Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 7 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
AUGUST
16,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
19VJ
TWIN CITY PIANO DEALERS REPORT GOOD SUMMER TRADE
Sales Keeping Well Up to Average for Warm Weather—Dyer & Bro. Receive Carload Shipment
of Steinway Grands—Holland Factory Swamped With Orders—L. A. Priess Opens for Himself
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PALL, August
12.—Not
even "dog days" can interfere very much with
the music trade in the twin towns of Minneap-
olis and St. Paul. To be sure trade is not as
brisk as during the most lucrative seasons, but
the monthly totals of business done foot high
in comparison with previous records. It will
be the case with some houses that the situation
is regarded as somewhat slow, but when they
hark back to the old days, the real ''good" ones,
there is no complaint heard over the summer
of 1919.
William J. Dyer, who is in St. Paul again
after a cruise on the Great Lakes, pronounces
the entire situation as highly encouraging.
Early last week W. J. Dyer & Bro. received a
carload of Steinway grand pianos and five of
the instruments went out the day they arrived,
while the others are all but spoken for. Mr.
Dyer asserts that the house could sell twice
as many grands as it does if only the instru-
ments would be forthcoming. However, mat-
ters are moving nicely. A pipe organ costing
$3,000 was sold to a motion picture house at
Devils Lake, N. D., and there has been quite a
run on electric pianos by smaller theatres. The
Victor Co. is shipping much more generously
and this is a matter that is most encouraging,
as the demand for Victrolas has become a real
clamor rather than a mere demand. In the way
W. J. Dyer & Bro.'s fiscal year starts out there
is. according to the head of the house, a fine
chance of duplicating its last annual record,
which set the high mark.
The front has been torn off the J. E. Frank
Music Co.'s store and the scenery around re-
minds one of a shell-torn French village. When
OFFICIAL STAMP GAINING GROUND
One Hundred Manufacturers Now on Honor
Roll of Stamp Buyers—Over 99 Per Cent, of
Merchants Now Accepting Stamps
Over 100 piano manufacturing concerns, the
representative concerns of the trade, are now
listed on the honor roll of those using the official
stamp of the National Association of Music
Merchants on all pianos shipped to dealers,
and new names are being added to the list
regularly. Secretary Dennis, of the National
Association of Music Merchants, states that
he has not yet received a single outright re-
fusal to co-operate from the manufacturers,
and offers it as his opinion that the absence
of a number of names from the list of those
who have adopted the plan is due largely to
the absence of executives on vacation.
The attitude of the piano merchants toward
the official stamp is indicated by the fact that
records at the secretary's office show over 99
per cent, of the retailers have accepted the
stamps and paid for them without question,
and it is believed that the remaining fraction
of 1 per cent, will take a favorable attitude
when they have a full understanding of the
real purpose of the stamp, what it is designed
the face has been restored, which will be about
September 15, the company will have a much
larger- as well as a more attractive front, as
the store adjoining has been leased, thus pro-
viding a frontage of forty-one feet on Eighth
street.
M. L. McGinnis, head of the Starr Piano Co.'s
Northwestern headquarters, frankly confesses
that he is more successful with Starr phono-
graphs than with pianos, and that he is giving
more time and attention to the talking machines
t h a n t o the piano end to which he once was a
devoted slave.
L. A. Priess, for many years agent of the
Adam Schaaf Piano Co., in Minneapolis, has
taken over the business himself. The Schaaf
pianos will be his main line, but he will also
handle the M. Schulz Co. pianos. Mr. Priess
has gone somewhat extensively into the manu-
facture of talking machines and is turning out
the Tonola line and the "Little Wonder."
Regoxts from the Holland Piano Manufac-
turing Co. indicate that the manufacturing plant
is two months behind George Redel, the sales
manager. Although working on full time with
a full crew, the plant has failed to gain on the
sales force of late. The new styles which ap-
peared in the spring are proving very attractive,
according to Secretary Morrill.
The Raudenbush factory in St. Paul also is
running full tilt. It is several weeks behind
hand in orders, with no immediate prospect of
catching up with the procession.
So many piano men are coming and going
upon vacations that the recital of their doings
would make this column appear as an imitation
of a society page.
to accomplish and what it means to them in
future business.
