Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JUNE 5, 1920
BUFFALO TRADE PLEASED WITH SALES TOTALS FOR MAY
General Reductions in Other Lines Disturbed Business Somewhat, but Volume of Trade Was
Very Satisfactory—Steinway Grand and Estey Organ Used at Music Festival
BUFFALO, N. Y., June 1.—Buffalo piano dealers
have just closed a very satisfactory month. The
even trend of their business was somewhat dis-
turbed during May by widespread reductions in
stores outside the piano trade, but with all the
so-called "rebellion of the public against high
prices." Buffalonians continue to show a will-
ingness to pay the advanced prices which local
dealers must charge for musical instruments.
Freight tie-ups and sporadic strikes have ham-
pered the piano business, which, however, de-
spite country-wide conditions, is regarded by
local experts as being in a fundamentally sound
condition.
"Production must be catching up," remarked
a local dealer. "A representative of one of the
big talking machine companies has been per-
sistently canvassing me for orders and road men
from certain piano factories have also been
buzzing around for new business. Not long ago
they used to keep in the background for fear I
might give them an order which they couldn't
fill."
An A. B. Chase grand was used at a concert
given recently at Elmwood Music Hall by Miss
Edna" Springborn and a similar instrument was
featured at a performance at St. Bartholomew's
Church Hall in this city. Both instruments
were furnished by J. N. Adam & Co.
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Daniels and Frank
Farrar have returned from a two-weeks' vaca-
tion trip to Atlantic City.
A Steinway grand and a large Estey organ, fur-
nished by Denton, Cottier & Daniels, were used
by the Buffalo Community Chorus at the Broad-
way Auditorium Thursday and Friday evenings.
The entertainment was called "The Festival of
the Bells." The 150th Psalm was interpreted
in song and dance and with music. Buffalo
piano dealers gave wholehearted co-operation to
the event, which, from a business viewpoint,
will result, it is said, in an increased demand
here for good music and musical instruments.
In order to give factory workers plenty of
rest and recreation over the Memorial Day
period, Saturday, May 29, was declared a civic
holiday. All the downtown stores, however,
kept open on that day, so they received a satis-
factory share of trade from the factory cm-
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
•—{Standard
Dictionary)
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
and
Strohber Co.
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wts.
Chicago, III.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
ployes and their wives. The player roll and rec-
ord business was extra heavy.
Batavia piano dealers are represented in "the
Merchants' Council," recently organized as an
auxiliary of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.
A credit bureau is one of the features of the
organization.
Mason & Hamlin grands were used at con-
ctrts recently given by the St. Boniface and
Mary Magdalen schools of this city. The
pianos were furnished by the Robert L. Loud
Music Co.
The opening of Crystal and Eric beaches has
helped the sale of portable talking machines and
records at local stores.
The Wurlitzer Co. has a window sign show-
ing the names of scores of artists now playing
on the Knabe Ampico.
9
TRADE NEWS FROM TORONTO
Stanton Heads Rotary Club—Winnipeg Piano
Co. Secures Entire Building—Otto Higel Co.
Buys New Property—Other News
TORONTO, CANADA, June 1.—At the Rotary con-
ference held in Buffalo recently, H. G. Stanton,
vice-president and general manager of the R. S.
Williams & Sons Co., Ltd., Toronto, was elected
district governor. Mr. Stanton is the immediate
past-president of the Toronto Rotary Club and
after a year of very heavy work that the office
involves was looking forward to the demands
upon his time being greatly lessened.
\V. J. Roberts, of Chappell & Co., Ltd., early
this month paid a visit to the firm's New York
office, where he met William Boosey, managing
director of the company, with headquarters in
London, England.
The conclusion of an important real estate
transaction in Winnipeg gives the Winnipeg
I'iano Co., Ltd., ownership of the entire build-
ing in which they have been located for the past
six years. The building purchased was for-
WASTE OF EFFORT IN PIANO PLANTS merly
known as the Builders' Exchange and is
located at the northwest corner of Portage ave-
New York Times Prints Some Caustic but
nue and Hargrave street. The purchase price
Timely Comments of a Local Piano Manu-
is reported to be about $500,000. They are using
facturer Upon That Important Subject
over 30,000 square feet of floor space and the
original staff of six has grown till it numbers
The time it takes to do things nowadays was sixty-six.
