Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JANUARY 22, 1921
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
KNIGHT-CAMPBELL STAFF MEETS
VAN FOSSEN IS BROWN CO. MANAGER
RECEIVERS FOR OTTO HIGEL CO.
Sales Organization of Company Holds Fourth
Annual Convention in Denver—Members
Listen to Some Live Sales Talks
Well-known Piano Man of Akron, O., Takes
Charge of Brown Piano Co. in Canton
Adam C. King and John G. Sheppard, Jr., Placed
in Charge of Business at Instance of Cornwall
& Patterson Co.—R. O. Higel Declares That
Company Will Overcome Difficulties
CANTON, O., January 17.—Announcement has just
January 14.—Twenty-eight sales- been made here of the appointment of S. S.
men and representatives of the Knight-Campbell Van Fossen as manager of the Brown Piano Co.,
Music Co. gathered at the company's head- Second street and Walnut avenue, S. E. Mr.
quarters here recently to attend the fourth
annual sales conference of the company, which
extended over two days and proved one of
the most successful gatherings of the series.
The various members of the organization were
called upon to give talks on selling, and some
lively discussions resulted. At a special
luncheon each day outside speakers were called
in to address the sales staff, among them being
Dingley Matthews, chairman of the Denver Mu-
sical Commission, and W. A. White, Director
of Music in Denver schools.
One of the interesting speakers was Mrs. Ella
K. Henderson, who represents the Knight-
Campbell Co. in Central Wyoming, and is rated
one of the best producers on the staff. Mrs.
Henderson declared that conversations on psy-
chology, religion, spiritualism, or the making
of Scotch shortbread have a real place in piano
selling.
One of the experiences she related was with
a Scotch woman who began by giving her esti-
S. S. Van Fossen
mation of piano agents in general and Mrs.
Van Fossen conies to Canton from Akron, O.,
Henderson in particular.
"1 did not argue the question at all, but asked where for several months he has been manager
if she were not from Scotland," said Mrs. Hen- of the Akron store of the A. B. Smith Piano
derson. "Receiving an affirmative answer, I in- Co., and also president of the Akron Music Deal-
formed her of my anxiety to learn how to make ers' Association. He formerly was connected
Scotch shortbread. As a result, I was not only with the Baldwin Piano Co. and with the Wur-
taken into the kitchen, enveloped in a large litzer Co. He is experienced in both wholesale
apron and shown how to make shortbread, but and retail piano trade.
"Our business has grown to such an extent
1 secured an order for a fine piano. Almost
every form of knowledge may be used to pave that we have found it necessary to employ a
the way to a common interest with a prospective manager to devote his entire time to the man-
agement," said Mrs. J. W. Brown, who has been
customer."
Those of the sales staff who attended the con- head of the company since the death of her hus-
ference included H. E. Frye, Mrs. Marie Mayer, band recently.
Mr. Van Fossen told the representative of The
George L. Horr and Dwight W. Fitterer, all of
Kansas; Mrs. Henderson, of Casper, Wyo.; Review that he had resigned as head of the
Ralph Hoffman and John C. Neff, of Cheyenne, Akron Music Trades Association and had now
Wyo.; T. W. Gee, of Alliance, Neb.; A. E. Dor- located here permanently. He says he has
man, of New Mexico; George Bewley, Fort Mor- started organizing the sales force and that for
gan, Colo.; H. E. Mitchell and Mark J. McDon- the present there would be no change in the
nell, of Pueblo; Miss Marion Kingsbury, Lead- policy of the store.
ville; D. Allen, E. Shrewsbury and Wilbur G.
Hanes, Colorado Springs; F. A. Black and H. A.
TO CONCENTRATE ON WHOLESALE
Baker, Trinidad; W. O. Shumate and C. W. Sey-
mour, Sterling; P. L. Kellerman, George Keller- Frank E. Bolway & Son to Retire From Retail
Business in Syracuse and Rochester
man, E. Remley and E. A. Knemeyer, Greeley;
P. J. Tirey and J. LeRoy Wise, Grand Junction,
SYRACUSE, N. Y., January 17.—Frank E. Bolway
and J. Bowman and James E. Donahue.
W. F. Allen, of the A. B. Chase Co., New & Son, Inc., wholesale phonograph piano and
York, and C. H. Addams, of the Aeolian Co., sporting goods dealers, who have operated a
also of New York, were present at the conven- retail store here and one in Rochester and have
tion as special representatives of their respec- been connected wjth other retail enterprises,
have announced that the firm will retire at once
tive firms.
