Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 21

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
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.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 24, 1928
The Music Trade Review
These had been reduced to sixty and even these
are too many. Once established, in relation to
its salability, a line can be freshened up each
year or each season by minor design changes
which do not affect it basically.
Every slow-moving instrument that remained
on the wareroom floors over a long period is
adding 20 per cent to its original wholesale
annually, he said.
President of American Piano Co. Declares Need in Piano Industry cost,
In the course of his talk Mr. Urquhart dis-
cussed a number of the activities of his Com-
at Present Is Development of New Policies to Meet
pany in their relation to the trade at large, par-
ticularly the recent series of sales held in New
Changing Conditions Among the Public
York in connection with the consolidation of
several warerooms under one roof and the elim-
ination
of discontinued models representing
HE thirty or more members and guests of the New York Piano Merchants' Association
who attended the meeting of that body at the Hotel Breslin on Tuesday evening of this over a million dollars in value. This was done,
week left with a new conception of what frankness in the discussion of trade matters means he declared, on the sound business principle
following an informal talk given at the meeting by George Urquhart, president of the American of cleaning out this stock quickly and taking
Piano Co., who was the principal guest. There were those who did not agree fully with some the first loss as the smallest one.
Following Mr. Urquhart's address there was
of Mr. Urquhart's ideas as he presented them, but there were none who did not admire his open-
considerable discussion regarding the mer-
ness in his talk.
Mr. Urquhart at the outset declared that, with the manufacturer, he said, who must estab- chandising ideas he put forth, particularly the
while he had been in the piano business less lish a definite price value. At present one of plan of offering low-priced instruments occa-
than a year, he had as a banker made close the outstanding evils is the effort being made sionally at less than the established price in or-
studies of many other lines of industry for a to produce cheaper and cheaper pianos instead der to bring to the warerooms those who re-
number of years, and he had applied to the of setting a minimum at which a really good sponded only to the bargain appeal. In this
piano business the fundamental ideas in mer- instrument can be offered. Mr. Urquhart sug- connection the meeting assumed the form of a
chandising that he had found to apply to all gested that the manufacturers could agree upon general round-table discussion, one of the
lines. He declared that the piano business was such a minimum and then observe it in practice. frankest perhaps that have thus far been held in
There is much room in the retail piano busi- association work.
not successful at the present time because it
Following Mr. Urquhart's address, Delbert L.
was not bringing in proper returns for the ness, too, as he saw it, for some radical im-
Loomis,
executive secretary of the National
money and effort invested in it, and held that provements. One of the most noticeable evils
it could only be improved through hard and in- was the number of retailers doing business Association of Music Merchants, told of his
telligent work not alone by the executives of under an overhead entirely out of proportion to recent trip to the Pacific Coast and of the grow-
the various concerns but by the entire man possible sales volume. Before any retail piano ing enthusiasm in association work. He invited
business is started, he said, it is necessary to the local association to affiliate with the national
power of the industry.
The speaker stated it would be necessary in make a careful survey of the local field and its Association as a body.
many cases to formulate new policies and that possibilities and then base the scope of the Emil J. Pettinato, president of the associa-
in this work the best brains in the trade would business at the outset upon normal sales expec- tion, presided over the meeting.
be required. It did not mean that the man in tations over a period of a couple of years. On
the managing executive's chair must depend en- this basis rent should not exceed 5 per cent Straube Representative
tirely upon his own intuition. He should, as of the contemplated annual volume, and adver-
Reports Good Business
a matter of fact, base his policy upon careful tising should also be kept within the 10 per
surveys of the field in which he is operating cent limit, leaving a net of 10 or 15 per cent to
W. A. Berry, sales representative of the
and rely in no small measure upon information cover allowances, salesmen's commissions, etc. Straube Piano Co., with headquarters in St.
gained by, and the opinions of, subordinates in He cited several cases both in and out of his Louis, reports a very satisfactory business in
own company where the rent paid was so ex-
the formulation of those policies.
that territory which he attributes to the na-
The main thing that was hurting the piano cessive that there was no possibility of creating tional advertising and national price policy of
business, said Mr. Urquhart, was the frame of a business volume to warrant it. He suggested the Straube Co. He declares that the success-
mind of those engaged in it. Too many piano that traveling representatives of manufacturers ful piano traveler to-day is a man who cannot
men are possessed of a hangdog, beaten atti- and wholesalers sound out retailers regarding only place the instruments with the dealer but
tude, and are too prone to recite the many rentals paid, etc., in order that adjustments can show horn how to sell them.
cither industries cutting into their business might be recommended when necessary.
In the matter of trade-ins Mr. Urquhart de-
rather than to gird up their loins and fight for
A. H. Kayton in Philadelphia
their business. The development of radio, new clared that, although it was difficult to estab-
types of talking machines, the automobile, elec- lish definite schedules of allowances for used
PHILADELPHIA, PA., November 19.—A. H. Kay-
tric household appliances, etc., have all resulted instruments, his company in its own stores puts
ton,
formerly president of the Milton Piano
every
used
upright
on
the
books
at
$1,
and
in taking money that might otherwise go to the
piano dealer. But as the developments continue every instrument must stand the difference be- Co., New York, and who since his retirement
this competition will be stronger instead of tween that amount and the allowance made for from the manufacturing concern has been so-
weaker, and the man who sits down and waits it. This served to encourage managers to in- journing in European countries, is now making
his home in Philadelphia and announces he can
for better business is simply going to disappear. sist on small allowances in order to avoid hav- be reached through his son-in-law, Manager
The speaker saw the need of a more hardy ing sales losses on used pianos charged against Clark of the financial firm of Bonbright & Co.,
and constructive spirit of co-operation between monthly totals, and set a figure that will permit investment bankers, Philadelphia branch.
American piano manufacturers, with a view to the old instrument being resold without loss.
The question of styles was also discussed and
putting the business on a basis that would en-
The Steinway in Augusta
able the public to set some definite standard it was held by Mr. Urquhart that in his mind
of value on piano merchandising and havg con- there were altogether too many styles, which
The L. A. Russell Piano Co., Inc., established
fidence in that value. The man on the street meant the tying up of capital in slow-moving
has a very definite idea of automobile value, products. He stated that when he took over in August, Ga., some thirty years ago, is adver-
but he has no yardstick by which to measure control of the American Piano Co. there were tising widely the fact that it has been appointed
what he gets for his piano dollar. This rests some 600 different and distinct piano models. representative for the Steinway piano.
George Urquhart Addresses
New York Music Dealers
T
MTAILIIHID ia«a
L^VUTER
ONE OF AMERICA'S
GRANDS
NEWARK. N. J
FINE PIANOS
UPRIGHTS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA

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