Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 68 N. 15 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
APRIL 12,
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1919
PORTLAND, ORE., PIANO DEALERS REPORT GOOD TRADE
Seasonable Weather Helps Bring Out Prospects—High-Grade Instruments Have the Call—Reed-
French Co. Featuring Sterling and Poole Pianos—H. S. Gilbert's Novel Advertising
PORTLAND, ORE., April 4.—We are having perfect
weather in Portland, and the piano and talking
machine houses are doing a business that is
most satisfactory. Music seems to be in the
air, and in spite of the automobile—which is our
great rival—the music stores have plenty of
customers, who are spending money for high-
priced goods. There have been more than the
usual number of high-class concerts during
March, all well attended, and these have un-
doubtedly stimulated the love of music. More
pianos, more player-pianos, more talking ma-
chines and records have been sold this month
than for some time previous. At one store
which your correspondent visited the remark
was made: "The better the weather, the worse
the business," but this was emphatically denied
by other houses, who declare that the fine
weather has brought out lots of customers. At
any rate, big, high-priced instruments are be-
ing hauled away from the various music houses
and taken to some very handsome homes. The
salesmen of the Wiley B. Allen Co. say x this is
one of the best months ever known, and during
the week a number of the highest-priced pianos
carried by the firm were sold.
The Bush & Lane Co., which advertise ex-
tensively and have unusually handsome and at-
tractive window decorations, are rapidly dispos-
ing of the expensive pianos which they carry.
They have a good supply on hand, but a big
trade is fast making inroads into the stock,
though they have all they need at present and
are not worrying.
G. F. Johnson, of the.G. F. Johnson Co., has
just returned from a visit to Chicago and other
cities in the Middle West, and is well pleased
with the business done at his establishment dur-
ing his month's absence. Excellent terms have
been made for pianos, big first payments and
generous monthly payments.
Mr. Johnson
spoke in the most complimentary terms of the
work accomplished by his assistants during his
absence.
The Reed-French Co. have just received a car-
load of Sterling pianos and expect a carload of
Pooles in a day or two. They have sold a
great number of player rolls. They offered at
special sale good standard rolls, arranged an at-
tractive pyramid display of these rolls in the
show windows, and the result was surprisingly
successful.
Harold S. Gilbert has a novel method of ad-
vertising, which attracts instant attention and
brings good results. A recent "ad" started out
in this way: "My carrots and potatoes were
fine last year, so I started my Victory garden
this morning," and then went on to enumerate
the good pianos he had waiting for customers.
Business has been fine, said Mr. Gilbert, and he
is particularly well pleased at having secured the
services of Frank Nelson, whom he considers
the most thorough piano action regulator on the
Coast. Mr. Nelson was formerly connected with
Chickering & Sons and Ivers & Pond, of Boston.
S. J. McCormick, who is an old piano man
but now manager of the Columbia Grafonola
Shop, can't keep out of the piano business,
which he says is part of himself. In addition
to selling a goodly number of talking machines
during the week he sold a fine player-piano on
Monday.
A Bush & Lane piano was used at a concert
given in the public auditorium on the evening of
March 28 by the Swedish Singing Club "Co-
lumbia." Theo. Karle, tenor, was the soloist.
BUSINESS MORTALITY DECREASES
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
PIANO AGENCY WANTED IN AFRICA
CHARACTER
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
ind
Strohber Co.
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clyboorn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
Other styles $25 to $950
Insolvency Statement for First Quarter of Year
Shows Big Drop
The change from a war to a peace basis,
with diminished trade and industrial activities
at lower prices, has brought no increase in the
country's business mortality, says the insolvency
statement for the first quarter of 1919. Exclu-
sive of banking and other non-commercial re-
verses, the number of failures in the United
States during the three months just ended, as
reported to R. G. Dun & Co., was only 1,904, in-
volving $35,821,052 of liabilities.
