Music Trade Review

Issue: 1940 Vol. 99 N. 11

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
24
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 19J>0
George J. Birkel
Veteran Dealer in Los Angeles Dies
At the Age of 80
George J. Birkel, pioneer music dealer
in Los Angeles and Southern California,
died, October 16th, of a heart attack in
his Laurel canyon home. He was 80.
Mr. Birkel, who was born in Davenport,
Iowa, was a partner in the Birkel-Rich-
ardson Co., and had been in the music
business in Los Angeles for 40 years. Dur-
ing that time he entertained many of the
worlds leading artists and was know as a
generous contributor to musical events.
Mr. Birkel's first venture into the music
business was in San Diego, where he
opened a store in 1884. In 1900, however,
he moved to Los Angeles and started in
business again in a store on Spring street.
About six years ago he merged his
business with that of William H. Richard-
son and a new location was established
at 730 West Seventh street.
Besides Richardson, Mr. Birkel's other
close business associates were W. E.
Moffett, Frank E. Ford, E. A. Geissler and
Allan Birkel Fredhold, a nephew.
KRANICH
^ BACH
i)PIANOS
\J Since 1864
^Varii only in Aiqe
yye manufacture one
quality -the finest. -
dfcom the new dmall
console to the nine foot
concert grand evert)
J&anich&Bachpiano id
perfect in every detail.
237EAST23RD.STREET,N.Y
Funeral services was held on Oct. 19th,
in the Birkel home at 2451 Laurel Caynon
road. Interment was in Inglewood Park.
The survivors include Mrs. Julius Eich-
Next Convention
to be in New York
Announcement has been made by
William A. Mennie, secretary of the
National Association of Music Merchants
that the 1941 convention of the organiza-
tion will be held in New York City. This
decision was made after each member of
the Board of Control had been consulted
by letter by Paul S. Felder, president.
WEAVER PIANO
A Musical Masterpiece
Weaver Piano Co., York, Pa.
CONSOLE and GRAND PIANOS
George J. Birkel
orn, a sister, San Francisco; Mrs. Dorothy
Fredhold, a niece; Miss Janice Fredhold,
a grand niece; Miss Ada Sommer, a niece;
Robert Sommer, a nephew, all of Los
Angeles, and Miss Florence Sommer, a
sister-in-law, San Francisco.
offer dealers and purchasers
alike, the ultimate in fine pianos—
truly "star" value in design and
construction.
We Invite Inquiry
STARR PIANO COMPANY.
Richmond, Indiana
SHONINGER
PIANOS • ESTABLISHED 1850
The quality old time
Shoninger dealers
expect . . . in new
consoles of great
beauty.
Directb/ow action.
Consult your piano manufacturer
National Piano Corp.
1200 Broadway
- Tone volume control from a
mere whisper to that even
greater then in a concert
grand piano.
New York
MIESSNER INVENTIONS, Inc.
18 MAIN ST.
MILLBURN. N. J.
Mcvcdmati, &edi dC Ca.
Master Piano Craftsmen for 99 Years
HARDMAN PIANOS • MINIPIANOS
. HARRINGTON PIANOS
33 West 57th St., New York
'IH.Ree fat Civesialf Pianeile
BRAMBACH GRANDS
KOHLER & CAMPBELL
Original Scales
*mr
Grands — Consoles
Modern Designs
Studio Uprights
A wide variety of modern designs — Lowest Prices —
— Write for Details —
The Piano the Public Asks For
MATHUSHEK PIANO MFG. CO.
132nd St. and Alexander Ave., New York
KOHLER & CAMPBELL, INC.
629 WEST 50th STREET
NEW YORK
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 19 UO
25
The Combination Business

