Music Trade Review

Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 14

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
10
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
APRIL 5,
1924
Gether Piano Co. of Milwaukee Plans
Its Formal Opening of New Store April 15
Music Merchants Generally Report a Steady Advance in the Volume of Their Sales—Committee
for National Music Week Favors Establishment of Annual Musical Festival
WIS., March 31.—Music
M ILWAUKEE,
business in Milwaukee has been picking
"The first touch tells"
Aside from its
Superior Tone
Quality
The
Christman
Studio
Grand
(5 feet)
on account of its
artistic design and
finish has additional
attention compelling
value.
Such care is taken
in the selection of
veneers and with the
finishing of the case
that its distinctive-
ness immediately
appeals.
"The first touch tells"
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St., New Yorh
up somewhat in the. past week and Milwaukee
merchants give encouraging reports as to the
outlook for the rest of the year. Player and
reproducing pianos are still given the prefer-
ence in volume of sales. Trade in phonographs
has fallen off slightly but the majority of dealers
state that the record business is very good and
that radio sales have more than offset the re-
duction in phonographs.
Business as a whole is very good this year,
according to R. J. Gierach, advertising man-
ager for the Kesselman-O'Driscoll Co. The
Kesselman-O'Driscoll store recently held a
Spring opening when the public was invited to
inspect the changes which have been made in
the establishment. The store has been taste-
fully redecorated from top to bottom, new hang-
ings added, Oriental rugs laid on the floors and
several rearrangements accomplished. The first
floor, which is finished in French grey and gold,
is given over to radios and supplies, records,
sheet music, band and orchestra instruments
and similar merchandise. The Audak system
has been installed for record demonstration and
has proved most successful. The grand piano
display is located in the main room of the second
floor. Two side rooms are used for the Ampico,
one being furnished as a music room in a home
with only one instrument displayed. The second
Ampico room contains Knabe, Marshall & Wen-
dell and Haines Bros, pianos, with the Ampico
attachment. Smaller rooms on this floor are
used for displaying console types of Victor,
Edison and Brunswick phonographs. Uprights
and players are displayed on the third floor.
Opening of the new Wisconsin Theatre across
the street has been of importance to the Kessel-
man-O'Driscoll store. As this is one of the
largest theatres in Milwaukee, and as there arc
two other theatres in the vicinity the store has
planned to remain open in the evenings to ac-
commodate customers. A beautiful l-ouis fif-
teenth Style Knabe Ampico, which has been
displayed in the window of the store, is to be
placed on the mezzanine floor of the new the-
atre and sixty racks have been supplied for the
orchestra.
Business has been exceptionally good at the
Badger Music Shop, home of the Chickering,
according to Leslie C. Parker, president and
manager. Pianos have been very good, espe-
cially in the reproducing lines, and several very
fine high-priced instruments have been sold to
prominent people. The player-piano depart-
ment of this store is now under the direction
of W. A. Bialucha, and Vesey Walker, well-
known musician, is being very successful in his
management of the band and orchestra instru-
ment department.
The Steinway business has been very big at
the Edmund Gram Music House, according to
Edward Herzog, sales manager. Reproducing
lines have also been active and a number of
good sales were made in the past ten days. The
store features the Steinway and the A. B. Chase
with the Celco reproducing medium. A very
successful used piano sale has been completed
by Gram's. This sale is a semi-annual event.
Grands and reproducing pianos have been
very good and business in general has been
better during the past week, according to H. M.
Holmes, sales manager of the J. B. Bradford
Piano Co. A Steinway Duo-Art at $4,500 was
sold to W. C. Brickner, of Sheboygan Falls, and
several Duo-Art sales were made to prominent
Milwaukee people. Mr. Holmes also reports a
very good record business which is ahead of
that of last year.
F. F. Planner, vice-president of the Flanncr-
Hafsoos Music House, Inc., home of the Kurtz-
lnann, states that business has been very good
in the past month with pianos and small goods
leading in volume of sales. This house is look-
ing forward to better business this year than
last. The Cutting-Washington radios, which
have been installed very recently, have been
starting out very well. The record business
has been unusually good and Mr. Flanner be-
lieves that the radio has been responsible for
the improvement in this line.