Not only are these figures 42.3 per cent, less
in number and 28 per cent, smaller in amount of
indebtedness than the 3,300 defaults for $49,-
780,300 of the first quarter of 1918, but they
disclose reductions of 73.6 and 66.1 per cent.,
respectively, from the high record of 7,216 fail-
ures for $105,703,355 of the opening three
months of 1915. More striking than this, so
few defaults as the 1,904 of this year do not
appear in the returns for the first quarter of any
year back to 1881; and in no three months'
period whatever since the third quarter of
1883 has the number been so moderate, although
the statistics for the fourth quarter of 1918,
when there were 1,913 insolvencies, are almost
as favorable.
While the numerical showing is more remark-
able than the exhibit of liabilities, the $35,821,-
052 involved this year is the smallest sum re-
corded in the first quarter of any year in more
than a decade, or back to 1907, and, excepting
the $35,181,462 of the third quarter of 1918, is
the lightest of all quarters since the third quar-
ter of 1911. Comparing with the mortality of
the second quarter of 1914, or just prior to the
outbreak of the war, declines of 48.8 per cent,
in number and 64.8 per cent, in the indebtedness
are shown; while another noteworthy feature
of the present statement is the fact that it
marks the only occasion since 1904 that the first
quarter's failures have been fewer in number
than in the immediate preceding quarter.
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
Victrola XVI, $225
Victrola XVI, electric, $282.50
Mahogany or oak
Among the list of foreign trade opportunities
issued by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and
Domestic Commerce for April 3 appears a no-
tice that a firm in South Africa desires to se-
cure an agency for the sale of pianos and other
commodities. The number of this opportunity
is 28958 and should be mentioned in correspond-
ence with the Bureau at Washington, D. C.
Victor
Supremacy
is self-evident
It isithe^supremacy
of achievement—of
great things actually
accomplished.
And it brings suc-
cess to Victor retailers
everywhere.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V i c t r o l a " i, the Registered Trade-mark of
the Victor Talking Machine Company designating
the products of this Company only.
W a r n i n g : The use of the word V i c t o o U
upon or in the promotion or sale of any other
Talking Machine or Phonograph products is mis-
leading and illegal.
I m p o r t a n t N o t i c e . Victor Records and
Victor Machines are scientifically co-ordinated
and synchronized in the processes of manufacture,
and their use, one with the other, is absolutely
essential to a perfect reproduction.
"HIS MASTERS VOICE"
APRIL 12,
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1919
PORTLAND, ORE., PIANO DEALERS REPORT GOOD TRADE
Seasonable Weather Helps Bring Out Prospects—High-Grade Instruments Have the Call—Reed-
French Co. Featuring Sterling and Poole Pianos—H. S. Gilbert's Novel Advertising
PORTLAND, ORE., April 4.—We are having perfect
weather in Portland, and the piano and talking
machine houses are doing a business that is
most satisfactory. Music seems to be in the
air, and in spite of the automobile—which is our
great rival—the music stores have plenty of
customers, who are spending money for high-
priced goods. There have been more than the
usual number of high-class concerts during
March, all well attended, and these have un-
doubtedly stimulated the love of music. More
pianos, more player-pianos, more talking ma-
chines and records have been sold this month
than for some time previous. At one store
which your correspondent visited the remark
was made: "The better the weather, the worse
the business," but this was emphatically denied
by other houses, who declare that the fine
weather has brought out lots of customers. At
any rate, big, high-priced instruments are be-
ing hauled away from the various music houses
and taken to some very handsome homes. The
salesmen of the Wiley B. Allen Co. say x this is
one of the best months ever known, and during
the week a number of the highest-priced pianos
carried by the firm were sold.
The Bush & Lane Co., which advertise ex-
tensively and have unusually handsome and at-
tractive window decorations, are rapidly dispos-
ing of the expensive pianos which they carry.
They have a good supply on hand, but a big
trade is fast making inroads into the stock,
though they have all they need at present and
are not worrying.
G. F. Johnson, of the.G. F. Johnson Co., has
just returned from a visit to Chicago and other
cities in the Middle West, and is well pleased
with the business done at his establishment dur-
ing his month's absence. Excellent terms have
been made for pianos, big first payments and
generous monthly payments.
Mr. Johnson
spoke in the most complimentary terms of the
work accomplished by his assistants during his
absence.
The Reed-French Co. have just received a car-
load of Sterling pianos and expect a carload of
Pooles in a day or two. They have sold a
great number of player rolls. They offered at
special sale good standard rolls, arranged an at-
tractive pyramid display of these rolls in the
show windows, and the result was surprisingly
successful.
