Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1796

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/
PRESTO
OLD FRIEND PAYS VISIT
TO STORES IN FRISCO
J. S. Stitt, Representing Hallet & Davis Pianos
Renews Acquaintance with Trade of the
Pacific Coast Metropolis.
J. S. Stitt of Los Angeles, Calif., representing the
Hallet & Davis Piano Co., Boston, spent several
days in San Francisco recently, calling on the deal-
ers. Mr. Stitt has many friends in that city and the
Pacific Coast generally, having represented the
American Piano Company for a considerable length
of time. "J- S. Stitt enjoys the reputation of being
extremely honest concerning the goods he is hand-
ling," was the way one San Francisco dealer describ-
ed a characteristic of the traveler.
As a conse-
ing with the holiday season which is now approach-
ing. A stringed orchestra furnished a very fine
musical program during the evening. Souvenirs
were presented to the children, and the ladies and
men were presented with sheet music. Owing to
the weather conditions it was decided to continue
the opening program on the following night on
which the public were given a cordial welcome.
Three months ago the firm leased the entire build-
ing which has been thoroughly remodeled, redecor-
ated and equipped with all modern conveniences, in-
cluding an elevator. The first floor has two large
show rooms, a series of booths for record demon-
strations, and the wareroom and storage. The two
front show rooms are connected by an archway, the
north room being given over to talking machines,
baby grand pianos and uprights. The north side of
this room is fitted with twenty booths. The walls
are finished in ecru with mahogany wood work.
The south room is rilled with the stringed and
brass instruments, and in the rear the large addition
is given over to sheet music. The second floor in-
cludes nine show rooms, all furnished in an artistic
manner. On this floor a magnificent stock of player
pianos, harps and talking machines is shown. An-
other room is given over entirely to player rolls, ar-
ranged alphabetically.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
OF R. K. MAYNARD PIANO CO
Referre Frank L. Wean Announces That Petition of
Trustee Will Be Heard December 30.
'
BYRON MAUZY BUILDING.
quence he has been able to interest his old friends
in his new line of goods. During his stay in San
Francisco he was the guest of Byron Mauzy at the
Bohemian Club and inspected both his store in San
Francisco and Oakland.
The Byron Mauzy store has also been favored by
a visit from young Mr. Hooper, son of the late Mr.
Hooper, controling partner in the Hooper-Kelley
Company, of Seattle, Wash. The widow of the lat-
ter now represents the Hooper interest in that firm.
Young Hooper has joined the Marine Corps and in-
tends to spend two years in that division of the army
traveling about and familiarizing himself with the
world in general, after which he intends to take a
course in college and fit himself to conduct the in-
terest his father left him in the Hooper-Kelley Com-
pany. During his stay in San Francisco Mr. Hooper
was invited to make the Byron Mauzy store his
headquarters.
On Thursday, December 16, Byron Mauzy went to
the State's Capitol at Sacramento as representative
of the Board of Regents of the University, and pe-
titioned the Legislature and other Committees for
finances necessary to conduct the state institutions
for the coming year.
FORMAL OPENING OF
WARREN, OHIO, MUSIC STORE
The Hall Music Store Provides the Latest Con-
veniences for Musical Instrument Sales.
The formal opening of Hall's Music Store, Warren,
O., last week proved an unbounded success in spite
of the inclement weather. The doors of the beauti-
ful store rooms and show rooms were thrown open
to the public at 7 o'clock. Many people from
Youngstown and other adjoining cities were num-
bered among the visitors, and indicated the clientele
which the Hall Music Store serves in eastern Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania.
For the occasion the store rooms were handsomely
decorated with ferns, palms and poinsettias in keep-
The following notice dated December 18 in the
affairs of the R. K. Maynard Piano Company, Chi-
cago, bankrupt, has been mailed to creditors by
Frank L. Wean, Referee in Bankruptcy:
NOTICE is hereby given that on the 30th day of
December, 1920, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, the
petition of William Dorothy, trustee herein, filed on
December 18, 1920, will come on for hearing in Room
437 Monadnock Block, Chicago, Illinois, in which
petition the trustee asks leave to compromise the
claims of R. K. Maynard Piano Company and his
claims as trustee thereof, against the Commonwealth
Commercial Company, on which claims the trustee
has obtained a decree in the Superior Court of Cook
County against Commonwealth Commercial Com-
pany for an accounting, and which accounting is tak-
ing place before John S. Hummer, Esq., Master in
Chancery.
Said trustee in said petition asks to compromise
said claims upon the Commonwealth Commercial
Company, paying $19,810.75, as follows: $17,500.00
in cash to the trustee; $1,515.50 to John S. Hummer,
Master in Chancery,
for Master's fees; $609.50 to
Edward J. W r alsh, as stenographer's fees; $185.75 to
Edward W. Sweig, as stenographer's fees, and said
Commonwealth Commercial Company agreeing that
the trustee shall retain the sum of $2,826.94, 'in his
hands received from accounts, notes and contracts
assigned by the Commonwealth Commercial Com-
pany, in addition to the payment of $19,810.75 in
cash as above set forth.
ILLINOIS DEALER RETIRING.
J. W. Scott is closing out the business of the J. W.
Scott Music Store, Bloomington, 111. A special sale to
clear off the stock of pianos, players and general
music goods is now in progress at the store, 416
North Main street. "As my advanced years and
failing health make it necessary for me to begin
leading a less strenuous life, and by the terms of my
lease, I must have everything disposed of within the
next 25 days—everything must be sold. This means
action, speed, and lots of it. Profit cannot and is
not to be considered. All that I desire is to get
my money out of the stock on hand. That means
wholesale prices for you—and my many years of
buying experience have enabled me to purchase
these goods right," is the announcement printed in
the newspapers.
