Music Trade Review
Issue: 1920 Vol. 70 N. 16 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
APRIL 17, 1920
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
SPAIN REGARDS AMERICAN PIANOS AS BEST INSTRUMENTS
NOW PRESIDENT OF HAZELTON BROS.
Best Grade of Instruments Wanted for Homes—American Player-pianos Are Only Ones Found
There—Trade in Madrid Well Organized—Merchants Demand Longer Terms Than in U. S.
W. M. Plaisted Becomes Head of Concern of
Which He Has Been Vice-president
One of the effects of the war upon the com-
merce of the Madrid consular district has been
a noteworthy increase in the demand for articles
which add to the pleasure of living, due to the
fact that a considerable part of the wealth
which came to Spain during the war flowed
to the Madrid district, particularly to the city
of Madrid. Dealers in pianos have rioted a
steadily increasing demand, evidenced cortcrete-
ly by an increasing number of yearly sales.
The situation has also been exceptionally favor-
able for the Spanish piano manufacturers, who
for several years have had a larger share of
the trade than ever before.
It is hoped, however, writes Vice-consul R. S.
Castleman, that the removal of the conditions
at present responsible for the scarcity of for-
eign pianos in this market will be followed by
an extensive importation, as the demand for for-
eign instruments is greater now than at any
time previous to the war, their comparative
scarcity having served to enhance their value
in the public eye rather than to lead to their
being supplanted by instruments of domestic
manufacture.
American pianos are bound to benefit greatly
by this stimulated demand, as they are regarded
as instruments de luxe. The only player-pianos
known in Spain are of American manufacture.
There is, however, one consideration which will
need to be given due weight in order to take
full advantage of this favorable situation; that
is the matter of credit terms. The Spanish
trade is accustomed to terms of credit consid-
erably longer than those which American manu-
facturers are used to giving to the domestic
trade. The English, German and French ex-
porters before the war gave 30, 60 and at times
90 days. The need* of giving due consideration
to the factor of credit is especially great at the
present time, as ocean transportation conditions
often force the importer to consolidate into a
single shipment orders which he would under
normal conditions receive in several successive
shipments, and this puts an unusual strain upon
his capital. Ocean transportation and credit
arc the factors in the situation which require
the most careful consideration by any American
house now entering the market.
The other factors present no particular diffi-
culties. No extraordinary attention need be
paid to packing. Whatever packing will with-
stand the handling during the ocean voyage will
serve for any transportation after landing; goods
shipped by freight in Spain receive about the
same treatment as is given them in the United
States. Distribution within Spain requires no
active supervision by the American exporting
house. The piano trade in the Madrid district
is well organized, a number of houses having
adequate facilities either for handling sales
within the Aladrid territjry or for distribution
throughout Spain as a whole.
Customs duties, in the case of player-pianos
as well as others, are 250 pesetas for an upright
and 325 pesetas for a grand ($48.25 and $62.73,
respectively, at normal exchange).
Transportation charges and customs duties,
as well as the established taste of the market,
make the upright a better form for an American
house to deal in than the grand. The sale of
American pianos, since they are generally con-
sidered as instruments de luxe, is directed
largely with an eye to the family trade; theatres,
motion-picture houses, and cafes are more
likely to purchase cheaper instruments of
Spanish make. The market for player and
mechanical pianos is exceptionally good. The
former are comparatively new, and are selling
with the same rapidity as they did in America
at their first appearance. The latter have a
long-established demand.
GREAT AMPICO CONCERT PLANNED
GOLF TOURNAMENT ON JUNE 21=23
Program of Ampico Recordings of Eight Fa-
mous Pianists to Be Presented at Carnegie
Hall Concert on the Evening ot April 30
Trade Golfers to Try Their Skill at Seaview
Golf Club, Atlantic City, N. J.
There has just been announced a most com-
prehensive and interesting concert with the
Ampico as soloist to be given at Carnegie Hall
on Friday evening, April 30, under the auspices
of the American Piano Co. The personal re-
cordings of eight noted pianists, including
Rachmaninoff, Godowsky, Rubinstein, Levitzki,
Ornstein, Moiseiwitsch, Kreisler and Schnitzer,
will go to make up the program, the only artist
appearing in the flesh being Sue Harvard, so-
prano, who will sing to the accompaniment of
the Ampico. The program will start with three
of Rachmaninoff's records of his own composi-
tion, and the various other pianists will be rep-
resented by their recordings of the selections
for the playing of which they are most noted.
