Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
APRIL 19, 1919
PITTSBURGH PIANO TRADE SHOWING MARKED STIMULUS
Local Dealers Report Satisfactory Trade, With Increase in Sales as Easter Draws Near—Hoff-
man Co. Featuring the Gulbransen Player—New Association to Meet
PITTSBURGH, PA., April 14.—Trade conditions in
the piano market in this city and vicinity were
somewhat stimulated during the Lenten period
that is now fast drawing to a close. Inquiries
made by The Review representative the past
week at practically all of the music establish-
ments in this city elicted the response that trade
was quite satisfactory. It was also stated that
the demand for player-pianos and grand pianos
was considerably above the normal rate and
sales were only retarded by the scarcity of in-
struments. However, the piano manufacturers
are sending out the cheering news that they
are doing their best to turn out pianos and
players, and it is expected that the shortage
that now exists will be shortly a thing of the
past.
Theodore Hoffmann, of the J. M. Hoffmann
Co., the well-known Wood street piano dealers,
stated to The Review that he had been notified
that two carloads of Gulbransen player-pianos
had been shipped to the Hoffmann Co. Mr.
Hoffmann said, "Business is moving along at
a very steady basis, and it would be much more
pronounced had we the player-pianos and pianos
to supply our patrons. The demand for player-
pianos is especially strong."
Paul Fink, sales manager of the Behning
Piano Co., of New York, was a Pittsburgh visi-
tor and reported the trade outlook for the Beh-
ning pianos as excellent.
One of the best-arranged and attractive piano
departments in this city is that of Boggs & Buhl,
the well-known Northside department store.
The firm have devoted a large portion of the
fourth floor for the purpose of displaying and
demonstrating pianos. The department is under
the direction of W. H. McConnell. The color
scheme of the various smaller showrooms is
artistic and in keeping with the high standard
of the firm. The Poole, L,yon & Healy, Janssen
and Henry F. Miller pianos and player-pianos
are sold. Mr. McConnell stated that he was
looking forward with eagerness to place in his
department the Janssen-Angelus player-piano.
Arthur O. Lechner, of Lechner & Schoen-
berger, said to The Review representative: "Our
piano business has been moving at a very sat-
isfactory rate. The business for March was
far in excess of that of March a year ago. At
present we are somewhat handicapped by the
lack of pianos and player-pianos, although we
have the assurance of the manufacturers that
they are making every effort to make shipments
in time." The Lechner & Schoenberger Co.
handle the Kranich & Bach, Lechner & Schoen-
berger, Weser and Remington pianos and player-
pianos, as well as the Starr pianos, Richmond
pianos, Gulbransen player-pianos and Apollo
player-pianos.
In keeping with the Easter festival season the
following firms, C. C. Mellor Co., Charles M.
Stieff, Inc., Lechner & Schoenberger, the S.
Hamilton Co., W. F. Frederick Piano Co., and
the J. M. Hoffmann Co. combined in a united
movement to direct the attention of the public
to "Kaster Music" in a page advertisement in
the Gazette-Times on Sunday, April 13. The
advertisement was well displayed and attracted
considerable attention.
LANGDON
The Remarkable
PLAYER-PIANO
The Best DEALERS' Proposition
oo the Market Today
LANGDON PIANO CO.
Player-Piano* Exclusively
82-88 Brown Place
New York
Theodore Hoffmann, of the J. M. Hoffmann
Co., starts on his annual trout fishing expedi-
tion this week. His rendezvous is a stream in
the wilds of Potter County, this State, where
the speckled beauties are abundant.
The April meeting of the newly organized
Piano Merchants' Association of Pittsburgh
will be held Monday evening, April 21, in the
Chamber of Commerce. President C. J. Rob-
erts states that a full attendance is looked for,
as important matters will be up for considera-
tion and action.
TRADE NEWS FROM PORTLAND, ORE.
Piano Trade Is Somewhat Quiet, But Dealers
Manage to Keep Busy—Allen Co. Headquar-
ters Being Remodeled—News of the Week
PORTLAND, ORE., April 11.—It may be the spring
house cleaning, or it may be taxes, or it may
be the weather, but something, at any rate, has
put the quietus upon the piano trade during the
last week. During the first two weeks in March
business in the piano houses was exceptionally
good, and everything indicated a continuation of
this greatly-to-be-desired condition of affairs,
when suddenly, without any apparent rhyme or
reason, came a falling off, or rather a distinct
stoppage of trade.
The demand for grands continues at Wiley
B. Allen & Co.'s. A big stock has been entirely
sold out of the higher-priced grands. There is
not a Mason & Hanilin grand, a Conover grand
or a Hardman grand left in stock. Unusual sales
were made of these high-priced instruments dur-
ing the winter and early spring. Last month
G. V. Taylor sold five grands and K. K. Gabriel
sold three grands.
Foley & Van Dyke have received a shipment
of Kohler & Campbell pianos, also a shipment
of Pease pianos. The piano trade is not as good
this week as it was during the early part of
March. Talking machine business continues very
good.
At the concert given by Madame Alda at the
Heilig Theatre on Wednesday evening, April 2,
a Steinway grand was used. Miss Erin Ballard
accompanied Madame Alda.
Improvements arc being made at the piano
house of the Wiley B. Allen Co. Carpenters
and painters are at work, and in a short time a
marked improvement will be made in all the
departments of the store, adding to its efficiency
and convenience. It is noticeable that all the
high-grade houses in Portland are beautifying
and generally adding to the attractiveness of
their establishments. There are very few towns
in the United States that can compare with Port-
land in the "up-to-date" and general good style
of its piano houses.
Mrs. June Slusher, who has been in the piano
and sheet music departments of Lipman, Wolfe
& Co. for a number of years, was married to
Captain William B. Wolcott, at Multnomah
Falls, on the Columbia Highway, on Sunday,
March 23. The wedding was of an unusual and
interesting character, 1,500 people witnessing the
ceremony. Captain Wolcott, who is commander
of his company, a Provisional Regiment, Ore-
gon National Guard, was presented by his com-
pany with a handsome gold-mounted cane. Mrs.
Wolcott was presented by the company with a
handsome silver service.
TO MAINTAIN STRING TENSION
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 14.—George T. Bach-
man, Johnson City, Tenn., was last week granted
Patent No. 1,298,862 for a device for maintain-
ing instrument strings under tension.
The primary object of the present invention
is to provide a device for so connecting the
strings of a piano or the like as to cause the
strings to be maintained under the proper ten-
sion at all times.
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Leaders in the Automatic Field
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CHICAGO