Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1790

Page 5 Text:

November 13, 1920.
STO
to believe. For it pertained to the branch of business which, above
all, should be the place of affability and courtesy—the advertising de-
partment.
"I had called," says the letter writer, "to consult the advertising
manager about a new window sign device in which I was interested.
I was directed to the assistant manager of publicity. I told him why
I had called, and this is what he bellowed forth: 'An electric sign, eh ?
Well, about nine out of every ten men who come here have electric
window signs! We don't care to see it!' And he shut the door in
my face."
If that is not an exaggeration, then the advertising manager is
not a profitable employe. He is not doing the right kind of adver-
tising. He is driving away trade. For of all callers, perhaps the ad-
vertising solicitor is the one who should be made welcome. It is his
business to advertise. He is a "mixer." He circulates. He talks.
And what is he likely to say about a house whose representative, in
his own line of work, greets him with an insult and shuts the door
in his face ?
But this has little or nothing to do with the fine ending of the
Lyon & Healy advertisement. If every business house would extend
the same invitation and assurance, the unpleasant flavor of the in-
civilities which were due to the unrest of the great war, and its at-
tendant discomforts, would soon become entirely extinct and per-
haps in time be forgotten.
ART AND ADVERTISING
An irrepressible conflict among writers on musical matters has
been, like that of the doctors and some other professionals, whether it
is a violation of ethics to indulge in advertising. There has been a
sentiment in the music world that an executive or creative musician
has no business to do business at all in a business way. The degree of
real reasoning that has been injected into the delicate subject has
never been enough to swim a warboat, and to thinking individuals of
average intelligence there doesn't seem to be much reason in it any-
way.
And so once more, for a moment, suppose we look at the proposi-
tion of the musician who, having something more than an understand-
ing of the tonic and sub-dominant, the high C and the low B-flat,
deems it well to do a little publicity work. Svippose some artist be-
lieves that he might as well break through conventionalities and in-
vest in some -publicity concerning his proposed performances, or what
he may have actually already done to startle the musical world.
What's the harm? Why permit the newspaper critics to tell it when
perhaps they know nothing at all about it ? Some of them can talk
intelligently about a stock show or even a prize fight, but few of them
really have the capacity to feel good music and describe the manner
of its making.
The late Marc A. Blumenberg conducted both a critical journal
and a trade paper. It was his habit to boldly declare that if any artists
wanted notoriety he would give it to them at the regular advertising
rate. He had a habit of making his trade paper an adjunct to his
critical journal, and so intermingling the influence of the two that, to
get anywhere by the editor's aid, it was well to invest in both publica-
tions. And his plan worked because it was good common sense.
Since then other critical—more or less—music journals have adopted
WEAVER WORKERS
ARE ALL PEPTOMISTS
Enlivening Enthusiasm Marks the Written and
Spoken Words of Dealers and
Employees.
Enthusiasm is certainly sparking right with the
representatives of the Weaver Piano Company, Inc.,
York, Pa. Here is a sample of cheery correspon-
dence from Walter Gleitz, a son of R. A. Gleitz,
tone expert for the York industry, who is doing
some special work for George Porch, dealer, Johns-
town, Pa.:
"Mr. Porch certainly is a first-rate fellow and a
Weaver booster. The Weaver goods top all of the
rive or six different makes of pianos here. When
they are placed beside another piano for a test they
invariably come out first. It certainly makes me
feel proud to be an employe of the firm. Our little
York makes some of the artist grade goods sit up
and take notice. Mr. Porch says the tone of the
York is much better than some of the artist grades."
G. Keagle & Son, Canton, Pa., is enthusiastically
Mr. Blumenberg's plans of publicity with the ethical problem some-
what eliminated.
In short, it has come to pass that the critical journals in the line
of music no longer hold their little noses high and refuse to see that
their comments and criticism are simply a species of more or less con-
scious advertisements. If the criticism is flattering it helps and if suf-
ficiently uncomplimentary it may help even more, especially if the
one advertised is said to possess some eccentricities of a kind to make
him interesting, or has particularly long and beautiful hair.
