Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 68 N. 5 - Page 13
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THE MUSIC TRADE
FEBRUARY 1, 1919
REVIEW
13
WANE OF INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC HELPS SAN FRANCISCO
Music Dealers Report Increasing Business—L. S. Sherman as a Whale-Catcher—Duo-Art Sym-
phony Concert This Week—Good Fotoplayer Installations—Personals and Other News
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., January 23.—After spend-
ing half a century in selling musical instruments
and in using his every energy for the advance-
ment of all things musical, it is not often that
a man then turns to whale catching. But that
is the very thing which L. S. Sherman, of Sher-
man, Clay & Co., has done. Mr. Sherman is
very proud of his big music house and he de-
lights to take visitors through the various de-
partments and show how completely the estab-
lishment is stocked. In the future, however,
when those prominent in the trade or in the
musical profession pay their respects to Mr.
Sherman the visitor is apt to be invited on a
whale fishing trip on the whaling boat "Her-
cules." Just before the war in Europe broke
out Mr. Sherman became interested in the
possibilities of catching whales on this coast.
He gave some financial backing to a company
which was formed at the time, and is one of
the two men who have stayed with the com-
pany down to the present. The war kept back
the enterprise, but now under the name of the
California Sea Products Co. a vessel valued at
$50,000 has been purchased and a plant repre-
senting an expenditure of over $100,000 has been
erected at Moss Landing some miles south of
San Francisco. Mr. Sherman is vice-president
of the company and one of its active directors.
On January 22 the first whale, a 50-foot sperm,
said to be worth about $5,000, was caught in
sight of land off Moss Landing, and Mr. Sher-
man now talks as glibly about blubber and
whalebone as he formerly did of pianos and
talking machines. Selling pianos is business,
but catching whales is a sport fit for a king.
If the two could only be combined—if only a
talking machine, or piano, or possibly one of the
big Fotoplayers which Sherman, Clay & Co. are
now retailing in this territory could be rigged
up in the prow of the steamer, and the whale
charmed to destruction with the peals of sweet
music, Oh, Lorelei, where then would be the
boasts of thy song?
prices may come down before the close of the
year, but lower prices are not looked for in the
immediate future. The manufacturers must be
given a chance to reduce their stocks and the
dealers must be given the opportunity to clear
their floors before any material reduction is
looked for. Many would-be purchasers seem to
think that prices should be marked down at
once, but the music houses are firm in their
intention to take no serious losses on their
stocks. The only possible danger in the situa-
tion is the remote chance that some makers
may throw a large number of pianos on the
market at greatly reduced prices and so de-
moralize the entire market. This possibility is
regarded as very slight, however, as the dealers
here have every confidence that the manufac-
turers will stand together and will see that
any reductions which may come shall come by
degrees.
Herbert Marple Sending in Big Orders
Herbert Marple, who is traveling for the
sheet music department of Sherman, Clay &
Co., is still in the East and is sending in some
big orders. E. P. Little, head of the depart-
ment, says that "Mummy Mine" is becoming
popular throughout the East.
Duo-Art Piano at Symphony Concert
The Duo-Art piano will make its bow in sym-
phony work with the San Francisco Symphony
Orchestra at a concert to be given January 31.
A private rehearsal will be given the preceding
day for the benefit of the press, and on Sunday,
February 2, the second concert will be given.
The appearance of the Duo-Art at a symphony
concert has been tried successfully at New
York, Philadelphia and Chicago, but this is the
first time for San Francisco. Alfred Hertz, the
conductor of the orchestra, was violently op-
posed at first to the use of the Duo-Art, but
when he learned that he himself would control
absolutely the operation of the instrument he
consented to try it out and he is now said to be
an enthusiastic supporter of the Duo-Art.
Fotoplayer in Dallas Theatre
Influenza on the Wane
The epidemic of influenza seems to have
George Levy, of the San Francisco headquar-
reached its height in this city and it is now ters of the American Photo Player Co., visited
decidedly on the decline. Whether or not this Oklahoma City on business recently, and while
is due to the general wearing of masks is a there he ran down to Dallas, Tex., and landed
mooted question. The advocates of the mask one of the theatres there for a Fotoplayer.
point to the very material decline in the num-
Two Dutch theatre exhibitors from Java were
ber of cases reported, while the opponents show visitors to the American Photo Player Co. this
by the same figures that cases showed a large, week. They are greatly interested in the work-
steady reduction before the mask ordinance was ing of the instrument.
enforced. At any rate the worst of the epidemic
Some Fotoplayer Installations
has passed, and the people are visiting the
Eddy Boyens, of the installation department
stores with practically the same lack of re- of the American Photo Player Co., left for
straint as in ordinary times. This is not one Phoenix recently to install a Fotoplayer there,
of the liveliest periods in the music business and before he completed the work he was or-
here, but from all reports business is normal. dered to Georgia to install two other Foto-
The local houses are all pretty well stocked players.
and they are not inclined to increase their sup-
P. G. Jacobus, Jr., secretary of the American
ply of pianos at least until reconstruction has Photo Player Co., has gone to Cincinnati to
advanced further. It is said by some that piano superintend the construction of Fotoplayers
there. He will remain indefinitely.
