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The Music Trade Review
San Francisco Merchants
Victorious in Bauer Case
NOVEMBER 24, 1928
Let the public see in picture that the piano is
as indispensable to a well-ordered home as an
auto in the garage. I believe that this will be
faster publicity than the long articles by well-
known authorities teliing why the piano should
be in the home."
Schubert Recordings Are
Presented to Coolidge
Secure Judgment Against Bonding Company for Instruments Ob-
Full Set of Albums of Schubert Records
tained Under False Pretenses by Katie Bauer—Hanson
Recorded by Columbia Co. Presented to the
Music House Gives Liebling-Kimball Concert
President on Monday
AN FRANCISCO, CAL., November 15.—A meeting of the board of directors of the Music
Trades Association of Northern California was held in the Athens Club, Oakland, on No-
vember 13. Shirley Walker, of Sherman, Clay & Co., president of the organization, de-
scribed his trip through the Pacific Northwest with Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary of the
National Association of Music Merchants. Mr. Walker also told of his visit to Chicago, where
he attended the meeting of the Board of Control of the National Association of Music Merchants.
An interesting account of the success ot the
r—
trip in the Northwest was given.
Members of the Association present at the
meeting were told that the music merchants of
this city had just secured judgment against
the bonding company, in the Katie Bauer case. Chas. Edison Will Become Chairman of Board
of Splitdorf Radio Corp. and Other Edison
Katie Bauer, who is now serving a prison term,
Executives Will Take Important Posts
obtained a number of talking machines and
players fraudulently from music merchants.
Thos. A. Edison, Inc., has arranged to acquire
Much of the stolen property was sent to auction
looms and sold. The auctioneer who sold most a substantial financial interest in the Splitdorf
of the stolen goods refused to make any restitu- Radio Corp., and after December 31 the facilities
tion and the music merchants sued him and ob- of the Splitdorf Corp. will be employed with
tained judgment. The auctioneer had nothing the Thos. A. Edison, Inc., plant primarily for
on which he could satisfy the judgment, so the the manufacture of radio apparatus for the latter
dealers then sued the company which had company, and the marketing of Splitdorf radio
bonded the auctioneer, and a few days ago apparatus discontinued.
Under the new arrangement Chas. Edison,
judgment for the full amount was awarded the
music merchants from the bonding company. president of Thos. A. Edison, Inc., becomes
R. B. Miller, secretary of the Music Trades chairman of the board of the Splitdorf Radio
Corp., Walter Rautenstrauch and Donald Ross
Association of Northern California, says that
the case is of interest to musis merchants be- will continue as president and vice-president
cause it shows their rights in such a matter. and secretary respectively. Arthur L. Walsh
The bonding company, a strong concern finan- and Ralph H. Allen, both vice-presidents of
cially, is threatening to appeal the case to the Thos. A. Edison, Inc., will become vice-presi-
supreme court. Eventually the music merchants dent in charge of sales and vice-president in
are almost certain to get their money, but in charge of finance and operation, respectively.
the meantime an appeal will still further delay H. F. Hiller, treasurer of Thos. A. Edison, Inc.,
settlement. The Katie Bauer case dates back will become treasurer of the Splitdorf Corp.,
and Henry Lanahan, general counsel of all the
four years or more.
Edison industries, will become general counsel
Kimball Artist to Play for Kimball Dealer
The H. C. Hanson Music House is sending for the Splitdorf Corp. The finances of the
out invitations to leading pianists and other Splitdorf Radio Corp. will come under the con-
musicians of the city to attend a complimentary trol of a newly created finance committee, con-
morning recital which George Liebling, inter- sisting of Chas. Edison, Ralph H. Allen and
nationally known pianist and composer, will Donald Ross, the latter vice-president of the
give in the Hanson store on Powell street, Splitdorf Industries. This committee will also
Sunday, November 25. Liebling is a Kimball act in the same capacity for the Splitdorf-Beth-
artist and the Hanson Music House is a Kim- lehem Electric Co., the parent company of all
ball dealer. Liebling won the unanimous praise Splitdorf interests.