Harold S. Gilbert has a novel method of ad-
vertising, which attracts instant attention and
brings good results. A recent "ad" started out
in this way: "My carrots and potatoes were
fine last year, so I started my Victory garden
this morning," and then went on to enumerate
the good pianos he had waiting for customers.
Business has been fine, said Mr. Gilbert, and he
is particularly well pleased at having secured the
services of Frank Nelson, whom he considers
the most thorough piano action regulator on the
Coast. Mr. Nelson was formerly connected with
Chickering & Sons and Ivers & Pond, of Boston.
S. J. McCormick, who is an old piano man
but now manager of the Columbia Grafonola
Shop, can't keep out of the piano business,
which he says is part of himself. In addition
to selling a goodly number of talking machines
during the week he sold a fine player-piano on
Monday.
A Bush & Lane piano was used at a concert
given in the public auditorium on the evening of
March 28 by the Swedish Singing Club "Co-
lumbia." Theo. Karle, tenor, was the soloist.
BUSINESS MORTALITY DECREASES
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
PIANO AGENCY WANTED IN AFRICA
CHARACTER
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
ind
Strohber Co.
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clyboorn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
Other styles $25 to $950
Insolvency Statement for First Quarter of Year
Shows Big Drop
The change from a war to a peace basis,
with diminished trade and industrial activities
at lower prices, has brought no increase in the
country's business mortality, says the insolvency
statement for the first quarter of 1919. Exclu-
sive of banking and other non-commercial re-
verses, the number of failures in the United
States during the three months just ended, as
reported to R. G. Dun & Co., was only 1,904, in-
volving $35,821,052 of liabilities.
Not only are these figures 42.3 per cent, less
in number and 28 per cent, smaller in amount of
indebtedness than the 3,300 defaults for $49,-
780,300 of the first quarter of 1918, but they
disclose reductions of 73.6 and 66.1 per cent.,
respectively, from the high record of 7,216 fail-
ures for $105,703,355 of the opening three
months of 1915. More striking than this, so
few defaults as the 1,904 of this year do not
appear in the returns for the first quarter of any
year back to 1881; and in no three months'
period whatever since the third quarter of
1883 has the number been so moderate, although
the statistics for the fourth quarter of 1918,
when there were 1,913 insolvencies, are almost
as favorable.
While the numerical showing is more remark-
able than the exhibit of liabilities, the $35,821,-
052 involved this year is the smallest sum re-
corded in the first quarter of any year in more
than a decade, or back to 1907, and, excepting
the $35,181,462 of the third quarter of 1918, is
the lightest of all quarters since the third quar-
ter of 1911. Comparing with the mortality of
the second quarter of 1914, or just prior to the
outbreak of the war, declines of 48.8 per cent,
in number and 64.8 per cent, in the indebtedness
are shown; while another noteworthy feature
of the present statement is the fact that it
marks the only occasion since 1904 that the first
quarter's failures have been fewer in number
than in the immediate preceding quarter.
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
Victrola XVI, $225
Victrola XVI, electric, $282.50
Mahogany or oak
Among the list of foreign trade opportunities
issued by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and
Domestic Commerce for April 3 appears a no-
tice that a firm in South Africa desires to se-
cure an agency for the sale of pianos and other
commodities. The number of this opportunity
is 28958 and should be mentioned in correspond-
ence with the Bureau at Washington, D. C.
Victor
Supremacy
is self-evident
It isithe^supremacy
of achievement—of
great things actually
accomplished.
And it brings suc-
cess to Victor retailers
everywhere.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V i c t r o l a " i, the Registered Trade-mark of
the Victor Talking Machine Company designating
the products of this Company only.
W a r n i n g : The use of the word V i c t o o U
upon or in the promotion or sale of any other
Talking Machine or Phonograph products is mis-
leading and illegal.
I m p o r t a n t N o t i c e . Victor Records and
Victor Machines are scientifically co-ordinated
and synchronized in the processes of manufacture,
and their use, one with the other, is absolutely
essential to a perfect reproduction.
"HIS MASTERS VOICE"
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).