PRESTO
September 18, 1920.
on the turned down page of German imports, it seems strange to find,
in the "Zeitschrift Fur Instrumentenbau" such advertisements as this
-—of which there are several:
prised to read the Presto story of M. D. S. than that gentleman him-
self.
Agency for England. Well-Financed London firm seeks the English ex-
clusive representation of responsible German manufacturers. Highest bank-
ing references.
The death of Frederick Kranich makes another break in the
ranks of the practical members of New York's piano industry. Mr.
Kranich was a gentleman of quiet temperament who did his work
seriously and without display. And he had inherited his father's
ambition to do well whatever he undertook. His going is deeply
regretted by this paper, the editorial staff of which knew him well
and respected him highly.
* * *
As an indication of what the German piano manufacturers are
ambitious to do as quickly as possible this extract from an article by
Johannes Rehbock in a Leipzig trade paper is timely: "We face a
prodigious task. We can, will and must exert ourselves, within and
without, to return our industry to the place it formerly held; to that
end must each and every one of us produce a beautiful work of
artistry."
* * *
We believe that the finest group picture ever produced of a picnic
of piano people appears in this issue of Presto. The original photo-
graph is nearly three feet in length and the group, large as it is,
shows but a small part of the working forces of the M. Schulz Co.
of Chicago.
* * *
Evidently the music trade of Milwaukee is not satisfied with the
slogans created by the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
The Cream City dealers are seeking a new slogan of special fitness,
perhaps for the local trade. The story appears in this issue of Presto.
Automatic Manufacturing Co.,
52 Gray's Inn Road, London.
That is a good sample, but there are also others that seem to
prefer not to be so frank in the matter of their identity. For example
this one:
ENGLAND! Good, established house, handling only artistic products,
desires exclusive agency for pianos, grands, baby grands, and other music in-
struments of all kinds, violin bows, etc. Address S. O. B., care this paper.
But there is nothing remarkable in this. No one, probably not
even in London, really believed that the German piano invasion had
been permanently suppressed. "Good to forgive, best to forget," said
Robert Browning, a great Englishman. It is not possible to do either
save by the alchemy of time. But another English writer, Feltham,
has said that "business is the salt of life, which not only gives a grate-
ful smack to it, but dries up the cruelties that would offend, preserves
from putrefaction and drives off all those blowing flies that would
corrupt it."
Germany, defeated and half-drowned in the debt of her former
rulers, is still a great musical instrument making people. And it
will require ceaseless watchfulness and tireless energy on the part of
other musical instrument making nations to keep her from overrun-
ning the earth with cheap pianos, moon guitars, harmonicas, mouth-
harps and close imitations of the things of their own devising.
Seasoned picno men do not often get far away from the industry
and the interesting story in this issue about Mr. J. S. Holmes, now
deep in the phonograph end of the music business, will be read with
avidity. Mr. Holmes has as many friends in the piano stores as any
other representative of things musical. And no one will be more sur-
AL JOLSON TESTIFIES TO
MERITS OF TONK PIANO
World-Famed Singer and Comedian Writes Com-
plimentary Letter to William Tonk & Bro., Inc.
An unequivocal endorsement of the Tonk pianos,
made by William Tonk & Bro. (Inc.), New York,
has been penned by the world-renowned comedian
and singer, Al Jolson. The following are the opin-
ions of the piano as set down by Mr. Jolson in a
letter to the New York manufacturers dated from
the Biltmore, New York:
Messrs. Tonk & Bro., Inc., 452-4-6 Tenth Avenue,
New York.
Gentlemen: The Tonk piano which you were
kind enough to select for me, came in fine order. I
am in every way highly pleased. Its richness and
power of tone, together with perfect construction,
make it well suited for use in professional work.
My experience with your instruments in the past
has been the same, and I cannot but speak the high-
est praise for your product, which deserves every
success.
Very truly yours,
AL. JOLSON.
SOME BRIEF ITEMS
OF A PERSONAL KIND
Varied Activities of the Men Who Sell Pianoa Hero
and There Noted.
H. A. Stewart, of the Gulbransen-Dickinson Com-
pany, Chicago, is on a trip through the Northwest
in the interests of the house.
T. J. Mercer has just returned from a trip for the
Gulbransen-Dickinson Company, Chicago, which
took him through south central Illinois, Ohio, In-
diana and West Virginia. He says prospects are
immense in that territory.
Edward Martin, formerly for many years with the
Emerson Piano Company in Chicago, is now resid-
ing in Riverside, 111.
Harry Van Husen, formerly with the Emerson
Piano Company at Chicago, is now said to be
wealthy and resides in California, where he owns an
orange orchard.
