The Washington herald., 1908-05-31
THE OLD SQUARE PIANO.
Dealers Everywhere Suffer Through
OvervaRuntiOn of These Relies.

The National Association OF Piano Deal
ers of America will hold its seventh an
nual convention in New York City June s.
There is no doubt that this will be no+
Only the best attended, but the most i'm
portant session yet held by the associa-
tion. Owing to the rapid growth of the
piano business and the changes incident
TO such growth, many abuses have crept
into the piano trade which the associa-
ton aims 10 correct.
Among these abuses is the excessive
allowances for old instruments which the
dealer often feels obliged to make be-
cause of g false idea on the part Of the
owner as TO real value Of such old in
strument. Some owners OF these old in
struments labor under the false impress
sion that the various parts are OF value
and can be used again in making new
instruments 1t is also thought by some
that these old instruments can be rebuilt
or made over to be as valuable as when
new. Both these ideas are wrong No
part Of an~old instrument is OF any spe-
cial value in building a new one. and in
the great majority Of cases the old or
gans and square pianos are not Of suffi-
Gent value TO justify the expense OF re-
building them.
The development Of the piano has been
rapid. Those instruments which were
the best of their type twenty. thirty. and
forty years ago are to-day, except in rare
cases. of little musical value. To be
sure, certain grand pianos and high-ciass
uprights can be rebuilt and made Of
value again, but the old square piano, ex-
cepting those Of the best makers and OF
the later models, are not only without
musical value, but they are a source Of
expense and annoyance 10 the dealer
Particularly is this true IN the city. where
these instruments take UP much room
where high rents make space valuable
During a meeting Of the association In
Atlantic City four years ago a number Of
these old square pianos were burned for
the express purpose Of getting them out
Of the way and impressing the public
with their wOrthlessness Some criticism
was made by newspapers. and others ig-
norant Of the true facts, on the ground
that these pianos might better be given
to people in poor circumstances or to
schools and struggling institutions. A
moments reflection would show that deal
ers would not burn anything that pos
sessed any value, but that they would be
glad TO get rid Of instruments which were
in the way and whose musical value was
entirely gone.
Arrangements are being made. TO dis
pose most effectively OF a large number
OF these old square pianos and little box
organs during the coming convention in
New York. Dealers in New York and vi
cinity whose storeroOms are crowded
with these worthless instruments will
load them on large boat, chartered for
the purpose. and they will be taken far
out in the ocean and sunk. BY this
method the dealers will make certain that
these old instruments Will never again
be offered IN exchange, thus necessitating
endless explanations and controversies
about their real value.
The National Association OF Piano Deal
ers stands pledged TO the one-price sys-
TEN. Nothing interferes more with the
strict maintenance Of this system than
the custom now prevailing OF taking old
instruments in exchange in part payment
toward new. The dealer who adheres 10
one price can, OF course. allow no more
FOR an old instrument than its real worth.
II II is worthless, he must refuse TO take
10 az any price. This condition often
obllges the dealer 10 spend more time IN
disabusing the customers mind with ref
erence 70 the value Of the old instrument
offered in exchange than explaining the
merits or the desirability OF the new
piano. The dealers in the association de-
sire 10 correct this condition and place
ths piano business on the same plane as
other lines