The convention closed with a reception and from the retail business. The increase in their
dance. On the evening of the first day of the wholesale business and the desire to avoid fric-
convention the salesmen were the guests of the tion with retailers buying from their jobbing
departments were given as the principal reasons
company at a theatre party.
for the change. The Bolway sales organization
extends into more than one-third of the United
DEATH OF VETERAN ORGAN MAKER States.
A new site on South Clinton street has been
Henry A. Crocker, an old-time organ maker,
and resident of Worcester, died at the Home obtained and will be opened about February 1.
for Aged Couples, on Columbus avenue, Jamaica The present site in South Salina street, which is
IMain, Boston, last week. He retired from busi- under lease, will be rented.
In the new building a salesmen's conference
ness about fifteen years ago and was ninety-one
room will be arranged on the first floor, and the
years of age when he passed away.
second given over to general offices of the com-
pany.
The remainder of the building will be
INCORPORATED
used as a warehouse.
The Houghton & Rungie Music Co., of Olean,
F. W. Schubert, wholesale representative of
filed a certificate of incorporation with the Secre-
tary of State at Albany this week, with a capital Kohler & Chase for Southern California, Arizona
of $10,000. Those interested are J. 1\ and L. A. and New Mexico, has sent out a very attractive
calendar for 1°-21 to the trade.
Houghton and H. P. Rungie.
DENVER, COL.,
THE BEST KNOWN
MUSICAL NAME
IN THE WORLD.
IANO CO - P J A N O S
Judge Hand, in the U. S. District Court, on
last Saturday, January 15, appointed Adam C.
King and John G. Sheppard, Jr., receivers for
the Otto Higel Co., Inc., under bond of $25,000
each. The appointment of the receivers was
the' result of an action brought by the Cornwall
& Patterson Mfg. Co., of Bridgeport, Conn.,
makers of piano and player hardware, a creditor,
for $17,557.
The Otto Higel Co. organized in 1913 in New
York for the purpose of manufacturing player
actions and parts and has a large plant at 238th
street and Bronx boulevard. The authorized
capital of the company is $500,000, all issued
and outstanding. The Higel Co. is said in the
petition to have outstanding obligations of $328,-
000 and assets of upward of $600,000, but is said
to lack sufficient money to meet its obligations,
matured and maturing.
R. O. Higel, treasurer of the company, stated
to The Review that he had every confidence in
his company being able to get over its present
difficulties, which were due entirely to general
conditions.
DEATH OF CHAUNCEY A. HOUSE
Head of C. A. House Music Co., Wheeling, W.
., Va,, Succumbs to Pneumonia in 88th Year
WHEELING, W. VA., January 15.—Chauncey A.
House, head of the C. A. House Music Co., this
city, and one of the oldest and most respected
business men of Wheeling, died at his home here
last week of acute pneumonia.
Although Mr. House lacked only one month
of being eighty-eight years old, he continued
to direct his music business in person until
January third, when he was stricken with the
fatal malady. For a time hopes were entertained
for his recovery, but despite every effort he died.
Mr. House came to Wheeling from Meadville
in 1870, and, after acting as manager for the
Howe Sewing Machine Co. for twelve years, em-
barked in the music business in 1882. His music
business proved successful immediately and con-
tinued to grow, forcing a removal to larger
quarters on several occasions. At the present
time, in addition to occupying a large building
here, the company also maintains branches in
Fairmont and Steubenville.
The deceased was noted for his kindly dis-
position, and enjoyed the deep respect and love
of all his employes. He conducted his business
along sound, honest lines, and won his success
on that basis.
The funeral was held on Saturday from his
home, the interment being in Greenwood Ceme-
tery. He is survived by a widow and two daugh-
ters. The Wheeling newspapers reflected the
esteem of the citizens of Wheeling for the de-
ceased by carrying editorials extolling him and
his business career.
It is stated that Mrs. C. A. House is the sole
executrix of the estate by the terms of her hus-
band's will and that the business will be con-
tinued under her direction.
READS THE REVIEW EAGERLY
J. P. Collins, piano merchant of Boston, Mass.,
recently paid The Review a nice compliment in
a letter which ran in part as follows:
"I certainly enjoy reading The Music Trade
Review and eagerly await its arrival every week.
It is a wonderful paper to be in circulation
among dealers in musical instruments as it is
such an effective means of stimulating a recip-
rocal interest among dealers."
THE BEST PROFIT
PRODUCER FOR THE
DEALER IN THE TRADE.