FIRE DAMAGES PIANO STOCK.
The Cable Piano Company's branch in Toledo, O.,
was a recent sufferer from a fire which gutted the
building. Extensive damage to stock of the com-
pany which occupied the first floor is reported. The
fire is thought to have been caused by an explosion
of chemicals in the phonograph shop of the E. G.
Herrick Company. The damage to the various com-
panies is estimated by fire officials at more than
$200,000. The work of the firemen was hampered
by almost continuous explosions which threatened
collapse of the walls.
MRS.
GUST AD ANDERSON DIES.
Mrs. Gust Ad Anderson, wife of Gust Ad Ander-
son, traveling representative for the H. C. Bay Co.,
Chicago, died at Van Wert, O., December 18. She
is survived by her husband, three daughters and
two granddaughters. Mr. Anderson is probably as
widely known as any piano man on the road, and
his friends everywhere will extend their sympathy.
December 25, 1920.
NAMED ON FOUR
NEW COMMITTEES
Personnel of Groups of Music Trade Men Ap-
pointed to Advise Directors of Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce
During Next Year.
Four advisory committees of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce have been appointed to ad-
vise the directors concerning matters coming within
"their scope and to advise the staff of the Chamber in
carrying out the policies of the directors. The mem-
bership of each committee is made up of representa-
tives of all branches of the industry and of the var-
ious sections of the country. The members of the
advisory committee to the Export Bureau and the
Trade Service Bureau have not yet been finally ap-
pointed, but will be announced in a future issue of
the bulletin. The membership of the various com-
mittees follow:
Legal Bureau Committee—J. Harry Shale, chair-
man, A. B. Chase Piano Co., New York City; How-
ard E. Wurlitzer, Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., Cincin-
nati, Ohio; Richard W. Lawrence, New York City;
H. L. Wilson, Columbia Graphophone Co., New
York; Fred Sunderman, Bennett & White, Inc.,
Newark, N. J.; George J. Dowling, The Cable Co.,
Chicago; Kirkland H. Gibson, Ivers & Pond, Bos-
ton; Walter Fischer, Carl Fischer Co., New York;
Geo. L. Cheney, Pratt, Read & Co., Deep River,
Conn.
Financial Affairs.
Finance Committee—Paul B. Klugh, chairman,
Autopiano Co., New York; Max de Rochemont, The
Laffargue Co., New York; Janes F. Bowers, Lyon
& Healy, Chicago; A. W. Johnston, Standard Pneu-
matic Action Co., New York; P. E. Conroy, Conroy
Piano Co., St. .Louis; Henry Stadlmair, C. Bruno
& Sons, Inc., New York; Isadore Witmark, Witmark
& Sons, New York; Ralp L. Freeman, Victor Talk-
ing Machine Co., Camden, N. J.; H. L. Wilson, Co-
lumbia Graphophone Co., New York; Farney R.
Wurlitzer, North Tonawanda, N. Y.
For Bettering Business.
Better
Business Bureau Committee—Edmund
Gram, chairman, Edmund Gram Piano Co., Milwau-
kee; T. J. Mercer, Gulbransen-Dickinson Co., Chi-
cago; Edw. R. Strauss, Brunswick-Balke-Collender.
New York; Arthur Conrow, the Connorized Music
Co., New York; Henry Stadlmair, C. Bruno & Sons,
Inc., New York; C. A. Woodman, Oliver Ditson &
Co., Boston; John G. Corley, the Corley Company,
Richmond, Va.; John C. Wickham, the Wickham
Piano Plate Co., Springfield, Ohio; J. Guylee, The
Cable Co., Chicago; Mark Campbell, Brambach Piano
Co., New York.
To Advance Music.
Advancement Bureau Committee—Ben H. Jans-
sen, chairman, Ben H. Janssen, New York; Otto
Schulz, M. Schulz Co., Chicago; F. B. T. Hollenberg,
Hollenberg Music Co., Little Rock, Ark.; Thomas
Pletcher, Q R S Music Co., Chicago; David A. Smith,
Standard Felt Co., New York; E. F. Bitner, Leo
Feist & Co., New York; William Maxwell, Thos.
A. Edison, Inc., Orange, N. J.; P. E. Conroy, Con-
roy Piano Co., St. Louis; Jerome F. Murphy, M.
Steinert & Sons Co., Boston; John S. MacDonald,
Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J.; E.
H. Droop, E. F. Droop & Sons, Washington, D. C.;
John Parnham, Kohler & Campbell, New York; C.
D. Greenleaf, the C. G. Conn Co., Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.;
C. C. Burchard, C. C. Burchard & Co., Boston; C. A.
Wagner, American Piano Co., New York.
HOSPITALS WANT INSTRUMENTS.
James B. Page, a patient in the Boston State Hos-
pital at Dorchester, Mass., says that the hospital has
a piano which is beyond repair, and he asks the pub-
lic or some charitably inclined member of it to do-
nate an instrument so that the musically-inclined
patients can play. Mrs. Julius Liebman, of the New
York City Visiting Committee and chairman of Oc-
cupational Work in Kings County Hospital, appeals
to the public for phonograph records to be used for
the young and the old people in the hospital.
GAME OF PIANO FOOTBALL.
A new kind of football game has been introduced
in England. The players control the ball from a
pair of keyboards similar to the keyboard of a
piano. The football field is a table, the surface of
which is provided with flaps that can be raised to
push or pitch the ball. Each flap is connected to a
key in one or other of the keyboards. The object
of each player is to drive the ball from being
thrown out of bounds. The Bishop of Birmingham
recently refereed an exciting match.
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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