Presto

PRESTO
SUPPLY PROBLEMS
IN THE INDUSTRY
New York Piano Manufacturers Find Ad-
vancing Prices of Domestic Lumber and
Scarcity of Lacs for Varnish Serious
Topics.
out-of-town dealers were in attendance and took
advantage of being in the city to call on various
piano manufacturers and supply houses whose prod-
ucts they market. .
ALFRED DOLGE STARTS ON
SECOND "HONEYMOON TRIP"
NEW OFFICERS FOR THE
LOUISVILLE ASSOCIATION
Veteran Piano Man, and Founder of Cities, Goes
on a Trip Around the World.
If there is any man in the piano business who
has not heard of Alfred Dolge, that man must
be a very new comer, or else he has been asleep
for nearly a half-century. And if there is any
piano manufacturer who does not know Alfred
Dolge personally, that manufacturer must also be
a new recruit, or else is among the long list who
have "joined the great majority;" and even then he
knew the founder of the two Dolgevilles before he
went into the Great Silence. For Alfred Dolge
long ago carved his name in the scroll of fame.
Alfred Dolge has gone on a long-promised tour
of the world, during which he hopes to visit the
home of his childhood. And he has taken his bride
of fifty years with him. He has worked hard for
years, as a representative, on the Pacific coast, of
the Haddorff Piano Co., and in that capacity he has
evinced the same enthusiasm, the same loyalty and
the same genius, which in early life lifted him into
a place of great responsibility, and even political
power. His writings also drew not only national
attention, but in their economic teachings proved
influential in old world circles.
Were Mr. Dolge here, he would demand that
nothing of this reminiscent, or complimentary kind,
be written. But he is at this moment far away
from the shore he loves so loyally. And when he
returns he will have no thought of what may have
been said of him, or his attainments, at this time.
Following is the last word that came from Mr.
Dolge before his sailing from San Francisco—and
isn't it characteristic of the man, who is as much a
lover today as when he was wedded to his sweet-
heart wife so many years ago.
San Francisco, July 13, 1920.
Leaving on our "honeymoon trip" to Honolulu
tomorrow morning. Greetings from Mr. and Mrs.
Alfred Dolge.
Tt is certain that all who know Mr. Dolge and
his bride of many years will be glad to know of
the delights of travel which they have planned to
scenes, which, in their youth, were so fam liar and
must still be dear to their hearts. And may thev
come back again renewed in their hopes, and re-
freshed by the rest and change.
W. C Willis Succeeds Harry K. Mance as Presi-
dent of Music Trade Organization.
The one topic of discussion among the piano
At the annual election of the officers of the
manufacturers and case makers is the continued ad- Louisville Music Dealers' Association, Louisville,
vance in the price of all domestic woods, particularly Ky., the following were elected: President, W. C.
white wood. The better grades of this wood in wide Willis, Baldwin Piano Co.; vice-president, R. L.
boards has advanced from one to three cents per Manwaring, Steinway & Sons; secretary, M. W.
board foot within the past ten days, and no orders Brock Music Co.; treasurer, Bruner Greenup,
for future deliveries at the current prices are being Greenup Piano Co.
accepted. Really good oak and American walnut
The value of the periodic meetings of the as-
are also hard to obtain, but the receipt of several sociation were generally acknowledged in a dis-
good African and San Domingo mahogany logs cussion following the election and it was decided
by some of the veneer cutters promises to hold to hold two meetings at least every month. It was
the market in that wood steady for a time at least. arranged that the association should meet on the
Hardware Conditions.
first and third Friday of each month.
Louisville 'is experiencing its usual lull which
The large piano hardware concerns state that the
conditions are much better than two months ago, causes little or no uneasiness to piano men. Piano
and, while not carrying a nominal stock, at the same sales are as plentiful as at a similar period in other
time they are able to fill reasonable orders with years and collections are considerably better than
moderate promptness. An inquiry among the var- ever before in July.
nish houses shows a shortage of lacs, as well as of
mixing oils, and, what is even worse, a great short-
age of skilled varnish-makers. One reason advanced
for the latter is that many of them, believing the
high prices have meant big profits, have gone in
business for themselves on a small scale, and their
Endicott Post Chooses One of the Players for
products have not yet been put on the market.
Musical Equipment.
Expect Good Fail.
