Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW 25 NEWS FROM THE PACIFIC COAST. ARTISTIC KROEGER PUBLICITY. GERMANS EXPORT PIANO FOR $30. Business Reaction After Exciting Knights Templar DaysWhat Pommer-Eilers Are DoingKohler & Chase and the Weber Prosperous Times in Oakland. The New Catalogue a Publication of Great Merit From Every StandpointAdmirably Edited and Produced. Interesting Chat With Peter Duffy, Who Returned From Europe on SundayTrade in England and Germany The Duffiano AbroadCost of SteelA Surprise Coming. (Special to The Review.) San Francisco, Cal., Sept. 10, 1904. The week just passed was one of the dullest as far as the music dealers are concerned that San Francisco ever had. The Conclave of Knights Templar, while bringing about 60,000 people to this City did not have a salutary effect on the business, outside of entertainments. Indeed it is believed among conservative business men that it will take several weeks before the town gets over the temporary excitement. In addition to the reaction created by such a big event, San Francisco had the three hottest days in its history during the past week. It was over one hundred degrees in the shade which is really monstrous for this town. People were simply suffocating. It must be. remembered that the Eastern resident is used to heat, but we have usually very cool weather and when the nights are as hot as they were last week people are very unhappy. To-day, however, the cool weather is again at hand and every one is satisfied. The heat and the Knights Templar festivities have taken the wind out of the sales of piano news and your correspondent is somewhat at a loss to write a newsy letter. Everything goes smoothly in the Pornmers-Eilers camp. Mr. Eiler's denial in the Music Trade Review has for the time being stopped the gossip and things are moving along the even tenor of their way. Even during the hours of the parade last week pianos were being sold by Pommer-Eilers Music Company. One of the finest pianos in the stock was selected by a visitor from far away New Zealand, where it will be shipped on the next Asiatic steamer. Kohler & Chase are taking orders for the Weber piano, but do not seem to do much "booming" in this direction. The Knabe is as heretofore tlieir leader in all of their advertisements and they are advertising it as strong as ever. It is very likely that in case they are to chose between the Knabe and the Weber, they will not hesitate to select the former. One of the men prominently identified with the trade said to the Review: "The piano player has reached its zenith and as the Pianola is no doubt the contending point in regard to the Weber piano, Kohler & Chase would not give up a big piano like the Knabe in order to retain the Pianola. The future of the piano player, while undoubtedly great, cannot be as good as the past, in my opinion, and consequently there must be a decline. It is hardly possible that Kohler & Chase being far-seeing in this respect, would not chose the safe way out of the dilemma." These assertions are only made because there has been some talk here, in fact it has been openly said that Kohler & Chase could not retain both agencies as the Weber people want to see their instrument in the lead, while the Knabe firm, of course, would not like to give precedence to another piano. Kohler & Chase in the meantime keep quiet and "saw wood," as the saying goes. The other day I was over in Oakland and found things a little more prosperous than on this side of the Bay. Sherman, Clay & Co. have just finished some big improvements on their handsome store and seem to do quite a rushing business. Kohler & Chase, too, are kept pretty busy on the other side of the Bay. Oakland is not as dead a town as it is sometimes made out to be. Mrs. Fannie Bloomfleld-Zeisler, America's leading pianist, writes in The Music Trade Review that "women have done the lion's share of the work in developing a love of good music in this country."Toledo (O.) Weekly Journal. The The Kroeger Piano Co., Alexander avenue and 133d street, and Stamford, Conn., have this week issued an artistic catalogue, tasteful in design and general appearance and certain to be effective in strengthening the Kroeger bulwarks everywhere. The principal feature of the work is a display of the several current Kroeger styles with adequate descriptions. The illustrations depict realistically the- special artistic features of the Kroeger new styles E, S, 4, 5 and 2, also the famous Kroeger baby grand. All are seen in this new catalogue to great advantage. There are excellent pictures, too, of each Kroeger factory. The strongly-worded testimonial of Leopold Godowsky has a prominent place, as it deserves. The introduction tells clearly and concisely the history of the Kroeger house. It is well worthy of reproduction here: "The house of Kroeger was founded in 1852, and commenced operations upon a large scale in 1S62, pursuing a policy of integrity and aggressiveness from the date of its inception to the present time. Having had the foremost acoustician, most successful experimenter and fecund inventor of his day assisting in the development cf its technical departments, there could be only one logical result, the production of an instrument of the highest intrinsic worth and musical excellence. "The late Henry Kroeger was for twenty years superintendent of the Stjinway & Sons factories, and it is generally admitted in the piano trade to-day that his exceptional