Music Trade Review
Issue: 1920 Vol. 70 N. 21 - Page 5
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MAY
THE MUSIC TRADE
22, 1920
REVIEW
PIANO HARDWARE MAKERS HIT BY INCREASING PRICES
SCHULZ CO. ORDERS FIRST STAMPS
Unusually Large Increases in Costs of All Kinds of Supplies Used in Making Piano Hard-
ware Force Prices of Finished Products Upward, Thereby Increasing Piano Costs Generally
In Placing Order for 4,000 Combination Stamps
President Otto Schulz, of the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, Urges the Sup-
port of the Other Manufacturers
The trials of a hardware manufacturer, one
of the largest in the industry, who supplies a
large quota of the hardware used in pianos and
player-pianos, were forcefully manifested last
week when The Review representative, in the
course of investigating the increase in the cost of
raw materials, called at his plant. ''Piano deal-
ers have intimated," said The Review man, "that
piano manufacturers are asking too much for
their instruments. What do you think about it?"
"Well," replied the hardware manufacturer,
"there is one thing certain, and that is that the
price of everything entering into the construc-
tion of pianos and player-pianos is way up.
2IIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIII
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cents, while bridge pins for which we used
to pay four cents a pound are to-day costing nine
and one-half cents a pound. Composition con-
tinuous hinges we used to secure for six cents
a foot; to-day we are compelled to pay fifteen
cents a foot. The eleven-sixteenth inch V piano
bar section which we used to buy for two cents
cannot be secured to-day for even six cents per
pound.
"This will give you a very good idea of what
we have been up against in the hardware game
during the last few years. There is also an-
other factor which cannot be overlooked, and
that is labor. We used to pay our polishers
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!
COMPARATIVE PRICES OF METALS
FOR PIANO HARDWARE
1914
Malleable iron castings
8c. a lb.
Lag screws, unformed bolts, 7/16x4
$8.34 per 100
Soft Bessemer wire
• •
$1.94 per 100 lbs.
Casters
• • 16c. per set
Brass castings
. . . . . . .15J^c. per lb.
Bridge pins
4c. per lb.
V% half round bright steel
$3.25 per 100 lbs.
11/16 V piano bar section.
2c. per lb.
Composition continuous hinges- •
6c a foot
Iron castings
4c. a lb.
Screw stock
$1.79 per 100 lbs.
Sheet brass •. • •
Base price, 12c.
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The first order for 4,000 of the new com-
bination stamps, by which piano manufacturers
and music merchants will contribute to the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, was
placed by President Otto Schulz, of the Na-
Polishers
• •
Unskilled labor, to start
Hours per week
LABOR
1914
40c. an hour
$7.00 a week
54
£
I
|
1920
|
22c. a lb.
§
$23.75 per 100
|
$4.50 per 100 lbs.
|
58c. per set
j
30c. per lb.
|
9/^c. per lb.
|
$10.6114 per 100 lbs.
|
Cannot be bought for 6c. |
15c. a foot
I
9 ^ c . per lb.
1
$5.06^ per 100 lbs.
j
Base price, 25*4c.
§
1920
85c. an hour
$14.00 a week
48
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We all naturally hope that they will come down forty cents an hour, today they demand eighty-
within the near future, but this is entirely prob- five cents an hour, while unskilled labor to start
lematical. So far they seem to be continuously we used to get for $7.00 a week is now getting
rising. In our business we use a large amount $14.00 a week. In addition to this to-day we
of sheet brass. Here is an order I placed for are working on a forty-eight-hour week sched-
this material in 1914. At that time the base ule, whereas in 1914 we were working fifty-four
price was twelve cents a pound, to-day it is hours a week.