It is announced that the move has been made
of the local critics a few days ago when he
appeared as soloist with the San Francisco necessary as a result of the great demand that
Symphony Orchestra, using a Kimball grand has developed for the new Edison radio, and
piano. Wm. Ringen, manager of the H. C. which is clearly taxing the production capacity
Hanson Music House, is very enthusiastic over of the company. The Splitdorf Radio Corp.
the quality of Liebling's playing and is taking a will retain its separate identity and will profit
great interest in the coming complimentary re- by the Edison radio demand.
cital.
Radio Business Booming in Northwest
L. W. Sturdevant, head of Sherman, Clay &
Co.'s radio department, has just returned from
visiting the Northwest branches of the house
as far as Spokane and he is quite enthusiastic Well-Known Texas Dealer Believes That Every
Advertisement Should Carry View of Piano in
regarding radio business in the North and the
Attractive Environment
demand for musical instruments in general.
Much of the increased demand for radio is due
Robert N. Watkin, secretary of the Will A.
to greatly improved broadcast programs. A
year ago Mr. Sturdevant said they had no East- Watkin Co., Dallas, Tex., and former president
of the National Association of Music Mer-
ern hook-up in the Northwest. Now they have
chants, believes that piano sales can be stimu-
as good a hook-up as this section of the Coast
lated if every piano advertisement shows the
enjoys, and it has made a great difference in
instrument in some attractive environment, and
the popularity of radio sets. The special Sher-
thus offers a suggestion of its placement and
man, Clay & Co. console with the Atwater Kent
use.
and Jensen dynamic is in great demand.
In a recent interview Mr. Watkin said: "In
my opinion the best promotion of the piano
Consult the Universal Want Directory of would be to have it shown in living environ-
The Review.
ments, in homes, in schools, in churches', etc.
S
Edison Secures Financial
Interest in Splitdorf Corp.
Show Piano in Home, Don't
Just Talk It, Says Watkin
One of the interesting features of the Schu-
bert Week celebration, which began last Sun-
day, was the presentation to President Coolidge
of a full set of Schubert recordings including
symphonies, quartets, songs and piano music
recorded by the Columbia Phonograph Co. for
the Schubert
Centennial and
distributed
throughout the country in great quantities.
The presentation was made at the White
House at noon on Monday, by the Austrian
Minister, Edgar M. Prochnik, and Frederick N.
Sard, director of Schubert Week, in behalf of
the Advisory Board. The albums given the
President included the Unfinished Symphony,
symphony in C major, trio in D flat, Forellen
quintet, piano sonata, Op. 78, quintet for two
'cellos, and two albums of favorite songs by
that composer.
With the records there was handed to the
President facsimiled pages from the original
Schubert diary, and a letter of presentation
signed by Otto H. Kahn, as chairman of the
advisory body of the Schubert Centennial, call-
ing attention to the nation-wide acceptance of
this cultural movement.
The President in accepting this library of
Schubert's music expressed his appreciation of
the importance of Schubert week, and his grati-
fication that Americans in all walks of life were
participating in it.
The presentation was arranged through the
good offices of the Austrian minister, whose
government is co-operating with the Schubert
week in America.
Bowman Go. Opens Section
PHILADELPHIA, PA., November 19.—The Bow-
man Co., one of the most prominent of central
Pennsylvania department stores with head-
quarters in Harrisburg, Pa., has added a music
department to its establishment. Pianos and
talking machines with radios, including the
Brunswick Panatrope and combinations and
records and the Atwater Kent and RCA radios
will be featured. The new section is under the
management of H. C. Chubb.
Death of Ghas. L. Mertel
MILWAUKEE, WIS., November 16.—Chas. L.
Mertel, who for over forty years was a piano
tuner in this city and for five years vice-presi-
dent of the local division of the National As-
sociation of Piano Tuners, died at his home here
last Saturday in his sixty-ninth year. He is sur-
vived by his wife and daughter. In addition
to his work as piano tuner, Mr. Mertel was for
many years organist for a number of Milwau-
kee Lodges.
Stieff Grands Popular
PHILADELPHIA, PA., November 20.—Philadelphia
has been giving a warm welcome to the new
standard line of grand pianos which Chas. M.
Stieff, Inc., of Baltimore, has offered to the pub-
lic this Fall. The new standard grands are in
two models and have been shewn at the Phila-
delphia branch at 1717 Chestnut street, under
the management of James A. Spencer. Another
innovation in the local Stieff house is the ex-
tension of the business to include radios and
talking machines.