Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
JULY 19, 1919
DECKER=CUMM1NGS CO. IN NEW HOME
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
THE PIANO INDUSTRY FICTIONIZED
Sheridan, Wyoming, House Moves to Larger Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson
Writing Economic Story Around a Piano Fac-
Quarters and Has Attractive Warerooms in
tory, Published in Saturday Evening Post
Which Pianos and Talking Machines are Dis-
played—Handling the Francis Bacon Line
During the past decade fiction dealing with
Marking a new step in the progress of business problems has had a wide and con-
"Wyoming's Largest Music House," as it is stantly increasing vogue. The fiction magazines
called in its home state, the Decker-Cummings have been filled with stories whose scenes were
Music Co., 105 South Main street, Sheridan, laid in brokers' offices, manufacturing plants,
Wyoming, has just announced that it is now steel mills, dry goods stores, clothing factories
occupying new and considerably expanded quar- and a host of other business institutions. The
piano industry, however, seemed to have been
ters.
The official opening of the new building was neglected by our modern authors, and it has
a social event in the city of Sheridan and was at- remained for Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon
tended by all of the music-loving residents. A Wilson to be the first authors to write what
five-piece orchestra furnished delightful music promises to be a "big story" around a piano
for the occasion and the salesrooms were ap- factory. The July 12 issue of the Saturday
propriately festooned with fragrant floral deco- Evening Post contains the first instalment of
a story, done in playlet form, in which the en-
rations.
The new arrangement for the sale of all things tire action centers around the factory where
musical offers a most modern equipment for the the "Gibson" upright is produced. If deduc-
convenience of customers. First of all, upon tions made from the opening instalment of the
entering the new music store, one is impressed story are correct Messrs. Tarkington and Wil-
with the sunny and spacious rooms. The color son are working out a common-sense answer
combination of the salesroom offers a pleasing to the pro-Bolshevist theory that labor and
harmony, the walls being tinted green, while labor alone is the only thing entitled to re-
the ceiling harmonizes with the white enamel muneration or reward in the economic field. It
woodwork and showcases. The long corridor or would be unfair to the authors to outline the
hall, which is devoted to the display of upright plot of their story here, but it is well worth
pianos, contains a vast array of instruments that reading and should prove particularly interest-
will meet the desire of any piano preference. ing to those engaged in the piano industry.
Another department is given exclusively to the The fact that Tarkington, whose artistry in
display and sale of grand pianos. The sale of story telling is without peer in America at the
Victrolas and Grafonolas is conducted in a present time, and Wilson, whose "Ruggles of
special department where this class of instru- Red Gap" and "Ma Pettingill' series have de-
ments is sold exclusively. Five glass booths, lighted the readers of two continents, have
four for the demonstration of the Victrola and chosen a piano factory in which to lay the
Grafonola and the latest Victor and Columbia scene of their first collaboration is a distinct
records and the other for the player-piano music, tribute to the standing and rank of the piano
are comfortably equipped with carpets and industry in the world of business to-day.
wicker seats. Along the wall is a case contain-
ing thousands of records and music rolls.
The Decker-Cummings Music Co. has been
ai: enthusiastic distributor of the Bacon pianos
for many years, and feels that with these in-
creased facilities it will be in a much better
position than ever to handle the Bacon line and
will, without doubt, do an increased amount of
business with this very high-grade instrument.
KIRK JOHNSON STORE REOPENS
Salesrooms of the Kirk Johnson Piano Co.
Greatly Improved—Harrington. Grand and
Knabe Ampico Featured at Formal Opening
LEBANON, PA., July 14.—The Kirk Johnson
Piano Co., whose salesrooms have for some time
been closed during alterations to the building,
held a formal opening of the new quarters a
short time ago at 125 North Eighth street, Leb-
anon, Pa. William Schaefter, a well-known
tenor, formerly with Fox motion picture circuit,
sang several songs and was accompanied by
Joseph Beckley on a Harrington baby grand,
manufactured by Hardman, Peck & Co. Dur-
ing the program the possibilities of all kinds of
musical instruments were demonstrated and the
Knabe Ampico delighted the audience with its
playing.
JULIUS R SEYMOUR DIES
Julius F. Seymour, age eighty years, well
known in Connecticut as a piano inventor, died
at his home in- Derby, Conn., a short time ago.
For many years he was foreman in one of the
departments of the Sterling Piano Co. plant
and during his connection with the piano indus-
try many of his improvements in piano construc-
tion were patented.
J. P. Seeburg is at present vacationing at
Poland Springs, Me.
7?/ie peft/ciiou)/i
musical name
mtheWor/d.
