It is further stated by the manufacturer that there are three concerns still in business, each of which produce 3,000 or more violins annually. These three concerns, together with individual makers and musical instrument dealers who manufacture for their own trade employ about 1,500 people and produced about 65,000 violins in 1920. FOREIGN PRODUCTION. The industry in Italy is centered at Cremona, where were produced the celebrated violins of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Violin making is prominent in the Mittenwald and Markneukirchen districts of Germany. There have been practical schools in Germany for many years where this peculiar and specialized trade is learned. The work is usually done in the homes, the several members of the family making such parts as their individual skill and age will permit. It appears to be the custom for families to specialize in making certain parts. The various parts are then assembled and the violins varnished and finished in a central place. Wood carvers in Japan turned their activities to violin making several years ago and on account of their long experience in the art, they were able to copy the work with ease and produce violins of excellent quality. IMPORTS. The value of imports is not stated in official statistics. It is stated by a manufacturer who bases the data on the importation of four dealers that prior to the war imports came from Germany, Italy, and France and that the total importations amounted to 300,000 violins annually. Of these Germany shipped 150,000 to 175,000, Italy 75,000 to 100,000, and France 50,000 to 75,000. Shipments from Japan increased during the war as a result of a shortage in the United States of the European stock. Violins imported prior to the war were of various grades. It is stated that the retail price on some was as low as $1.25 to $3 each. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS. Domestic manufacturers state that prior to the war all low and medium priced violins and most of the higher grades were imported from Germany, Italy, and France. The fact that a violin is made in a foreign country adds greatly to its value in the eye of the average purchaser, as the impression has been created that American manufacturers are not able to supply good instruments. The claim of age for many foreign-made instruments also gives them a decided advantage over American makes. It has been pointed out by an American manufacturer that first place was voted to a modern-made instrument in a test made by a celebrated cellist before well-known musicians and critics in Paris, and that a similar test with respect to violins resulted in favor of the modern instrument. The prejudice in favor of the imported instrument has been somewhat overcome by domestic manufacturers, as a result of a greater use of American-made violins during the war, when the supply from Europe was cut off. American manufacturers in the last three years have had to meet the competition of Japanese violins, which up to the present time have been of good tone and quality. TARIFF CONSIDERATIONS. Manufacturers of violins ask that their product be given a sepa rate classification and rate in the tariff. They state that violins occupy a necessary position in the musical world; that they do not compete industrially or musically with any other instrument; that the product of European countries is made by workers skilled in the craft for generations and whose meager living expense is supplied by very low wages. They further state that 95 per cent of all the violins sold in America were made abroad; that no low or medium priced instruments for beginners, known as commercial violins, were made here prior to the war, and that they constitute fully 75 per cent of the demand; that it was not until the war had eliminated European shipments were they able to begin manufacture on a commercial basis; that labor constitutes over 70 per cent of an average violin's cost. Production of musical instruments and phonographs in United States, by States. 1 Figures for 1904 and 1899 included in "All other States," to avoid disclosing individual operations. Production of musical instruments and phonographs in United States, by States-Con. PHONOGRAPHS, GRAMOPHONES, GRAPHOPHONES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES OR PARTS THEREOF. 5 In addition, in 1914, phonographs, graphophones, and parts, valued at $66,531, and in 1909, valued at $31,899 were made by establishments engaged primarily in the manufacture of products other than those covered by this industry designation. States: "New York was the only State in 1914 for which statistics could be given separately without disclosing the operations of individual establishments, but the industry in New York was not of sufficient importance to present data in detail for this State. The value of the products of the 5 establishments located in New York was $160,603, or less than 1 per cent of the total for the country. Of the remaining 13 establishments reported in 1914, 4 were located in New Jersey; 3 in Illinois; 2 in Connecticut; and Ï each in Delaware, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.” Imports of musical instruments and phonographs, by countries (fiscal years). |