Presto

Issue: 1920 1779

PRESTO
August 28, 1920.
inspires interest. The customers still come and go on Chestnut street,
but their ingress and exit are as decorous and secure as on Fifth
avenue, New York, or Wabash avenue, Chicago.
So far as concerns the piano industry, Philadelphia deserves her
reputation for staid and solemn calm. Where once the piano indus-
try was active, today it is nearly nil. Probably no piano man lacking
in ancient history of the American piano could be made to believe
that the first American instrument was made in Philadelphia. Cer-
tainly no one seems to care to make many pianos in Philadelphia
today, unless the recently established Overbrook Piano Co. gets
going quickly, as we suspect it will, for it has made a good start and
is conducted by piano men of ambition and experience. And it will
seem to many in the trade that "Overbrook" presents a pleasing
change in piano nomenclature.
TRADE MARK PIRACY
An item this week, from a New York newspaper, contains a
warning to American piano manufacturers whose ambitions extend
beyond the borders of their own country. It also presents a con-
dition which not only makes interesting reading to the retailers, but
suggests again the almost incalculable value of a good trade mark.
The item adds strength to the precaution to manufacturers, by
giving a long list of trade names which have actually been stolen by
the sharp-witted pirates in other lands. Among the names are those
originated or adapted by so varied a lot of industries as to be of
curious interest.
Of course the trade mark pirates probably do not always know
just what some of the names signify, nor do they care. They only
know that the names have value over here which, in the crush of in-
ternational travel, must also imply great values afar off. For in-
stance, there is the word "Delco," which has been cribbed and reg-
istered in Sweden. The word is a compound of three propsr names,
with the abbreviation of "Company" as the terminal. The word has
been employed by a chain of Chicago restaurants, and it is com-
posed of the initials of the three organizers of those cheap eating
houses. So with some other of the pirated names.
But most of the pirated trade marks are those of individual
manufacturers, or proper names which have been made valuable by
their energies and enterprises. There are not many names sugges-
tive of the music industry in the list, but there are some of them,,
as all who are familiar with the subject will recognize.
It is safe to say that not many of the powerful piano industries
in this country have neglected to protect their trade names abroad.
If the cost of protecting American piano trade marks, in this coun-
try alone, were to be carefully computed, it would be seen why the
good will of a great name is inventoried at, in some cases, hun-
THIS GOOD ADV. WRITER
FORGOT SOMETHING
Cunningham Piano Co. States a Fact, but in
Setting It Forth Neglects Its Own
Wise Admonition.
The house of Cunningham in Philadelphia has the
reputation of getting up some model advertisements
for retail piano selling. But in a recent type display
there seems to be a singular contradiction between
statement and fact. See if this is not so. Here is
the advertisement:
We always believe in talking common sense to
our customers. To begin with, when we say to a
buyer a piano is worth the price we are selling it at
or more, we know what we are talking about; we
should know, as that is our business, piano making
and selling. We have no other business to attract
or detract our attention. We should know, we
ought to know and we do know a piano.
In looking over the list of August piano sales,
we found a matchless Cunningham piano among
others. The dealers advertised it as a great bargain
at $225. Our curiosity was aroused and we sent to
look the instrument over. The piano is numbered
18752, and had been sold by us to a Mr. Robert C.
Gorman, 304 East Broad street, Burlington, N. J.,
for $280, it having been rented for concert purposes
for some time previous to its sale, which was March
18, 1903, which is now over 17 years. In the opin-
ion of the dealers it only reduced in value $55 in all
that time. However, it speaks well for the quality of
the instrument. We don't know a piano made in
this or any other country that will stand the wear
dreds of thousands of dollars. As a matter of fact, there are Ameri-
can piano names so valuable that they almost, if not quite, exceed
the estimated worth of mammoth material assets.
There is no piano name that is without a considerable cash
value. The pirates abroad may not always select names of great
instruments. They, without doubt, often take liberties with names
merely because they possess the charm of sound and sight. They
may be in themselves musical, and of a kind easily popularized any-
where. So that, no matter how little progress a piano may have
made at home, it is the part of wisdom to seek protection to guard
against the pirates later along, when the world may have found out
that such an instrument exists.
It is not often that the older industries need such a warning as
the New York newspaper article suggests. The newer ones do
need it. And, whether new or old, every industry doing business
under a trade mark name should insure its property before the pi-
rates abroad get busy with it. It is a simple matter in advance,
whereas later it may be impossible to recover from the effects cf lack
cf foresight or slipshod neglect of self interests.