Otto Heinzman, of the Mansfield Piano Co., New
Not only is the Autopiano "The Choice of the
York, and maker of the piano bearing his name, Army and Navy" in war time, but it bids fair to be
is busy at the factory at E. 135th street preparing the choice of our world's war veterans. The mem-
for an active fall campaign. He reports that his bers of the Endicott, N. Y., Post of the American
trade is anticipating an unusually big winter, and Legion have chosen an Autopiano for their club-
realizing a possible scarcity of pianos, is placing house. To many of the veterans of the great con-
orders early.
flict it was like meeting an old friend, for the Auto-
A Knock-Down Bench.
piano was "over there'' with the best of them. In
One of the unique features of the supply trade the rest areas, "Y" huts or canteens an Autopiano,
recently placed on the market is a folding piano a bit battered perhaps, could be seen "doing its bit."
bench, made by the Folding Piano Bench Co., ?>77 This sale was made in the face of keen competi-
Rider avenue, Bronx. This article has several com- tion by R. A. Dimmock of the Fowler Piano Com-
mendable features, particularly the ease with which pany, Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. Dimmock is well
it is knocked down, two concealed thumbscrews known in the retail piano trade as a vigorous sales-
being the keys; its extreme rigidity when in use, man whose enthusiasm for the Autopiano is best
and the ease with which a number can be shipped expressed in his sales results.
in a s-mall space, three going in a crate now occu-
pied by cne bench.
E. H. STORY'S LONG MOTOR TRIP.
While primarily designed to meet the export de-
E. H. Story, president of the Story & Clark
mand for a high grade bench, the trade has found Piano Company, Chicago, is motoring to Chicago
them to be advantageous to meet all conditions, and from his home in Southern Californ'a and is ex-
dealers who include a bench with a piano, find that pected to arrive this week. Mr. Story was heard
when shipping the latter boxed, a bench of this type from last Saturday in Arizona. He is enjoying the
can be readily packed in the same case, effecting a grand scenery along the route. His father, H. L.
considerable saving in expressage.
Story, who motored through from California to
Piano Men Also.
Chicago some weeks ago, is still traveling in his ma-
At the recent convention of the Edison Talking chine, and is now in Canada somewhere near
Machine Dealers in New York quite a number of Montreal.
AUTOPIANO IS CHOICE
OF AMERICAN LEGION
THE NEW STYLE 19 "KROEGER" PIANO
It is always a pleasure to announce
a new style of piano that has won promi-
nence by its merits. With this article is
an illustration of the new style 19
"Kroeger," in which there are special
points of beauty and value to trade and
public. The very name of Kroeger is
enough to draw special interest in the
trade, and this new style is an instru-
ment deserving of particular notice, for
there are possibilities in it wherever the
people buy good instruments. With ref-
erence to this new style 19, President C.
B. Garritson, of the Kroeger Piano Co.,
expresses himself in no uncertain terms.
Here is what he says:
"We venture the observation that the
graceful architectural lines of this new
style No. 19 will command consideration
equal to that which has been accorded
the new scale contained in it. For our-
selves we are divided in admiration of
the beauty which appeals to the eye and
the supreme tonal excellence which is
demonstrated by the new product. Here, in truth,
is an unusual combination of the two characteristics
first in order in the appraising- of piano quality and
salability."
No one who knows Mr. Garritson, and especially
all who know the Kroeger piano, will want to in-
July 24, 1920.
BUYS INTEREST IN
TEXAS PIANO BUSINESS
With Entrance of R. J. Gartman Old Brady Firm
Gets Change of Name.
R. J. Gartman of Goldthwaite, Tex., has purchased
an interest in the Davis Music Store, Brady, Tex.,
from T. E. Davis, and is now associated in the
business. Mr. Gartman was virtually brought up in.
the music business, and has been employed with
the firm of Gartman Bros, at Goldthwaite for a num-
ber of years. He is a live wire salesman and wili
be a valuable asset to the Brady Music House.
The business will in future be operated under the
firm name of Davis & Gartman. Mr. Davis and
Mr. Gartman will look after the selling end of
things, while Miss Knola King will look after the
store.
BUILDING FOR EMPLOYES.
That proprietors of factories will become more
and more interested in aiding their employes to be-
come owners of good homes is a thought empha-
sized by S. W. Straus, of S. W. Straus & Co. of New-
York, in an interview this week. This method of
helping employes to get homes is nothing new in
the piano industry, but Mr. Straus thinks the plan
is but beginning. He says: "There are many indi-
cations that we are coming into a new order of life
in America, which will mean radical innovations
in industrial financing. Larger employers of labor
will be prompted more anil more in their desires to
co-operate with employes in building homes which
shall be owned eventually by the workers. This new
spirit will manifest itself in a tremendous amount of
home building in all the large industrial centers of
the country during the ensuing few years."
THE MAINE ASSOCIATION.
vestigate this new style 19 further. The big factory
at Stamford, Conn., is busy now making this new
one as well as supplying the older styles. It will
pay dealers to apply as early as possible, in order
to insure instruments for the fall trade.
The Maine Music Trades Association at a recent
meeting in Lewiston, Me., elected association officers
and an executive committee as follows: President,
F. R. Atwood; vice-president, H. W. Seaford. Lewis-
ton; secretary and treasurer, William L. Luce, Port-
land. The executive committee is composed of M.
A. Melvin, Bangor; John Keller, Augusta, and J.
B. Donnelly, Portland.
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