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JUNE 10, 1922
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
PASSING OF HENRY GENNETT A SHOCK TO ENTIRE TRADE
President of Starr Piano Co. Dies After Severe Illness—Had Devoted Entire Life to the Music
Industry and Leaves a Splendid Organization as a Monument to His Ability
RICHMOND, IND., June 5.—Henry Gennett, presi-
dent of the Starr Piano Co., passed away at the
Dayton, O., hospital on Friday, June 2, after a
lengthy illness. The funeral services were held
yesterday afternoon at the Gennett home here,
and were attended by many prominent members
of the trade, as well as by the employes of the
Starr Co. and the leading men of the city.
Henry Gennett was born in Nashville, Tenn.,
September 13, 1852. His parents were Andrew
building on South Hill street, to be occupied by
the Starr Piano Co. of California. His return
to Richmond was not due to a contemplation of a
serious illness, although not feeling as well as
usual; he fully expected to return to Los Angeles
in a few weeks after completing his plans here.
At the time of his death he was president of
the Starr Piano Co. and the Gennett Corp., of
Richmond, Ind., and the Starr Piano Co., of
California. He was a director in the Second Na-
tional Bank and the Dickinson Trust Co., of
Richmond. He was a member of the Richmond
Elks and the T. P. A. '
He is survived by his widow, three sons, one
daughter, Mrs. R. F. Martin, and two sisters,
Mrs. Anna M. Crawford and Mrs. Ella Pride, of
Nashville, Tenn.
W. F. FREDERICK CO. ELECTS
Annual Stockholders' and Directors' Meeting
Held at Uniontown, Pa., Headquarters
Henry Gennett
and Martha Ann Estes Gennett, and he was the
eighth child in a family of nine. His father died
four years after his birth. He graduated from
the Nashville High School in 1868 and im-
mediately entered active business life, associating
with his brothers in the firm of Gennett & Co.,
which had been established by his father in 1833.
On September 13, 1876, he was married to Alice
Lumsden, daughter of John and Lucetta Christ-
man Lumsden, also residents of Nashville, Tenn.
A few years later he joined Mr. Lumsden in the
financial backing of various music stores. In
1891 he severed his business relations with Gen-
nett & Co., of Nashville, and moved to St.
Louis, Mo.
In 1893 the present Starr Piano Co. was or-
ganized to manufacture supplies for the chain of
music stores previously established. In 1894 the
company's plant was almost entirely destroyed
by fire, and due to new plans for the rebuilding
and expansion of the same Mr. Gennett relin-
quished his business interests in St. Louis and
moved to Richmond, Ind., in the Spring of 1894,
where he has since resided. He served as vice-
president of the company until the death of John
Lumsden in 1898. He succeeded him as presi-
dent of the Starr Piano Co. and served in that
capacity until his death. His broad foresight and
business ability have been proved by the growth
and development of his music interests. He
gave personal supervision to the business educa-
tion of his three sons, Harry Gennett entering
the business in 1895; Clarence Gennett, 1896, and
Fred Gennett in 1905; they are now respectively
vice-president, treasurer and secretary of the
Starr Piano Co.
Tn 1907 Mr. Gennett initiated a new and fur-
ther venture in the music trade, in the organi-
zation in Los Angeles of the Starr Piano Co.,
Pacific Division, of California. Two Richmond
citizens were his aids in this work, Harry L.
Nolder, formerly of Spring Grove, but now a
resident of Los Angeles, and H. Shuman Jones,
retired, of East Main street. The direction of
this work led him to be a frequent visitor to
California.
During the early months of this year Mr. Gen-
uett was in California organizing a further ex-
tension of his business interests there by forming
the Gennett Realty Co. of California, which is
now engaged in the erection of an eight-story
UNIONTOWN, PA., June 5.—The W. F. Frederick
Piano Co., which operates a chain of retail music
stores in western Pennsylvania, Maryland and
West Virginia, recently held its annual stock-
holders' and directors' meeting at the general
headquarters of the company in this city.
The election of directors for the ensuing year
resulted as follows: W. F. Frederick, president;
E. B. Heyser, vice-president; A. V. Williams,
vice-president; William Shafenberg, vice-presi-
dent; C. G. Hugus, secretary, and F. Snider,
treasurer.
The concern handles some of the best-known
makes of pianos and player-pianos in the terri-
tory which it covers. The Ampico is one of the
instruments featured. The Victor line of talking
machines and records is handled in all branches
controlled by the company.
