Music Trade Review

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8
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
several items of interest, chief among them be-
ing the outlook for 1922, and from all accounts
everyone's viewpoint was of pleased anticipation.
Those present were: R. S. Smith, of Modesto;
J. P. Stillwell, of Woodland; W. B. Ash, of San
Leandro, and G. C. Farrell, of Pittsburgh, Cal.
The reason everyone was optimistic is attributed
to the rains, which have helped the farmer con-
siderably, and will eventually help the piano
dealer.
Robert-Morton Organ for Honolulu
E. I. Jacobus, of the American Photo Player
Co., is leaving for Honolulu shortly to install a
Robert-Morton organ, which the company re-
cently sold, in the Liberty Theatre there, and as
he expects to remain indefinitely his wife and
children are accompanying him.
Christmas Tree for Tiny Travelers
Since his return from the East H. J. Werner,
president of the American Photo Player Co., has
been receiving the compliments of his plentiful
friends in and out of the trade because of the
showing of the Christmas spirit on his way home
from the East. It seems that Mr. Werner and a
few other passengers felt sorry for the children
on the train, about fifteen in number, who were
lamenting the fact that they were not to enjoy a
Christmas tree, wired ahead and not only se-
cured a tree but plenty of candy and other essen-
tials that go toward making a real live celebra-
tion. The tree was placed in the dining-car and
everyone on the train enjoyed the day, even
though they were away from home.
STRONG FINISH IN INDIANAPOLIS
TRIBUTE TO CHRISTMAN PIANO
The Holiday Business in That City Ends Up
Well—What Various Houses Report
F. J. Bried Sends Letter to Christman Piano Co.
in Which He Expresses His Satisfaction With
the Instrument He Has Used for Five Years
NEW YEAR STARTS AUSPICIOUSLY IN SAN FRANCISCO
Business Continues Excellent After the Christmas Season Ends and General Trade Conditions
Point to Good Business This Year—Various Activities of Local Dealers
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., December 30.—San Fran-
cisco dealers have found that the week follow-
ing Christmas is invariably far better than the
preceding week, as far as the piano trade is con-
cerned, due to the smaller trade that takes place
just before Christmas. In the average family
where there are children the children are to be
thought of first, then the improvement of the
home follows, so that the holiday trade in pianos,
though not quite up to expectations, was gratify-
ing to a certain degree. Although business was
not quite as heavy during the period from Christ-
mas to New Year's, as expected, still the leading
dealers throughout the city are registering no
great kick, but quite to the contrary they all
are very optimistic as to what the new year will
bring.
The conditions around San Francisco as well
as in the city are very good, and most of the
dealers feel that the worst is past. The new
year will start on a much firmer basis than it did
last year, as conditions are a great deal more
settled now than they were then and also prices
are lower, which is a large factor in stimulating
business, especially in pianos.
Era of Slow Business Over
George R. Hughes, of the Wiley B. Allen Co.,
States that although the year just past has been
rather gratifying in many respects, it has also
been a very trying one in more ways than one.
fie also feels that the era of slow business is
over and that the new year will be far more
prosperous than the old. The movement of
pianos at the present time is rather quiet, but
indications point to a gradual picking up in the
near future. The conditions in the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Valley, where the Wiley B.
Allen Co. has many branch stores, are such that
the outlook for 1922 is very good, both climati-
cally and otherwise.
W. S. Gannon, Pacific Coast representative of
the Kohler Industries, is in Los Angeles on a
business trip and will return shortly.
Reports Active Piano Sales
Shirley Walker, general manager of Sherman,
Clay & Co., reports that December sales were
very good in both pianos and Victrolas. The
units of sales in pianos were very large and were
divided about equally between players and
grands. The directors of the company gave
their annual Christmas luncheon to all the
ivomen employes in their store Thursday noon,
the 29th of December. A good time was en-
joyed by everyone present.
The Hauschildt Piano Co. has received an-
other shipment of pianos, this time Kline up-
rights, which are moving quite briskly. Another
popular brand that is selling is the Lauter-
Humana player-piano. Mr. Moran, manager of
the company, states that all indications are for
a busier January than the previous months, and
that there were far more shoppers after Christ-
mas than there were before.
