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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SEPTEMBER 23, 1922
The Question, Can a Woman Sell Pianos,
Successfully Answered by Miss Davis
An Illustration of What an Energetic Woman With a Thorough Knowledge of
the Business and Its Possibilities Can Accomplish in the Selling of Pianos
Can a woman sell pianos? Well, rather; lis-
ten to this. A month ago the Baldwin Piano Co.
put on a sales contest in Denver, new business
alone being considered. The men were pitted
against the women on the sales force. At the
end of the contest, under the leadership of Miss
Bertha Davis, who has been with the Baldwin
Co. for five years as head saleswoman, one of
the women's crew took first prize and another
:he second prize, the total amount of business
obtained by them amounting to $7,000. At pres-
she calls in her effort to sell pianos. She goes
to Mrs. Wealthy's door, to the home of Mrs.
Middle Class and to the dwelling of the for-
eigner. In Globeville, a foreign settlement of
Denver territory, she is hailed by children on
the streets and she has the entree of any home.
In this district, where usually the child must
be the interpreter, she has placed many, many
pianos. Miss Davis tells of her efforts to get
four families to the company's store downtown
one evening to hear some music. She went for
them in a couple of good-looking automobiles.
When they saw the cars they all balked. They
were afraid all was not right. Finally Miss
Davis persuaded one of the men to get into a
car. Then she told him he had better tell the
rest that he intended going down to the Bald-
win Co.'s headquarters. Through this friendly
soul she finally got the two carloads of men
and women and children. "It looked like a
funeral procession as we entered the store," she
said. Before the evening was over Miss Davis
had sold four pianos, and in each case the chil-
dren of the family acted as interpreters.
Miss Davis has noted this in her house-to-
house work and that is because more children
are studying the piano the last few years than
has been the case for some time previous. No
matter how lowly the home Miss Davis says
there are two subjects they like to discuss—
religion and music. It is surprising, she says,
how many have a knowledge of science,
theosophy and applied psychology. They wel-
come any discussion of music.
Miss Davis is one of those energetic bodies
;,. .,
Miss Bertha Davis
eiffij'Miss Davis has five girls working under her who thoroughly knows her subject. She would
arid' expects to put on three more women gladly talk piano or player-piano any time of
the day or night. As a side line she has the
sljtftly.
iss Davis is considered a real "find" by the management of the Fine Arts Building and thus
win Co. and has produced remarkable re- has a wide acquaintance among teachers of the
sists since her first connection with the com- piano and their pupils. Well educated, widely
pany. Her persistence is illustrated in a re- traveled, a charming personality, Miss Davis re-
cent sale of a $3,600 Welte-Mignon reproduc- gards her work as a high calling. People come
ing grand to a Denver man for cash in gold into the store looking for Miss Davis and no
atf :fer she had worked on the prospect for five one else will do. They telephone for her and
ask that she come to the house to tell them
:Miss Davis isn't at all particular upon whom about the piano. The Baldwin people prize her
services highly and deservedly so.
MERGER OF WICHITA, KAN., FIRMS
CHARACTER
"Admirable Quality, Acknowledged Reputation"
—(Standard Dictionary)
r'i
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
and:
Strohber Co.
:
:.; .y'
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, Wis.
Chicago, III.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, 111.
Victrola No. 100
$150
Mahogany oak or walnut
Other styles $25 to $1500
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
-
*
•
-
•
The Victrola stands
alone. It meets the su-
preme test of music—
and of b u s i n e s s , as
every dealer in Victor
products knows.
J. O. Adams Music Co. Takes Over Armstrong
Music Co.—Largest Concern in City
WICHITA, KAN., September 18.—The J. O.
Adams Music Co. closed a deal for the purchase
of the Armstrong Music Co., 323 East Douglas,
for $45,000, it was officially announced this
week. The Armstrong Music Co. will merge
with the J. O. Adams firm and a sale of pianos
and talking machines will follow.
In thirteen years the J. O. Adams Music Co.
has made the phenomenal record of being the
largest music house in the world in a city the
size of Wichita, the management said to-day.
The addition of the Armstrong Music Co. will
add largely to the size of the Adams stock.
W. J. DYER HOME FROM EUROPE
Head of W. J. Dyer & Bro., Minneapolis, Visits
War Zone and Trade Centers
W. J. Dyer, head of the prominent music
house of W. J. Dyer & Bro., Minneapolis, Minn.,
returned from an extended European trip on
Thursday of last week and remained in New
York several days before going through to
Minneapolis. Mr. Dyer made a tour of the
war zone and also visited the various European
centers and brought back with him some inter-
esting stories regarding his experiences. He
was accompanied by his grandson, R. H. Griggs.
"HIS MASTER'S VOICE"
Victrola
REG. U S PAT. OFF
Important •• Look for these trade -marks.
Under the lid. On the label
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden,N. J.