Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MAY
THE
21, 1921
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ST. LOUIS DEALERS ENTHUSIASTIC OVER CONVENTIONS
Leaders of Local Music Trade Return From Chicago Full of Enthusiasm—Sohmer Welte-Mignon
Appears in Recital—Chickering With the Ampico at Local Theatre
ST. LOUIS, MO., May 16.—With most of the
heavyweights of the piano business at the Chi-
cago conventions last week, no great achieve-
ments in the way of piano merchandising were
expected and it is violating no confidence to say
that none was accomplished. If all the heavy-
weights had been at home it might have been
different. And, again, it might not have made
any difference. There are times when all the
heavyweights and all the lightweights pulling
together cannot sell a whole lot of pianos.
Anyone can see, though, with P. A. Lehman,
president of the Music Merchants' Association
of St. Louis; J. F. Ditzell, secretary of that As-
sociation; P. E. Conroy, president of the Conroy
Piano Co.; W. P. Chrisler, manager of the
Aeolian Co.; O. S. Boyd, manager of the Bald-
win Co.; Val Reis, of the Smith-Reis Piano Co.;
J. H. Kirkland, of the Kirkland Piano Co.;
Frank Homeyer, of the Homeyer Piano Co.;
John D. Barthel, of the Barthel-Duesenberg
Piano Co.; Frederick and Theodore Beyer, of
the F. Beyer & Son Piano Co., and Robert W.
McFadden, manager of the Brunswick Co., out
of town, there was a considerable break in the
line-up.
This week should be better, and probably will
be, because all those men came back from Chi-
cago loaded with enthusiasm and with heads full
of new ideas. President Lehman, speaking for
the delegation, said it was the greatest conven-
tion ever held and everybody had the best time
he ever had. Wonderful was the only word
he could think of to describe the hospitality and
entertainment provided by the Chicago Piano
Club.
A comparison test of the Sohmer grand piano
with the Sohmer Welte-Mignon was given Fri-
day afternoon at the Scruggs, Vandervoort &
Barney auditorium in connection with a recital
given by Lawrence Meredith, St. Louis com-
poser and pianist. The comparisons were on
Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C minor and Liszt's
"Dream of Love." The recital was arranged in
honor of the visit to St. Louis of Harry Sohmer
and Alex; McDonald, wholesale manager of
Sohmer & Co. Mr. McDonald was accompanied
by Mrs. McDonald.
Manager Russell Elam, of the Scruggs, Van-
dervoort & Barney piano, department, was pre-
vented from going to the Chicago conventions
after his transportation had been purchased. He
was driving Sunday night, accompanied by his
mother, when another motorist ran into his ma-
chine from the rear. Mrs. Elam, while not
seriously injured, was so severely shaken up
that Mr. Elam decided not to go to Chicago.
The Lauter-Humana
A player-piano designed
to meet the needs of the
discriminating buyer.
Is Your Territory Open?
LAUTER-HUMANA CO.
NEWARK, N. J.
I'p at Jefferson City, the Missouri State capi-
tal, competition is somewhat heated, as is indi-
cated by the following statement which was
printed in the papers the other day by P. J.
Schell, manager of the Schell Music Co.:
"Can you imagine the sensation of an interrup-
tion of your peaceful business pursuits by the
sheriff of the county hauling you before the
court on information filed by one of your com-
petitors in business on a charge of wilful mis-
leading advertising?
"On Thursday of this week an information of
this kind was filed against me by Frank Wy-
more, of the Walther-Wymore Co.
"In justice to the Schell Music Co. and myself
1 want to state that these charges are not true
and I am ready to offer our past eleven years'
business reputation in this city in evidence. In
this time our business has grown from a begin-
ning of good intention and square dealing to one
of the largest music stores in Missouri, thanks
to the generous patronage and confidence the
public has given us.
"We always have and always expect to han-"
die the best merchandise in the market in our
line, and do not have to misrepresent anything
to sell it; nor do we have to knock our com-
petitor or his goods to get the business.
"Really, I did not think there was a merchant
in this good city of ours who would resort to
an action of this kind, even if it were true; and
I can only attribute it to petty business jeal-
ousies and hope he is an exception."
A Chickering Ampico was one of the stars on
the program for a week at the Missouri Thea-
tre, St. Louis. For its "act" a beautiful stage
setting was provided. The Ampico played at
each performance, accompanied by a large or-
chestra. The audiences showed marked appre-
ciation. The instrument was provided and the
program arranged by Manager J. F. Ditzell, of
the Famous & Barr Co. music salon.
"LIQUID NOTES" DISCLOSE HOOTCH
Nuci's Piano Found to Contain the Ingredients
of a Several Weeks' Spree by Sleuths
Victor
Supremacy
The
enormous
public demand for
the Victrola, the un-
paralleled success of
Victor retailers every-
where, unmistakably
tell of V i c t o r su-
premacy.
"Victrola" i s the Registered Trade-
mark of the Victor Talking Machine
Company designating the products of
this Company only.
Warning: The use of the word
Victrola upon or in the promotion or
sale of any other Talking Machine or
Phonograph products is misleading and
illegal.
Important Notice. Victor Records
and yictor Machines are scientifically
co-ordinated and synchronized in the
processes of manufacture, and should be
used together to secure a perfect re-
production.
The stately piano has now innocently joined
the circle of fellow musical playmates who have
been made to indulge in the game of hide-and-
seck-the-hootch with prohibition law eva-ders.
In Monticello, N. Y., recently Corpl. Hopkins,
of the- State Constabulary, in plain clothes,
tickled the "ivories" in William K. Nuci's res-
taurant at nearby Highview and noted that some
of the keys struck had a decidedly "liquid" qual-
ity. Investigating, he lifted the top of the piano,
where, tenderly laid away inside the "works" was
the nucleus of a several weeks' "jag." Several
iji.arts were extracted therefrom as well as six
gallons of sherry and port wine and a quantity
of home-brew beer. A search of old violins, ac-
cordions and banjos for the contraband failed
to disclose anything further. Talking machine
cabinets and guitars have already been used for
this "nefarious purpose," according to dispatches
which have come to The Review during the last
fortnight.
EGYPT WANTS U. S. PUBLICATIONS
Victrola 80, $100
The American Chamber of Commerce of
Egypt, according to the Commerce Reports
issued by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce of the United States Department of
Commerce, desires to receive catalogs from this
country for display in its reading room. All
such material should bo addressed to the Ameri-
can Chamber of Commerce of Egypt, No. 1, Rue
Ancienne Bourse (P. O. B. 325), Alexandria.
Other styles $25 to $1500
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., u. s. A.