. The very startling results
of this investigation run as follows: Clothes, over 600 column
inches; musical instruments, over 500 column inches; food, over
200 inches ; furniture and house fittings, over 100 inches ; chemical
preparations, over 100 inches; automobiles, over 50 inches; the-
atres, over 50 inches and miscellaneous 65 inches.
Considering that clothes include everything from collars to
shoes and that their appeal is divided among women, men, and
children, in the approximate ratio of women 50 per cent., men
40 per cent., and boys, girls and infants, 10 per cent., the real
facts of the case were that from the publicity side music was a
healthy LEADER. The revised table should read:
Over 500 inches—Music.
Over 300 inches—Women's clothes.
Over 200 inches—Food, men's clothes.
Over 100 inches—Furniture, medicine.
Over 50 inches—Autos, children's clothes, theatres, mis-
cellaneous.
In view of the fact that food and clothes represent what may
be termed the necessities of life, and in further view of the fact that
musical instruments are primarily a luxury, the lead assumed by
music as an advertised commodity becomes still more significant.
E World Do Move" and in the realm of mechanical musical
instruments moves fast. Here we have the musical critic of
a daily paper, one of the class that has spent weary hours thinking
up new sarcasm to pour on "canned music" actually growing en-
thusiastic over the capabilities of the Duo-Art Pianola and the
Aeolian-Yocalion. In his review of a recital held in St. Louis re-
cently, Homer Moore, musical critic of The Republic, said in part:
""A roll of paper, perforated at the right point, has been made to
take the place of the weary hours of piano practice except for those
who wish to make themselves into pianists." Surely this marks a
new understanding of what the player-piano is intended to do and
what it does. When this understanding becomes general, the stand-
ing of the player-piano and the talking machine will be unassailable,
and their future unlimited.
INCE the Holiday Issue of The Review reached the trade last
HE unusual number of authoritative special articles in The
S
week, this office has been in receipt of numerous letters of com-
T
Review
last week left hardly a corner of the trade uncovered.
mendation, as well as personal tributes regarding the unusual char-
Piano trade conditions; problems of the player-piano and the
acter of the paper. One local piano man said: "The Holiday
number of The Review reflects most impressively the prosperous
conditions that exist in the trade to-day. It is full of articles on
valuable trade subjects by men whose opinions are to be accepted as
authoritative." "The classiest trade paper we have ever seen,''
writes another manufacturer. It is work such as this that bespeaks
organization, and the appreciation that has been accorded our efforts
•makes the weeks of work worth while.
We of The Review are not inclined to blow our own horn
noisily and it is highly gratifying to have our friends in the trade
so willing and anxious to blow it for us.
l 1 EN the retail piano trade is compared with other lines of
W
business—whenever there is a discussion of the opportuni-
ties that lie before it, or ways and means for increasing distribu-
tion—it is generally pointed out that the reason the piano trade
does not enjoy a greater prominence is because the piano is not
advertised efficiently. Continuous harping on this fact would
lead the occasional listener to assume that the music trade was
far behind other lines, both in the quantity and character of its
advertising. Anyone who is sufficiently interested, however, will
soon find upon perusal of the leading newspapers, especially in
the larger cities, that the quantity of music trade advertising is
oftentimes far in excess of that of any other line—even products
that rank distinctly as the necessities of life, such as clothing
and food. At this time of year musical instrument advertising
so far overshadows that of the automobile that there is hardly
any opportunity for comparison.
The New York Evening Journal has the largest circulation
in New York City—a circulation of over 800,000. It is used
most extensively by advertisers who seek active returns from
music roll; the situation in the supply trade; the developments in
the talking machine and musical merchandise fields, and the pro-
gress that has been made in the publishing and selecting of sheet
music, were all treated by those who may be considered experts
in their lines.
These special articles should serve to dispell any disquieting
fears, and incidentally should prove some excellent rules of prac-
tice for both piano manufacturer and dealer during the coming
year. Without exception the departments of the trade are shown
to be upon a sounder and more substantial basis. We have, of
course, the steady increase in producing costs, but the burden is
being distributed, and while the fundamentals are sound, the
stresses of business need not of necessity prove dangerous. Read
those articles again. They will prove helpful to your business.
HE warning issued to piano manufacturers and retailers by
T
Richard W. Lawrence through The Review last week, that
financial safety lay in a strict adherence to credit reforms instituted
when general conditions were such that extreme caution was neces-
sary to insure weathering a business slump, should be heeded
immediately. Mr. Lawrence says the time to enforce close credits
is when the demand is at its height, and when money is plentiful.
By watching credits under present conditions, even more closely
perhaps than when conditions are normal, the manufacturer and
retailer will find that when there is a change for the worse in the
business situation which must come eventually in the natural course
of events, that his house is in order, that his outstanding accounts
are small in comparison to his cash balance, instead of vice-versa.
Successful business men everywhere are spreading this message,
carefulness in credits, It's a message with a meaning.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
KEVIFW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
. ,
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE, L. M.ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAJD WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON
OFFICE i
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
CHICAGO OFFICE«
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Consumers' Building,
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
I.OXDON, ENGLAND! l Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., C. C.
N E W S SERVICE] IS SUPPLIED W E E K L Y BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $3.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $110.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
inA Unit
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
allV aUU
,
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, vegu-
Honnpfmonte
lating and repairing
of pianos and player-pianos ave
V t : » d l I l l i e i l l b . d e a l t w i t h i w i l l b ? s f o u n d i n another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix *
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal. .. Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma . . . . Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal..Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
SZSTAHCX TBMPHOWES—VmiBSBS
6988—8*83 XADIBON SQ.
Connecting 1 all Departments
Cable addreMi "Blbifi, New York."
NEW YORK. DECEMBER 16, 1916
EDITORIAL
REVIEW
their copy and consequently contains more total advertising" than
any other daily in the metropolis of the United States.
In the December fifth issue of the New York Journal, The
Review measured the column inches of advertising, classifying
the different ads along general lines. The very startling results
of this investigation run as follows: Clothes, over 600 column
inches; musical instruments, over 500 column inches; food, over
200 inches ; furniture and house fittings, over 100 inches ; chemical
preparations, over 100 inches; automobiles, over 50 inches; the-
atres, over 50 inches and miscellaneous 65 inches.
Considering that clothes include everything from collars to
shoes and that their appeal is divided among women, men, and
children, in the approximate ratio of women 50 per cent., men
40 per cent., and boys, girls and infants, 10 per cent., the real
facts of the case were that from the publicity side music was a
healthy LEADER. The revised table should read:
Over 500 inches—Music.
Over 300 inches—Women's clothes.
Over 200 inches—Food, men's clothes.
Over 100 inches—Furniture, medicine.
Over 50 inches—Autos, children's clothes, theatres, mis-
cellaneous.
In view of the fact that food and clothes represent what may
be termed the necessities of life, and in further view of the fact that
musical instruments are primarily a luxury, the lead assumed by
music as an advertised commodity becomes still more significant.
E World Do Move" and in the realm of mechanical musical
instruments moves fast. Here we have the musical critic of
a daily paper, one of the class that has spent weary hours thinking
up new sarcasm to pour on "canned music" actually growing en-
thusiastic over the capabilities of the Duo-Art Pianola and the
Aeolian-Yocalion. In his review of a recital held in St. Louis re-
cently, Homer Moore, musical critic of The Republic, said in part:
""A roll of paper, perforated at the right point, has been made to
take the place of the weary hours of piano practice except for those
who wish to make themselves into pianists." Surely this marks a
new understanding of what the player-piano is intended to do and
what it does. When this understanding becomes general, the stand-
ing of the player-piano and the talking machine will be unassailable,
and their future unlimited.
INCE the Holiday Issue of The Review reached the trade last
HE unusual number of authoritative special articles in The
S
week, this office has been in receipt of numerous letters of com-
T
Review
last week left hardly a corner of the trade uncovered.
mendation, as well as personal tributes regarding the unusual char-
Piano trade conditions; problems of the player-piano and the
acter of the paper. One local piano man said: "The Holiday
number of The Review reflects most impressively the prosperous
conditions that exist in the trade to-day. It is full of articles on
valuable trade subjects by men whose opinions are to be accepted as
authoritative." "The classiest trade paper we have ever seen,''
writes another manufacturer. It is work such as this that bespeaks
organization, and the appreciation that has been accorded our efforts
•makes the weeks of work worth while.
We of The Review are not inclined to blow our own horn
noisily and it is highly gratifying to have our friends in the trade
so willing and anxious to blow it for us.
l 1 EN the retail piano trade is compared with other lines of
W
business—whenever there is a discussion of the opportuni-
ties that lie before it, or ways and means for increasing distribu-
tion—it is generally pointed out that the reason the piano trade
does not enjoy a greater prominence is because the piano is not
advertised efficiently. Continuous harping on this fact would
lead the occasional listener to assume that the music trade was
far behind other lines, both in the quantity and character of its
advertising. Anyone who is sufficiently interested, however, will
soon find upon perusal of the leading newspapers, especially in
the larger cities, that the quantity of music trade advertising is
oftentimes far in excess of that of any other line—even products
that rank distinctly as the necessities of life, such as clothing
and food. At this time of year musical instrument advertising
so far overshadows that of the automobile that there is hardly
any opportunity for comparison.
The New York Evening Journal has the largest circulation
in New York City—a circulation of over 800,000. It is used
most extensively by advertisers who seek active returns from
music roll; the situation in the supply trade; the developments in
the talking machine and musical merchandise fields, and the pro-
gress that has been made in the publishing and selecting of sheet
music, were all treated by those who may be considered experts
in their lines.
These special articles should serve to dispell any disquieting
fears, and incidentally should prove some excellent rules of prac-
tice for both piano manufacturer and dealer during the coming
year. Without exception the departments of the trade are shown
to be upon a sounder and more substantial basis. We have, of
course, the steady increase in producing costs, but the burden is
being distributed, and while the fundamentals are sound, the
stresses of business need not of necessity prove dangerous. Read
those articles again. They will prove helpful to your business.
HE warning issued to piano manufacturers and retailers by
T
Richard W. Lawrence through The Review last week, that
financial safety lay in a strict adherence to credit reforms instituted
when general conditions were such that extreme caution was neces-
sary to insure weathering a business slump, should be heeded
immediately. Mr. Lawrence says the time to enforce close credits
is when the demand is at its height, and when money is plentiful.
By watching credits under present conditions, even more closely
perhaps than when conditions are normal, the manufacturer and
retailer will find that when there is a change for the worse in the
business situation which must come eventually in the natural course
of events, that his house is in order, that his outstanding accounts
are small in comparison to his cash balance, instead of vice-versa.
Successful business men everywhere are spreading this message,
carefulness in credits, It's a message with a meaning.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).