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The Music Trade Review
"Join the People Who Still Believe
in Home Life" Is Dealer's Appeal
Cincinnati Piano Merchant Uses This Compelling Message As Basis of His Advertising
Campaign With Excellent Results—Other Trade News
r* INCINNATI, O., April 1.—The George P.
Gross Co. is now conducting an aggressive
newspaper campaign in behalf of its piano line,
using large space three times a week. "Join
the people who still believe in home life" is one
of the salient phrases used in the app-eal. One
advertisement points out that "The piano that
was right for the room of 1902 cannot be right
for the room of 1929," and in this connection
it is advised that those who are building or re-
furnishing homes give this matter more than
a passing thought. According to Carl J. Rist,
manager, there is a good reaction to this ad-
vertising, although the campaign is young.
R. E. Wells, district manager for Steinway
& Sons, has just returned from a visit to New-
York City, where he went to discuss business
affairs at executive headquarters. Recent addi-
tions to the local Steinway sales staff are G.
E. Kappner and Peter Morris, well known in
the trade here. The Cincinnati Women's Club,
a foremost social organization, has just pur-
chased for its clubrooms a Steinway ' Concert
Grand.
The Radio Merchants' Guild now has a mem-
bership of thirty-one firms, which takes in al-
most all of the leading houses of the city. The
latest members to be added to the roster are
F. J. Berlinger, 622 Broadway; the Robert J.
Renner Company, 2956 Montana avenue, and
the Progressive Radio and Electric Shop, Elm-
wood Place. The Guild has just been incor-
porated under the laws of Ohio and its execu-
tives are Ely Steinberg, president; Carl J. Rist,
secretary, and Moses Fisher, treasurer.
Otto Grau, president of the Otto Grau Piano
Co., has just returned from an extended trip
to the Pacific Coast, on which he was accom-
panied by Mrs. Grau, the tour being a "second
honeymoon," in celebration of their twenty-fifth
wedding anniversary. "We spent the greater
part of our time in Los Angeles and in San
Diego," explained Mr. Grau, "and I took ad-
vantage of the opportunity to combine business
with pleasure, by visiting the various stores of
dealers in musical instruments. I was most
courteously treated by all, and I must say that
I learned a lot of things." At the Grau store it
was reported by J. Fred Van Court, secretary
of the company, that Spring has livened up
trade to an appreciable extent and that the indi-
cations are that there will be a further increase
in the demand.
C. C. Givens, Jr., who has been appointed
assistant advertising manager for the Baldwin
Piano Co., of which department Phillip Wyman
is the head, is devoting much of his time to
publicity work for the Baldwin broadcasting,
which has attracted nation-wide attention. He
is a newspaper man of broad experience, hav-
ing served on the Louisville Courier-Journal,
and also on papers in Washington, D. C. Wal-
ter Gieseking, famous pianist, who will return
to Europe after broadcasting a Baldwin con-
cert on April 14, is expected to be in the city
in a few days, as guest of the company. The
Baldwin Co. had a very attractive exhibit in
the Home Beautiful Exposition, recently held
in Music Hall, the features of the display being
several of the new small Howard grands and
Howard reproducing uprights, with Welte-Mi-
gnon mechanism. The Baldwin piano was also
chosen as part of the furnishings of the Model
Home, which was a full-size dwelling, erected
it: the Music Hall building.
The Starr Piano Sales Corp., of which Charles
J. Meinberg is manager, has completed the or-
ganization of a special sales force which is to
handle two new lines which the company is
offering to the public. The first of these lines
is the Freezone electrical refrigerator. The
second line is the Graybar Electrical Appli-
ances, which includes washing machines and
other devices for household use. According to
G. E. Hunt, retail manager, there is a better
demand for pianos than there has been for
some time and there are many indications that
this instrument is regaining its former popu-
larity. In a short time, it is stated, there will
be a new department in the Starr store, de-
voted to moving picture cameras and kindred
lines. Mr. Hunt also reported a fine demand
for Jack and Gene's new record, a Gennett pro-
duction.
Sherman, Clay Show Window
Pays Honor to Steinert
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., March 30.—An attractive
window display was designed this week by
Sherman, Clay & Co., in honor of Alexander
Steinert, of Boston, who has been spending
part of the winter in California, and is now pre-
paring to sail for home via the Canal. The
large window in the main store features a baby
grand piano with the statement, "Fashioned by
Steinert of Boston." The window is trimmed
with radio towers and aerials to emphasize a
large window poster that this piano is the type
used by KFRC, KPO and KTA, all popular
local radio broadcasting stations.
Speaking to a representative of The Review,
Mr. Steinert said that a person has to find out
by personal observation the vast stretch of ter-
ritory covered by California, with its sunshine
and remarkable road-building. Mr. Steinert
spoke enthusiastically of the symphony orches-
tras of San Francisco and Los Angeles and of
the interest shown in good orchestral music.