Tickets for the unusual concert will be offered
for sale to the public in the usual manner, and
the advertisements announce that there will be
no free list. The Ampico has been brought
prominently before the public of New York dur-
ing the past season through the medium of a
number of elaborate concerts and recitals in
which pianists of international fame have been
presented in comparison with their Ampico re-
cordings. A concert of the elaborate charac-
ter planned and with the Ampico appearing
alone as soloist is somewhat of a novelty and
the results will be interesting, to say.the least.
R. A. Daniels, who has charge of the Sher-
man, Clay store in Vallejo, Cal., has been trans-
ferred to the store in Santa Rosa.
FOR TONE, BEAUTY
AND LASTING
,
ACCOMPLISHMENT
W. V. Swords, president of the National Golf
Association of the Piano Trade, announced this
week that the annual tournament of the Asso-
ciation will be held at the Seaview Golf Club,
Atlantic City, N. J., on Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday, June 21, 22 and 23. It is expected
that there will be a full list of entrants and that
there will also be the usual supply of attractive
prizes to spur the trade golfers on to maximum
efforts. Otto J. DeMoll is secretary of the As-
sociation, and Herbert W. Hill, treasurer.
VISIT OF LONDON PUBLISHER
A recent visitor to The Review sanctum in
New York was W. B. Tattersall, of W. B. Tat-
tersall, Ltd., of 40-43 Fleet street, London, E. C,
proprietors and publishers of eleven or more
publications, including The Phono-Record, The
Toy and Fancy Goods Trader, The Sports
Trader and other prominent English publica-
tions. Mr. Tattersall is accompanied by his
wife, and from New York left for the West
via Niagara Falls.
Announcement was made this week of the
election of William M. Plaisted as president of
Hazelton Bros., 542-546 West Fortieth street,
New York. For the last few years Mr. Plaisted
has been vice-president and general manager
W. M. Plaisted
of this concern. He is one of the best-known
piano men in the country, having traveled for
many years from coast to coast and is thor-
oughly conversant with both the wholesale
and retail trade. Besides being well known in a
traveling capacity, Mr. Plaisted has also been
actively identified with association matters, and
was at one time president of the National Piano
Travelers' Association. His many friends will
hail Mr. Plaisted's latest promotion with much
satisfaction.
TO HAVE ATTRACTIVE QUARTERS
The Sherman, Clay & Co. store in Portland,
Ore., is undergoing extensive alterations. The
offices are being moved from the second to third
floor. The second floor will be completely re-
modeled and will be devoted entirely to beauti-
fully equipped Duo-Art and Steinway rooms.
The player roll department on the third floor
will have increased demonstration booths and
the new organ and Fotoplayer rooms will be
located on the fourth floor.
KNABE ENJOYS ATLANTIC CITY REST
William Knabe, general manager of F. G.
Smith, Inc., returned this week from Atlantic
City, where he spent a fortnight resting after
several months of distinctly strenuous labor,
resulting in the consummation of arrangements
for bringing together the F. G. Smith and Wil-
cox & White interests. Later in the week Mr.
G. VARGAS WINS AEOLIAN CO. CUP Knabe went to Leominster, Mass., to inspect
the Smith factory, and on his way home plans
The Aeolian Co. offered a cup to the sales- to stop at the Wilcox & White plant in Meriden.
man in the Sherman, Clay & Co. organization
whose percentage of Pianola sales was the
Harry J. Backer, former manager of the
greatest. Mr. Vargas of the Oakland store won Washington store of the Knabe Warerooms,
the cup successively during 1917-1918-1919 and Inc., and recently appointed traveler for the col-
is now the proud possessor of the beautiful lege department of that house, has returned
trophy.
from a trip to New Orleans.
r* AUTO ^PLAYER ~
The WERNER INDUSTRIES CO. Cincir\r\ P I A N O S
A.ND
APRIL 17, 1920
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
SPAIN REGARDS AMERICAN PIANOS AS BEST INSTRUMENTS
NOW PRESIDENT OF HAZELTON BROS.
