Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
OCTOBER 29, 1927
Vega Banjos and Wolf Salesmanship
and Knowledge Successful in Chicago
Head* of the Banjo Department of Wm. Lewis & Sons, Chicago, 111., Tells What He
Thinks of the Vega Line and of Its Wide Appeal
O O S T O N , MASS., October 19.—Milton G.
-L* Wolf is his name, and 207 Wabash ave-
ave-
nue, Chicago, is his place of business; and
further information about this good-looking
youth is to the effect that he is head of the
organization, Tolland Carey, Al Morey and
others
Veea enthusiasts.
thers who are strong Vega
Descanting not long ago on the Vega instru-
ments Mr. Wolf went on to say that it was not
so very long ago that the banjo was looked
Vega Banjo
Display of
Wm. Lewis
& Sons,
Chicago
Vega department of the music establishment of
William Lewis & Sons, whose place of business
is above mentioned; and whose Vega depart-
ment is also herewith reproduced. Note all
along the side the Vega banjos in the case, and
on the other wall be good enough to note the
many pictures of persons who are champions of
the Vega instruments, all of whom Mr. Wolf
knows intimately, for the young man has scores
of friends in the world of music.
Mr. Wolf has been with this concern for
about ten years, beginning his career at a time
when the banjo as an exponent of good
music was practically unknown. In this interim
he has done much through sheer ability and per-
sonality to bring this instrument to the point
where it is receiving the recognition it richly
deserves. Among leaders whom he claims as
close friends are Julian Davidson, Paul Ash's
upon as a mysterious instrument, and many
musicians disdained to consider it with any
degree of favor, for it was hard to convince
them that it had any value from the musical
angle. He said that the tenor banjo was the
logical solution of the problem when it comes
to this type of music. Those who were finally
able to break away from the precedents of
prejudice began at the very foundations, and
that they have built well is seen in the wide-
spread popularity of the banjo to-day. Of
course, as Mr. Wolf pointed out, the banjo
of to-day is not the banjo that was used by the
pioneers, who would be delighted to the limit
were they to come face to face with the up-to-
date instrument. That the Vega instruments
are popular all through the Greater Chicago
territory is in large measure due to Mr. Wolf's
untiring energy, and persistence.
Albert D. Grover Passes / i^»-
Away After Brief Illness
national reputation in two careers. In his day
he was known as one of the greatest of banjo
soloists and throughout his life he was a genius
in mechanical engineering, having been retained
as a consulting engineer by several of the coun-
try's biggest corporations.
He was born in Boston in 1865 and after
finishing school he took up mechanical en-
gineering. In his spare time he studied music
Well-known Musical Merchandise Man Dies in
New York Hospital on Sunday—Had a
Notable Career—Was Sixty-two Years Old
Albert D. Grover, one of New York's best-
known and best-loved musical merchandise
men, died Sunday afternoon at Presbyterian
Hospital after a short illness. Mr. Grover had
been seriously ill, but a week ago he rallied
and was reported out of danger, so it came
as a shock to the trade on Monday morning to
learn that he had suddenly passed away the
previous afternoon.
Mr. Grover during his lifetime achieved a
* 1
ISeltner
to complete mastery of the art of fretted in-
strument manufacture.
m iy!8 he established his own business in
tlie nianuiacture of patented specialties and ac-
cessories ior fretted instruments. Through the
at.net adherence to the highest ideas of manu-
ldcture and business methods he built up, step
by step, the business that is now A. D. Grover
& Son, Inc., Long Island City, N. Y. After
the war he took his son, Walter, into the busi-
ness with him and spared no pains to train
him in a thorough understanding of the busi-
ness. The latter is now vice-president of the
company.
His inventive genius was very fertile and he
held over one hundred letters of patent from
the United States Patent Office. His genius
as a practical inventor was much sought after
and he was retained as a consulting engineer
by such concerns as the United Shoe Co. and
the Waltham Watch Co. and for many years
in an advisory capacity by the Auto Sales Co.,
one of the largest manufacturers of vending
machines.
He was an unselfish worker for what he
considered the best interests of the industry
and it gave him great pleasure to see the steady
advances made by the trade in co-operation
in association work. He seldom missed a meet-
ing of any of the associations he was connected
with. His business standards were of the high-
est for the simple reason that his whole life
was that of a gentleman. Evidence of the high
regard in which he was held by his associates
in the trade is to be found in the messages of
sympathy and grief received since his death.
He leaves a widow, Mrs. Aura A. Grover;
one son, A. Walter Grover; two daughters, Ruth
Lucille and Evelyn Dorothea, and a sister, Mrs.
F. H. Maxfield, Wayne, Pa. The funeral was
held Wednesday at the chapel of the National
Casket Corp., New York, with interment at
Great Kills, Staten Island, where Mr. Grover
made his home.
The funeral services were held on Wednes-
day at 11 a. m., at the Chapel at 140 East Fifty-
seventh street, New York, and were attended
by many members of the trade.
H. N. White Attends the
Carl Fischer Opening
Henderson N. White, president of the H. N.
White Co., manufacturer of King band instru-
ments, Cleveland, O., spent a few days in New
York last week, making the trip specially to at-
tend the official Carl Fischer opening of its
King agency. Mr. White brought along in his
vest pocket one of the new vest-pocket King
trumpets, which created a vast amount of inter-
est among the professionals when he showed it.
Although the instrument is small enough to fit
in the pocket, it has a perfect tone and is played
an octave higher than the regular instrument. It
is in no sense a toy, but is a well-made instru-
ment with the same finish as the King trumpet.
Mr. White was full of enthusiasm for the new
King models, especially the new silver trom-
bone which has a bell of solid silver. This in-
strument was the center of attraction for many
trombonists who attended the Fischer opening.
Mr. White reported that with the reopening of
schools and the resultant school business the
factory has been unusually busy.
DURRO
VIOLINS
BOWS
STRINGS
AND
is foremost in
Reed Instruments
and ^Accessories ~*
- w r i t e us for our
dealers proposition
STEWART
| |
A. D. Grover
|
j
and not only became an expert banjoist but a
thorough musician as well. He was an author-
ity on tone, both from the mechanical and
musical aspects, and his genius for mechanics
coupled with his knowledge of mechanics led
BANJOS
MANDOLINS
GUITARS
Largemt Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacob ton
5-7-9 Union Spuaru
NEW YORK