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JANUARY 7, 1928
The Music Trade Review
Pittsburgh Dealers Appeal
to Reed on Instalment Tax
wick recording organizations in that catalog.
His tenor voice is of the intimate type, with
a style that is extremely popular, and he plays
the guitar, banjo and violin. His first Bruns-
wick record will be on sale February 22, and
Brunswick dealers everywhere are looking for-
ward to a big demand.
Ask Pennsylvania Senator to Secure Equitable Interpretation of John Tasker Howard to
Engage in Lecturing
Instalment Tax Procedure in New iRevenue Bill—Drake-
Former Educational Director of Ampico Corp.
Kapphan Takes Baldwin Agency—Local Holiday Sales
Plans to Devote His Efforts to Writing and
Lecturing
P ITTSBURGH, PA., January 2.—At a meeting of the directors of the Piano Merchants' Asso-
ciation of Pittsburgh held at the Chamber of Commerce, Wm. C. Hamilton, the vice-president,
presided. A resolution was adopted requesting United States Senator David A. Reed, of Pennsyl-
vania, to lend his efforts to obtain in the new revenue bill a just and equitable interpretation
of the tax on instalment sales. Mr. Hamilton stated that this matter was being presented to the
Finance Committee of the Senate by the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce and that its
efforts should be aided by the local dealers and
associations. A copy of the resolution was sent pianos. It is the basic musical instrument the
to Senator Reed, who wrote in reply that he trade must never forget, and its results in my
would be glad to take the matter up at the judgment far outstrip that of the player-piano
proper time, and, if possible, comply with the (good as it is), the radio and the talking ma-
sense of the resolution so as to ease the taxa- chine, inasmuch as the power or skill of a child
tion burdens of the music trade of the country. to play selections on the piano brings into the
The Drake-Kapphan Co., music merchants in home of parents who are proud of the accomplish-
the Magee Building, are now the Pittsburgh ments of their children a feeling of pride and
keen satisfaction that their child is accomplishing
representatives of the Baldwin piano.
something worth while in music. When the piano
With the passing of 1927 and the entry of
1928 piano merchants of Pittsburgh are of the merchants of the country realize the truth of tKis
opinion that the last twelve months could have they will be able to sell more pianos than ever."
been "a great deal worse" from a business stand- Mr. Hoffmann stated that he was an optimist and
point. On the whole, business for them the laced 1928 with a feeling of keen satisfaction.
Jacob C. Volkwein, president of the Piano Mer-
final month of the year was rather surprising,
as a better volume of sales prevailed than was chants' Association of Pittsburgh, and a member
at first anticipated. Christmas week sales were of the firm of Volkwein Bros., the largest firm
much better than had been looked for, as the handling small instruments, band instruments and
week before weather conditions were of a char- sheet music, in western Pennsylvania, stated that
acter to keep buyers away from stores—rainy holiday sales were satisfactory, and he was of
weather with high temperature prevailing. With the opinion that with proper industrial activity in
colder weather during the holiday week there the Pittsburgh district during 1928 the next
was a run started on business houses, music twelve months should prove profitable to the in-
dustry in every way.
stores included, that had excellent results.
W. Barry Hamilton, of the C. C. Mellor Co.,
stated that sales of the Duo-Art and Steinway
pianos were much better than he had looked for.
The last few days before Christmas, he stated,
the sales staff was kept busy waiting on patrons.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., January 3.—For the first
In the talking machine department, Victrolas
and Brunswick phonographs found ready sales time since the organization of the main store
with hundreds of Victor and Brunswick records at 1204 Columbia avenue, the Lang Piano Co.
being sold for gift purposes. Mr. Hamilton has extended this business to another branch
stated upon an examination of his books for of the industry. There just has been added a
December that sales had gone ahead of the complete assortment of Brunswick talking ma-
same month last year. He is rather optimistic chines and records. The Lang Co. is anticipat-
for the coming year, feeling that, with judicious ing further extensions with the coming year
advertising and good salesmanship, it is bound with a view to adding to its present chain of
four stores devoted to the sale of musical mer-
to be a good one for the house of Mellor.
Theodore Hoffmann, treasurer of the J. M. chandise.
Hoffmann Co., one of the oldest music firms in
the city, said that he was satisfied with the vol-
ume of business handled during the year, al-
though he felt that it should have been much
larger. "However, we did the best we could
Edward Francis Thomas, popularly known as
and have to be satisfied with results," he said. "I
^till feel that if the piano trade would concen- "Eddy Thomas," has been signed as an exclu-
trate on the slogan 'Learn to Play the Piano' sive Brunswick recording artist. Mr. Thomas
and instill it in the rising generation it would is an important member of "The Yacht Club
Boys," another of the popular exclusive Bruns-
result in a much larger volume of sales of
Lang Piano Go. Adds
the Brunswick Line
Eddy Thomas Signs Up
for Brunswick Records
ESTABLISHED 1862
John Tasker Howard has resigned his posi-
tion as educational director of the Ampico Corp.
to establish a special service bureau, and to de-
vote his attention to writing and lecturing.
Mr. Howard has been associated with the
Ampico Corp. for the past five years, first as
assistant manager of the Ampico department
of the American Piano Co., and for three years
as educational director of the Ampico Corp.
Mr. Howard's latest addition to his series of
Studies of Contemporary American Composers,
a biography of Deems Taylor, has just been
issued by J. Fischer & Bro., and he is planning
to complete the series within the next few
months. As a result of the publication of the
work on Deems Taylor, Mr. Howard has been
engaged by a number of organizations to lec-
ture on this composer's opera, "The King's
Henchman."
Joseph Weinberg to Add
New Store to His Chain
Three Stores Established Successfully in Phil-
adelphia During the Year and Still Another Is
in Prospect
PHILADELPHIA, PA., January 3.—With the acquisi-
tion of the store at 2166 Ridge avenue, Joseph
Weinberg has increased his associated branches
in the Quaker City to three stores and is plan-
ning further extension in the coming year. The
Weinberg Store, 830 South street, has been es-
tablished eleven months and was the first to be
acquired by the head of the firm. There are
handled the Wurlitzer, Kingston and Straube
pianos and the Wurlitzer organs in conjunction
with the Victor and its combination radios in
the talking machines lines. Associated with
Mr. Weinberg are Joseph Friedman, who con-
ducts the newly opened Ridge avenue store,
handling the same merchandise, and Mrs. Re-
becca Simon, who manages the third branch at
1307 Point Breeze avenue. After the first ol
the year it is expected to add another store in
the vicinity of Fifty-second street and Market
street.
Death of Silas T. Crocker
FKEDONIA, N. Y., December 28.—Silas T.
Crocker, piano dealer of Fredonia, died recently
in the Brooks Hospital. He was sixty-three
years old and prominent in business circles of
Fredonia.
L^UTEH
ONE OF AMERICANS FINE
NEWARK N. J.
PIANOS
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA