Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 13, 1919
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
recognition all over the country and f. r Al.ich
there is an ever-increasing '.lemand. In i'ir.
1
Firm Was Founded in September, 1879, by the Late John A. Weser—Plant Has Grown From One way they are to-day manufacturing a ^ i i ; f
instruments,
the
completeness
of
which
•
•
<
> :
Loft to Building Containing Three Acres of Floor Space—Complete Line for Dealers
tremendous advantage to any musical instru-
Weser Bros., Inc., S2O-522-524-526-528 West M. and George W. Weser, two brothers. In ment dealer.
In May of 1917 the business was incorporate 1
Forty-third street, New York City, is this year 1882 -Calvin Weser, another brother, joined the
celebrating its fortieth anniversary. From a linn and six years later, in 1888, a new factory with a million dollar capital with the follow
very small beginning this business has grown to was acquired much larger than the first, com- ing officers and directors: Elsie L. Weser, pres-
be one of the largest piano manufacturing en- prising 12,500 square feet, at 509 West Thirty- ident; W. S. Weser, vice-president and general
terprises in the world, and from a start which third street. During this time Wm. H. Weser manager; W. H. Keating, treasurer, and Edward
was made September, 1879, in a single loft at and, in 1883, Wiulield S. Weser, the present L. Graeffe, secretary; Max Levian, sales mana-
553 West Thirtieth street, New York, where vice-president and general manager of the now ger, all of whom have been connected with the
the Weser piano was first manufactured, a incorporated enterprise, joined the business. Weser organization for many years. W. S.
steady increase in the popularity of these in- Two years after the factory at Thirty-third Weser, upon whose shoulders falls the actual
street had been occupied the business had grown directing of the destinies of this great enter-
to such proportions that a plant on the site prise, is the only surviving brother actively
of the present factory was acquired, which interested in the firm. For many years he has
comprised 18,000 square feet of lloor space. In assumed the active business management. He
the same year this factory was swept by fire, is widely known throughout the trade as a man
but immediately, additional property being re- of the keenest business foresight, and under his
quired, a new plant of 75,000 square feet of floor direction the company has steadily progressed.
space comprised of nine stories and a basement Mr. Keating has been associated with the
was erected. Ten years from that time, in house for over eighteen years, and has had the
1900, additional property was purchased and direction of the financing of the corporation for
the present plant was built.
several years, while Mr, Graeffe takes the ac-
During these great strides which the concern tive management of the retail merchandising
made there was a constant development of the department, which comprises several retail stores
product and John A. Weser spent the greater maintained by Weser Bros, in New York City.
part of his time in developing devices which Max Levian has for many years traveled ex-
could be used exclusively in the product which tensively in the interest of the Weser pianos,
bears his name. When the player-piano be- player-pianos and phonographs and is known
came a fact and the demand for this type of in- from coast to coast by the dealers. He has
strument commenced to increase Weser Bros, been connected with the Weser organization
were not found wanting. They had developed for nearly a quarter of a century and has a
a player action of their own, an action which thorough knowledge of the requirements of the
Weser Bros. Player, Style 20
embodies many individual features, developed retail trade.
struments has placed the concern in a position through the mechanical genius of the founder
Thus after forty years the house of Weser
where it is now necessary to occupy a factory of the business.
Bros, is still making rapid strides toward great-
covering a total of three acres of floor space.
After becoming settled in the new plant er expansion, partly through the development
The business was founded by the late John Weser Bros, immediately took steps to manu- of the Weser phonograph, as well as through
A. Weser, who at the time of his death, May facture a wide variety of instruments so that
the ever-increasing demand for the Weser
18, 1917, had become recognized throughout tastes of all descriptions might be satisfied.
piano and player-pianos. During the last year
the industry as a man of remarkable business Another instance of the enterprise for which this
the Weser factory has been running to its
house has always been noted is the fact that utmost capacity to meet its increasing demands
they have also perfected and produced the with every possibility of a new plant being
Weser phonograph, which at once won quick contemplated within the immediate future.
WESER BROS. CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEK
The Hurley-Moren-Frank Co., formerly the
J. E. Frank Music Co., which has been in a dis-
Minnesota State Fair Booms Trade in Minne- heveled state for some months, is coming into
apolis and St. Paul—Two Music Houses to shape in the new quarters obtained by adding
Move to New Quarters—News of the Week the adjoining store, so that the street numbers
hereafter will be 49-51 South Eighth street.
The latter now is a new thoroughfare, having
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, September 8.—
Fully 600,000 people gave the Minnesota State been widened 20 feet between Nicollet and
fair their more or 'less sophisticated attention Hennepin avenues.
W. J. Dyer & Bro. opened September by sell-
last week. Just what proportion of this great
aggregation of human beings came from the ing a great variety of musical instruments, in-
country outside the Twin Cities no one may cluding a Fotoplayer for $6,000 and three Stein-
know, but many thousands of rural visitors came way grands. Mr. Dyer was sorry to part with
and in their wake followed plenty and prosper- those grands in spite of the nice returns the
ity. All businesses in St. Paul and Minneapolis house received.
profited by the rural invasion and the music
The big Cable store in Minneapolis is being
dealers, like all the other retail merchants in the rearranged so as^ to provide more space for
Twin Cities, opened September under the most player-pianos, grand pianos and talking ma-
gratifying conditions. It may be assumed that chines. Each of those departments will have one
the size and the spending proclivities of the large main room, with one or two siderooms
visitors give a fair indication that the North- for overflow. Just now the company is fairly
west is favored again with another profitable well supplied with player-pianos, but needs a
grain harvest. Much of the wheat is light in lot more of uprights and grands, and a whole
weight and shrunken in grain, but since the lot more of Victrolas. The company's St. Paul
United States Grain Corporation has established and Ashland stores report excellent business
a price on the inferior grain, which is highly continuously.
satisfactory to the producers and will give a
All the Foster & Waldo billboards have been
fair measure of remuneration for the season's touched up and renovated until they glisten like
work, the situaton, which a month ago was con- a new circus poster. In spite of the fact that
sidered grave, is now quite satisfactory.
pianos and talking machines are hard to get the
Two Minneapolis music houses will have new firm is using display "ads" in the daily papers
homes this week. The Starck Piano Co.'s store, with liberality. It pays to advertise even if
located for several months at Mary place and there is a temporary shortage of goods, and
Eighth street, is being transferred to the corner Foster & Waldo are demonstrating their belief
of Nicollet and Eighth street.
in this fact in a very convincing manner.
Q00D BUSINESS IN TWIN CITIES
The Weser Phonograph
ability as well as a creator, owing to his many
inventions which are to-day used on pianos,
player-pianos and phonographs.
Mr. Weser received his early training in
piano making in some of the foremost factories
of the day after he came to New York in
1872. With seven years at the bench to his
credit, in which time he had obtained a thor-
ough knowledge of practical piano making in
all departments, he established the firm of
Weser Bros. So rapid was the growth of
the concern that it was not very long after the
occupancy of the one loft that it was found
necessary to acquire the entire building.
Associated with John A. Weser at the time
of the founding of the business were Nicholas
STRAUCH
PIANO
ACTION
THE
ACTION OF
QUALITY and MERIT
STRAUCH BROS., Inc.
20-30 Tenth Avenue
New York