twenty-five and a quarter cents a pound. A
"Besides this we have been compelled to put
base price is what we pay for sheet brass in a up with untold inconvenience in respect to de-
certain size. Anything over that size or an odd liveries, and have not been able to make any
•shape calls for an extra price in addition to the specific contracts for these metal parts, being
base price. In 1914 we would be allowed a dis- compelled to pay the price which prevails at the
count on the additional price, but to-day no dis- time of delivery. In some instances we have
count is allowed. All prices of this nature are not received material yet which was ordered in
quoted net. Brass is not quite as high as it 1918, and the uncertainty of delivery conditions,
has been since 1914, the base price having as well as prices, -has placed us in a very uncom-
reached at one time thirty cents.
fortable position many times. In my estimation
"Another item the price of which has in- there seems to be np reason why anyone should
creased tremendously is unfinished bolts for surmise that the piano manufacturers are asking
lag screws, of which we use a great many.
profiteering prices. When one gets back to the
"In 1914 these used to be $8.34 per hundred, source and investigates the conditions and the
to-day they are $23.75 per hundred. In a like prices which prevail there it can readily be
manner we have the price of three-eighths inch, seen that piano manufacturers have been corn-
half round, bright steel, which used to cost $3.25 pelled to pay tremendous prices for the mate-
per hundred and to-day is $10.61^4 per hundred. rials, to say nothing of the labor."
"Screw stock, which used to be $1.79 per hun-
—
—
dr.ed pounds, is at present $5.06/ 2 per hundred
STEELE AND MASON SAIL FOR HOME
pounds, while softer bessemer wire which for-
nierly brought $1.94 per hundred is to-day $4.50
per hundred. Malleable iron castings are twenty-
two cents, whereas in 1914 the highest we used
to pay was eight cents per pound. There has
also been a considerable increase in iron castings
which were four cents a pound and for which we
are compelled to pay at the present time nine
and one-half cents a pound. Brass castings
have increased in proportion so that at present
we are paying thirty cents a pound for what
used to cost fifteen and one-half cents a pound.
Casters used to be bought for sixteen cents a
set, to-day we are compelled to pay fifty-eight
W. F. G. Steele, manager of the Melbourne,
Australia, branch of the Aeolian Co., who has
been at headquarters in New York for the past
month, sailed for England on Tuesday of this
week on his way back to Melbourne. Mr. Stee'.e
will spend some time in London before starting
on the last lap of his journey home,
A. J. Mason, manager of the British interests
of the Aeolian Co., who has also been at head-
quarters since early in April, sails for London
to-day (Saturday)- and will immediately take
charge of the development work being carried
on by the Aeolian Co. in Great Britain.
FOR TONE, BEAUTY '
AND LASTING
>» *
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Otto Schulz
tional Piano Manufacturers' Association, before
the official announcements regarding the new
stamps had gone out to the trade.
The 4,000 stamps will represent a contribution
of $1,000 or 25 cents per piano by the M. Schulz
Co., of Chicago, and an additional $1,000 which
will be collected on a basis of 25 cents per piano
from the dealers representing that concern. The
first $1,000 will go to the Manufacturers' Fund
and the other $1,000 to the Merchants' Fund, to
carry on the work of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, for the advancement of
music and the protection and development of
commercial interests of the music trade.
President Schulz has also issued a letter to
all piano manufacturers, urging their prompt co-
operation in the stamp plan, as follows:
"To Piano Manufacturers:—
"I am informed that the new combination
stamp for piano manufacturers and music mer-
chants will be ready for distribution in time
for June 1 shipments.
"This stamp will take the place of our former
contributions by subscription to the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce. We will pay
25 cents per piano as manufacturers, while the
merchants will continue to pay the same amount,
just as they have been doing the past year. The
National Piano Manufacturers' Association has
voted for the stamp plan as the most equitable
way to raise funds for the Chamber of Com-
merce, in order to support its work for the ad-
vancement of music and the protection and de-
velopment of the Music Industry. I know there
is no need for enlarging upon the vital impor-
tance of this work to every member of the trade.
"May I urge your fullest co-operation in
order that this valuable work may go forward
with the greatest vigor?"
Jacob Schoenberger, the veteran head of the
Lechner & Schoenberger Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
has returned from a visit to Atlantic City, where
he spent some days for the benefit of his health.