In any event, the critical journal of music no longer withholds the
secret that it is out after advertising, and all it can get of it. A re-
cent and very stalwart illustration has just come in the "Twentieth
Anniversary Number" of the Pacific Coast Musical Review, of San
Francisco. The journal named is one that deserves its evident suc-
cess. It has made a great struggle and its editor, Mr. Alfred Metzger,
is several inches taller, in his capabilities and musical knowledge, than
any of his contemporaries at the other end of the continent. New
York has no weekly musical journal to compare, in substantial inter-
est, with the one in San Francisco. And in the special number of the
Pacific Coast Musical Review it is cheering to notice quite a number
of fine advertisements of large music houses. Sherman, Clay & Co.
have a full page in front; the back cover is possessed by Kohler &
Chase; Geo. J. Birkel Co., "the Steinway House," Wiley B. Allen Co.,
The Baldwin Piano Co., and other substantial piano houses are also
liberally represented.
Art unadvertised would soon drop to the zero point and locally,
perhaps, even die. The "critical" musical journal can not live upon
art alone, and the musicians do well to support it
Both political parties agree that there is promise of a protracted
period of business prosperity ahead. It will depend upon the piano
trade, largely within itself, to insure a good share of that prosperity.
The individual dealer is the chief factor in piano trade success as in
few other lines of trade. And no matter how small his business may
be, each dealer's influence is considerable.
* * *
If you have a local demand for grands cultivate it to the fullest.
If the call is for players, extend your energies along that line. And
if the demand is still for the "straight" uprights, don't discourage it,
but give your neighbors what they want and let them be proud of
their purchase, no matter what it may be, so long as it is an instru-
ment good enough to be proud of.
* * *
A trade editor declares that if the Republican party meets its
great responsibilities "fairly and squarely" there will be prosperity;
but if "on the other hand, flushed with success, the Republican lead-
ers do not meet the issue, we are likely to have a reaction within the
next few years." Remarkable perspicacity. In other words, if it does
it will and if it doesn't it won't.
* * *
The advice to keep up collections is good. But don't put so much
time into collections that you can't sell and so may have nothing to
collect. As with marriage, consider in advance whether it is a good
move and try not to sell to people who may make it necessary to sac-
rifice time in making collections.
handling "The Leading Line," including Pathe
phonographs and records. The extent of his enthu-
siasm for the line of the Weaver Piano Company,
Inc., may be gauged from the following letter to the
York manufacturers:
"We are enclosing a letter of recommendation
from Mr. Nils A. Nelson, pianist and accompanist
for Miss Cecil Arden of the Metropolitan Opera
Company, who is now on Edison Tone Test Recital
Tour. They were very appreciative of the fine tone
and wonderful action of your instruments. They
used a Weaver Adam style for their tone test. Mr.
Nelson is a very fine pianist, and we know that if
you could hear him you would appreciate his wonder-
ful mastery of the piano."
Mr. Nelson's letter alluded to is as follows.
"I hereby certify that I have examined the Weaver
Upright Grand and York pianos and find them in
every respect most excellent instruments."
A. R. FARMER MAKES WESTERN TRIP.
A. R. Farmer, representing the Standard Pneu-
matic Action Co., left New York last Wednesday
evening for the West. Mr. Farmer intends to make
Chicago his headquarters, and will stay in the West
three weeks.
ST. LOUIS MUSIC TRADES
REORGANIZE ASSOCIATION
Enthusiasm of the New Officials and Membership
Generally Marks Meeting at American Annex Hotel.
New enthusiasm has been injected into the Music
Merchants' Association of St. Louis, which has been
reorganized and equipped with a new set of officers,
while retaining the advantages of advice from the
old and experienced men who have from time to time
directed the association. The spirit expressed at
the recent meeting in the American Annex Hotel
was to promote and encourage the association until
it became one of the leading and most influential or-
ganizations of the trade in the country.