C. B. LOMAS LEAVES SHONINGER CO.
Well-Known Piano Traveler to Forsake Piano
Trade for the Automobile Trade
NEW HAVEN, CONN., July 14.—C. B. Lomas,
after many years of association with the B.
Shoninger Co., the well known piano manufac-
turers of this city, in the capacity of vice-presi-
dent and secretary, has announced his resignation
from the Shoninger Co.'s service in order to en-
ter the automobile business in partnership with
C. B. Bradford, of New Haven. Mr. Lomas will
be located at 400 Crown street, this city, and
his company is the agency for several leading
makes of passenger cars and trucks, and also
maintains a branch in Waterbury.
In announcing his change of business Mr.
Lomas said:
"It is hard to break off a relationship that has
existed for so great a time, for the Lomas family,
represented by my father and myself, have been
continuously connected with the Shoninger busi-
ness for over 50 years. I have felt for a long time,
however, that my greatest interests lay in the
automobile rather than in the piano, and after giv-
ing the matter very careful consideration 1 have
associated myself in partnership with my friend,
C. B. Bradford, of New Haven, who has been
in the automobile business for several years."
TO WIND UP ROPELT CO. AFFAIRS
Final Meeting of the Creditors of Rochester
Piano Concern to Be Held on July 30
The final meeting of the creditors of the Ro-
pelt & Sons Piano Co., bankrupt, Rochester,
N. Y., will be held on July 30 at 10 a. m. in
the office of the referee, Nelson P. Sanford,
33 Federal Building, Rochester, N. Y. The meet-
ing will be held for the passing on the final ac-
count and report of the trustee, the payment of
the final dividend and the transaction of other
ATTENDS BETTER BUSINESS MEET business.
The trustee has on hand, subject to
C L. Dennis Represents Music Trade at Con- administration expenses, the sum of $1,481.40,
ference of Better Business Bureau's Secretaries fifteen uncollected accounts amounting to $2,-
922.74, and the trade name. The accounts and
Which Was Held in Chicago Recently
the trade name will be sold at auction.
C. L. Dennis, director of the Music Industries
Better Business Bureau, and secretary of the URGES WORLD EXPOSITION IN 1926
National Association of Music Merchants, rep-
resented the music trade at the recent confer- John Wanamaker, the Great Merchant, Says
ence of secretaries of better business bureaus
It Would Be Worth a Billion Dollars
throughout the country held in Chicago.
Papers were read and discussions followed on
A great exposition in 1926 is urged by John
the scope of bureau activities, questions of
Wanamaker, who celebrated his eighty-first
prosecution, methods of organizing, experiences birthday last week. The exposition, he declared,
of new bureaus, building good will, standards of would show the world the great producing
practice, advertising of work, problems of re- power of the United States.
tail merchandising, financing and co-operation
Mr. Wanamaker would have the world's fair
with the National Vigilance Committee.
cover 300 acres in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
"The piano and phonograph trade came in He said it would be worth a billion dollars to
for a good deal of panning at the various ses- the world at large in the knowledge of what
sions," said Mr. Dennis, "but I noticed that a America can do in supplying every need of man.
majority of the specific cases were mentioned in
"If the work of preparation were begun in
the past tense. The eagerness for co-operation time," said Mr. Wanamaker in speaking of his
in our work and the splendid character of'the plan for a world exposition, "almost every na-
men engaged in this field were points that im- tion, large and small, in the Old World could
pressed me. The conference was a wonderful be interested to its own advantage in putting
demonstration of the progress'made in honest up its own buildings to show the best it has in
merchandising. The meeting itself marked a art, in machinery and in manufactured goods.
big step in this progress, for it brought to-
"Touching shoulders and shaking hands and
gether the ideas worked out by these men sepa- looking each other in the face would do more
rately for the, good of all."
than anything else to make the people under-
stand the realities of the American nag and the
principles
for which it stands."
TAX ON SALESMEN IN JAMAICA
The Government of Jamaica has instituted a
tax on commercial travelers representing for-
eign business houses, which has been effective
from June 1. Commercial travelers are re-
quired to register, reports Consul. Charles E.
Asbury at Port Antonio, and pay an annual tax
of $48.66. Failure to register and pay the tax
involves heavy penalties.
PIANOS
RAUW0RTH TO ANNOUNCE PLANS
CHICAGO, 111., July 15.—E. S. Rauworth, whose
resignation as vice-president of the Cable-Nelson
Piano-.Co. and superintendent of the factory at
.South Haven, Mich., was recently announced, is
to announce his piano manufacturing plans for
the future in a few days.
YOROANS
E5TEY PIAND COMPANY NEW YDIM CITY-
*c7/ie Pest prom
prodticerfarthe
dealer intheTlrade.