MAY
THE MUSIC TRADE
22, 1920
REVIEW
PIANO HARDWARE MAKERS HIT BY INCREASING PRICES
SCHULZ CO. ORDERS FIRST STAMPS
Unusually Large Increases in Costs of All Kinds of Supplies Used in Making Piano Hard-
ware Force Prices of Finished Products Upward, Thereby Increasing Piano Costs Generally
In Placing Order for 4,000 Combination Stamps
President Otto Schulz, of the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, Urges the Sup-
port of the Other Manufacturers
The trials of a hardware manufacturer, one
of the largest in the industry, who supplies a
large quota of the hardware used in pianos and
player-pianos, were forcefully manifested last
week when The Review representative, in the
course of investigating the increase in the cost of
raw materials, called at his plant. ''Piano deal-
ers have intimated," said The Review man, "that
piano manufacturers are asking too much for
their instruments. What do you think about it?"
"Well," replied the hardware manufacturer,
"there is one thing certain, and that is that the
price of everything entering into the construc-
tion of pianos and player-pianos is way up.
2IIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIII
I
|
|
|
|
|
j
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cents, while bridge pins for which we used
to pay four cents a pound are to-day costing nine
and one-half cents a pound. Composition con-
tinuous hinges we used to secure for six cents
a foot; to-day we are compelled to pay fifteen
cents a foot. The eleven-sixteenth inch V piano
bar section which we used to buy for two cents
cannot be secured to-day for even six cents per
pound.
"This will give you a very good idea of what
we have been up against in the hardware game
during the last few years. There is also an-
other factor which cannot be overlooked, and
that is labor. We used to pay our polishers
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!
COMPARATIVE PRICES OF METALS
FOR PIANO HARDWARE
1914
Malleable iron castings
8c. a lb.
Lag screws, unformed bolts, 7/16x4
$8.34 per 100
Soft Bessemer wire
• •
$1.94 per 100 lbs.
Casters
• • 16c. per set
Brass castings
. . . . . . .15J^c. per lb.
Bridge pins
4c. per lb.
V% half round bright steel
$3.25 per 100 lbs.
11/16 V piano bar section.
2c. per lb.
Composition continuous hinges- •
6c a foot
Iron castings
4c. a lb.
Screw stock
$1.79 per 100 lbs.
Sheet brass •. • •
Base price, 12c.
|
|
|
|
|
The first order for 4,000 of the new com-
bination stamps, by which piano manufacturers
and music merchants will contribute to the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, was
placed by President Otto Schulz, of the Na-
Polishers
• •
Unskilled labor, to start
Hours per week
LABOR
1914
40c. an hour
$7.00 a week
54
£
I
|
1920
|
22c. a lb.
§
$23.75 per 100
|
$4.50 per 100 lbs.
|
58c. per set
j
30c. per lb.
|
9/^c. per lb.
|
$10.6114 per 100 lbs.
|
Cannot be bought for 6c. |
15c. a foot
I
9 ^ c . per lb.
1
$5.06^ per 100 lbs.
j
Base price, 25*4c.
§
1920
85c. an hour
$14.00 a week
48
|
|
|
g
|
g
?iii!ii!iiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiiniiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiii!iiiiiiiun^
We all naturally hope that they will come down forty cents an hour, today they demand eighty-
within the near future, but this is entirely prob- five cents an hour, while unskilled labor to start
lematical. So far they seem to be continuously we used to get for $7.00 a week is now getting
rising. In our business we use a large amount $14.00 a week. In addition to this to-day we
of sheet brass. Here is an order I placed for are working on a forty-eight-hour week sched-
this material in 1914. At that time the base ule, whereas in 1914 we were working fifty-four
price was twelve cents a pound, to-day it is hours a week.