Al Bernard, Brunswick artist, and J. Russel
Robinson, Q R S roll artist, who appear under
the name, The Dixie Stars, gave a recital which
featured the opening of the new piano, phono-
graph and radio department of Giinbel Bros,
store. The departments are now consolidated in
one display room, which is considered the larg-
est in the Northwest, and the formal opening
was held in connection with the Spring opening
of the store. The program of The Dixie Stars
was broadcasted.
Opening of the Gether Piano Co. in its new
location on the corner of Seventh and Grand
avenue will be held about April 15. The com-
pany has been holding a closing out sale at the
old location, 625 Grand avenue, which was most
satisfactory. Used and shop-worn instruments
were disposed of, as well as a number of new
ones. In the new store the company will dis-
play the Decker, Davenport-Treacy, Holland,
George B. Norris and Jesse French pianos and
will feature the Sonora phonograph with Odeon
and Pathe records.
As a device for attracting the attention of
people passing on the street, the Orth music
house has connected a Brunswick phonograph
with a tube which leads to the Ventilator at the
front of the store. Popular records are played
in the store and the music is carried to the
street, where it seems to be coming from under
the feet of pedestrians.
The twenty-fifth business anniversary will be
celebrated April 1 by Mrs. George H. Eichhoiz,
who with her husband manages one of Mil-
waukee's big musical stores at 542 Twelfth
street. The store does a good business in
period types of Edison, Victor and Brunswick
phonographs and records, as well as other
styles. Mrs. Eichholz entered the music trade
when the Edison cylindrical phonograph first
appeared and when this instrument was looked
upon with great suspicion. Realizing the great
piospects for the phonograph business, she
opened a store on Fond du Lac avenue and
has continued in business with great success.
She is the only woman in Wisconsin who is
manager of a music store.
The establishment of an annual music festival
each May was favored by the forty-five mem-
bers of the committee for the National Music
Week in Milwaukee. The co-operation dis-
played by musical clubs and individuals in activi-
ties for the Music Week, May 4 to 10, has led
to the belief that an annual affair would be
very successful. At the meeting of the com-
mittee, which included choir and orchestral
directors, Edmund Gram, of the Edmund Gram
Music House, chairman, presented the tentative
program which has been arranged for the week.
"The History and Development of the Saxo-
phone" was the subject of an address given by
William F. Buech, of the Buech Saxophone
Shop, in the program which he arranged for the
radio broadcasting station WIAO. The re-
mainder of the program was given by a Mil-
waukee saxophone quartette.
Only the second sale in twenty-five years is
advertised by Schefft's Music House, which
operated for a number of years under the name
Ross, SohefTi & Weinman I'iano Co. The store
is reducing its stock in a general sale al the
present time.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
APRIL 5, 1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
11
REVIEW
BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND
John H. Wilson, Representative, 324 Washington St., Boston, Mass.
B
OSTON, MASS., April 1.—Mayor Curley
proposed but City Councilman Moriarity
disposes. That about describes the pres-
ent situation in re the possibility of any money
being appropriated by the city of Boston for
Music Week here. Long ago Mrs. William
Arms Fisher, who is giving so much of her
time to the furthering of the plans for Music
Week, May 4 to 10, got the approval of Mayor
Curley, who was heartily in favor of appro-
priating $2,500 toward the expenses. Yesterday
the matter came up in the City Council and
Councilman Moriarity was strenuously opposed
to giving the appropriation, arguing that the
list of names on the committee was not suf-
ficiently representative, adding that "as it is this
won't be a Boston Music Week, but a Back
Bay Music Week." He also objected to the
music committee having chosen the Public
Library as its headquarters, which he thought
labeled it as "highbrow." After the vote defeat-
ing the order was taken an attempt was made to
reconsider, but it was lost. The next chapter
in this controversy will be awaited with interest.