abilities assisted very materially in the development of the Steinway name and fame. "There are to-day three generations of the Kroeger familyall experts in their particular lineworking at the bench in the Kroeger factory. To the observant reader this fact will doubtless appeal with special force. The value of such diverse experiences is inestimable, and fully justifies the claim of the makers to stand in the front rank of American piano manufacturers." This latest Kroeger publication is quite up to the high standard of Kroeger work and is certain to be well received. A vacation of six weeks in Europe has evidently benefited Peter Duffy, president of the Schubert Piano Co., New York, judging from his rugged appearance and acknowledgment of greatly improved health. He got home Sunday, after a tempestuous voyage, the only unpleasant incident of what was otherwise an enjoyable trip. Half of his time was spent in London, the remainder on the continent, principally Germany, where he opened negotiations for supplying the steel entering into the manufacture of the "Duffiano," his patent steel piano back, and which deeply interested these piano manufacturers with whom the device was discussed. Mr. Duffy is not any too loquacious for the purposes of the newspaper man, but his chat with The Review, Thursday, recorded the views of a shrewd observer, that of a very successful man in every business enterprise he has undertaken., to wit: "I found business among the piano manufacturers of Great Britain and Germany very quiet, not much better than I understand it was here during the summer. In Germany I found a piano was made for export that sells for $30 f. o. b. at exporting point. It is a smaller instrument than the standard American size, 7 to 7% octaves, but it seems to possess sufficient merit to satisfy the trade it is sold to. They only make uprights for their foreign business, and the Germans are very accommodating and will build any kind of a piano any way to suit and sell. To be sure there are a number of first-rate manufacturers who stand on the reputation of their line, the same as here and in England; but this $30 piano will make the 'boys' interested in the export trade hustle to keep up with the procession. "One purpose of my trip was to inquire into the cost of steel for the 'Duffiano.' No special quality is used, any merchantable steel being suitable. Now, Germany pays a bounty of $2.15 per ton for manufactured steel exported to the United States, and this advantage offsets our tariff duty. Then with the low wages paid over there, the cost will be almost half of the domestic material. Well, as to manufacturing the 'Duffiano' on a large scale, that depends upon its development. You know deep preHOBART M. CABLE WILL FIGHT judices are to be overcome, and while a large The License Secured by the Pabst Co. for a number of progressive piano manufacturers believe it an improvement, others criticize it for Saloon Near His Factory at La Porte, Ind. what they call a metallic sound. But I have Hoba*rt M. Cable, president of the Hobart M. something coming along that will do away with Cable Co., is quite incensed, and with good rea- this alleged objection, and overcome all opposition son, over the license being granted the Pabst on that score. It will soon be ready, and whether Brewing Co., of Milwaukee, to sell liquor in a it is or not another steel back the improvement saloon in the vicinity of the Hobart M. Cable fac- will be there. Yes, I expect to make a western tory, at La Porte, Ind. Every effort will be made trip, but not until conditions become settledat in the higher courtsnotwithstanding the pres- least after the election. Did you ever know a ent victory of the Pabst people-to prevent such Presidential campaign that did not disturb busia temptation as a saloon next door to a plant ness ?" where a large body of men are employed and who, through its contiguity will be tempted to SUIT COMES UP OCTOBER 3. spend no small part of their earnings there. Argument in the case of the Musical Courier The attitude of Mr. Cable in this matter is not actuated by any narrow motives, but by a broad, Co. against Victor Herbert, the celebrated comsolicitous spirit for the welfare of the men whom poser, who secured a verdict of $5,000 for libel in he employs. He is more desirous that the money the trial courts, is set down for October 3 before which the men would spend for liquor should go the Court of Appeals of New York. The plaintoward the ownership of a home. And he has be- tiffs seek to set the verdict aside. hind in his fight the good wishes of not only the Newman Bros. Co., of Chicago, 111., manufacleading people of La Porte, but his workmen. turers of organs, and having a capital stock of At the present time there are more saloons in $150,000, have been granted a permit to do busiLa Porte than are necessary, and the motive ness in Texas. which led to establishing another saloon next to the factory is clearly apparent. In fighting the W. B. Price, of Price & Teeple, Chicago, and liquor interests Mr. Cable has no small battle on E. E. Walter, of the Hobai't M. Cable Co., are exhis hands, but everyone hopes he will win out. pected in town to-day. The Quality, Style and Prices are rfght. SCULLER PIANOS SCHILLER PIANO CQ They are honestly made, and will give your customers satisfaction. ««y j * MANUFACTURED BY NEW YORK OFFICE i 44 W. 84th 8 T . A. H. KAYTON, Factory Representative. Wuctoryi ., OR:MH, ILL