twenty-five and a quarter cents a pound. A
"Besides this we have been compelled to put
base price is what we pay for sheet brass in a up with untold inconvenience in respect to de-
certain size. Anything over that size or an odd liveries, and have not been able to make any
•shape calls for an extra price in addition to the specific contracts for these metal parts, being
base price. In 1914 we would be allowed a dis- compelled to pay the price which prevails at the
count on the additional price, but to-day no dis- time of delivery. In some instances we have
count is allowed. All prices of this nature are not received material yet which was ordered in
quoted net. Brass is not quite as high as it 1918, and the uncertainty of delivery conditions,
has been since 1914, the base price having as well as prices, -has placed us in a very uncom-
reached at one time thirty cents.
fortable position many times. In my estimation
"Another item the price of which has in- there seems to be np reason why anyone should
creased tremendously is unfinished bolts for surmise that the piano manufacturers are asking
lag screws, of which we use a great many.
profiteering prices. When one gets back to the
"In 1914 these used to be $8.34 per hundred, source and investigates the conditions and the
to-day they are $23.75 per hundred. In a like prices which prevail there it can readily be
manner we have the price of three-eighths inch, seen that piano manufacturers have been corn-
half round, bright steel, which used to cost $3.25 pelled to pay tremendous prices for the mate-
per hundred and to-day is $10.61^4 per hundred. rials, to say nothing of the labor."
"Screw stock, which used to be $1.79 per hun-
—
—
dr.ed pounds, is at present $5.06/ 2 per hundred
STEELE AND MASON SAIL FOR HOME
pounds, while softer bessemer wire which for-
nierly brought $1.94 per hundred is to-day $4.50
per hundred. Malleable iron castings are twenty-
two cents, whereas in 1914 the highest we used
to pay was eight cents per pound. There has
also been a considerable increase in iron castings
which were four cents a pound and for which we
are compelled to pay at the present time nine
and one-half cents a pound. Brass castings
have increased in proportion so that at present
we are paying thirty cents a pound for what
used to cost fifteen and one-half cents a pound.
Casters used to be bought for sixteen cents a
set, to-day we are compelled to pay fifty-eight
W. F. G. Steele, manager of the Melbourne,
Australia, branch of the Aeolian Co., who has
been at headquarters in New York for the past
month, sailed for England on Tuesday of this
week on his way back to Melbourne. Mr. Stee'.e
will spend some time in London before starting
on the last lap of his journey home,
A. J. Mason, manager of the British interests
of the Aeolian Co., who has also been at head-
quarters since early in April, sails for London
to-day (Saturday)- and will immediately take
charge of the development work being carried
on by the Aeolian Co. in Great Britain.
FOR TONE, BEAUTY '
AND LASTING
>» *
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Otto Schulz
tional Piano Manufacturers' Association, before
the official announcements regarding the new
stamps had gone out to the trade.
The 4,000 stamps will represent a contribution
of $1,000 or 25 cents per piano by the M. Schulz
Co., of Chicago, and an additional $1,000 which
will be collected on a basis of 25 cents per piano
from the dealers representing that concern. The
first $1,000 will go to the Manufacturers' Fund
and the other $1,000 to the Merchants' Fund, to
carry on the work of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, for the advancement of
music and the protection and development of
commercial interests of the music trade.
President Schulz has also issued a letter to
all piano manufacturers, urging their prompt co-
operation in the stamp plan, as follows:
"To Piano Manufacturers:—
"I am informed that the new combination
stamp for piano manufacturers and music mer-
chants will be ready for distribution in time
for June 1 shipments.
"This stamp will take the place of our former
contributions by subscription to the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce. We will pay
25 cents per piano as manufacturers, while the
merchants will continue to pay the same amount,
just as they have been doing the past year. The
National Piano Manufacturers' Association has
voted for the stamp plan as the most equitable
way to raise funds for the Chamber of Com-
merce, in order to support its work for the ad-
vancement of music and the protection and de-
velopment of the Music Industry. I know there
is no need for enlarging upon the vital impor-
tance of this work to every member of the trade.
"May I urge your fullest co-operation in
order that this valuable work may go forward
with the greatest vigor?"
Jacob Schoenberger, the veteran head of the
Lechner & Schoenberger Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
has returned from a visit to Atlantic City, where
he spent some days for the benefit of his health.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).