Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1916 Vol. 63 N. 23

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14
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
friends piano dealers from one end of the coun-
try to the other. He has concentrated for many
Visit to the Various Units of This Immense Piano Manufacturing Organization Reveals a years on the sales end of the piano business,
Splendid Example of Modern Efficiency as Applied to the Piano Industry—Every Member of and has specialized particularly in giving the
the Organization Has Had Years of Thorough Experience in the Piano Field
dealers practical service and co-operation in
every possible way.
While no one doubts the value of real effi- choice, but rather of necessity, for since the
A. C. Kehr, secretary and treasurer of the
ciency as applied to manufacturing problems, it first of the year every company in the Foster-
must be admitted that minor details in the Armstrong division has been working to ca- company, is a man of wide experience in the
working out of plans have received too much pacity to keep pace with the orders received financial and accounting division of the piano
emphasis, with the result of overshadowing from dealers throughout the country. In fact business, and in recent years has installed sev-
every one of the indi- eral systems in the Foster-Armstrong plant,
vidual companies has which embody the most advanced methods
been behind on its or- that have yet been introduced to ascertain
ders f o r
s e v e r a l costs, operating and selling expenses, etc.
Otto Lestina, superintendent of the Foster-
months past, and a
few weeks ago the Armstrong Co., is recognized as one of the
s v frf Ii3 H I I H RM R HMSMWl"
travelers were called foremost technical experts in the piano industry.
in from the road so Prior to joining the Foster-Armstrong Co.,
that additional orders he was associated with several of the leading
could not be solicited. piano manufactories.
S. M. Wallace, assistant secretary and treas-
This move was made
in justice to the com- urer, was previously connected with the music
pany's dealers w h o department of the American Piano Co., and
placed their orders in his present post is giving valuable assist-
months ago, and to ance to Messrs. Kavanagh and Kehr.
The Foster-Armstrong plant as it stands to-
w h o m the Foster-
Armstrong Co. is en- day includes certain departments which are
deavoring to render unique in many ways; for example, the varnish-
A Partial View of Foster-Armstrong Plant
the true value of efficiency to the manufacturer every possible assistance in filling these orders. ing section represents the highest type of ef-
in actually demonstrating how he may produce
It is always interesting to observe the per- ficiency in its particular field. That is why
better goods at lower costs.
sonnel of a successful house, for it is an axiom the Foster-Armstrong products have for many
In the piano trade the subject of efficiency that the men at the head of an institution re- years won enthusiastic praise from the com-
was not given real consideration until a com- flect in a considerable measure the character and pany's dealers—particularly because of the fine
paratively recent period, when a number of lead- achievements of the plant itself. The Foster- finish of the piano cases which are produced by
this institution.
ing manufacturers made a study of the subject
The Haines Bros,
and, recognizing its importance and value, in-
line has made remark-
stalled efficiency methods in their plants, which
able progress the past
have worked out most successfully.
few years, and at the
Efficiency.at the Foster-Aimstrong Plant
present time is far be-
A splendid example of the value of efficiency
hind orders.
Alfred
as applied to the manufacture of pianos, is to
Haines, a nephew of
be found at the immense plant of the Foster-
Napoleon J. Haines,
Armstrong division of the American Piano Co.,
founder
of Haines
at East Rochester, N. Y. This plant con-
Bros., is an active fig-
sists of a group of buildings, which represent
ure at this factory,
the acme of perfection in modern factory con-
a n d personally in-
struction, and nothing has been left undone to
spects every piano
make them models in every respect. The em-
that is produced. He
ployes are provided with every known conveni-
is an expert piano
ence to add to the pleasure of their work, and
builder, and takes a
there is an atmosphere of contentment and sat-
k e e n pride in the
isfaction which makes its presence felt the mo-
splendid quality of
ment the visitor enters the establishment.
the pianos turned out
The Foster-Armstrong plant, which is lo-
under his supervision.
cated at East Rochester—a suburb of Roches-
Max Waldecker, who
ter—and ideally located from a manufacturing
is in charge of the
standpoint, is divided into units, there being a
tone regulating de-
separate building for practically each one of the
partment, is a man of
lines of pianos and players manufactured by
w i d e experience in
the company.
These separate buildings are
this work, and has
Executive Staff of the Foster-Armstrong Co.—Left to Right: A. C.
devoted solely to the manufacture of the Haines
been
associated with
Kehr,
G.
C.
Kavanagh,
S.
M.
Wallace,
Otto
Lestina
Bros., the Marshall & Wendell, the Foster, the
Armstrong, and the Brewster lines. The other Armstrong Co. Hves up to this axiom in every several high-grade piano houses. Percy Pol-
companies included in the Foster-Armstrong way, for the executives of this company repre- lack, in charge of the action regulating de-
division are the Franklin Piano Co. and Holmes sent a group of men who have specialized and partment, has been connected with the house
& Son.
concentrated upon their respective departments. for more than twenty-five years. Michael Cun-
G. C. Kavanagh, vice-president of the com- erty, who has been with Haines Bros, for more
A visitor to East Rochester cannot fail to be
impressed with the air of activity and hustle, pany, and in charge of sales, is one of the than fifteen years, is in charge of the finishing
which isapparent in all departments of the Fos- most popular members of the wholesale piano department—a quartet of experts.
ter-Armstrong institution—a condition not of fraternity, and numbers among his personal
Haines Bros, pianos have won endorsements
REAL EFFICIENCY AT THE FOSTER-ARMSTRONG PLANT
A View in the Ampico Department, Guy Russell in the Foreground
In the Haines Bros. Factory—Alfred Haines Standing at the Grand
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
from many of the world's leading pianists and
composers, and a recent publication entitled
"Golden Opinions" presents letters from some
of the best-known members of the musical and
dramatic worlds who speak in the highest terms
of the excellent qualities of the Haines Bros,
pianos.
For many years past Haines Bros, pianos have
been used by the leading educational institu-
tions throughout the country, and it is stated
that there are more of these instruments in use
in colleges and universities than any other
make of piano. The satisfaction which these
pianos have rendered is evidenced in the many
repeat orders received by Haines Bros., and
"Golden Opinions" furnishes a remarkable trib-
ute to their durability in the reproduction of
letters from all sections of the country, re-
ferring to the splendid service the Haines Bros,
pianos have given under the most exacting con-
ditions It should be remembered that a piano
which ii- used in a school room or college audi-
torium is subject to far more severe use than
the piano in the average home.
A few of the colleges which recently pur-
chased Haines Bros, pianos are the following:
State Normal College, Athens, Ga.; Hiram Col-
lege, Garretsville, O.; Brenau College, Gaines-
ville, Ga.; State Normal College, Greensboro,
N. C; Maryland School for the Blind, Balti-
more, Md.; Spencer State Hospital, Spencer, W.
Va.; Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, S.
D.; Lindenwood College, St. Charles, Mo.;
West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon,
W. Va.; Anderson College, Anderson, S. C;
Lankenau School for Girls, Philadelphia, Pa.;
West Virginia School for Deaf & Blind, Bal-
timore, Md.; Young Men's Christian Associa-
tion, Rochester, N. Y.
Marshall & Wendell Progress
One of the most gratifying features of the
Foster-Armstrong business the past year has
been the remarkable demand for the Marshall
& Wendell line. This instrument has gained
tremendously in popularity during the past few
months, and at the present time more than
three hundred instruments per month are being
turned out in the Marshall & Wendell factory.
The company is considerably behind orders, and
this has been the case all year. The new style
24 Marshall & Wendell piano, which was intro-
duced a short while ago, is proving to be one
of the most popular instruments that the trade
has ever received, and the case design of this
piano has won praise from dealers everywhere.
The experimental department at the Foster-
Armstrong plant has been working out a num-
ber of new ideas, which will doubtless add con-
siderably to the success of the Marshall &
Wendell piano during the coming year, and
judging from all indications this instrument will
continue to enjoy its present popularity for a
long time to come.
