Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 20,
1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Steinway Duo-Art Featured in Series
of Concerts With Miss Mary Howard
Appearances at Milwaukee Athletic Club Enthusiastically Received—Carberry-Parker Co. Opens
Radio Department—Kesselmann-O'Driscoll Closes Successful Ampico Campaign
TV/I ILWAUKEE, WIS., December 17.—Al-
though December business is showing up
as well as, and in many cases much better than last
year, local stores report that there is no holiday
spirit in buying. Sales are made, in most cases,
through using regular sales methods which have
proved successful throughout the year, but the
business from holiday shoppers who drop in the
store for records and small goods is not to what it
should be for this time of the year. Some
stores believe that this Christmas business will
come in during the last ten days preceding
Christmas.
Reproducing pianos have been very good
during the past few weeks, and both player-
pianos and grands are also showing up well.
Band instruments are in most cases ahead of
last year. Phonographs and records, however,
are quiet for this period. Radio is very active,
as many people are purchasing these instru-
ments for Christmas presents in preference to
other musical instruments.
"Our Dup-Art business has been way beyond
our greatest expectations," stated Hugh W.
Randall, president and general manager of the
J. B. Bradford Piano Co., which featured the
Steinway: Duo-Art and the entire Aeolian line,
and the Sohmer line. "November we had
the biggest Duo-Art business we have ever had.
It surpassed the biggest record we ever made
for that month by a good margin. This month
has also been far ahead of what we expected."
Featuring Steinway Duo-Art
The Duo-'Art in the Steinway received a
great deal of favorable publicity through the
appearance of Miss Mary Howard, well-known
soprano, ' who spent a week in _ Milwaukee
through the efforts of the Bradford company.
Miss Howard gave a series of costume con-
certs at the Milwaukee Athletic Club during the
dinner hour each evening of the week. Her
program differed each evening, and two cos-
tume changes were made during the program.
Her songs were grouped according to period
and nationality, including old-fashioned songs
which called for Colonial costumes, Spanish,
French East Indian, and other groups for
which appropriate costumes could be selected.
Following her appearance at the club, Miss
Howard also gave short programs at the
Downer Theatre, which is a moving picture
house nearest the select residential section of
the city. In both instances the young prima
donna was accompanied by the Steinway Duo-
Art. Several selections by Miss Howard in
Colonial costume were given as a supplement
to the play, "Intimate Strangers," which was
presented this year by the College Women's
club.
A Steinway Duo-Art was also used during
the play itself in a rather unique manner. In
one scene, a member of the cast was expected
to play several old-fashioned waltzes and two-
steps, stopping between the various numbers
for short monologues. The young woman who
look the part was unable to play the instru-
ment, and the problem of how to get around
this fact arose at once. At the suggestion
from Bradford's •: a Duo-Art instrument was
placed on the stage and was equipped with
wires running behind the scenes, and a special
medley rdH"was secured. During the perfgrm :
ances of the play a representative from Brad-
ford's controlled the instrument by means of
the wires, playing as the actress seated herself
at the piano, and stopping between the pieces.
The audience was left in ignorance as the
scheme was veTy successful.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall are planning to spend
N'ew Year's Eve in New York this year as the
guests at the home of William Alfring, gen-
eral manager of the Aeolian Co. Following
their visit with Mr. and Mrs. Alfring, the Ran-
dills will probably make a short trip to Boston.
Frank Edgar, sales manager of the Aeolian
Co., spent two days in Milwaukee during the
early part of the month.
Strong Band Instrument Demand
According to H. W. Boone, manager of the
band instrument department which features C.
G. Conn band instruments, business in this de-
partment for November went way over that of
last year, nearly doubling the 1923 record, and
December has started off very well. Mr. Boone
expects a large part of the Christmas business
to come in during the last week before the
holiday, although there has already been a
yood demand for gifts in the way in band in-
struments. Cornets, banjos and saxophones
have'been showing up especially well for gifts.
Henry Wascow, formerly with the Orth Mu-
sic store, is now connected with the band in-
strument department of the Flanner-Hatsoos
store as salesman.
Ralph L. Pettit, manager of the Baldwin
piano department at Kami's, announces that a
large Baldwin grand has been placed in the
Milwaukee Civic Broadcasting station, WCAY,
and the name of the instrument is announced
at intervals during the evenings' programs.
Enters the Radio Field
The Carberry-Parker Co. has announced its
entrance into the radio business starting last
week. During the pre-Christmas season, and
probably during the coming months, the com-
pany will feature Globe sets, which may be in-
stalled in a talking machine. Mr. Parker states
that records show a good many thousand Vic-
trolas sold by the company to people in Mil-
waukee and vicinity. He expects a fairly good
percentage of business from these Victrola
owners who wish to purchase a radio but also
desire to preserve the original investment in a
phonograph. The new department is under
the management of W. C. Schmidt, who has
been with the company for many years.
Records, rolls and small musical merchandise
have been active at the Boston Store.music de-
partment, according to the report of J. J.
Hcaly, manager, but the Christmas spirit has
not entered into buying of larger musical in-
struments. The store has been sold out of
low-priced ukuleles, and there has been a good
business in similar small instruments, but
pianos and phonographs have not opened up
for the holidays.
The Boston Store featured its full line of
instruments of all kinds in a half-page adver-
tisement carried in local newspapers last week,
and this advertisement will be repeated again
before Christmas. Advertising by the music
department of this department store emphasizes
quality and standard makes rather than fea-
turing only price appeal.
The Kesselman-O'Driscoll Co. is now closing
its Ampico campaign, which has been one of
the most extensive pieces of high-class ad-
vertising ever tried in this city. Since the lat-
ter part of October the company, with the
Carberry-Parker Co., has been featuring the
Ampico in a series of large advertisements of
a high class, appearing in local newspapers and
other publications. The campaign was given
added stimulus by the appearance of Ruth
Lloyd Kinney, noted soprano, who gave con-
certs before a number of local organizations
and clubs accompanied by the Ampico. Pic-
tu/es showing the Ampico pianos in various
prominent homes of the city gave added weight
to the advertising, which stressed the quality
and musical value of this device. Results of
this campaign were beyond expectations, ac-
cording to R. J. Gierach, advertising manager.
Changes in Kesselman-O'Driscoll Staff
Several changes are being made at the Kcssel
inan-O'Driscoll store at the first of the year.
Leo Monroe, sales manager who has been with
the company for the past seven years and who
has devoted much of his time to merchandising
the Knabe Ampico, has handed in his resigna-
tion to be effective the first of the new year.
L. M. Kesselman, president, will take over the
management of the store at that lime until fur-
ther plans are developed. Mr. Monroe has an-
nounced no definite plans for the future, al-
though he has several propositions under con-
sideration.
R. J. Gierach, advertising manager of the
store, has also handed in his resignation, effec-
tive December 24. Mr. Gierach is planning to
go into the radio business for himself, but he
has not announced his future location. No suc-
cessor to Mr. Gierach has been appointed.
Fire Damages Music Store
CLINTON, MASS., December 13.—The Johnson
Music Store, located at High and Church
streets, was considerably damaged in an early
morning fire here recently. The blaze canst d
a loss of about $5,000 to the Webber & Rose
Building, in which the stare is located. It is
believed that the fire started around a boiler in
the basement.
Utica Concern Chartered
Incorporation papers have been filed recently
for the Anderson-Kelly Music Shop, which will
operate in Utica, N. Y. J. H. Anderson and
J. A. Kelly are the proprietors of the business.
The company has issued 400 shares of common
stock, no par value.
Pratt Read
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