Music Trade Review
Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 24 - Page 8
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The Music Trade Review
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
Published Every Saturday by
Federated Business Publications, Inc.
at 420 Lexington Avenur, New York
President, Raymond Bill; Vice-Presidents, J. B. Spillane, Randolph Brown; Secre-
tary and Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Assistant Secretary, L. B. McDonald;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
WM. J. DOUGHERTY, Managing Editor
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
F. L. AVERY, Circulation Manager
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION:
FRANK W. KIRK, Manager
E. J. NEALY
333 No. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Telephone: State 1266
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone: Main 6950
Lexington 1760-71
Telephone:
Cable:
Elbill New York
December 15, 1928
Vol. 87
No. 24
We are pleased to announce
the appointment of
WILLIAM J. DOUGHERTY
as Managing Editor of
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Succeeding
W M . H. MCCLEARY
who becomes Editor of
DECEMBER 15, 1928
valued at $104,362,578 in 1923. These figures should be particu-
larly interesting to those in the trade who have been inclined to
venture guesses as to piano production last year, this even going
so far at times as to comment upon the upward or downward trend
of this or that type of instrument. In many cases these opinions
have proven more or less accurate. Not long ago, for instance,
a prominent member of the trade in commenting upon the decline
of the player said that there had been a dropping off of 100,000
units in that division of the trade alone. According to the census,
between 1923 and 1927 there was a dropping off in player produc-
tion of 95,121 instruments, of which 94,102 were upright players.
Not all guesses, however, have been so nearly correct as this, as a
perusal of the chart will show.
This change in the player situation is again shown in the
figures covering the production of player-actions and music rolls,
which, between the years 1925 and 1927, in the case of actions
showed a falling off from $14,783,477 to $6,607,914 and in rolls
from $6,067,529 to $3,216,960.
Certainly those who have faith in the player-piano and its
possibilities, provided they are properly appreciated and capitalized,
will point to the figures of the past year as an indication of the mar-
ket that exists for those who are successful in once more arousing
interest in that type of instrument.
The best showing is made by the baby grand piano. In 1923,
38,024 were made; in 1925, 40,357; in 1927, 43,772, with repro-
ducing baby grands and straight parlor grands just about holding
their own. Certainly to those who first pinned their faith seriously
on the small grand full credit for their foresight must be given.
Much valuable information can be gained from these census
reports to the effect, for instance, that pipe organ sales increased
from $12,808,220 to $16,667,128 between 1925 and 1927. This is
a direct reflection of the interest that has been aroused in the
residence pipe organ and particularly in those models that may be
played through the medium of rolls. Band and orchestra instru-
ments showed a falling off during the two-year period, but not
sufficient to cause worry. In fact, the showing made in 1927 was
quite respectable.
Passing on into the kindred fields of the phonograph and the
radio we discover a gain of 63 per cent in the number of phono-
graphs manufactured in 1927 as compared with 1925 and an in-
crease in value over that period of 117.8 per cent, thus indicating
the improvement in that field and the influence of the combination
phonograph-radio in developing high-priced units.
So far as radio is concerned, it is interesting to learn that
over the two-year period covered by the census report there was
an increase of only 8.4 per cent in production. This will probably
surprise those who have been watching the market and have re-
garded radio as jumping ahead by leaps and bounds.
Altogether, the census figures give us something tangible to
think about in considering trade conditions. To those familiar with
the situation as it exists in the industry the report represents some-
thing more than the simple grouping of numerals and tells a story
from which a lesson can probably be gleaned.
RUG PROFITS
ALSO PUBLISHED BY
FEDERATED BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS, Inc.
E
What the Census Figures Tell
LSKWHKRE in The Review this week are, in some
J detail, the preliminary figures of the Biennial Census of
Manufactures for 1927, issued by the Department of
Commerce, in the belief that this information, although probably
not as accurate as we should like to have it and subject to correc-
tion, nevertheless offers much food for serious thought.
During 1927, according to the report, 215,732 pianos of al!
types valued at $66,081,900 were manufactured, as compared with
306,584 pianos valued at $93,676,977 in 1925, and 347,589 pianos
I
Cincinnati Refuses to Convict
N refusing to hold several radio dealers in Cincinnati guilty
of violating the anti-noise ordinance of that city by demon-
strating their instruments at store doors, Judge Luebbers in
the Municipal Court declared that the ordinance was invalid in
that it discriminated against the music dealers and in favor of
hucksters and newsboys who were free to utter their cries in any
section of the city. He declared, moreover, that Cincinnati is a
music-loving town and that music did not constitute a nuisance.
Here is a decision that should be published throughout the
country, for it is both logical and sane. There are times when
too much music may become irritating, but there is yet to be found
an ordinance that fixes a line of demarcation between music that
is entertaining and that which annoys.