• PHONOGRAPHS • • RECORDS • • RADIO-PHONOGRAPHS •
Magnavox Exclusively Featured
in
77
W&J Sloane "The Music Shop

the sale and promotion of phonograph
records, the remaining five years being
devoted to all products.
Long Established Furnishing and Interior Decorating
House Announce New Departure—V. E. Olsen, Manager
In the New York "Times," Sunday.
The RCA anniversary event is being
October 20th, W. & J. Sloane, 47th Street
supported
by extensive co-operative ad-
and Fifth Ave., New York, long established
vertising
in
all of the nation's markers, as
and one of the leading house furnishing
well
as
by
such sales helps as a lavish
firms in the country announced the open-
ing of "The Music Shop" which is hand- presentation book and broadsides for
ling the Magnavox line of radio-phono- dealer display.
graphs exclusively. The new shop is The RCA Victrola V-205 is a completely
located on the main floor and has been automatic instrument with many features,
planned in the form of several furnished one of the most important of which is the
rooms where a complete line of Magna- "Tone Guard."
vox machines are on display in artistic
settings. The manager of the new shop is
V. E. Olsen who for some time was con-
nected with the Scott Laboratories in
Chicago.
L. M. Sandwick, sales manager of the
The line which is being displayed is an Magnavox Co., Ft. Wayne, Ind. has an-
extensive one including a table model in nounced the appointment of John F. Wirtz
modern design known as the Concerto as district manager for New York City
Combination to the regal Adam secretary- and eastern New York state in a revision
desk. All cabinets are in authentic period of the eastern territories necessitated by
the steady increase in Magnavox business,
designs.
The opening of "The Music Shop" by according to Mr. Sandwick.
"Mr. Wirtz has had extensive ex-
W. & J. Sloane is an entirely new de-
parture for this house which has a wide perience in the merchandising of appli-
home furnishing clientelle throughout the ances and musical instruments," said Mr.
metropolitan district as well as for interior Sandwick, "and this thorough knowledge
of the dealers' problems will make him
decorating.
Advertising of this new department of inestimable help to the dealers.
For the past seven years Mr. Wirtz has
also appeared in the "The New Yorker"
covered the eastern market for RCA Vic-
during October.
tor. Two years were spent excusively in
Wirtz New
Nagnovox Mgr.
Anniversary Deal
on RCA Victrola
Broadcasting celebrates the Twentieth
Anniversary of the beginning of its ser-
vice to the American public this month.
RCA Victor salutes the birthday of the in-
dustry by offering to the public its Anni-
versary Model RCA Vitrola V-205 at a
special trade-in allowance which has the
effect of reducing the price of the hand-
some, 9-tube automatic instrument by as
much as 20 percent.
"The astonishing progress of radio has
been due in no small measure to the many
contributions of the famous RCA Research
Laboratories," Henry C. Bonfig, Commer-
cial Vice-President, said in commenting
on the anniversary celebration. "Further,
many of the electronic principles used in
radio and broadcasting have been applied
to the recording and reproduction of
phonograph records.
"And so RCA Victor salutes the merg-
ing of two great industries, the radio and
phonograph, "with the offer of its Anni-
versary Model V-205 at a price which
places it in reach of all music lovers.
John F. Wirtz
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Wirtz has
been quite active as player and arbiter in
football, basketball and baseball.
Celebrate 29th Anniversary-
Mr, and Mrs. Clark Gross celebrated
their 29th Wedding Anniversary on Octo-
ber 11th. Mr. Gross is Wurlitzer Eastern
District Regional Director.
Hunter gets Hearty Welcome on Coast
J. C. Bates, I. C. Hunter, Capehart Salesmanager, W. H. Richardson, and Charles Ward, of Birkel
Richardson Co.. Los Angeles
When I. C. Hunter, Capehart Sales- nisced at length over the early days of
manager, reached Los Angeles on his the DeLuxe Capeharts, Mr. Richardson
Pacific Coast tour for showing of 1941 recalling that he sold the first one received
lines, he was met in Los Angeles by Wm. to Joan Crawford.
Shown in the enclosed photograph are
H. Richardson, the dealer who introduced
Mr. Hunter, Charles Ward. Western Rep-
the Capehart line on the Pacific Coast;
resentative for Capehart, Mr. Richard-
and J. C. Bates the Birkel Richardson Co. son and Mr. J. C. Bates.
radio and phonograph department man-
Mr. Richardson predicts with the new
ager.
Capehart 1941 models the company will
Mr. Richardson and Mr. Hunter remi- have its biggest Capehart year this year.

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