The new officers elected were: P. A. Lehman,
president of the Lehman Piano Co.; vice-president,
Maik Silverstone, president of the Silverstone Music
Co.; secretary, J. F. Ditzell, manager of the Famous
& Barr Co., and treasurer, John J. Kleekamp, of the
Kleekamp Bros. Piano Co. The officers named and
P. E. Conroy, E. A. Kieselhorst and A. F. Mengel
comprise the board of directors, which also serves
as an executive board.
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/

Page 6 Text:

RE8TO
November 13, 1920.
STATE ASSOCIATION
FOR PENNSYLVANIA
handed and the demand for playerpianos continues
at high-tide, making it necessary to provide for still
larger output. The attainment of the H. C. Bay
Company, within a few years, is one of the remark-
able developments of the industry.
WEAVER PIANO GO'S
PUBLICITY HELPS
Activity of Pittsburgh Piano Merchants' Asso-
ciation May Lead to Organization of
Greater Influence for Music Trade.
RAYMOND HODGE WINNER
IN PIANO SALES CONTEST
York, Pa., Piano Manufacturers Note with
Pleasure Wide Effects of Saturday
Evening Post Pages.
A state association of music merchants in Penn-
sylvania is promised through the activity of the
Piano Merchants' Association of Pittsburgh, which
has taken steps toward this end.
An active committee of the Pittsburgh Associa-
tion, headed by W. C. Dierks, of the C. C. Mellor
Co., as chairman, sent out a questionnaire to music
merchants throughout Pennsylvania and received
favorable responses from 250 dealers, who have sig-
nified their willingness to join hands in the forma-
tion of a state association. This information is con-
tained in a report from C. C. Latus, executive secre-
tary of the Pittsburgh association, to C. L. Dennis,
secretary of the National Association of Music Mer-
chants. M. V. DeForrest of Sharon, Pa., who is
vice-president of the national association, was a vis-
itor at the national headquarters in New York last
week, and on his way home to Sharon conferred
with President W. C. Hamilton and Secretary Latus
of the Pittsburgh association. As a result, it was
arranged to hold the next meeting of the Pittsburgh
association at Sharon, on November 18, during the
week of the Music Festival, to be held in that city.
At this meeting the Pittsburgh committee on the
state association will submit a report of the returns
from its questionnaire and determine upon calling a
siate convention. Replies have been received favor-
ing 1 Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or Harrisburg as the
prospective meeting place. Committees will be ap-
pointed at Sharon to carry out the plans for a state
convention. The Pittsburgh committee is made up
of W. C. Dierks, chairman; E. C. Hays, E. B.
Heyser, C. L. Dawson and W. C. Hamilton, ex
officio. President Hamilton of the Pittsburgh asso-
ciation wrote to Mr. DeForrest prior to their con-
ference as follows:
"Our meeting last Monday night was a success,
although unfortunately I was called to Washington
and was unable to be present. We had an attend-
ance of 140, and enjoyed addresses from three mem-
bers of the faculty of the Psychological Department
of Carnegie Technical School, dealing particularly
with the matter of salesmanship.
"Some time later in the winter we shall probably
have another of these gatherings of the sales person-
nel of all the various houses, and it may be possible
to inject some personal trade interest that will bring
the various sales forces closer together on a com-
mon ground of understanding."
DAYTON, OHIO, TUNERS
FORM NEW ASSOCIATION
National Secretary W. F. McClellan Aids in Forma-
tion of Branch in Ohio City.
The Dayton, Ohio, piano tuners held a meeting at
the Hotel Gibbons, November 2, formed a temporary
organization of a branch of the National Association
of Piano Tuners, Inc., and elected the following offi-
cers: Chairman, Chas. E. Forsythe; vice-chairman,
Wm. J. Krebs; secretary and treasurer, F. J. Allsup.
The new branch is the latest result of the active
propaganda of the national association of which
W. F. McClellan is secretary and treasurer. Mr.
McClellan's work as an organizer has added con-
siderably to the numerical strength of the tuners'
national organization.