American makes handled include
the subject of much complaint by the executive Autopiano, Brambach and Steinway.
of a large piano manufacturing concern a few
The Sherlock-Manning Piano & Organ Co.,
days ago, says the New York Times. He ex-
plained how it seemed impossible to do a given London, Ont., is planning to exhibit at the
amount of work in a reasonable length of time Canadian Industries Exhibition in London, Eng-
owing to the constant need of repeating former land, a line of Sherlock-Manning and Doherty
orders, going over previous explanations and pianos and organs. The exhibit will be in
generally trying to bolster up the process of get- charge of William Thompson, the well-known
dealer of Vancouver, B. C, and Glasgow, Scot-
ting a task done.
land.
"In my own case," he explained, "I know that
Notice is given in the Ontario Gazette of the
I am working harder than I ever had to before
and the results are very discouraging. For the incorporation of W. McPhillips, Ltd., London,
same amount of time and effort expended a (Jnt. This new firm has an authorized capital
couple of years ago I could have accomplished of $150,000, divided into 1,500 shares of $100
twice as much and perhaps more. One of the each. The provisional directors are Wifliam
chief obstacles toward making progress is the McPhillips, W. Harold McPhillips and J. Ralph
necessity of repeating former orders and in- McPhillips.
Robt. S. Gourlay, president of Gourlay, Win-
structions. I also seem obliged, as never before,
ter
& Learning, Ltd., accompanied by Mrs. Gour-
tc follow up my instructions and see that they
are properly carried out. If it is not a problem lay, is on a trip through Western Canada in the
ii! the factory it is some transportation difficulty interests of his firm.
The purchase of the property at the northeast
or other. The people on the inside of our or-
ganization are a little easier to deal with than corner of King and Tecumseh streets by the
outside factors, but even with them there is a Otto Higel Co., Ltd., is reported. This has a
lackadaisical spirit to contend with that is nerve- frontage of 110 feet on King street by a depth
of 100 feet running back to and adjoining prop-
ra eking.
erty already owned by the Otto Higel Co.
"Of course we all realize that the conditions
Asked by The Review correspondent if the ad-
I describe have been largely due to a general
easing up of the strain caused by the war. It is ditional land indicated factory extensions, R. H.
not expected that so large a toll can be taken Easson, vice-president of the company, stated
of human energy without a consequent reaction. that no immediate factory enlargements are be-
That has been the main trouble, but the loosen- ing contemplated. Their recent purchase gives
ing of responsibility is another source of the the Otto Higel Co. ownership of all the block
trouble. To my way of thinking an era of high in which it is located except a comparatively
profits and inflation will usually increase slip- small frontage on the north side.
Additional dry kilns that will increase the
shod methods and lower the standards of re-
sponsibility taken. There are more than enough company's lumber drying capacity by one and
profits being made durirtg such a time to cover one-quarter million feet per year arc now being
any mistakes, and with the loss of penalties erected and a large addition is being built to
comes carelessness. When money rolls in re- the firm's millroom.
gardless of great effort the tendency is to be-
K. C. Sexton, well-known Victor dealer of
come slipshod.
"If the reason I have given for this state of Washington, D. C, has taken possession of the
affairs is correct then we may expect a change remodeled building at 631 Pennsylvania avenue.
once competition returns. Mistakes will not be
so easily countenanced in either the executive
or the workman. As the situation tightens up
there ought to be less annoyance from those
conditions which now have every one worried.
I hope the time is not far distant when it will
be unnecessary to follow up every little detail
to see that it is properly carried out. I, for
one, would be willing to make less money and
have less to worry about."
HILL & SONS
Used Pianos, Players and Grands
Wholesale—Any Quantity
Any Grade, Style or Make, All Repaired.
Rebuilt and Polished
Ready for Your Wareroom Floor
Factory and Warcrooms
The Radio Talking Machine Co., Dover, Del.,
has been incorporated with a capital of $500,000,
by W. I. N. Lofland, Frank Jackson and Mark
W. Cole.
HILL'S TRIANGLE BUILDING
1365-75 Myrtle Ave.
Phone:
Brooklyn, N. Y.
2279 Rusliivick •