The Music Trade Review
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
Published Every Saturday by
Federated Business Publications, Inc.
at 420 Lexington Avenur, New York
President, Raymond Bill; Vice-Presidents, J. B. Spillane, Randolph Brown; Secre-
tary and Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Assistant Secretary, L. B. McDonald;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
WM. J. DOUGHERTY, Managing Editor
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
F. L. AVERY, Circulation Manager
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION:
FRANK W. KIRK, Manager
E. J. NEALY
333 No. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Telephone: State 1266
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone: Main 6950
Lexington 1760-71
Telephone:
Cable:
Elbill New York
December 15, 1928
Vol. 87
No. 24
We are pleased to announce
the appointment of
WILLIAM J. DOUGHERTY
as Managing Editor of
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Succeeding
W M . H. MCCLEARY
who becomes Editor of
DECEMBER 15, 1928
valued at $104,362,578 in 1923. These figures should be particu-
larly interesting to those in the trade who have been inclined to
venture guesses as to piano production last year, this even going
so far at times as to comment upon the upward or downward trend
of this or that type of instrument. In many cases these opinions
have proven more or less accurate. Not long ago, for instance,
a prominent member of the trade in commenting upon the decline
of the player said that there had been a dropping off of 100,000
units in that division of the trade alone. According to the census,
between 1923 and 1927 there was a dropping off in player produc-
tion of 95,121 instruments, of which 94,102 were upright players.
Not all guesses, however, have been so nearly correct as this, as a
perusal of the chart will show.
This change in the player situation is again shown in the
figures covering the production of player-actions and music rolls,
which, between the years 1925 and 1927, in the case of actions
showed a falling off from $14,783,477 to $6,607,914 and in rolls
from $6,067,529 to $3,216,960.
Certainly those who have faith in the player-piano and its
possibilities, provided they are properly appreciated and capitalized,
will point to the figures of the past year as an indication of the mar-
ket that exists for those who are successful in once more arousing
interest in that type of instrument.
The best showing is made by the baby grand piano. In 1923,
38,024 were made; in 1925, 40,357; in 1927, 43,772, with repro-
ducing baby grands and straight parlor grands just about holding
their own. Certainly to those who first pinned their faith seriously
on the small grand full credit for their foresight must be given.
Much valuable information can be gained from these census
reports to the effect, for instance, that pipe organ sales increased
from $12,808,220 to $16,667,128 between 1925 and 1927. This is
a direct reflection of the interest that has been aroused in the
residence pipe organ and particularly in those models that may be
played through the medium of rolls. Band and orchestra instru-
ments showed a falling off during the two-year period, but not
sufficient to cause worry. In fact, the showing made in 1927 was
quite respectable.
Passing on into the kindred fields of the phonograph and the
radio we discover a gain of 63 per cent in the number of phono-
graphs manufactured in 1927 as compared with 1925 and an in-
crease in value over that period of 117.8 per cent, thus indicating
the improvement in that field and the influence of the combination
phonograph-radio in developing high-priced units.
So far as radio is concerned, it is interesting to learn that
over the two-year period covered by the census report there was
an increase of only 8.4 per cent in production. This will probably
surprise those who have been watching the market and have re-
garded radio as jumping ahead by leaps and bounds.
Altogether, the census figures give us something tangible to
think about in considering trade conditions. To those familiar with
the situation as it exists in the industry the report represents some-
thing more than the simple grouping of numerals and tells a story
from which a lesson can probably be gleaned.
RUG PROFITS
ALSO PUBLISHED BY
FEDERATED BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS, Inc.
E
What the Census Figures Tell
LSKWHKRE in The Review this week are, in some
J detail, the preliminary figures of the Biennial Census of
Manufactures for 1927, issued by the Department of
Commerce, in the belief that this information, although probably
not as accurate as we should like to have it and subject to correc-
tion, nevertheless offers much food for serious thought.
During 1927, according to the report, 215,732 pianos of al!
types valued at $66,081,900 were manufactured, as compared with
306,584 pianos valued at $93,676,977 in 1925, and 347,589 pianos
I
Cincinnati Refuses to Convict
N refusing to hold several radio dealers in Cincinnati guilty
of violating the anti-noise ordinance of that city by demon-
strating their instruments at store doors, Judge Luebbers in
the Municipal Court declared that the ordinance was invalid in
that it discriminated against the music dealers and in favor of
hucksters and newsboys who were free to utter their cries in any
section of the city. He declared, moreover, that Cincinnati is a
music-loving town and that music did not constitute a nuisance.
Here is a decision that should be published throughout the
country, for it is both logical and sane. There are times when
too much music may become irritating, but there is yet to be found
an ordinance that fixes a line of demarcation between music that
is entertaining and that which annoys.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).