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MARCH 13,
1920
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
9
BUSINESS OF VARIOUS SORTS REPORTED IN ST. LOUIS
Local Piano Men Optimistic Over Future Prospects, Despite Fact That Volume of Business
During Past Few Days Has Been Somewhat "Spotty"—Personals and Other News
advance, I am, yours very truly, Bertha Kalich."
Well, of course, Mr. Chrisler couldn't resist an
appeal like that, and the Aeolian-Vocalion was
sent right over. And the next day Mr. Chrisler,
duly appreciative of the preference shown for
the Vocalion, used the letter effectively in an
advertisement, accompanied by a picture of the
actress.
Most of the dealers are not bothering to do
much advertising, partly because they haven't
much to advertise and partly because the times
do not seem to be propitious for that kind of
business stimulation. But Manager Russell
Elam, of the Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney
Dry Goods Co. piano department, made an ef-
fective announcement during the past week of
the Kurtzmann grand, embellished with an
artistic drawing of a beautiful young woman
at a handsome Kurtzmann instrument. The
rather surprising information is given that there
are Kurtzmann grands in three different sizes on
the Vandervoort floor. Nowadays dealers think
themselves rather fortunate if they have one size
of grand on the floor.
H. S. Heaton, general advertising manager of
the Wurlitzer Co., Cincinnati, was here a day
during the past week. From here he went to
Buffalo.
A. Ferner, of the Kieselhorst Piano Co., is re-
covering from a broken arm, the result of crank-
ing a refractory automobile.
A. F,. Whitaker, proprietor of the only up-
stairs piano store in St. Louis, outside of the
department stores, has succeeded so well at it
that he has found it necessary to move into
larger quarters. He has moved from the Hol-
land Building to the third floor of the new Ar-
Bertha Kalich is here for two weeks, playing cade Building, at Eighth and Olive streets. E.
at the Shubert-Jefferson, and she has an J. Harris, formerly of the Scruggs, Vandervoort
Aeolian-Vocalion in her apartments at the Jef- & Barney piano department, and Mrs. Mary
ferson Hotel. About the first thing she did Putnam, formerly with the Cable Piano Co.,
after she arrived was to write a nice little let- Jacksonville, Fla., have been added to his sales
ter to W. P. Chrisler, manager of the Aeolian force.
Co., like this: "My dear Mr. Chrisler: I would
Vice-president Harry Kieselhorst, of the
appreciate very much if you would arrange to Kieselhorst Piano Co., has been confined to his
have an Aeolian-Vocalion placed in my apart- home several days by sickness.
ments at the Jefferson Hotel for my personal
R. C. Harper, of the Q R S Player Roll Co.,
use during my stay in St. Louis. Your new Chicago, and A. C. Dora, of the Imperial Player
Vocalion records are remarkable. Won't you Roll Co., Chicago, were visitors here during the
please include some of these? Thanking you in week.
O. R. Bowman, of Steger & Sons, Chicago,
was a visitor at the store of the Lehman Piano
Co. during the week.
ST. LOUIS, MO., March 9.—Business the past
week ranged from fair to "rotten," depending
on who was telling about it. Those who said
it was fair outnumbered those who said it was
"rotten." But hope springs eternal in the
breasts of a good many piano men and their
hopes tinge the actuality to such an extent that
they will never admit that business is worse than
fair. When you come to count up the things
that affect business adversely in St. Louis it is
rather surprising that business is as fair as it
is. Lent is here and that does not help the
piano business any, and all who have to pay
income taxes are busy tilling out their blanks and
paying the State and Government. There are
a great many people in that iix and most any of
them might be patronizing the music stores if
they were not so busy patronizing the income
tax offices. And politics is beginning to dis-
tract folks. And there is still a good deal of
agitation of the prohibition question. St. Louis
was very wet before it was compelled to go
dry and the town has felt the ill effects of the
change. The good effects will come later, but
that does not help now. And then there are the
high prices of pianos and the low stocks. At
the present prices of pianos people of moder-
ate means hesitate before they make the re-
quired first payment and face the increased in-
stalments. And those who now have the money
to buy, like ,as not, cannot get what they want.
What lots of them want are small grands, for
there are so many living in small apartments
who formerly lived in regular houses that noth-
ing but small grands will do. And small grands
are scarce. So no wonder that business ranges
from fair to "rotten."
3 Great Pianos
With 3 sounding boards
in each (Patented) have the
greatest talking points in
the trade.
We fix " o n e p r i c e d -
wholesale and retail.
The Heppe Piano Co.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Victor
Supremacy
T h e V i c t o r has
earned its supremacy
by the great things it
has actually accom-
plished.
The large measure
of success enjoyed by
Victor retailers is in
keeping with Victor
supremacy.
" V i c t r o l a " j , the Registered Trademark of
the Victor Talking Machine Company designating
the products of this Company only.
W a r n i n g : The use of the word Victrola
upon or in the promotion or sale of any other
Talking Machine or Phonograph products is mis-
leading and illegal.
I m p o r t a n t N o t i c e . Victor Record, and
Victor Machines are scientifically co-ordinated
and synchronized in the processes of manufacture,
and should be used together to secure a perfect
reproduction.
PLANS FIFTH AVENUE WEEK
Association Will Hold Observance During Week
of April 5 to 10
Fifth avenue is to have a week all its own in
which to show its greatness and display its
wares. The Fifth Avenue Association an-
nounced this week that Fifth Avenue Week will
be observed April 5 to 10.
Arthur Williams will contribute a medal for
the most artistic window display at night and
W. L. Law, of the New York Edison Co., and
his committee on special night illumination will
co-operate and assist those who desire it. The
committee on fine arts, of which Walter L.
Ehrich is chairman, will give testimonials to
stores making the most artistic displays. Ar-
rangements are being made for concerts at night
on the Plaza at Fifty-ninth street. It also is
planned to lecture to school children on the edu-
cational advantage of Fifth avenue, and prizes
will be offered.
It is quite probable that the several piano
houses located on the avenue will participate
in the celebration by providing special musical
programs, elaborate window displays, etc.
Furer's Music Shop, Bridgeport, Conn., has
been incorporated with a capital of $50,000 by
Jacob J. Furer, Abraham Furer, Sydney Good-
man and Murray Chaplan.
Victrola XVII, $300
Victrola XVII, electric, $365.
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U.S.A.