Will exhibit Chickering, Haines Bros., Marshall & Wendell, Franklin and the celebrated Knabe pianos Will exhibit Fotoplayers and pipe organs. Key Exhibitors at the National Music Show 1917. In the US, over 300,00 pianos were being manufactured each year. So 100 years ago, Chicago hosted an industry in rude health, but one obviously feeling the effects of the momentous events across the Atlantic. I’ve included, at the end of this piece, a summary of the major exhibitors to give a flavour of the industry at that time. These included the latest instruments, newly published music rolls, and state-of-the-art talking machines (subsequently known as gramophones). Probably the most important reason to make the trip to Chicago, was to visit The National Music Show at Chicago’s Coliseum, which enabled manufacturers to show off their new products. The building was demolished in 1982 for health and safety reasons. Perhaps this subject was a little more important than the status of the the word “roll”.Ĭhicago’s (Third) Coliseum, with the National Piano Dealers Association banner flying. Munitions factories had already recruited a large proportion of the skilled workforce, but now with the commencement of conscription the industry was facing an even greater labour shortage. On April 28 just a few days earlier, the House of Representatives amended the Army Bill to embody conscription.
Other subjects discussed included: war taxes the lack of sales promotion across the industry and the shortage of skilled labour. The Music Trade Review, May 1917) and raised at The National Association of Music Roll Manufacturers’ Convention concerned the definition of the word “roll” (as in piano roll), who could use it, and what exactly it was! One issue apparently considered important (ref. Here key players discussed relevant issues and formulated ideas for the betterment of the industry. The above diary details meetings of the various trade bodies taking place during the week. Several large scale piano manufacturing plants were located in Chicago, and these would typically each produce 1,000-2,000 pianos a month. The majority of the events took place at Chicago’s Congress Hall, however manufacturers would also exhibit there wares in various locations around the city.Īt that time, Chicago was the centre of the US musical instrument industry, and although this event was for all musical instruments, it was the piano that dominated.
May 18-19: The National Piano Manufacturers’ Convention.The program illustrates the nature of the event: Chicago’s Congress Hotel as it is now, and in 1917 (inset)
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