Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.. New York; Vice-President, T. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Are., 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
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Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
B. BMTTAIN WILSON, CAILETON CHACE, L- M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
W M . BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWMS
BOSTON O F F I C E :
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
CHICAGO OFFICE
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Consumers' Building,
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
N E W S SERVICE I S S U P P L I E D WEEKLY B Y OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED I N 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.
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ADVERTISEMENTS, $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $130.
payable to Edward
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made pa;
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
• dealt with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-Piano and
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal. ..Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma ...Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
S t Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal...Lewis-Clark
Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE
TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 6982—6988 MADISON SQ.
Connecting; all Departments
Cable address: "Elbin, New York."
NEW YORK, APRIL 7, 1917
EDITORIAL
in the music trade industry, both in manufac-
C ONDITIONS
turing and retailing fields, continue to move along satisfac-
tory lines. The demand continues to be active, with a pro-
nounced call for small grands and player-pianos at prices which
indicate that the purchasing public is demanding products of
recognized merit. Manufacturers are still face to face with in-
creasing prices in all departments of construction, and it is evi-
dent in view of the international situation that this condition will
continue to prevail this year. Dealers must, therefore, not look
forward to any decrease from the present prices—that is pro-
vided they are dealing with manufacturers who have a proper
appreciation of the business situation, and who increased the
wholesale prices of their products within a recent date.
There are three big factors in the piano trade which
dealers should emphasize this year—quality—price—publicity. If
they conduct their local campaigns with each of these subjects
as a text, they are bound to educate the public to realize that
this is the year to buy quality products at a price higher than
in the past. This can be done by judicious publicity in the local
papers, and in this way manufacturers can be helped.
There is still another important matter, and that is, ordering
stock early. Conditions in all manufacturing fields are abnormal,
and more time must be given to get out instruments. Supplies
are hard to get, and labor is not very plentiful. This means that
it will take more time to get pianos out of the factory, and in
addition thereto we have to face a very congested freight condi-
tion on the railroads.
Neither legitimate business nor speculative markets have
been disturbed by the recent significant events in the foreign
situation. In producing and distributing channels, as in banking
circles, caution continues general and many interests are still wait-
ing, but there is no lack of the confidence which is essential to
the economic welfare of the nation. That activity has abated in
some branches in about all sections is not surprising, in view of
the unexampled rise of prices and the limits to which the buy-
ing movement was previously carried, and nearly everywhere
commitments for the far future are undertaken with prudence.
The business outlook, broadty considered, is excellent, al-
though there are some pessimists who, like the poor, are always
with us and who see trouble if we are forced to take up arms in
defense of American rights. In its review of business conditions
this week Dun's says:
"The strong position of finance, commerce, and industry is
demonstrated by the stability of the leading markets, and it is
noteworthy that impending foreign events have not lessened con-
fidence in any quarter. Everywhere there are clear manifesta-
tions of wholesome conservatism and caution, and the general
avoidance of overextension in legitimate undertakings affords
the best assurance of sustained economic progress. With re-
newed demands of magnitude in some important branches, manu-
facturing activity continues close to the possible maximum, and,
where operations have abated, it is mainly because of scarcity of
raw materials and of labor, or of temporary suspension of work
through necessary repairs and alterations. Further additions to
available capacity appear in many directions and are promptly
taken up by the overflow of orders in the hands of producing
interests, forward buying increasing in some of the prominent
industries, such as in steel and iron and textiles.
"Payments through the banks, as reflected in Clearing
House transactions, continue in remarkably heavy volume, the
total this week at all leading cities in the United States amount-
ing to no less than $4,709,785,086, an increase of 30.7 per cent,
as compared with the same week last year, and of 78.0 per cent,
as contrasted with the corresponding period in 1915."
T
HE death of "Jack" Haynes, manager of the export depart-
ment of the Aeolian Co., in London, as announced in The Re-
view last week, marks the ending of one of the most interesting
careers in the music trade. Mr. Haynes witnessed and partici-
pated in the development of the export trade in American made
musical instruments for many years—dating back to the early
days of the reed organ. He had become a veritable globe trot-
ter. He knew his South America like a book, and always had
on tap a most interesting fund of reminiscences of his travels.
His genial personality will be sadly missed by a host of friends
the world over.
F the various contests held in music trade circles the most
O
interesting and profitable from many angles are those that
develop competition in the arrangement of window displays.
Window displays of any character represent the best sort of
local advertising, but with a prize in sight things can be done
with a window that are really surprising. Having arranged
windows for contest purposes it becomes very easy for the re-
tailer to fix up a display at regular intervals without special in-
centive beyond the advertising value of such a display.
For the retailer to neglect his display window is about as
foolish as for him to engage a certain amount of space in each
issue of his local paper and leave it blank. The show window
represents a good percentage of the rental value of a store. This
difference can be appreciated by pricing a space in the front
section of a building and a corresponding space in the rear.
Inasmuch as a window has this definite value, any means
that will influence the dealer to make full use of it ought to be
encouraged to the fullest extent.
RATHER important point was brought out at the recent
A
gathering of prominent bankers, manufacturers and credit men
in this city, when the subject of trade acceptances, as far as it con-
cerns the business of selling, was discussed. It appears that thus
far the system has been only sparingly indulged in, although con-
fidence was expressed in its future growth. Possibly one reason
why the practice of giving trade acceptances has not made rapid
progress is that most of the arguments advanced in its favor have
been of a kind to appeal rather to the seller than the buyer.
There is absolutely nothing against the practice from the sell-
er's standpoint, and he does not need to be convinced of its value
to him. With the buyer, however, it is different. The task must
be to convince him that it will be to his benefit, when he does not
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