BIO PLAYER INDUSTRY WILL
BE GREATLY INCREASED
Stock of H. C. Bay Company to Be More Than
Trebled for Larger Productiveness.
When H. C. Bay established the industry that
bears his name, and of which he is the head, he
probably had no idea that it would develop so
rapidly as to call for greatly increased facilities of
productiveness within a few years from its start.
At a recent meeting of the stockholders, in the
Chicago offices, there were for discussion and action
plans to increase the capital stock of that go-ahead
industry for purposes of still further extending the
fast-growing business.
The present capitalization is $200,000 and the plan
is to authorize a capitalization of $1,000,000. The
committee was authorized to work in conjunction
with the others of the company in adoption of plans
for the expansion of the company and to co-
operate in plans to that end.
The factory at Bluffton, Ind., is running full-
Clever Young Salesman Victor in Exciting Tourna-
ment in the Retail Piano Field.
Two Ampico sales made
R a y m o n d Hodge high
man in sales for the
month of October in the
Baltimore and Washing-
ton stores of K n a b e
Warerooms, Inc., of which
J. H. Williams is presi-
dent.
Never was the fight so
hard for leadership on
sales in the stores of the
Knabe Warerooms, Inc.,
as it was during the
month of October.
Six
salesmen in the two stores
were running neck and
neck until the last day,
RAYMOND HODGE.
when Raymond Hodge put
Jover two nice Ampico deals that he had "up his
sleeve," which made him winner by a large ma-
jority.
In employing new men to train as salesmen, Knabe
Warerooms, Inc., has made it a rule to take men
who have had absolutely no selling experience what-
ever. In the case of Raymond Hodge, he was a pay-
master with the Fred T. Ley Construction Co., home
offices at Springfield, Mass., for seven years, with
the exception of two years that he was in the navy
chief petty officer.
Raymond Hodge was born in Springfield, Mass.,
is 28 years old and his spare time has been devoted
to athletic sports of some kind. He is very well
known in Springfield, and is one of the best basket
ball players in that section of the country.
Mr. Hodge's success is more phenomenal because
of his slight experience in the piano business, but
he made up his mind he would learn and learn it
quick. There is no piano trade paper published that
he does not devour from start to finish and al-
though he has had a very short experience, there is
hardly a question you can ask him about pianos,
playerpianos and reproducing pianos that he cannot
answer, because he studies the business end of it.
During the month of September, Raymond Hodge
missed first prize by only $200. This did not dis-
courage him, however, for in October he finished at
the top with a very large majority.
FOUR TIMES ACROSS CONTINENT.
Col. W. B. Brinkerhoff, of the M. Schulz Com-
pany, returned on Saturday last from the Pacific
Coast. This trip completed his second run to the
Pacific Coast for the house this year. The Colonel
has also been at the Atlantic Coast twice this year
for the M. Schulz Company, and he has called twice
at all the leading dealers' places of business in the
United States. Furthermore, his employers declare
he has done very well in taking good orders in each
of his trips. When it is considered that Col. Brink-
erhoff is upwards of 70 years old, the younger trav-
elers should take off their hats to him when they
meet him. Some of his orders were big ones, too.
LEM KLINE GOES WEST.
On a month's tour westward, after more busi-
ness, Lem Kline, president of the Rex Piano Co.,
left Chicago early this week. He will visit the
prominent cities as far west as Salt Lake City and
further northwest, and without doubt will return
with orders enough to keep the Rex Piano Co.'s
factory busy well into the new year. It is expected
that the Chicago factory of the Rex Piano Co., on
Larrabee street, will be running full handed within
a week more. And it will be one of the most pro-
ductive piano industries in the West.
FAREWELL DINNER IN LOS ANGELES,
Tuesday night of this week Geo. P. Bent gave
the last of his dinners to friends before his departure
for a trip around the world. The event took place
at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles, Cal., and
between forty and fifty were in attendance. The
affair was enjoyed as are all such events in which
Mr. Bent's friends participate. The host will sail
from Seattle, Wash., on the 19th of this month and,
as elsewhere noted, Presto has been promised a
series of letters of observation from Mr. Bent from
prominent points to be visited.
