Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
APRIL 8, 1922
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
IMPROVING CONDITIONS SEEN IN CINCINNATI TRADE
Inquiries Are on the Increase, With a Consequently Better Tone to Retail Trade—Dan Summy Ap-
pointed John Church Co. Manager—Grau Co. Secures the Checkering Line
CINCINNATI, O., April 3.—Trade with at least a
number of Cincinnati piano houses assumed a
slightly better tone during the past week. There
still is nothing of especial promise in the trade
situation, but there has been a measure of in-
crease noted by a few dealers, and one house
reports a very good week. Inquiries are more
numerous, and an observer may note slightly
increased activity in the salesrooms of the
various stores.
A change or two in personnel and lines of
goods have been made by various dealers. Daniel
F. Summy was appointed last week to be man-
ager of the piano department of the John Church
Piano Co., West Fourth street. Mr. Summy
formerly was with the John Church Co. until a
few months ago, when he took up a position with
the Otto Grau Piano Co., 227 West Fourth
street. With the return of Mr. Summy, who
formerly handled the line, the John Church Co.
has contracted to take on as a leader the Mason
& Hamlin piano.
B. Faulconer, whom Mr. Summy succeeds as
manager of the piano department, will travel
throughout the territory in an endeavor to estab-
lish new retail branches in the towns in nearby
Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Mr.
Faulconer is absent now on the first of these
trips. Mr. Burchard, president of the John
Church Co., is in the East, visiting his home,
which is in Providence, R. I., and transacting
business in Boston, New York and other cities.
The Otto Grau Piano Co., 227 West Fourth
street, considers itself fortunate in adding to its
stock the Chickering line, especially the grand
and upright styles, with the Ampico. This
line the Otto Grau Co. took over from the
Lyric Piano Co. The Ampico played a promi-
nent part in two recitals conducted by the com-
pany, the first early last week at the Western
Hills Country Club, and the other at Congrega-
tional church, Price Hill, Tuesday evening. Both
recitals were very successful. The company
plans to give greater attention to such recitals,
as they are found to be an excellent method of
demonstrating reproducing pianos and to com-
prise very good publicity. Considerable interest
has been shown.
Other profitable recitals were conducted by the
Otto Grau Co., using the Euphona reproducing
piano. The Cable Company, of Chicago, dis-
tributor of the Euphona, sent Earl Billings, a
capable demonstrator, to assist in the recitals.
Mr. Billings spent four days with the company,
and returned to Chicago with a substantial order
for Euphona pianos.
The Otto Grau Co., like Steinway & Sons, the
John Church Co., and other Cincinnati houses,
has been conducting a rather vigorous news-
paper advertising campaign, which has produced
noticeable results. Joseph Jacober, who handles
the advertising for the company, has aroused
comment in trade circles by his attractive layouts.
At the W. R. Graul Piano Co., East Fifth
street, business, although showing a very slight
improvement, is quiet. Mr. Graul said: "The
singular thing, and, I think, an ominous one, is
that people who really have money to spend
and who express the desire to purchase pianos
still seem determined to wait. They seem to
think that something is going to 'happen.' Until
this class of people goes into the market for real
buying we can hardly expect business to show
much improvement. Our trade is somewhat
better, however, and it may be that the present
condition soon will brighten up."
E. R. Laughead, of the Hallet & Davis Co.,
Boston, and Paul Fink, representative of Jacob
Doll & Sons, New York, called during the week
at the W. R. Graul salesroom.
E. E. Roberts, of the Baldwin Piano Co., East
Fourth street, reported an exceptionally good
business for the week. The offices of the Bald-
win Co. have shown for some time considerable
activity. E. I. Pauling, of the Starr Piano Co.,
said: "Our business is quiet. I think there
has been the slightest shade of improvement,
but scarcely enough to warrant rash predictions.
Until disturbed conditions are relieved in our
territory, we cannot expect to do a large volume
of trade."
The Aeolian Co., in a -vigorous campaign of
newspaper and other means of advertising, has
been concentrating profitably on the Duo-Art
piano. The business of this company has shown
a slight increase above the dead level of quiet
that has prevailed in the market everywhere.
BILL TO STOP COMMERCIAL
3 Great Pianos
With 3 sounding boards
in each (Patented) have the
greatest talking points in
the trade.
BRIBERY
Commercial Standards Council Back of Move-
ment to Stop Harmful Practices
WASHINGTON, D. C; April 4.—Enactment of the
bill now before Congress prohibiting commercial
bribery was urged at a meeting of the executive
committee of the Commercial Standards Council,
held in Washington, March 27 and 28. The Com-
mercial Standards Council is a new organization
created by a union of twenty-five national asso-
ciations for the purpose of developing higher
commercial standards and eliminating harmful
business practices. The executive committee dur-
ing its session in Washington called at the White
House to explain to President Harding the pur-
poses of the organization. A campaign has been
outlined covering harmful business practices and
all of the national associations affiliated with the
Council are combining to assist legitimate busi-
ness and to eliminate all improper practices.
Victrola No. 120, $275
Victrola No. 120, electric, $337.50
Mahogany or oak
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
Every worth-while
achievement in the
talking-machine indus-
try is directly traceable
to V i c tor skill and
progressiveness. A con-
sideration of vital im-
portance to every dealer
in Victor products.
"HIS MASTER'S VOICE"
Victrola
REG. US PAT OFF
FRENCH NESTORJIOES TO FLORIDA
We fix " o n e p r i c e " —
wholesale and retail.
The Heppe Piano Co.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
French Nestor, formerly connected with the
Standard Talking Machine Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
Victor wholesalers, resigned from that company
on April first in order to take over the Florida
Talking Machine Co., Victor wholesalers in
Jacksonville, Fla., which will be operated under
his own name.
The Chase-Hackley Piano Co. has opened a
showroom in the Gilbert block at Grand Rapids,
Mich.
.
.
Important = Look for these trade-marks.
Under the lid. On the label
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden,N.J.