Housing of employes and their families is not worrying piano
manufacturers much, as most of the plants are located where there
are no booms in population and the residents are permanent inhabi-
tants. Very little piano manufacturing is done in such booming
cities as Detroit or Los Angeles. As a nation, however, we are short
of houses. Senator W. M. Calder of New York, chairman of the
Senate Committee of Production and Reconstruction, says there is
a shortage of at least one million homes in the United States, as
ascertained through questionnaires submitted to all the larger cities.
The committee will report to the senate in December.
* * *
Good crops have a direct bearing on prosperity for the piano
business. Pennsylvania has great crops of apples and peaches this
year—many millions of bushels of each, besides a great crop of pears.
And as for Kansas, that wonderful state has the second largest crop
of wheat in its history this year, and the Kansas corn crop promises
to be the lergest in five years, according to the monthly crop report
issued last Friday by the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, based
on announcements made August 14.
Governor Cox, democratic candidate for the presidency, is a music
lover. He believes that municipalities should encourage it. And
Senator Harding, republican candidate, is equally a musical enthusi-
ast. More than that, he once played a cornet in the town band. So
that both candidates are different from some of the earlier presidents,
at least one of whom declared he knew but two tunes, one of which
was Yankee Doodle, and the other he had forgotten.
and tear of constant use and hold its tune, its ap-
pearance, and its value so well.
To make the foregoing text the more effective, two
displayed "wings" are employed, each of which de-
clares that "It Pays to Think." And it seems prob-
able that the writer of the advertisement himself
forgot to think that his statement about piano val-
ues is not conclusive, as applied to the old instru-
ment sold in 1903.
In 1903 pianos had touched the very bottomless
pit. Instruments which were then sold for $280
could not be had for much, if any, less than double
that sum today. The same piano sold now for $225
doesn't represent a decline in price of only $55. It
is more nearly a drop of $250, which would make
the sale of the good old Cunningham, at the figures
named, about right.
And why does the Cunningham Piano Co. say that
"We are the only piano manufacturers in Pennsyl-
vania se'ling from factory to home direct"? Are
the other Pennsylvania piano manufacturers in the
habit of turning their backs to their fellow citizens
who clamor for instruments to be delivered "from
factorv to home direct"? We can't believe it.
READY IN NEW STORE.
The W. F. Frederick Piano Co. is calling atten-
tion to a new shipment of pianos and players re-
ceived at its new branch store in the Pollins Build-
ing, Greensburg, Pa., and adds: "Our new store
on Main street affords the piano customer a real
place to make a selection; as many as fifty pianos
and players will be carried in stock in our Pollins
Building location. The time is here when you can
get real service in your purchase of cither a piano,
playcrpiano or genuine Victrola. All Greensburg
and Westmoreland County are welcoming the best
equipped music store in this state. Everything in
music."
SALES OF USED PIANOS
KEEP PORTLAND, ORE., LIVELY
Upright, Grand and Players Included in Range of
Instruments Offered at Attractive Prices.
The Bush & Lane Piano Co., Portland, Ore., has
announced its great annual clearance sale of used
upright, grand and playerpianos. The sale is now
on and includes some of the very best makes. These
pianos are offered at very attractive prices, with a
guarantee to exchange the same at any time within
six months for a new piano of equal or higher price,
allowing the entire amount paid as a credit on the
new instrument.
The Reed-French Piano Co., Portland, Ore., is
having a clearance sale of used pianos which the firm
is "offering at wonderful values impossible to he
found elsewhere." The sale includes many fine
standard makes. The firm guarantees every piano
is in first-class repair and offers them at reasonably
small payments down and allows two years to pay
the balance.
Sherman, Clay & Co.'s branch in Portland, Ore., is
featuring a couple of player rolls—the waltz, "Memo-
ries of Virginia," and the fox trot, ''Oh! By Jingo!
Ob! Bv Gee!"
C. F. L. RICHTER DIES.
Charles F. L. Kichter, president of the Richter
Mfg. Co., a string musical instrument concern at
2532 Irving Park boulevard, Chicago, died last week.
Mr. Richter was a Mason and a Shriner. He was
rn artive member of perhaps a dozen fraternal or-
ganizations. Me was a member of the Illinois leg-
islature in I 1 -09. lie was born in Germany April
30, 1853. and came to America in 1883.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
August 28, 1920.
THE WORKERS IN NOTABLE CONTEST
McCOY, INC., OCCUPIES
NEW HARTFORD STORE
Ampico Room in Remodeled Building at 89 Asylum
Street, Reflects Artistic Character of the Business.
