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FEBRUARY 9, 1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Stetson & Co., Steinway Philadelphia
Agents, Celebrate Thirty-first Year
M. Max to Head Gimbel Piano Department—Guaranieri Returns to Cunningham Piano Co.—
Miller Piano Co. Organization Holds Get-together Dinner—Dealers' Purchases Are Heavy
P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA., February 5.—Janu; ry
is the month for buying pianos by the tri.de
and probably more were purchased by dealers
during the first period of the year than or
several years past. A majority of the dealers,
however, reported that the last week called for
more activity on their part in buying than in
selling. The month started in excellently and
there was evidence aplenty that holiday gifts in
money to a very large extent were being trans-
formed into things musical. This disposition of
the recipients was more marked this year than
it has been for several, and was really the out-
standing feature of the trading during the early
part of the month. But the last week or ten
days of January brought with it a quietness,
almost a slump, that was as unexpected as it
was regretted. The various explanations of the
setback are vouchsafed, but the trend of thought
generally is that the condition is only a spas-
modic one and that the very unseasonable
weather, enjoyed by those who must make coal
purchases in Wintry days and nights, is per-
haps as much responsible as any other factor.
There are, of course, exceptions.
Stetson & Co.'s Thirty-first Anniversary
Thus N. Stetson & Co. report that their Janu-
ary was the best they had experienced for sev-
eral years and that, while much larger pur-
chases than usual have been made, the firm
actually had disposed of more pianos than it
had in stock. , The month signalized for this
firm the passing of the thirty-first annual mile-
stone of business history—the flight of those
years seeming to be, however, but a short one
to the several officials and employes who have
records of service with the house running for
a quarter of century up to almost the third of
a century. It is for that reason that the firm
is really an institution of the Philadelphia piano
world. In charge of it, and a vice-president of
Steinway & Sons, with which the Stetson firm
is intimately related, is August Von Bermuth,
who has just completed thirty-one years of con-
tinuous activity with every indication that the
end is about as far off as was the beginning.
Luke H. Moore, heading the sales organization,
has a record of but two years less than the
manager, and, John C. Schreiber this year is,
celebrating his quarter century of association.
Tn the mechanical department there are at least
three tuners, Messrs. Rohlfs, Schmidt and Bick-
more, who also have had services of twenty-five
years or more, and finally among the shop pol-
ishers and action men there are a few veterans
with as long a record but still as full of action
as their companions in the selling end. While'
the firm is best known through identification
with the Steinway piano, it has carried the
Sterling for twenty-five years and the Premier
for a long period also. Manager Von Bernuth
spent the closing days of last week on a visit
to New York headquarters.
Max to Run Philadelphia Gimbel Department
The outstanding development of the week in
a personal way was the announcement which
came as a great surprise to the trade of the
termination of services of the head of the piano
department of the Gimbel Bros.' store, Joseph
S. McCarthy. The department hereafter will
be conducted under the supervision of the man-
ager of the New York Gimbel Bros, department
store, M. Max, who will spend three days of
the week here and the other half in New York.
No announcement of Mr. McCarthy's plans thus
far has been made.
Guaranieri Back With Cunningham
Robert (luaranieri, head of the former Over-
brook Piano Co., whose stock recently was dis-
posed of by receiver's sale, has become asso-
ciated with the I'. J. Cunningham Piano Co., with
which he was connected before entering into
the manufacturing business for himself. He
represents the firm on the sales end. The new
Cunningham Building with the open season is
rapidly nearing completion and shortly will be
occupied.
Rauworth Visits Wurlitzer Branch
President E. S. Rauworth, of the Apollo Piano
Co., DeKalb, 111., was a visitor at the close of
the week to the Wurlitzer Co., which carries the
line, making arrangements for the shipment of
stock to equip the very much enlarged quarters
which the Wurlitzer branch will become pos-
sessed of at the close of the month. For some
time the firm had under consideration the in-
stallation of a radio department, but Manager
Toth has now definitely decided not to do so.
Frank J. Todd in Repair Business
Frank J. Todd, who recently sold his music
business to the Strand Music Co., 1114 Girard
avenue, is now conducting a sales and general
repair piano business from his home in Beverly,
N. J. Mr. Todd formerly conducted a store at
1330 W. Girard avenue.
Get-together Dinner of Miller Piano Co.
Many members of the Philadelphia music
trade were invited to attend the get'-together
dinner given in honor of the employes and
friends of the Miller Piano Co., at the Green
Tree Inn, West Chester, Pa. There were over
seventy-five employes, business associates and
personal friends who were guests of Harry
Miller, head of the firm conducting the music
stores bearing his name in West Chester and
Coatesville, Pa., and they listened to their hosts
extol the co-worker, complimenting them upon
the passing of another year of successful busi-
ness history and laying at their doors the hon-
ors for the splendid showing made as a result
of their efforts. During the dinner each of the
guests was called upon to speak and there were
many assurances of goodfellowship, camarad-
erie and happy wishes interspersed with laugh-
ter-provoking comments in the course of the
addresses. Following the service of a sumptu-
ous feast the guests were entertained by a vocal
quartet and orchestra. Among the Philadel-
phians present were C. E. Shepperd, represent-
ing the Louis Buehn Co.; C. D. Bond, of the
Weaver Piano Co., York, Pa.; C. W. Barnhill,
head of the Penn Phonograph Co., and Repre-
sentative Becker, of C. Kurtzmann & Co., Buf-
falo, N. Y.
The Cheney Sale Corp., with executive head-
quarters in the Jefferson Building, 1015 Chest-
nut street, announces that S. A. Colahan, form-
erly in charge of the New England sales ter-
ritory, with offices in Boston, has resigned his
position with the company to join the sales
staff of the Hailet & Davis Piano Co.
Heppe on Chamber of Commerce Committee
President Charles P. Vaughan, of the Phila-
delphia Chamber of Commerce, during the week
nominated Florence J. Heppe, of C. J. Heppe
& Sons, one of the group of men appointed
by the Chamber to study and indorse charitable
and welfare organizations in Philadelphia this
year as a guide for business men and who will
serve as the charity and welfare committee.
The duties will involve the study of hundreds
of charity and welfare organizations and in-
stitutions in this city and the recommendation
of those worthy of aid from civic and private
sources.
Buys the Williamson Go.
WATKRTOWN, S. D., February 4.—The stock and
fixtures of the H. B. Williamson Co. have just
been purchased by the Williams Piano Co. This
latter concern has been located here several
years since it purchased the Cooke business.
Victi-ola No. 100
$150
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
The universal recognition
of Victor supremacy makes
the Victor the safest, most
reliable and so most profit-
able line for music dealers
to handle.
Mahogany
Other styles $25 to $1500
HIS MASTERS VOICE"
Victrola
REG. U.S. PAT. OFF
Look under the lid and on the labels
for these Victor trade -marks
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N.JT.