He gave the highest praise to the Sherman,
Clay & Co. organization and to the Birkel
Music Co., of Los Angeles. Accompanied by
Richard Ahlf of Sherman, Clay & Co., and John
Powell, of Steinway & Sons, his visit to the
Oakland store of Sherman, Clay & Co., had
aroused the admiration of Mr. Steinert who said
that he advised "piano people to take a trip to
ihe Pacific Coast if they want to see piano busi-
ness properly conducted.
New Officers of Buffalo
Radio Trades Association
BUFFALO, N. Y., April 1.—.Newly elected offi-
cers of the Buffalo Radio Trades Association
were installed at a meeting this week, E. P.
Young assuming the president's chair. L. VV.
James is vice-president, Ray E. Staff is secre-
tary, and H. P. Funk, treasurer.
The subject of interference elimination was
discussed at a round table following the in-
stallation. Isaac Lounsbury outlined plans oi
the new Buffalo Broadcasting Corp.
Opens Chicago Office
CHICAGO, JLL., April 1.—The Mid-West Radio
Trades Association has opened executive offices
in this city at 33 West Randolph street with
F. L. Bell, executive secretary, in charge of
offices. One of the policies adopted by this
dealer group is the examination and registration
of all radio service m-en.
The Wolmer Music Co., has opened a new
store in Oceanside, Cal.
APRIL 6, 192$
Atwater Kent Executives
and Cabinet Makers Meet
Discuss Cabinet Designs to House Atwater
Kent Radio Receivers—Distributors Join in
Conference
PHILADELPHIA, PA., April 1.—An interesting and
resultful conference between executives and
distributors of the Atwater Kent Mfg. Co. and
the representatives of over a score of furniture
and cabinet manufacturers was held here on
Tuesday and Wednesday oi last week for the
purpose of developing plans for the marketing
of a wide range of cabinets to house Atwater
Kent radio receivers and speakers.
The Atwater Kent Co. neither recommended
nor suggested the standards of cabinet design
but will follow the policy of supplying well-
established cabinet manufacturers with a stand-
ardized name plate reading "Cabinets for At-
water Kent Radio by
"
Furniture manufacturers attending the con-
ference stated that for the most part their in-
dividual efforts would be confined to the pro-
duction of two or at most three models to sell
at popular prices. One manufacturer, however,
announced his intention to specialize in the
production of the more costly models and as
a result Atwater Kent distributors will have a
choice of from thirty to forty separate and dis-
tinct designs ranging from the popular prices
to the more extravagant models.
The distributors naturally feel that their posi-
tions for the ensuing year will be most enviable
with such a wide range of cabinet jobs.
The radio manufacturing company will take
no part in the marketing of the various makes
of cabinets, leaving the field wide open to each
furniture manufacturer to develop furniture of
a kind in keeping with the high standards which
have always characterized Atwater Kent prod-
ucts.
Furniture manufacturers' representatives at-
tending the conference were: The Gulbransen
Co., Chicago, 111.; Robt. Finley Metal Prod. Co.,
Brooklyn, N. Y.; Union Furniture Co., James-
town, N. Y.; St. Johns Table Co., Cadillac,
Mich.; The Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind.;
Caswell Runyon Co., Huntington, Ind.; Radio
Cab. Mfg. Corp., Chicago, 111.; Ebert Furniture
Co., Red Lion, Penn.; Radio Master Corp., Bay
City, Mich.; Knoxville Table & Chair Co., Knox-
ville, Tenn.; Bayview Furniture Co., Holland,
Mich.; Showers Bros., Bloomington, Ind.; Con-
rades Mfg. Co., St. Louis, Mo.; Red Lion Cab.
Co., Red Lion, Pa.; Pooley Co, Philadelphia,
Pa.; Federal Furniture Co., New York, N. Y.;
Chickasaw Furniture Co., Memphis, Tenn.; Ad-
ler Mfg. Co., Louisville, Ky.; Chillicothe Furn.
Co., Chillicothe, Mo.; Hubbard, Eldredge &
Miller, New York, N. Y.; Connor Furniture
Co., New Albany, Ind., and Connor Furniture
Co., Rochester, N. Y.
The distributors, to the number of forty or
more, came from many sections of the country
including representatives from Chicago, St.
Louis and New Orleans.
New Eveready Radio
Receivers Are Announced
The National Carbon Co. has made formal
announcement of the new line of Eveready
radio receivers specially designed for the com-
pany and which was declared to possess many
features making for reliability and dependable
service at all times. All the receivers in the
line are identical so far as the chassis is con-
cerned, the difference is being in the casings.
There are two types of consoles and a conso-
lette all equipped with built-in dynamic speak-
ers and there is also a table model. The re-
ceiver is a seven-tube, single dial, antenna-oper-
ated, all-electric A-C set.