The new building of the McCoy's, Inc., recently
opened in Hartford, Conn., has an Ampico room of
very imposing character. The new structure which
is at 89 Asylum street is 30 feet wide, 100 feet deep
and four stories high. The company occupies the
entire building which it remodeled to suit its own
requirements
The main store of McCoy's, Inc., is in Waterbury,
Conn., where some years back the company took
over the business of the Fulton-Driggs & Smith Co.
The iinc which is duplicated in the Hartford store
includes the Knabe, Estey and other fine pianos.
The player roll department is in keeping with the
important character of the playerpiano business of
the company. In the new Hartford store is a ca-
pacity for stocking 12,000 rolls.
NEW ORLEANS PIANO TRADE
SHOWS SUMMER LIVELINESS
Thanks to Wise and Persistent Advertising, the
Business in Player Rolls Keeps Up.
The accompanying cut shows the winners of the
Salesmen's Contest in the various stores of the
Jesse French & Sons Piano Co., the headquarters
of which are at New Castle, Ind. These men en-
tered a contest the first of January to win a trip to
the factory, two men coming from each store—the
man who got the most cash and the man who got
the greatest volume of business.
Reading from left to right, lower row: H. W.
Young, Raleigh, N. C ; J. E. Stratford, manager,
Raleigh branch; Jesse French, Jr., secretary of the
Jesse French & Sons Piano Co.; L. O. Parsons,
manager Montgomery branch; C. B. Lewis, gen-
eral manager of the factory of Jesse French & Sons.
Top row: K. F. Essrich, Raleigh, N. C ; Wesley
Parsons, Montgomery, Ala.; T. B. Parsons, man-
ager. Mobile, Ala.; W. D. Harding, Raleigh, N. C.;
W. L. Barker, Montgomery, Ala.; J. H. Payne, Wil-
son, N. C ; H. H. Hudson, wholesale traveler.; N.
F. Wheeler, Clinton, N. C.
The successful salesmen thoroughly enjoyed the
trip to the factory, everyone expressing himself as
hoping the company would have another contest
soon, as they all like to come to the plant.
R. S. HOWARD CO. ANNOUNCES
STANDARDIZED PIANOS
Solo-Carola, and who has among other things per-
fected a music tracking device. Other inventions
of his are under way. With Mr. Pierce in charge the
success of the shop is assured.
New York Industry Promises Interchangeable Parts
for the Instruments Within Sixty Days.
CALLS FOR PIANISTA
PHONOGRAPH PLAYER GROW
Thr R. S. Howard Co., manufacturers of grand,
upright and playerpianos, New York, has made the
important announcement that within sixty days the
company "will present the only real standardized
piano production in the world, making all the parts in
finished instruments interchangeable."
The problem of standardizing the piano is one
which has interested R. S. Howard, president of the
R. S. Howard Co., for some time. He has, from
time to time, added to the literature of the subject,
making clear the desirability of standardized parts
for the instruments. Mr. Howard's acquaintance
with (he making and the marketing of pianos
is extensive and his knowledge of the requirements
of the trade is wide, facts that make the announce-
ment from his company all the more important.
The factory which the R. S. Howard Co. now oc-
cupies at 485 East 133rd street is one of the lively
manufacturing points in the Bronx.
EVERY BYRON MAUZY LETTER
ADVERTISES THE GOODS
Interest-ng Facts Concerning San Francisco Firm
Also Told in Unique Letter Head.
The new letter head stationery of Byron Mauzy,
San Francisco, Calif., is a four page folder, the sec-
ond and third pages of which are devoted to an ex-
pose of the "House of Byron Mauzy," the Chickering
piano and Victrola. There is also included thereon
a nird's eye view of Union Square showing the By-
ron Mauzy piano house. The letter is written on the
first page as in the usual form.
Byron Mauzy has opened a new shop at 52 Beal
street, which is about 100 yards south of Market
street, and about 5 blocks from his place of busi-
ness. This shop occupies an entire top floor of a
three story building, which is 45x125 feet.
Harry Pierce, superintendent of the shop, is to be
in charge, and it is intended that this will be made one
of the finest and most up-to-date repair departments
on the Pacific Coast. Byron Mauzy has made a spe-
cialty of employing not only the best, but the highest
paid tuners and technicians that can be secured in
that part of the country. Byron Mauzy prides him-
self on counting among his employes, Mr. Pierce,
to whom was issued the original patents of the
Latest Product of Autopiano Company Finds Great
Favor With Wideawake Piano Dealers.