The Davis, Burkham & Tyler Piano Co., an
allied company, with retail branches in Wheeling
and Clarksburg, W. Va.; Steubenville, Cambridge
and East Liverpool, O., also held its annual meet-
ing here and elected the following officers; W r . F.
Frederick, president; E. B. Heyser, vice-presi-
dent; N. E. Davis, vice-president and manager;
C. G. Hugus, secretary, and F. Snider, treasurer.
The directorate consists of W. F. Frederick, F.
Snider, A. V. Williams, E. B. Heyser, William
Shafenberg and N. E. Davis.
ILLINOIS MERCHANTS TO CONVENE
Plans Under Way for Large Attendance of Music
Teachers at the Illinois Music Merchants' Con-
vention Some Time in October
Plans are under way by the members of the
Illinois Music Merchants to make a special
effort for a large attendance of music teachers
at the annual convention in the Fall. Invitations
will be sent out to every music teacher in the
State and to all public supervisors of music.
President C. C. Adams states that he has been
assured of a large attendance of music teachers
because of their desire to hear arguments as to
why they should not oppose the player-piano. A
tentative plan provides for the holding of the con-
vention on the second Monday and Tuesday in
October.
W. S. WESER ATTENDS OPENING
Winfield S. Weser, vice-president and general
manager of Weser Bros., Inc., New York, attend-
ed the opening of the New London branch of the
Plaut-Cadden Co. last week.
For many years Plaut-Cadden Co. has been
an enthusiastic Weser representative and the
product of the factory is well represented in both
the New London and Norwich establishments.
The opening was well attended and great en-
thusiasm is felt regarding the success of the new
store.
IISPIANOMEN
ASeriesty
MARSHALL BREEDEN
P/ANO TRAVELER—LOS ANGELES
11—THE OWN-NAME DEALER
The practice of having pianos stencilled
with the dealer's own name is becoming
more and more prevalent and, with the ex-
ception of a dozen or so nationally known
pianos, it is not a bad idea for a manufac-
turer to sell a reliable dealer instruments
bearing the dealer's own name. He should,
however, be thoroughly acquainted with the
dealer and be reasonably sure that there
will be no foolishness.
A dealer who puts out a piano under his
own name is likely to buy a very good grade
of instrument for the purpose. He takes a
justifiable pride in his trade name and does
not intend that it shall be dishonored by
being put on pianos of inferior quality,
which will fall to pieces in a short time.
Neither does he sell his own brand at a
bargain, preferring rather to keep his price
and standard high.
When a piano traveler can tie up with a
stencil dealer he has done a good thing for
his factory, provided, of course, the dealer
is of the reliable sort. If the traveler, how-
ever, misplaces his confidence and sells an
own-name stencil to a dealer who later
abuses his name, then the traveler must
charge it off to experience and not sell that
dealer again.
SCHMIDT-DAUBERjCO. WINS SUIT
Judge Delahanty in Supreme Court Dismisses
Case in Which Piano Dealer Sued for Damages
on Account of Failure of Delivery of Pianos
Judge Delahanty, in the Supreme Court, New
York County, this week dismissed the case of
Stephen Acunto, formerly operating under the
name of the Victoria Piano Co., vs. the Schmidt-
Dauber Co., New York, which was based on the
complainant's allegation of the defendant's fail-
ure to deliver pianos on an agreement made in
1919.
Mr. Acunto claimed that he was entitled to the
loss of profit which he might have made had the
pianos been delivered and had he sold them.
L. F. Greenbaum, of Greenbaum, Wolff & Ernst,
appearing for the Schmidt-Dauber Co., contended
that the damages were limited to the difference
between the market price and the contract price.
The judge dismissed the complaint on the
grounds that the complainant was not entitled to
recover on the theory of profit, upon which his
attorney rested solely, and that any basis for the
jury to compute profits on the difference between
the contract and the market price had failed to
have been established.
WANT RECEIVER APPOINTED
TRENTON, N. J., June 5.—The Radzevicz Organ
Co., of 260 Washington street, Belleville, N. J.,
has been ordered to show cause by Vice-chan-
cellor Foster why a receiver should not be
appointed for the concern. The company was
incorporated in 1920 to deal in organs and all
sorts of merchandise and had a capitalization of
$50,000.
CLEVELAND FIRM CHARTERED
The Saint Clair Jewelry & Music Co., of Cleve-
land, O., has been granted a charter of incorpora-
tion, under the laws of that State, with a capital
of $5,000.