The Foster Line
During the past two years the Foster line,
manufactured by the Foster Piano Co., has been
very widely exploited with pleasing results. In
fact, by the end of this year, not less than 3,500
15
Foster instruments will have been sold by use in the leading magazines, and detailed plans
the dealers throughout the counttry. This of co-operation with the dealers have been
line makes a particular appeal to those dealers worked out, which cannot fail to act as a marked
who cater to a clientele which seeks a moderate stimulus to Ampico sales everywhere. Guy
priced piano, embody-
ing durability and at-
tractiveness.
One of the busiest
divisions of the Fos-
ter-Armstrong plant
is that devoted to the
manufacture of t h e
Ampico reproducing
piano. This depart-
ment has already out-
grown the space orig-
inally allotted to it,
and judging from the
demands of the deal-
ers it will require
more and more room
to keep pace with the
orders being received.
A m p i c o business
has gained tremend-
ously the past year,
Bellying Department in the Foster Piano Co.'s Building
and the Ampico re-
producing piano, which has been used in con- Russell, one of the country's leading player ex-
nection with the various Foster-Armstrong perts, is in charge of the Ampico division at
pianos, has achieved country wide success. The the Foster-Armstrong plant,
factory recently started to ship out the new
As an example of the thoroughness and pro-
foot-power Ampicos, and they have met with gressiveness which characterizes the entire
a ready sale wherever they have been introduced. Foster-Armstrong institution it is interest-
ing to note that one
of the departments at
the factory is devoted
exclusively to "de-
signing." A represen-
tative of this depart-
ment visits the lead-
ing furniture marts
each year, and his ob-
servations enable the
Foster-Armstrong Co.
to design its cases in
accordance with the
current vogue in the
furniture
world.
Many of these case
designs have b e e n
patented in order to
give
Fost.er-
Armstrong dealers the
full benefit of the dis-
tinctive features they
embody.
As a concrete indi-
cation of the content-
ment that is apparent
Loading Haines Bros. Pianos on the Cars
among the employes
The importance of the Ampico department at at the Foster-Armstrong plant, the following list
the Foster-Armstrong plant is accentuated by of men who have been in the employ of the com-
the recent decision of the American Piano Co. pany for over ten years is indeed a "roll of
to institute an aggressive and far reaching cam- honor:" E. Schlegel, B. Heitz, Geo. Hallings,
paign in behalf of the Ampico reproducing piano. John Corbin, Charles Baskerville, T. Marshall, E.
$200,000 has been set aside for national ad- Hustleby, M. D. Shaw, Joe Snyder, D. Wagoner,
vertising, full pages having been prepared for Geo. Steeler, Thos. Riley, F. Milligan, W. D.
McLean, Joe Burke, J. W. Soule, F. Eggert,
F. Wilson, C. Kester, E. Harriott, W. Burl-
ingame, C. Duckworth, P. O'Leary, Geo. Heil,
W. Reich, S. Adsit, P. Rienfelt, A. Herman,
C. J. Hess, W. Truax, C. Vanderboegh, W.
Gutacher, Joe Boes, H. Vicinus, E. Williams,
W. E. Murdock, John Schafer, P. Pollock, M.
Cunerty, C. Schlotz, Geo. Myers, John Pope, F.
Bowen, F. Barnes, W. Smith, J. Ewald, J.
Gerace, E. Baumgart, J. Bonnell, M. J. Goddard,
W. S. Russell, Frank Kohler, I. Pickworth, F.
W. Hubbard, D. Herriot, Fred Lohr, W. J.
Schultz, E. Campbell, G. A. Wilson, N. Gordon,
J. Button, J. Graham, J. H. Anderson, H.
Youngs, J. A. Doser, John Wehrle, G. H. Bow-
man, G. W. Drew, E. Thompson, Chas. Thomp-
son, J. M. Hennan, F. Lombardo, Geo. David-
son, W. Herman, J. McKinney, H. Taylor, W.
Pope, H. Leach, J. Mambreth, F. Palmer, Joe
Kelley, H. Ludwig, E. Babst, Henry Otto,
Tony Compa, G. Fornasi, E. Kurtz, J. Peterson,
John Jacobs, F. Werner, Geo. Burnette, R. W.
Warner, D. Burnette, J. J. Marino, G. Guiseppe,
L. Leppi, C. Donato, E. Bills.
A Section of the Varnish Room

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