The Weaver Piano Company, Inc., York, Pa., is
celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its founding
by J. C. Weaver, by assisting dealers handling its
product in a generous and effective way. Convincing
facts attractively set forth in the Saturday Evening
Post for September 1 were a foretaste of the array
prepared for issues to follow. The schedule of Sat-
urday Evening Post pages, which were prepared by
N. W. Ayer & Son, runs to September 1, 1921.
The whole thought back of the copy has been to
establish in the minds of the readers that the Weaver
Piano Company is entitled to the full confidence of
all. The idea of securing inquiries was entirely dis-
missed. N. W. Ayer & Son took the position that
since we were not selling by mail, and did not have
a "price proposition," we should depend upon im-
pressions from the advertising to help the men actu-
ally "doing the selling," explains the Weaver Piano
Co., Inc.
But the effect on the business of the dealers han-
dling the products of the York manufacturers was
unmistakable and pleasant. "Imagine our surprise
then, when inquiries began to come in from all over
the country. Many of these inquiries have resulted
in direct and profitable sales by dealers in whose
territories they were located," says the Weaver Piano
Co., Inc.
"The fact that these inquiries are coming in such
quantities shows that the advertising is reaching re-
sponsible and interested people. Only a small per-
centage of these will answer the advertisements.
The great bulk of them will wait for you to come and
present the facts to them. The circulation of the
papers containing these advertisements is so wide
you can never tell where you will find a favorably
inclined prospect. Therefore, our advice is to see
everybody in your territory and lay the Weaver prop-
osition before all of them. A gratifying number of
sales will undoubtedly result."
The Weaver Piano Co., Inc., while admitting
there arc more people today who cannot afford to
buy musical instruments than there were a year ago,
asks dealers to think back six or eight years. "There
are many more people able to buy now than then," is
the assurance. "It is only a matter of hunting them
out. They are scattered through every community.
The man who goes out enthusiastically and works
diligently among the prosperous folks in his terri-
tory and uses salesmanship as he did in the past
can get a good profitable volume of business.
"Let's enumerate some classes that are better off
today than six years ago: Railroad men in every
branch of the service, postal employes in nearly every
branch, school teachers in most localities, salaried
employes of the Federal, State, County and other
local governments, coal miners, salaried employes
in factories, stores and offices, people living on in-
comes from investments and now receiving 6 to 8
per cent or over instead of 3 to 5 per cent as for-
merly. These are some who are good prospects
today. Your territory no doubt has others that will
occur to you if you consider the matter carefully.
"Plan and carry out an intensive campaign to reach
everyone in your territory that can pay for a piano."
A VIEW IN FRISCO.
In the October 22nd number of "San Francisco
Business" on page 7 is a most interesting picture
of Union Square, in the Golden Gate City, at which
time Harold Locklear, the dare-devil flier, was en-
circling the Dewey monument. The Byron Mauzy
Music Building is seen directly behind the figure on
the statue. During the anticipated visit of Locklear
the Mauzy house played the Magnavox from its
fourth story window and entertained the crowds
gathered in the Square. It is significant to recall
that the entire mass of buildings shown in the pic-
ture was destroyed in the fire of 1906, and there was
not one brick left upon another in this section. Now
it is an imposing collection of great business blocks.
WALTHAM SECRETARY RESIGNS.
Ralph B. Waite has resigned from the Waltham
Piano Co., of Milwaukee, and will remove to Kan-
sas City, Mo., where he will be interested in the
oil business. Mr. Waite has occupied the position
of secretary of the Waltham Piano Co., in which
capacity he has been highly efficient. In his going
the Messrs. Netzow, of the Milwaukee industry,
lose a valuable aid. Mr. Waite is well known in
the piano trade, having been associated with prom-
inent Chicago houses before going to Milwaukee.
He began his career in connection with affairs musical
in the offices of Presto, which paper now takes occa-
sion to wish him the best of success in his new
association.
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/

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