December 25, 1920.
PRESTO
WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED
WAREROOM WARBLES
Under This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or
Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public
By The Presto Poick.
and, in every sense, an admirable instrument, and we
believe it is just about what you want.
Of course, if you want something bordering more
nearly upon the toy, there is what is known as the
'"harp-piano," produced at Estherville, 111., but we
believe the "Miessner" will come as near meeting
your requirements as anything of which we have
MISTAKES IN TRADE LISTS.
any knowledge.
* * *
Elkader, la., Dec. 15, 1920.
Editor Presto: I wish to call your attention to
A NEW INDUSTRY.
an error in your "Presto Trade List No. 2."
Chicago, 111., Dec. 18, 1920.
You have listed at Elkport, Iowa: L. E. Kriebs
Editor Presto: In a recent issue you stated that
& Sons; they don't sell phonographs or records, or a new coin-operated electric piano factory would be
anything in music. McGregor, Iowa: J. F. Oehr- opened in Chicago. Will you kindly give us name
ing; they don't sell anything in music. The Muel- and address of this firm?
ler House, main store at Elkader, la,, with a branch
Very truly yours,
at Elkport, la., and one at McGregor, la.
A MANUFACTURER.
In case you expect to publish another directory
There
have
been
several
requests concerning the
shortly this will assist you in correcting it.
new electric piano about which an item appeared in
Yours very truly,
this paper a few weeks back. The article itself was
MUELLER MUSIC HOUSE.
not entirely clear, because at that time we had not
received particulars.
PLAYER ACTIONS FOR INSTALLATION.
As a matter of fact it is not a new electric piano,
but a player-action that is to be produced in large
Union City, Ind., Dec. 18, 1920.
if at all. It is the action heretofore
Editor Presto: Please give us the names of two quantities,
as the Phil-Har-Chee, which originated in
or three concerns manufacturing player actions to be known
New York City.
installed in regular upright "straight" pianos, or in
As we understand it, a Mr. Simon has secured the
pianos where the old sixty-five note players were rights to that patented article and is now preparing
used.
to produce the article in Chicago.
We have had several inquiries in regard to this
* * *
kind of work and would like to know if it could be
TUNERS'
SUPPLY
HOUSES.
made a profitable proposition for a music store, as
Malvern, Ark., Dec. 18, 1920.
we are equipped to do general repairing on pianos
Editor Presto: Inclosed find $1.00, for which
and players.
please send me Presto for six months; also will you
Respectfully,
please let me know the name and address of some
THE COOVER-SHIERLING COMPANY,
material house which will and does supply tuners
Per ROY SH1ERLING.
with parts and tools.
One of the best, and most satisfactory, actions for
Yours truly,
application to finished pianos is made by the Chi-
JOHN R. SPRADLING.
cago Player Action Co., of Rockford, 111. That in-
There are a number of thoroughly equipped
dustry is a subsidiary of the Schumann Piano Co.,
of which W. N. Van Matre is president. It is our houses that make tuners' supplies a branch of the
understanding also that the Lindenberg Piano Co., business. Among the best of them are:
Columbus, Ohio, has a new action which is about
Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co., 4th Ave. & 13th
ready for such purposes as you have in mind. There St., N. Y. City; C. F. Goepcl & Co., 137 East 13th
are also several others.
St., N. Y. Cityj Lyon & Healy, Jackson Blvd. &
About your establishment embarking in the gen- Wabash Ave., Chicago, and Rudolph Wurlitzer Co.,
eral repair of pianos and players, that will depend Cincinnati, Ohio.
. Any of the houses named will gladly fulfill all of
entirely upon how well you are equipped for that
work. Undoubtedly such enterprises have been your requirements, and they arc all dependable.
* * *
made successful at several points throughout the
States, and we know of no reason why you should
SMITH & NIXON PIANOS.
not also make it a success.
Boston, Mass., Dec. 18, 1920.
* * *
Editor Presto: I have a copy of Presto Trade
A MODERN OLD "STRAD."
Lists No. 1. It certainly is a very handy book for
any music dealer or manufacturer of instruments.
Carrollton, Ky., Dec. 17, 1920.
Editor Presto: We have in our possession a vio-
Do you know of a reed organ, built some twenty
lin which we traded for recently, and is marked in or thirty years ago that had a set of chimes, or cop-
the inside, "Antonius Stradioarius Cremonensis, per bells, in treble—thirty of them? I own a set
and do not know the make of organ they were in,
Faciebat, Anno 17."
The instrument seems to be a very old instrument, but it was a five-octave reed organ. Can you tell me
and are you able to tell us whether this instrument the make of organ or, perhaps, several organ com-
was made in the year of 1700, or would you refer us' panies that use them?
Who makes the Smith & Nixon piano? Or is it
to some publisher of the violin trade paper?
being manufactured today—a fine instrument.
Respectfully,
Respectfully,
W. S. BRIM.
O. W. MORAN.
In all probability the instrument is not a genuine
Stradivarius. There are thousands of violins on the
The Smith & Nixon pianos are manufactured by
market bearing the stamp to which you draw atten- the Morrison-Waters Piano Co., 924 McLean ave-
tion. Many of these instruments are made as to ap- nue, Cincinnati. The industry makes a specialty of
pear old.
fine grand pianos. See Presto Buyers' Guide. Years
As a matter of fact there are but very few genuine ago there Avere several reed organ industries that
"Strad" violins now in existence and they are prob- made instruments with the chimes. We do not
ably well described in a book on the subject which know of any that are still active. Might write to
is put forth by Lyon & Healy, of Chicago. We sug- the Estey Organ Co., Brattlesboro, Vt.
gest that you write to that firm or to the firm of
* * *
Aug. Gemunder & Sons, 141 W. Forty-second street,
ABOUT
A BOOK.