In discussing the small percentage of dealers
who have hesitated about accepting the stamp
Mr. Dennis said:
"That means the music trade has a better
record than the well-known soap; it is even
better than 99 44-lOOths per cent, pure for the
advancement of music. I am sorry to say that
the manufacturers are not quite up to that
mark, as far as our records show. We hope
to get both branches of the trade as near the
100 per cent, as the dealers now seem to be
within a very few weeks. If we do, it means
that the music industry is co-operating more
closely for its own good than any other in-
dustry.
"The new Traveling Commissioner organiza-
tion is one of the important factors through
which we hope to accomplish the result. The
wonderful co-operation of all our workers in the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, in pro-
moting this stamp plan, has done more for or-
ganization work than any other one thing.
Dealers are getting acquainted with the work
through the stamp plan, who never knew of it
before. 1 would hate to be included among
the dealers objecting, knowing what I do of
their reasons."
TRADE=MARK PIRACY IN MEXICO
American Manufacturers Warned to Register
Trade-marks for Their Own Protection
Awarded first prize in many world compe-
titions during the past sixty years, the
Schomacker Piano is now daily receiving
first prizes of preference won by its superb
tone, wonderful breadth of expression and
structural beauty.
SCHOMACKER PIANO CO.
23d and Chestnut Sts.
Philadelphia, Pa.
According to information received
^
Trade Commissioner Edward F. Feely at
Mexico City, there has occurred considerable
unauthorized registration of foreign trade-
marks, and American manufacturers are warned
of the importance of registering their trade-
marks in Mexico. Applications for registration
must be accompanied by a power of attorney,
a statement as to name, location and kind of
factory, the name and address of the applicant,
articles to be marked, and a description of the
marks, as well as twelve copies and electrotype
of the same,
Victrola XVII, $275
Victrola XVII, electric, $332.50
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $950
Victor
Supremacy
The supremacy of
the Victrola marks it
as the greatest of all
musical instruments.
And with Victrolas
in such splendid vari-
ety, possibilities are
unlimited for every
Victor retailer.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V i c t r o l a " i, t \ e Registered Trade-mark ol
the Victor Talking Machine Company designating
the products of this Comptny only.
W a r n i n g : The use of the word V i c t r 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 should be used^ together to secure a perfect
reproduction.
"HIS MASTERS VOICE'
i
AUGUST
16,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
19VJ
TWIN CITY PIANO DEALERS REPORT GOOD SUMMER TRADE
Sales Keeping Well Up to Average for Warm Weather—Dyer & Bro. Receive Carload Shipment
of Steinway Grands—Holland Factory Swamped With Orders—L. A. Priess Opens for Himself
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PALL, August
12.—Not
even "dog days" can interfere very much with
the music trade in the twin towns of Minneap-
olis and St. Paul. To be sure trade is not as
brisk as during the most lucrative seasons, but
the monthly totals of business done foot high
in comparison with previous records. It will
be the case with some houses that the situation
is regarded as somewhat slow, but when they
hark back to the old days, the real ''good" ones,
there is no complaint heard over the summer
of 1919.
William J. Dyer, who is in St. Paul again
after a cruise on the Great Lakes, pronounces
the entire situation as highly encouraging.
Early last week W. J. Dyer & Bro. received a
carload of Steinway grand pianos and five of
the instruments went out the day they arrived,
while the others are all but spoken for. Mr.
Dyer asserts that the house could sell twice
as many grands as it does if only the instru-
ments would be forthcoming. However, mat-
ters are moving nicely. A pipe organ costing
$3,000 was sold to a motion picture house at
Devils Lake, N. D., and there has been quite a
run on electric pianos by smaller theatres. The
Victor Co. is shipping much more generously
and this is a matter that is most encouraging,
as the demand for Victrolas has become a real
clamor rather than a mere demand. In the way
W. J. Dyer & Bro.'s fiscal year starts out there
is. according to the head of the house, a fine
chance of duplicating its last annual record,
which set the high mark.
The front has been torn off the J. E. Frank
Music Co.'s store and the scenery around re-
minds one of a shell-torn French village. When
OFFICIAL STAMP GAINING GROUND
One Hundred Manufacturers Now on Honor
Roll of Stamp Buyers—Over 99 Per Cent, of
Merchants Now Accepting Stamps
Over 100 piano manufacturing concerns, the
representative concerns of the trade, are now
listed on the honor roll of those using the official
stamp of the National Association of Music
Merchants on all pianos shipped to dealers,
and new names are being added to the list
regularly. Secretary Dennis, of the National
Association of Music Merchants, states that
he has not yet received a single outright re-
fusal to co-operate from the manufacturers,
and offers it as his opinion that the absence
of a number of names from the list of those
who have adopted the plan is due largely to
the absence of executives on vacation.