Harlow Returns From Good Trip
Fred C. Harlow, of Vose & Sons, has re-
turned home from an extended business trip,
which took him as far West as Chicago, Omaha
and St. Paul and as far South as Birmingham
and Memphis, Ala. In all he visited nearly
twenty centers and found business in some
places good, in other places a bit slow, but
everywhere a substantial feeling that a notice-
able improvement is soon to be experienced.
Meantime the Vose house continues to get
encouraging letters touching the general sit-
uation.
Leonard Wright to Visit West
Leonard M. Wright, of the Mason & Hamlin
Co., is planning a trip to Chicago on which he
will get started the end of this week or the
first of next. He will be away seven or eight
days. A. M. Wright, his father, still in the
South, is soon to be in Asheville, N. C, and
from there he and Mrs. Wright will go to
Washington, D. C., to be in that city about
Easter.
Roger S. Brown in the South
Roger S. Brown, on a trip for the Henry F.
Miller Co., is to-day in Jacksonville, Fla., and
his next stops will be New Orleans, Houston,
Victoria, Fort Worth, Tex., and Memphis,
Term. Later he will make a turn for the North
and come up through the Mississippi Valley.
On the whole Mr. Brown is having a successful
trip and wherever the Miller line is known he
is getting a warm reception, and everywhere
making new friends for the house. He reports
that the cotton situation throughout the South
is somewhat hampering business, but there is
very little element of discouragement.
Finds Business Better in Maine
Ava W. Poole is back from a short trip to
Maine visiting the Poole dealers in some of
the larger places. He says that business
through the Pine Tree State is considerably on
the mend and dealers are seeing a rapid im-
provement in volume of orders. Dan Fabyan
is dividing his time just now between Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio, but expects to be home within
the next few weeks.
Visits Northern New England
A. J. Brooks was in town yesterday following
a very comprehensive trip through Maine, New
Hampshire and Vermont in the interest of the f
Huntington" and Sterling pianos. Mr. Brooks "
said that almost everywhere he went he found
conditions showing an improvement, in some
places quite a marked one, and he returned to
Derby, Conn., pleasantly impressed with the
general situation. In Maine Mr. Brooks visited
Portland, Lewiston, Waterville, Skowhegan,
Bangor, Holton and Machias; in New Hamp-
shire, Littleton, Laconia, Manchester and Con-
cord, and in Vermont, Burlington, Newport,
Barre and St. Johnsbury.
The Baldwin Grand in Concert
A Baldwin grand is to be used by Frederick
Tillotson, the eminent Boston pianist, at sev-
eral concerts scheduled for the next few weeks,
among them the Hotel Vendome at a chanty
Club concert on April 8; at Wheaton College,
Norton, April 15, and at Clinton, April 21. Mr.
Tillotson is planning to go abroad this Summer
largely for study.
Harry W. Noble Celebrates
Harry W. Noble, who is in the accounting
department of the Charles S. Norris piano ware-
rooms in. Tremont street, had his sixty-fifth
birthday and his twenty-fourth year with the
Norris establishment observed last evening
when a group of the Norris male employes
met at the home of Philip Rinaud in Wollaston,
when there was a jolly time enjoyed by all.
One of the pretty features was the presenta-
tion to Mr. Noble of a large birthday cake,
which, according to Mr. Noble, must have had
a hundred candles on it.
Premier Line for Norris
And speaking of the Norris warerooms, Mr.
Norris is being congratulated for having ac-
quired the Premier baby grand line for New
England, and a large consignment of instru-
ments has already been shipped to this widely-
known Tremont street warerooms.
Want More Pay for Broadcasting
The union musicians of Boston are about to
take action on the question of broadcasting.
They object to entertaining countless audiences
throughout the country by the use of radio
and they feel that there must be further com-
pensation by way of properly reimbursing them
for reaching so wide a hearing. A new law
placed within the constitution and by-laws of
the Boston Musicians' Protective Association
may result in the management of hotels, ball-
rooms and other places making a practice of
broadcasting being called upon to double or
even treble wages. The claim is made that
while distant halls, for instance, holding parties
or dances, can have their music supplied from
another place by way of radio there are thus a
certain number of musicians done out of work,
musicians that otherwise might be employed
were the radio not available.
