The McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 created problems for musical instrument importers because it raised the tax on foreign-made instruments.  Large New York importers such as C. Bruno & Son and August Pollman saw their profits drop from over $250,000 a year to $100,000 in 1892.

Many smaller companies went out of business.  Others began distributing instruments made by a fast-growing number of American manufacturers.  Distributors often stenciled their own, better known, name on the smaller maker’s products.  These were called stencil brands.

The business of importing and distributing musical instruments was centered in New York during this period.  Companies used letters, small catalogs and traveling salesmen to sell their products.  Some salesmen had such bad reputations that the industry issued policies of conduct to halt the “loose methods” of roadmen.