Best Grade of Instruments Wanted for Homes—American Player-pianos Are Only Ones Found
There—Trade in Madrid Well Organized—Merchants Demand Longer Terms Than in U. S.
W. M. Plaisted Becomes Head of Concern of
Which He Has Been Vice-president
One of the effects of the war upon the com-
merce of the Madrid consular district has been
a noteworthy increase in the demand for articles
which add to the pleasure of living, due to the
fact that a considerable part of the wealth
which came to Spain during the war flowed
to the Madrid district, particularly to the city
of Madrid. Dealers in pianos have rioted a
steadily increasing demand, evidenced cortcrete-
ly by an increasing number of yearly sales.
The situation has also been exceptionally favor-
able for the Spanish piano manufacturers, who
for several years have had a larger share of
the trade than ever before.
It is hoped, however, writes Vice-consul R. S.
Castleman, that the removal of the conditions
at present responsible for the scarcity of for-
eign pianos in this market will be followed by
an extensive importation, as the demand for for-
eign instruments is greater now than at any
time previous to the war, their comparative
scarcity having served to enhance their value
in the public eye rather than to lead to their
being supplanted by instruments of domestic
manufacture.
American pianos are bound to benefit greatly
by this stimulated demand, as they are regarded
as instruments de luxe. The only player-pianos
known in Spain are of American manufacture.
There is, however, one consideration which will
need to be given due weight in order to take
full advantage of this favorable situation; that
is the matter of credit terms. The Spanish
trade is accustomed to terms of credit consid-
erably longer than those which American manu-
facturers are used to giving to the domestic
trade. The English, German and French ex-
porters before the war gave 30, 60 and at times
90 days. The need* of giving due consideration
to the factor of credit is especially great at the
present time, as ocean transportation conditions
often force the importer to consolidate into a
single shipment orders which he would under
normal conditions receive in several successive
shipments, and this puts an unusual strain upon
his capital. Ocean transportation and credit
arc the factors in the situation which require
the most careful consideration by any American
house now entering the market.
The other factors present no particular diffi-
culties. No extraordinary attention need be
paid to packing. Whatever packing will with-
stand the handling during the ocean voyage will
serve for any transportation after landing; goods
shipped by freight in Spain receive about the
same treatment as is given them in the United
States. Distribution within Spain requires no
active supervision by the American exporting
house. The piano trade in the Madrid district
is well organized, a number of houses having
adequate facilities either for handling sales
within the Aladrid territjry or for distribution
throughout Spain as a whole.
Customs duties, in the case of player-pianos
as well as others, are 250 pesetas for an upright
and 325 pesetas for a grand ($48.25 and $62.73,
respectively, at normal exchange).
Transportation charges and customs duties,
as well as the established taste of the market,
make the upright a better form for an American
house to deal in than the grand. The sale of
American pianos, since they are generally con-
sidered as instruments de luxe, is directed
largely with an eye to the family trade; theatres,
motion-picture houses, and cafes are more
likely to purchase cheaper instruments of
Spanish make. The market for player and
mechanical pianos is exceptionally good. The
former are comparatively new, and are selling
with the same rapidity as they did in America
at their first appearance. The latter have a
long-established demand.
GREAT AMPICO CONCERT PLANNED
GOLF TOURNAMENT ON JUNE 21=23
Program of Ampico Recordings of Eight Fa-
mous Pianists to Be Presented at Carnegie
Hall Concert on the Evening ot April 30
Trade Golfers to Try Their Skill at Seaview
Golf Club, Atlantic City, N. J.
There has just been announced a most com-
prehensive and interesting concert with the
Ampico as soloist to be given at Carnegie Hall
on Friday evening, April 30, under the auspices
of the American Piano Co. The personal re-
cordings of eight noted pianists, including
Rachmaninoff, Godowsky, Rubinstein, Levitzki,
Ornstein, Moiseiwitsch, Kreisler and Schnitzer,
will go to make up the program, the only artist
appearing in the flesh being Sue Harvard, so-
prano, who will sing to the accompaniment of
the Ampico. The program will start with three
of Rachmaninoff's records of his own composi-
tion, and the various other pianists will be rep-
resented by their recordings of the selections
for the playing of which they are most noted.