"A Wonderful Thing" Makes Big Hit
Arthur W. Fisk, of the Fisk Music Co., says
that "A Wonderful Thing" is proving one of
the most popular songs sung in this city. He
has been called to make over fifty-odd arrange-
ments for public singers who were not satis-
fied with the song in the published keys.
Alfred Dolge Back Home
Alfred Dolge, of Los Angeles, is just back
The Auto Grand
from a visit to the Haddorff factory at Rock-
The Krell Auto Grand
ford, 111. While he missed the coldest weather
he is glad to get back again to the land of
The Krell Player
sunshine, even if he does have to cover his
Quality products that will enable the dealer to close
smile with a "flu" mask.
Krell
Duchess, Mervy n
Royal
a quality business at a substantial profit.
Write for Catalog
THE WERNER INDUSTRIES CO.
9th and Harriet St..,
CINCINNATI, O.
The Armstrong-Matthews Music Co., Enid,
Okla., has been incorporated with capital stock
of $25,000, all paid in. The step was taken in
order to distinguish the concern from companies
doing business under a similar name.
Talking Points
In Every
SEEBURG
"X"
PRESSION
Reproducing
Piano
(Coin-Operated)
Your customers will
appreciate them all.
But the
crowning
argument lies in giving
them a
Practical
Demonstration
in your own Ware-
rooms.
"Ever ybody is de-
lighted, everybody
Wants"
The Seeburg
A presston
Reproducing Piano
Write us TO-DAY for
pertinent facts
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO COMPANY
"Leaders in the Automatic Field"
Republic Building, 209 South State Street
Factories, Seeburg Building, 419 Wett Erie Street
CHICAGO
THE MUSIC TRADE
FEBRUARY 1, 1919
REVIEW
13
WANE OF INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC HELPS SAN FRANCISCO
Music Dealers Report Increasing Business—L. S. Sherman as a Whale-Catcher—Duo-Art Sym-
phony Concert This Week—Good Fotoplayer Installations—Personals and Other News
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., January 23.—After spend-
ing half a century in selling musical instruments
and in using his every energy for the advance-
ment of all things musical, it is not often that
a man then turns to whale catching. But that
is the very thing which L. S. Sherman, of Sher-
man, Clay & Co., has done. Mr. Sherman is
very proud of his big music house and he de-
lights to take visitors through the various de-
partments and show how completely the estab-
lishment is stocked. In the future, however,
when those prominent in the trade or in the
musical profession pay their respects to Mr.
Sherman the visitor is apt to be invited on a
whale fishing trip on the whaling boat "Her-
cules." Just before the war in Europe broke
out Mr. Sherman became interested in the
possibilities of catching whales on this coast.
He gave some financial backing to a company
which was formed at the time, and is one of
the two men who have stayed with the com-
pany down to the present. The war kept back
the enterprise, but now under the name of the
California Sea Products Co. a vessel valued at
$50,000 has been purchased and a plant repre-
senting an expenditure of over $100,000 has been
erected at Moss Landing some miles south of
San Francisco. Mr. Sherman is vice-president
of the company and one of its active directors.
On January 22 the first whale, a 50-foot sperm,
said to be worth about $5,000, was caught in
sight of land off Moss Landing, and Mr. Sher-
man now talks as glibly about blubber and
whalebone as he formerly did of pianos and
talking machines. Selling pianos is business,
but catching whales is a sport fit for a king.
If the two could only be combined—if only a
talking machine, or piano, or possibly one of the
big Fotoplayers which Sherman, Clay & Co. are
now retailing in this territory could be rigged
up in the prow of the steamer, and the whale
charmed to destruction with the peals of sweet
music, Oh, Lorelei, where then would be the
boasts of thy song?
prices may come down before the close of the
year, but lower prices are not looked for in the
immediate future. The manufacturers must be
given a chance to reduce their stocks and the
dealers must be given the opportunity to clear
their floors before any material reduction is
looked for. Many would-be purchasers seem to
think that prices should be marked down at
once, but the music houses are firm in their
intention to take no serious losses on their
stocks. The only possible danger in the situa-
tion is the remote chance that some makers
may throw a large number of pianos on the
market at greatly reduced prices and so de-
moralize the entire market. This possibility is
regarded as very slight, however, as the dealers
here have every confidence that the manufac-
turers will stand together and will see that
any reductions which may come shall come by
degrees.