New York.
Arcadia,
Nebr., Dec. 17, 1920.
There is also a very useful publication known as
Editor Presto: Is the book "Piano Quality", by
the Violists' Guide, which is put forth by the Violin
Pub. Co., 431 S. Wabash avenue, Chicago. The William Geppert, published any more?
book referred to contains descriptive matter pertain-
Yours truly,
ing to violins and it has also the original marking of
MRS. W. L. CRAMER.
the different Stradivara instruments.
We
suggest
that
you
write
to the Musical Courier
* * *
Co., Knabe Bldg., New York City, on the subject
SCHOOL ROOM PIANOS.
of the book about which you ask.
Not having seen the publication for a number of
Duncan, Okla., Dec. 15, 1920.
Editor Presto: Will you please give me the years past we are not certain as to whether it is
names of some firms making something in a very still in existence or not.
Mr. Geppert is associated with the Musical
small upright piano? I want this for a kindergarten
class and they want something not over four feet, or Courier Extra at the address named.
lower.
FILES VOLUNTARY PETITION.
Yours very truly,
A voluntary petition by John J. Kahn, manager of
J. F. EDDLEMAN.
The smallest instrument of the kind for which you a piano store at 2336 University avenue, the Bronx,
ask is manufactured by the Jackson Piano Co., 110- New York, who places his liabilities at $1,649, all
120 Reed street, Milwaukee, Wis. The instrument unsecured claims; and assets at $1,050, all claimed
is known as the "Miessner" and it was originally de- to be exempt. David F. Barnett is attorney for the
signed for school rooms. It is a well made, durable bankrupt.
(A New One Every Week.)
Inquiries must bear the signature and address of
writer in order to receive attention. Answers thought
to be of general trade interest will be published. If an
answer is not of general interest it will be mailed pro-
vided stamp is inclosed.
KEEP OFF THE 'PHONE.
Of all of the wonders of this moving age,
That startle the ears of the world,
There's nothing more startling, to novice or sage,
Than voices o'er slender wires hurled;
We do it so freely it's nothing at all
To talk to our friends out of sight,
But then, lest we're careful, we're likely to fall
To habits that none should think bright.
For instance, the prospect who's just a bit wise
Will stagger if asked to decide
On "bargains" afar from the range of his eyes,
And out of his hearing beside;
He'll stall you and say.that he knows you are kind
To call him and tell him the price,
Agree that it's time that he made up his mind,
And thank you for all your advice.
But don't you imagine you're making a sale,
Or bringing that prospect to time,
He's winking an eye or just telling a tale
To see how far down you will climb;
And if he's a grouch, with a small sense of wit,
He'll call down your slow, sluggish pace,
And tell you, in accents that won't please a bit,
He's bought of some guy face to face!
So here is the purpose of this cruel rhyme—
To warn you to hustle and work,
And not just to grab in your hand, any time,
The 'phone as a help to your shirk;
It's a good thing for gossip, or dates at the club,
And sometimes it helps one who buys,
But buying's not selling, and here is the rub—
The 'phone is a voice without eyes.
RAIMUND WURLITZER MARRIED.
A wedding of unusual interest to the music trade
will take place Thursday, Dec. 30, when Raimund
Wurlitzer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Wurlitzer,
of Cincinnati, will be married to Miss Pauline Teckla
Pabst, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Pabst,
of Milwaukee, at the Pabst country estate, Wood-
bine, on Oconomowoc Lake, Wis. The cere-
mony will be read by Judge Burr W. Jones of the
Supreme Court of Wisconsin. The bride will be at-
tended by Miss Valeska Wurlitzer, sister of the bride-
groom, as maid of honor, and by Miss Mary Wood-
ward, of Watertown, Wis., and Miss Emily Brum-
der, of Milwaukee, as bridesmaids. Mr. Wurlitzer's
best man will be Frederick August Pabst, brother of
the bride, and the ushers will be Frederick Eilers,
of New York, and Vincent O'Shea, of Madison, Wis.
Mr. Wurlitzer and his bride will be at home after
May 1 on Mitchell avenue in Cincinnati.
KRAKAUERS FOR COLLEGES.
The C. C. Meller Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., is one of
the active distributors of the Krakauer pianos and
players made by Krakauer Bros., New York. The
Pittsburgh house has been particularly successful
in placing the Krakauer instruments in educational
establishments. The C. C. Mellor Co. recently in-
stalled a Krakauer grand in Seton College, Greens-
berg, Pa., and an upright in Mt. Mercy Academy,
Pittsburgh.
KNABE PIANOS FOR HOTEL.
The Fitzgerald Music Co., Los Angeles, Calif.,
has secured an order to equip the new Ambassador
Hotel, in that city, with Knabe pianos. The first
call is for thirty-three instruments, with grands fa-
vored. Many of the pianos will be equipped with
the Ampico. The new hotel will have 600 rooms.
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/