Officials of the Autopiano Company, New York,
are extremely gratified with the reception that their
latest product, the Pianista Phonograph Player, has
met with throughout the trade in general. That there
is a demand for a combination playerpiano and
phonograph is proven by the fact that seventy-five
per cent more dealers ordered during August, the
majority of this business coming from dealers who
had previously purchased.
The number of inquiries which the Autopiano
Company is receiving daily from exclusive phono-
graph shops shows that keen interest has been
aroused among phonograph dealers in this combi-
nation instrument.
A number of dealers who have had this phono-
graph player have stated that it has proven' to be
one of the best live prospect getters they could pos-
sibly have for window display due to the fact that
this type of instrument is entirely new and has never
been seen or thought of by the large majority of
people; and curiosity if nothing else has instilled the
desire for a musical instrument of some kind among
many who previously have never felt such need.
WABASH AVENUE
EXPECTS BOOM.
Piano dealers along Wabash avenue, Chicago, are
putting on new men and preparing for a boom sea-
son of selling pianos and playerpianos. With vaca-
tioners beginning to return, the trade is brightening
up already. Methods of sales promotion will be
among the topics of earnest discussion at the piano
c'ub's daily luncheons in the Stratford Hotel during
the next two or three months. One thing is settled
in advance with the dealers—prices are not going to
come down.
DAN FABYAN RECOVERS.
Dan Fabyan, traveler for the Poo!e Piano Co.,
Boston, will be back on the road within the next two
weeks. Both Mr. Fabyan and Mrs. Fabyan . have
been discharged as convalescent from the Marlboro
hospital, where they had been under treatment since
they had been injured in an automobile smash-up
nearly a month ago. They are now in their home in
Winthrop, Mass,
Persistent advertising by the piano houses of New
Orleans, La., has brought the August figure for sales
to a very satisfactory sum. All the prominent
houses have contributed to the advertising drive
which has brought about such desirable results. Con-
tinuous week day displays and imposing Sunday
spreads have kept interest in pianos and players alive
and accomplished the desirable happening for the
New Orleans dealers.
The remarkable favor has not been accorded to
the pianos" and players alone. The pianoplayer
music rolls have enjoyed the best summer in the
history of the player roll trade in the trade of the
New Orleans houses. J. V. Dugan, president of the
Dugan Piano Co., said last week that the matter
of season no longer cuts much figure with the roll
business of a department that is properly advertised.
E. L. Staples, manager of the player roll depart-
ment of Philip Wcrlein, Ltd., for the past two years,
has resigned and will return east, where it is said
he will join a prominent house in the player trade.
At his departure Mr. Staples was presented with a
handsome Masonic watch charm by the heads of
departments in the Werlein house.
NEW VENTURES SHARE
FAVOR OF BUYERS
Late Additions to Forces of Piano Distribution
Show Liveliness of Trade.
The business of H. H. Routh & Son, Salem, Ind.,
is being offered for sale. E. F. Routh, the surviv-
ing owner, has decided to devote hi- entire time to
his large music business.
S. B. Stein has opened a music store in Ellenburg,
Washington.
The Filmusic Co., with headquarters in Los An-
geles, Calif., has opened a branch in San Francisco.
The Colfax Music Co., Colfax, Wash., has moved
to a new store.
The Turner Music Co., Wallace, Idaho, has re-
modeled its store.
F.rnest Dickerson will feature the Gulbransen
player in a new store opened by him recently at
Hutchinson, Kans. He will carry a line of Q R S
rolls.
Maurice Miller last week held a formal opening of
his remodeled store at 49 Essex street, Salem, Mass.
Harry P. West has taken over the business of the
Nichols Music Co., Macon, Ga., and has changed the
name to the H. P. West Music Co.
Carl Latenser, Atchison, Kans., has bought the
S. E. Eppinger music store in Holton, Kans., and
will enlarge the business.
The Lewis S. Brown Music Store, Pueblo, Colo.,
has opened a branch in Walsenburg, Colo.
J. H. GrofT, Euphrata, Pa., will open a music store
in the Yost Building in that city this week. The
store will be a branch of Reifsnyder Sons, Lancas-
ter, Pa.
The Vernon Piano Co., Alliance, O., has moved
to a new store at 21 South Freedom street.
A. G. Lewis and Mrs. Lewis have opened a new
music store in San Pedro, Calif. The location is at
377 West Sixth street. The line of pianos and play-
ers of The Cable Co., Chicago, is carried. Both
owners are experienced in the piano trade and are
prominent in musical circles in the pleasant Cali^
fornia town,
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

Download Page 5: PDF File | Image

Download Page 6 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.