Herbert Marple Sending in Big Orders
Herbert Marple, who is traveling for the
sheet music department of Sherman, Clay &
Co., is still in the East and is sending in some
big orders. E. P. Little, head of the depart-
ment, says that "Mummy Mine" is becoming
popular throughout the East.
Duo-Art Piano at Symphony Concert
The Duo-Art piano will make its bow in sym-
phony work with the San Francisco Symphony
Orchestra at a concert to be given January 31.
A private rehearsal will be given the preceding
day for the benefit of the press, and on Sunday,
February 2, the second concert will be given.
The appearance of the Duo-Art at a symphony
concert has been tried successfully at New
York, Philadelphia and Chicago, but this is the
first time for San Francisco. Alfred Hertz, the
conductor of the orchestra, was violently op-
posed at first to the use of the Duo-Art, but
when he learned that he himself would control
absolutely the operation of the instrument he
consented to try it out and he is now said to be
an enthusiastic supporter of the Duo-Art.
Fotoplayer in Dallas Theatre
Influenza on the Wane
The epidemic of influenza seems to have
George Levy, of the San Francisco headquar-
reached its height in this city and it is now ters of the American Photo Player Co., visited
decidedly on the decline. Whether or not this Oklahoma City on business recently, and while
is due to the general wearing of masks is a there he ran down to Dallas, Tex., and landed
mooted question. The advocates of the mask one of the theatres there for a Fotoplayer.
point to the very material decline in the num-
Two Dutch theatre exhibitors from Java were
ber of cases reported, while the opponents show visitors to the American Photo Player Co. this
by the same figures that cases showed a large, week. They are greatly interested in the work-
steady reduction before the mask ordinance was ing of the instrument.
enforced. At any rate the worst of the epidemic
Some Fotoplayer Installations
has passed, and the people are visiting the
Eddy Boyens, of the installation department
stores with practically the same lack of re- of the American Photo Player Co., left for
straint as in ordinary times. This is not one Phoenix recently to install a Fotoplayer there,
of the liveliest periods in the music business and before he completed the work he was or-
here, but from all reports business is normal. dered to Georgia to install two other Foto-
The local houses are all pretty well stocked players.
and they are not inclined to increase their sup-
P. G. Jacobus, Jr., secretary of the American
ply of pianos at least until reconstruction has Photo Player Co., has gone to Cincinnati to
advanced further. It is said by some that piano superintend the construction of Fotoplayers
there. He will remain indefinitely.
"A Wonderful Thing" Makes Big Hit
Arthur W. Fisk, of the Fisk Music Co., says
that "A Wonderful Thing" is proving one of
the most popular songs sung in this city. He
has been called to make over fifty-odd arrange-
ments for public singers who were not satis-
fied with the song in the published keys.
Alfred Dolge Back Home
Alfred Dolge, of Los Angeles, is just back
The Auto Grand
from a visit to the Haddorff factory at Rock-
The Krell Auto Grand
ford, 111. While he missed the coldest weather
he is glad to get back again to the land of
The Krell Player
sunshine, even if he does have to cover his
Quality products that will enable the dealer to close
smile with a "flu" mask.
Krell
Duchess, Mervy n
Royal
a quality business at a substantial profit.
Write for Catalog
THE WERNER INDUSTRIES CO.
9th and Harriet St..,
CINCINNATI, O.
The Armstrong-Matthews Music Co., Enid,
Okla., has been incorporated with capital stock
of $25,000, all paid in. The step was taken in
order to distinguish the concern from companies
doing business under a similar name.
Talking Points
In Every
SEEBURG
"X"
PRESSION
Reproducing
Piano
(Coin-Operated)
Your customers will
appreciate them all.
But the
crowning
argument lies in giving
them a
Practical
Demonstration
in your own Ware-
rooms.
"Ever ybody is de-
lighted, everybody
Wants"
The Seeburg
A presston
Reproducing Piano
Write us TO-DAY for
pertinent facts
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO COMPANY
"Leaders in the Automatic Field"
Republic Building, 209 South State Street
Factories, Seeburg Building, 419 Wett Erie Street
CHICAGO
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