James F. Broderick, former Chicago piano manu-
facturer, was taken to a sanitarium on Friday of
last week.
W. T. Brinkerhoff, president of the Brinkerholf
Piano Company, Chicago, arrived in Detroit th-;
If you are an up-to-date piano man you will find peculiar interest
in the advertisement of the Atwood Loader in this paper. The help
to sales and safe deliveries has been advertised before but did you
realize that it could be had for only $65? We didn't.
other day. He will travel in Michigan before re-
turning.
H. H. Bradley, manager at Chicago for the Chase-
Hackley Piano Company of Muskegon, Mich., ar-
rived home on Monday of this week from a trip to
Iowa. He was at Decorah, Iowa, and narrowly
escaped getting into the big storm which unroofed
buildings at Cresco, Iowa, and flattened the corn
in the fields. The corn was so far advanced, how-
ever, that the farmers say it will ripen, even though
lying down. Mr. Bradley says the Chase-Hackley
company is selling lots of instruments in Iowa.
There is much prosperity in sight in that state, he
says.
Otto Schulz, F. P. Bassett and H. D. Hewitt, of
the M. Schulz Company, Chicago, attended the
Ohio Piano Merchants' Association convention in
Youngstown this week. Mr. Schulz addressed the
meeting.
JOSEPH J. ASTON DIES.
Last rites for Joseph J. Aston, head of the
Standard Piano Bench and Manufacturing Company,
Chicago, were held Saturday at 2 o'clock in the
chapel at 2701 North Clark street. Mr. Aston died
Trerday in his home at 933 Margate terrace. He
was born in London, England, and came to Chicago
thirty years ago. Mr. Aston was a member of Me-
dinah Temple Mystic Shrine, Tyrian Council No. 78,
Columbia Commandery No. 63, Knights Templar,
York Chapter No. 148 and Siloam Lodge No. 780, A.
F. & A. M. He is survived by his widow, Joyce E.
Aston, and a son, Gordon L. interment was made
in Memorial Park cemetery.
A VETERAN CHICAGO SALESMAN.
A. J. Creighton, a nephew of the man for whom
Creighton University of Omaha was named, is now
one of the most active of the outside salesmen in
Chicago for the Smith, Barnes & Strohber interests,
working direct for the Smith Piano Company, 311
South Wabash avenue. He was with the Emerson
Piano Company in Chicago for 28 years, and worked
for John Northrop in the days of that gentleman's
prime.
F. D. D. HOLMES BACK.
After an absence of nearly three months, Fred-
erick D. D. Holmes, secretary and manager of the
Smith Piano Co., 274 West Water street, Milwaukee,
has resumed active duty and is again back at his
desk every day. On Sunday, Sept. 12, Mr. Holmes'
baby boy, born Aug. 8, was christened Charles John,
the patronymic of the president of the Smith Piano
Co., whose godson he is.
HENRY MEYER DIES
OF HEART FAILURE
Treasurer of Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co.
Missed by That Concern.
Is
Henry Meyer, treasurer of the Smith, Barnes &
Strohber Company, 1872 Clybourn avenue, Chicago,
is dead. He was one of the most active, industrious
and useful men in the company's forces, and, of
course, is greatly missed at headquarters where his
cheerful aid to the workers over him and under
him was always to be relied upon. Quick at figures,
with an eye to the good of the house, and always
playing the game fair to both house and customer,
he combined the qualities of efficiency which have
helped to make the name of the company famous
for its reliability.
Mr. Meyer was in the early fifties. He leaves a
widow and small son some 6 or 7 years old. He was
at home sick only ten days. Two weeks ago last
Sunday he spent some time in his basement clean-
ing it out. It was a very hot day, and the close air
in the basement was too much for him, so he col-
lapsed. He finally passed away from heart failure.
Mr. Meyer had been with the Smith, Barnes &
Strohber Company ever since the company took
over the Strohber concern, coming from the Stroh-
ber company where he had been doing good service..
The funeral took place on Monday.
PRESENTS THE STEINWAY
AS A MUSIC TRANSLATOR
Oklahoma City Branch of Big Western Firm Tells
Relation of Piano to Artist.
"Music's Master Translator" is what the J. W.
Jenkins Sons' Music Co., Oklahoma City, Okla.,
calls the Steinway piano this week. In a convinc-
ing display in the newspapers this is said:
"Steinway—the medium through which great
artists paint music pictures with sweeping stroke
and careful detail—the piano which faithfully trans-
lates each individual conception of the composer's
thought.
"To hear a masterpiece on the Steinway is to
hear it in the full bloom of beauty and depth of
meaning. And to portray one's individual emotions
on this superb pianoforte is to come to a full re-
alization that art has blended perfectly with the
manufactures."
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/