Tickets for the unusual concert will be offered
for sale to the public in the usual manner, and
the advertisements announce that there will be
no free list. The Ampico has been brought
prominently before the public of New York dur-
ing the past season through the medium of a
number of elaborate concerts and recitals in
which pianists of international fame have been
presented in comparison with their Ampico re-
cordings. A concert of the elaborate charac-
ter planned and with the Ampico appearing
alone as soloist is somewhat of a novelty and
the results will be interesting, to say.the least.
R. A. Daniels, who has charge of the Sher-
man, Clay store in Vallejo, Cal., has been trans-
ferred to the store in Santa Rosa.
FOR TONE, BEAUTY
AND LASTING
,
ACCOMPLISHMENT
W. V. Swords, president of the National Golf
Association of the Piano Trade, announced this
week that the annual tournament of the Asso-
ciation will be held at the Seaview Golf Club,
Atlantic City, N. J., on Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday, June 21, 22 and 23. It is expected
that there will be a full list of entrants and that
there will also be the usual supply of attractive
prizes to spur the trade golfers on to maximum
efforts. Otto J. DeMoll is secretary of the As-
sociation, and Herbert W. Hill, treasurer.
VISIT OF LONDON PUBLISHER
A recent visitor to The Review sanctum in
New York was W. B. Tattersall, of W. B. Tat-
tersall, Ltd., of 40-43 Fleet street, London, E. C,
proprietors and publishers of eleven or more
publications, including The Phono-Record, The
Toy and Fancy Goods Trader, The Sports
Trader and other prominent English publica-
tions. Mr. Tattersall is accompanied by his
wife, and from New York left for the West
via Niagara Falls.
Announcement was made this week of the
election of William M. Plaisted as president of
Hazelton Bros., 542-546 West Fortieth street,
New York. For the last few years Mr. Plaisted
has been vice-president and general manager
W. M. Plaisted
of this concern. He is one of the best-known
piano men in the country, having traveled for
many years from coast to coast and is thor-
oughly conversant with both the wholesale
and retail trade. Besides being well known in a
traveling capacity, Mr. Plaisted has also been
actively identified with association matters, and
was at one time president of the National Piano
Travelers' Association. His many friends will
hail Mr. Plaisted's latest promotion with much
satisfaction.
TO HAVE ATTRACTIVE QUARTERS
The Sherman, Clay & Co. store in Portland,
Ore., is undergoing extensive alterations. The
offices are being moved from the second to third
floor. The second floor will be completely re-
modeled and will be devoted entirely to beauti-
fully equipped Duo-Art and Steinway rooms.
The player roll department on the third floor
will have increased demonstration booths and
the new organ and Fotoplayer rooms will be
located on the fourth floor.
KNABE ENJOYS ATLANTIC CITY REST
William Knabe, general manager of F. G.
Smith, Inc., returned this week from Atlantic
City, where he spent a fortnight resting after
several months of distinctly strenuous labor,
resulting in the consummation of arrangements
for bringing together the F. G. Smith and Wil-
cox & White interests. Later in the week Mr.
G. VARGAS WINS AEOLIAN CO. CUP Knabe went to Leominster, Mass., to inspect
the Smith factory, and on his way home plans
The Aeolian Co. offered a cup to the sales- to stop at the Wilcox & White plant in Meriden.
man in the Sherman, Clay & Co. organization
whose percentage of Pianola sales was the
Harry J. Backer, former manager of the
greatest. Mr. Vargas of the Oakland store won Washington store of the Knabe Warerooms,
the cup successively during 1917-1918-1919 and Inc., and recently appointed traveler for the col-
is now the proud possessor of the beautiful lege department of that house, has returned
trophy.
from a trip to New Orleans.
r* AUTO ^PLAYER ~
The WERNER INDUSTRIES CO. Cincir\r\ P I A N O S
A.ND
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).