Strong Advertising Helps
J. J. Foster, San Francisco manager of the
Wurlitzer Co., recently returned from a holiday
visit to Los Angeles, where, he reports, business
conditions are greatly improving. I. H. Lyons,
coast manager of the same company, is con-
ducting an advertising campaign which is to be
quite a vigorous one. This campaign is brought
on by the fact that the Wurlitzer goods are not
so well known on this coast. The advertising
is helped along considerably by the recent in-
stallation of one of their organs, in the newly
opened Granada Theatre, which in itself has at-
tracted a good deal of attention.
George Braun, of the Heine Piano Co., re-
marked that although sales were not actually
being accomplished in great numbers just now,
there were many very good prospects which are
likely to mature in the next few days.
Baldwin Dealers Hold Meeting
The dealers on the coast in Baldwin pianos
recently had a luncheon at which were discus§ed
JANUARY 7, 1922
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., January 4.—E. W. Stockdale,
of the Pearson Piano Co., closed the year with
a smile for the reason that he had on the right
side of the ledger a record of the sale of a
Mason & Hamlin concert grand piano to the
new fourteen-story Lincoln Hotel, and also a
record of the sale of a Mason & Hamlin grand
to the music college of Indiana University at
Bloomington.
Mr. Stockdale reports the Christmas business
in both pianos and talking machines to have
been better than during the previous year. The
Duo-Art instruments in both the Steinway and
Aeolian lines have been selling especially well.
William Christena, of the E. L. Lennox Piano
Co., says that although the business of the com-
pany during 1921 was about the same as during
1920, yet his own individual showing is the best
he has ever had. "That doesn't mean that I'm
such a good salesman, either," he explains.
"There have been some times that I figured I
was a rotten salesman. But it does mean that
I have worked harder than I ever did before.
I didn't taxe a vacation and I have kept myself
on the job all hours of the day. As a matter
of fact, I worked too hard on some prospects
and lost them just on that account."
E. F. -Manion, head bookkeeper of the Starr
Piano Co., was taken ill with quinsy just as his
year's work was becoming heaviest, and so it
has been necessary for R. C. Thompson, travel-
ing auditor of the company, to assume the duties
of bookkeeper ior a time.
T. H. Bracken, manager of the Indiana stores
of the Starr Co., says that the piano business is
showing only fair improvement except as it takes
a spurt now and then in spots. The Evansville
store, he says, did comparatively the best busi-
ness of the year.
E. G. Hereth, of the Baldwin Piano Co., is tak-
ing full advantage of the coming appearance of
Alfredo Casella, Italian pianist, who is to play
in this city under the auspices of the Academy
of Music. This artist uses a Baldwin piano.
A letter received by the Christman Piano Co.,
New York from Frederick J. Bried speaks
highly of the Christman piano, which Mr. Bried
has played for the last five years. He received
Frederick J. Bried
his early musical education in Vienna and later
resumed his duties in Boston, where he began
teaching at the age of sixteen years. He hi
successfully played in many concerts, but has
attained his ambition by becoming one of the
foremost music teachers in the East.
In his letter he states:
"I have played on a Christman piano for the
last five years, and find it to be most critically
an instrument of fine quality—a product of art
AN AGGRESSIVE MUSIC DEALER
that I am sure your famous house must be
Campbell Pomeroy Subject of an Interesting proud of.
"Of at least fifty different makes that I come
Article in Santa Rosa Press Democrat
in contact with 1 find the Christman p : ano to be
Campbell Pomeroy, piano merchant of Santa one of the best. It is not exaggerating when I
Rosa, Cal., was the subject of an interesting car- state that my pupils who have a Christman piano
toon and article in a recent issue of the Press show wonderful progress, which I attribute to
Democrat of that city. The cartoon showed a the beautiful tone which converts even an exer-
portrait of Mr. Pomeroy resting on a Baldwin cise into a pleasing strain of music.
"I am glad to see the Christman piano in so
piano and bore the caption, "Campbell Pomeroy,
Who Has Made 3,000 Homes Vibrate to the many homes in and about Greater New Yorl
"It affords me great pleasure to writej
Baldwin Tone."
Mr. Pomeroy established his business in Santa this, and I sincerely wish the concern a d
Rosa in 1909 under the name of the Sonoma success. You have my earnest co-operatioJ
Music Co. and established a number of sub-
The Anderson Music Store is 1he name
agencies which enable him to cover the country
thoroughly. He features Baldwin pianos par- new concern which was recently opened in
ticularly, and also handles, Brunswick and Co- Bekkedal block, Westby, Wjs,, by Qilmer Erit
son and Joel A. Hagen,
lumbia machines, -