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MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
SHERMAN, CLAY & CO. TO REPRESENT
C. C. CONN, LTD., O N PACIFIC COAST
N important announcement from the
Pacific Coast is to the effect that in
future Sherman, Clay & Co., will be
the exclusive distributors of the band instru-
ment products of C. G. Conn, Ltd., Elkhart,
Ind., for the entire coast territory in which
they operate stores. The stocks of the Conn
retail stores in San Francisco, Portland and
Seattle will be merged with the Sherman,
Clay & Co. stores of those cities. The an-
nouncement was made by Dwight F. Mc-
Cormack, treasurer of Sherman, Clay & Co.,
with headquarters in San Francisco.
The Conn retail store in Portland has
operated as the Pacific Music Company and
is at 385 Taylor street. The stock of the
store will be moved to the Sherman, Clay
& Co. store at West Park and Alder streets,
in the Woodlark building, at once, McCor-
mack said.
A
"This marks retirement of C. G. Conn,
Ltd., from the retail field on the Pacific
Coast," McCormack said.
"It will close two stores in San Francisco
and the Northwest Conn Co. store in Seat-
tle. It will give us a complete line of all
high-grade musical instruments."
McCormack said that C. H. De Acres,
president of Sherman, Clay & Co., recently
purchased the interests of the Clay family
in the business. D. R. Brassfield is manager
of the Portland unit of Sherman, Clay & Co.
H. W. Stanchfield, former Conn manager
in San Francisco, becomes associated with
Sherman, Clay & Co. and will look after
the promotion of the band instrument busi-
ness, while H. P. Mulholland, president of the
Northwest Conn Co., in Seattle, will con-
tinue his connection with that company in
another field.
MUSICAL ARTS LABORATORY
TESTS NEW INSTRUMENTS
NEW BUFFET CLARINETS TO
BE WIDELY ADVERTISED
The Musical Arts Laboratories, Inc., re-
cently established in Grand Rapids, Mich.,
by C. L. Beach, formerly of Bush & Lane
Co., and others, for the purpose of producing
new types of stringed instruments in which
the volume and quality of tone is controlled
through electrical means, reports considerable
progress being made in the introduction and
testing of sample instruments. Percy Grain-
ger, the noted pianist, while in Grand Rap-
ids recently to give two concerts, visited the
company's factory and was most enthusiastic
about the tonal possibilities of their instru-
ments. He stated that they had great possi-
bilities, particularly in strengthening the vio-
lin section of large orchestras and making pos-
sible new musical effects.
Various instruments of the company's make,
including the violin, viola and cello, have
been demonstrated in local recitals, and Karl
Wecker, conductor of the Grand Rapids Sym-
phony Orchestra, tried out several of the
instruments in his organization with re-
sults that he declared to be most satisfactory.
After a trip to Europe, where he spent
several days at the Buffet-Crampon factory
at Nantes, near Paris, France, John L. Lu-
ellen, president of Continental Music Co.,
reports that an extensive advertising cam-
paign is being planned to introduce the new,
improved Buffet clarinets.
"In France," Mr. Luellen stated, "Buffet
woodwinds are universally recognized as the
finest. The famous Garde Republicaine
Band of France, one of the foremost military
and concert bands in the world, is largely
Buffet equipped, having a total of twenty-
four Buffet woodwinds—almost one-third of
the total membership of the band, and over
three-fourths of the woodwind section. The
woodwind sextet of the band, composed of
outstanding soloists, uses Buffet clarinets ex-
clusively.
"While at the Buffet factory I had an op-
portunity to see the new improved Buffet
clarinets being made, and I am confident
that they will win a ready acceptance among
the fine artists in America. Some of the
most prominent musicians already using
Buffet clarinets include such artists as Rocco
Zottarelle, of the St. Louis Symphony; Sam
Evenson, of the Chicago Symphony; Jimmy
Both, NBC Chicago studio orchestra, Rudolph
Schmitt, of the Chicago Civic Opera, Joe
Rotz, and William Kruke, solo clarinetists, of
the national
championship
Milwaukee
American Legion Band.
"In addition to improved soprano, alto and
bass clarinets, Buffet is also presenting a new
BBd Contra-Bass clarinet which is pitched a
full octave lower than the regular bass model.
It has a deep, full, rich tone that rounds out
the woodwind choir and can be used as a
substitute for the string bass or even the
sousaphone."
W. J. DYER & BRO. ISSUE
HANDSOME NEW CATALOG
It requires some two hundred large pages
in the latest musical merchandise catalog
issued by W. J. Dyer & Bro., St. Paul, Minn.,
to list and illustrate all the various items
in that category handled by the company as
wholesalers. The impressive volume, in
heavy covers, includes practically every item
from brass, reed and stringed instruments to
the accessories that go with them. There are
also drums and equipment and a large show-
ing of piano accordions. The volume is
copiously illustrated and includes several
supplements in colors.
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
December,
1932
CHANGES AMONG EXECU-
TIVES OF FRANK HOLTON CO.
Several changes have been made in the
executive personnel of the Holton Band In-
strument Co., Elkhorn, Wis. Frank Holton,
founder of the company, remains as president,
with A. J. Scanlan, long connected with the
band instrument business in Elkhart, Ind.,
as sales manager; Fred Kull, general man-
ager; Tony Gatzen, factory manager, and
H. W. Lewis, as a member of the sales de-
partment.
The Holton company has made a number
of radical improvements in its instruments
during the past year or so, including the
practice of chromium-plating the various
brass instruments to prevent corrosion. A
new and simplified valve has also been
adopted for the various wind instruments.
IT'S THE "MICKEY MOUSE"
JUVENILE BAND IN HAWAII
There is quite an expanse of ocean between
Hawaii and the main land of the United
States but that does not keep the business
men of the islands from keeping close tabs
on the popular trend in the various sections
of the country. The Hawaii Music Co.,
for instance, instead of just promoting an
ordinary juvenile orchestra and band an-
nounced the formation of a "Mickey Mouse
Orchestra and Band," and the result was a
quick response from a host of youngsters
who had visions of themselves appearing in
lively musical capers similar to those in-
dulged in by the popular screen mouse and
his cohorts. It was stated that the Mickey
Mouse idea succeeded in interesting more
youngsters in the band and orchestra work
than did any previous appeal. Now there
is a chance for advertising a Betty Boop
orchestra for little girls.
ELABORATE NEW FOLDER FOR
LA TOSCA ACCORDIONS
Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co., Brooklyn, N. Y.,
has just issued a special folder richly illus-
trated and in colors describing in detail the
various models of La Tosca piano accor-
dions distributed by that company through-
out the United States and Canada. The line
is a very complete one, ranging from a
twelve-bass model for the beginner to an
elaborate 120-bass, richly decorated model
for the professional. The folder is designed
to prove of genuine assistance to the dealer
in presenting the various La Tosca models
and also makes an effective piece of literature
for direct mail promotion.
W. E. Stanson, of Chicago, has opened a
music and jewelry store at Antigo, Wis.
Mrs. Stanson formerly lived at Antigo, where
Mr. Stanson's father at one time was in
business. For the past twelve years Mr.
Stanson conducted a music and jewelry busi-
ness in Chicago.
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