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JANUARY 22, 1921
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CELEBRATE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF KNABE WAREROOMS
Baltimore Establishment Holds Enjoyable Dinner at Which Forces of Both Local and Washington
Stores Rejoice at Progress Achieved—Many Prominent Personages in Attendance
BALTIMORE, Ma, January 17.—Knabe Ware-
rooms, Inc., of which J. H. Williams is president,
observed its annual custom by giving a dinner
to celebrate the ending of the third year of busi-
ness, which was attended by a number of prom-
inent persons and members of the sales forces
of the Baltimore and Washington stores. The
a flair was held in the banquet rooms in the
Southern Hotel.
Mr. Williams reviewed the history of the
business and stated that while reports from
piano men all over the country showed the piano
business to have dropped back about 40 per cent
he was glad to say that his business for the
Baltimore and Washington stores and the col-
lege department had exceeded the business done
in 1919 by $13,000, making the 1920 business
$1,015,000. He said that care had been taken in
selecting the customers and this prevented any
serious losses due to repossessions, although
there were a few.
He predicted a tremendous business and a
bright future for the port of Baltimore, which
was rapidly climbing to the position of a more
and more important port on the Atlantic sea-
board at present.
"I think we have hit the bottom of the low
tide of business," declared Mr. Williams. "The
business tide in our line was never lower, but
it is going to .rise very quickly and soon right
itself. Up to a few months ago we maintained
our low record of having less than 1 per cent
of our accounts overdue. Even with the change
in the recent months it is now only \% per cent
out of a business of $700,000."
George K. Dowd, former manager of the
Baltimore store and now in charge of the Wash-
ington store, said that the splendid success of
the business of Knabe Warerooms, Inc., was
due to the enthusiasm and wise guidance of
Mr. Williams.
Mr. Williams said the business in Washing-
ton had doubled under Mr. Dowd's manage-
ment and that included as well the business done
in January of this year, compared with the same
period in 1920.
Leonard Davis, advertising and promotion
manager for the firm, said that the men were
all enthusiastic and that 1921 would prove an-
other big year for Knabe Warerooms, Inc.
In introducing, W. G. Fredericks, manager of
the Baltimore store, Mr. Williams said that
with the exception of a few executives all the
members of the two sales forces were below
the age of thirty years. Mr. Frederick said
that Mr. Williams had taught them all the lesson
of clean and square dealing and to be always
on the level with the customer, and that the firm
would then be giving good service and at the
same time receive fair treatment from its sales-
men.
B. F. McGehee, of the Baltimore Trust Co.,
said that Mr. Williams had proven to be a
mighty safe risk for a banking institution. He
was glad to be there and he felt sure that there
was a bright future for business for the Wil-
liams interests.
W. Harry Ewalt, of the Baltimore Commercial
Bank, said that financiers were beginning to
look more and. more kindly on the piano paper
PLAYEft PIANO
and if all firms did their business on the same
plane as Mr. Williams the piano men would not
have any trouble obtaining the necessary money
to do business. He explained further that
money had been held at prohibitive rates and it
was impossible to obtain funds to do any but
the closest business on the safest possible mar-
gin. He reviewed the field of music. He pre-
dicted the awakening of business and said there
was a bright outlook for business in all lines,
and that music should be able to claim its share.
Adriano A. Rubio, chancellor of the Con-
sulate of Cuba at Baltimore, was called upon and
he told of how America had come to help his
country and made it what it is to-day. He said
he was going to take Mr. Williams with him to
Cuba and when he brought him back in a few
weeks he would have him well and strong again.
Albert S. J. Owens, former State's Attorney
of Baltimore and counsel for Mr. Williams, made
a pointed address on salesmanship and the things
that go to make a good salesman. He con-
gratulated Mr. Williams on his success and on
the fine tributes he had received from all of his
workers, and especially the words of praise given
by the bankers. He told the salesmen to keep
uppermost in their minds the ideal of America
and the things she stands for and that in the
days close at hand to remember always Ameri-
can ideals and the fact that the goods they were
selling were American-made products made by
American workmen in American factories.
At the close of the meeting Mr. Williams an-
nounced he would leave for Cuba the following
day and in his absence the details of affairs of
the business would be looked after by his son,
Edwin S. Williams, secretary of the firm.
Among those present besides the above men-
tioned were: D. H. Kirkley, J. Leon Bozman,
A. C. Powell, Jr., Richard E. Preece, H. M.
Leitch, William M. Scott, H. G. Turpin, John
Elmer, F. F. Rogers, Washington; F. X. Regan,
J. R. Hodel, W. S. Daniels, Paul Berger, R. K.
Miller, A. A. Coates, Paul Scharf, T. W. Miller,
R. L. Hubscher, of Washington; William R.
Sanders, S. H. Averill, H. H. Cook, Charles E.
Robinson, Richard Weinkamp, Harold Everett,
John Russo, S. B. Keilholtz, A. J. Haebler, of
Baltimore; William P. Geppert, of New York;
R. E. Smith, Baltimore, and Charles B. Weiss,
ot The Review staff.
Victor
Supremacy
The supremacy of the
Victrola is linked with
the world's greatest
artists.
The prosperity of the
music trade, the success
of Victor retailers, are the
natural result of this over-
whelming supremacy.
" V i c t r o l a " j s the Registered Trade-
mark of the Victor Talking Machine
Company designating the products of
III is 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
I'lionoKiaph products is misleading and
illf-K.il.
Important Notice.
Victor Records
and Victor Machines are scientifically
co-ordinated and synchronized in the
processes of manufacture, and should be
used together to secure a perfect re-
production.
REIDEMEISTER IS OPTIMISTIC
Cheery Interview With Treasurer of Steinway
& Sons Appears in Brooklyn Eagle
In the Brooklyn, N. Y., Eagle last Saturday
there appeared an interesting interview with
Frederick Reidemeister, treasurer of Steinway
& Sons, regarding present business conditions
in which Mr. Reidemeister took occasion to
sound a distinctly optimistic note. In the course
of the interview Mr. Reidemeister said:
"Of course, when people begin to cut down
expenses the standard makes in any line are the
beneficiaries. People with less money to spend
are more cautious in making their purchases.
Th'ey inquire, for instance, into a piano's ante-
cedents more carefully, because they want to
make their money do its best. That is good for
sound business.
''The house of Steinway prides itself on a long
period of honest achievement with pianos, and,
like other companies which have kept quality
always in mind, is benefiting during the process
of readjustment.
"But to say that conditions are alarming, after
the unprecedented boom of the war period,
merely because people are returning to their
normal spending habits, is to go looking for
dangers which do not exist. It is a healthy sign
when people want to know what they are buy-
ing. 1 believe that the future has much in store
for all of us."
Victrola XVI, $275
Victrola XVI, electric, $337.50
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., u.s. A.
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