The attitude of the piano merchants toward
the official stamp is indicated by the fact that
records at the secretary's office show over 99
per cent, of the retailers have accepted the
stamps and paid for them without question,
and it is believed that the remaining fraction
of 1 per cent, will take a favorable attitude
when they have a full understanding of the
real purpose of the stamp, what it is designed
the face has been restored, which will be about
September 15, the company will have a much
larger- as well as a more attractive front, as
the store adjoining has been leased, thus pro-
viding a frontage of forty-one feet on Eighth
street.
M. L. McGinnis, head of the Starr Piano Co.'s
Northwestern headquarters, frankly confesses
that he is more successful with Starr phono-
graphs than with pianos, and that he is giving
more time and attention to the talking machines
t h a n t o the piano end to which he once was a
devoted slave.
L. A. Priess, for many years agent of the
Adam Schaaf Piano Co., in Minneapolis, has
taken over the business himself. The Schaaf
pianos will be his main line, but he will also
handle the M. Schulz Co. pianos. Mr. Priess
has gone somewhat extensively into the manu-
facture of talking machines and is turning out
the Tonola line and the "Little Wonder."
Regoxts from the Holland Piano Manufac-
turing Co. indicate that the manufacturing plant
is two months behind George Redel, the sales
manager. Although working on full time with
a full crew, the plant has failed to gain on the
sales force of late. The new styles which ap-
peared in the spring are proving very attractive,
according to Secretary Morrill.
The Raudenbush factory in St. Paul also is
running full tilt. It is several weeks behind
hand in orders, with no immediate prospect of
catching up with the procession.
So many piano men are coming and going
upon vacations that the recital of their doings
would make this column appear as an imitation
of a society page.
to accomplish and what it means to them in
future business.
In discussing the small percentage of dealers
who have hesitated about accepting the stamp
Mr. Dennis said:
"That means the music trade has a better
record than the well-known soap; it is even
better than 99 44-lOOths per cent, pure for the
advancement of music. I am sorry to say that
the manufacturers are not quite up to that
mark, as far as our records show. We hope
to get both branches of the trade as near the
100 per cent, as the dealers now seem to be
within a very few weeks. If we do, it means
that the music industry is co-operating more
closely for its own good than any other in-
dustry.
"The new Traveling Commissioner organiza-
tion is one of the important factors through
which we hope to accomplish the result. The
wonderful co-operation of all our workers in the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, in pro-
moting this stamp plan, has done more for or-
ganization work than any other one thing.
Dealers are getting acquainted with the work
through the stamp plan, who never knew of it
before. 1 would hate to be included among
the dealers objecting, knowing what I do of
their reasons."
TRADE=MARK PIRACY IN MEXICO
American Manufacturers Warned to Register
Trade-marks for Their Own Protection
Awarded first prize in many world compe-
titions during the past sixty years, the
Schomacker Piano is now daily receiving
first prizes of preference won by its superb
tone, wonderful breadth of expression and
structural beauty.
SCHOMACKER PIANO CO.
23d and Chestnut Sts.
Philadelphia, Pa.
According to information received
^
Trade Commissioner Edward F. Feely at
Mexico City, there has occurred considerable
unauthorized registration of foreign trade-
marks, and American manufacturers are warned
of the importance of registering their trade-
marks in Mexico. Applications for registration
must be accompanied by a power of attorney,
a statement as to name, location and kind of
factory, the name and address of the applicant,
articles to be marked, and a description of the
marks, as well as twelve copies and electrotype
of the same,
Victrola XVII, $275
Victrola XVII, electric, $332.50
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $950
Victor
Supremacy
The supremacy of
the Victrola marks it
as the greatest of all
musical instruments.
And with Victrolas
in such splendid vari-
ety, possibilities are
unlimited for every
Victor retailer.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V i c t r o l a " i, t \ e Registered Trade-mark ol
the Victor Talking Machine Company designating
the products of this Comptny only.
W a r n i n g : The use of the word V i c t r 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 should be used^ together to secure a perfect
reproduction.
"HIS MASTERS VOICE'
i
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).