High Wind Causes Damage
A tempestuous March wind did havoc to the
temporary wooden structure in front of the
new Ivers & Pond Piano Co. at 256 Boylston
street last Saturday night. When the timbers
began to shake and creak passers-by were
warned of the danger and none too early, for
soon there was a resounding crash and the
woodwork fell across the sidewalk. Three per-
sons were not able to reach a place of safety
and got caught under the wreckage, and two
of them were seriously hurt and were taken
to the city hospital. The Ivers & Pond Co. is
moving into its new warerooms this week.
C. C. Harvey Co. to Exhibit
At the forthcoming Home Beautiful Exposi-
tion to take place in Mechanics' Building the
C. C. Harvey Co. will have generous space,
where the concern will exhibit its line of pianos,
talking machines and radios.
. The Unico Better Stores Exhibit
The Unico Better Stores exhibit was opened
to-day at 88 Kingston street, on the fifth floor,
where George A. Lyons was on hand to wel-
come visitors. He will be there all this week
and next week. James Crane, of the company,
will do the honors of receiving the visitors.
There are the latest types of Victor and Bruns-
wick machines and a wide variety of counters,
racks, stands; everything that is needed in an
up-to-date retail talking machine store.
Death of Edward N. Sawyer
Edward N. Sawyer, long with the mahogany
importing house of Palmer & Parker, Charles-
town, died on the night of March 26 at Phila-
delphia. He was on his way from the South,
where he had been spending the Winter at
Somerville, S. C. Mr. Sawyer was seventy-one
years old and lived in Reading.
Some Current Personals
Alexander Steinert, head of Steinert & Sons,
has returned from his Winter's trip to Palm
Beach, Fla., and Pinehurst, S. C, where he
enjoyed his favorite game of golf to his heart's
content.
L. K. Scott, in charge of Henderson's, in
Park Square, was home ill for a few days lately,
but is now back on the job, looking much im-
proved.
Harry Spencer, who started for Pinehurst,
N. C, a fortnight ago, cut his visit short be-
cause of business which demanded his presence
home. So he's here again after being away
only a week. En route home he stopped over
to see the Brunswick people in New York in
their new offices.
Max Levian, of Wescr Bros., was a Boston
caller yesterday.
Stultz & Bauer Issue a
Clever Bit of Publicity
"Game of Round-Up" Offers Attractive Novelty
for Distribution to Prospects by Dealers—
Appeals to the Youngsters
Stultz & Bauer, New York, have just issued a
very clever piece of advertising in the form of a
puzzle called the "Game of Round-Up." It con-
sists of a folded piece of cardboard on one side
of which are printed twenty squares. One of
the squares is left blank while the others are
supposed to contain such items as may be found
in the furnishings of a room including the Stultz
&-. Bauer piano.
On one side of the folded cardboard there
are small squares perforated so that they may
easily be moved and used as markers. On these
squares are the same names of the pieces of
furniture as are found on the game board. These
are distributed in the squares on the game board
at random and the game is to move them about
vertically or horizontally until each marker is
in its proper place. At the side of the board
is the following:
"Perhaps you can solve this puzzle. Let the
sweet-toned Stultz & Bauer piano solve your
music problem."
Covington With Hahne & Co.
Announcement was made this week of the
appointment of L. L. Covington as assistant
manager of the piano department of Hahne &
Co., Newark, N. J. Mr. Covington was asso-
ciated with W. O. Black, manager at Hahne's,
when the latter held a position in a piano ware-
room in Omaha, Neb., over ten years ago.
O. K. Fink in New Store
POTTSTOWN, PA., March 31.—O. K. Fink, music
and furniture dealer, has moved the bulk of his
stock from the Exchange Building to the Win-
gard Building, 148 High street, which will be
his new address.

Download Page 10: PDF File | Image

Download Page 11 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.