Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1922 1899

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American Pianos
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform Book-
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
" c*nt.i tJ.oo,« r«.,
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1922
SUDDEN DEATH OF
WALTER W. GRIGGS
Widely Known Piano Man Long Identified
With The Cable Company, Dropped Dead on
Chicago Street While on His Way to Polls
Last Tuesday.
W. W. Griggs, one of the most widely-known
piano men associated with the wholesale trade,
dropped dead on the street in Chicago on Tuesday
afternoon of this week. He was on his way to the
polls, to cast his vote on the new Illinois constitution,
when death overtook him. The cause was attributed
to weak heart due to the long strain incident to an
accident, by which he lost his left leg several years
back. He had never fully recovered his health, al-
though of late he had seemed stronger, and had ex-
pressed a desire to return to activity in the piano
\
deal, but uncomplainingly, and without losing his
pluck and energy,
Born in De Kalb, 111.
W. W. Griggs was born at De Kalb, 111., on No-
vember 28, 1851. On his last birthday, only two
weeks from the day of his death, he was tendered
a home celebration at his daughter's home in which
he took part with the delight of a boy. He leaves
his wife, who still resides in Seattle, his daughter,
Mrs. Wilson and his son Carl, who is engaged in
the motor business in Detroit. For several years p^st
Mr. Griggs had been living at the home of his son-
in-law, Chas. H. Wilson, the artist, in Ravenswood,
Chicago.
The burial services were a r r a n ^ d for Friday at
the Memorial Park Cemetery, Evanston, a suburb of
Chicago.
Air. Griggs had many warm personal friends
among the piano merchants throughout the country.
They will read this article with genuine sorrow at
the loss of a member who had been of service to
them in business, and who possessed the sterling
qualities of head and heart by which men are drawn
together.
URGENT DEMANDS FOR
POOLE PIANOS AND PLAYERS
Earnest Efforts to Keep Up With Orders Evident
in Every Department of Factory.
Overtime continues to be the rule at the factory of
the Poole Piano Co., Boston, in an earnest effort to
keep up with the orders for the grand, upright,
playerpianos and reproducing pianos of the company.
Ava W. Poolc, president of the Poole Piano Com-
pany, says most of the orders are urgent ones and
the result is a continuous condition of liveliness in
every department of the big plant at Sidney and Au-
burn streets, Cambridge. An evidence of the
earnestness of the company to respond to the in-
sistent demands of the dealers was witnessed on
Thanksgiving when sacred New England sentiment
was forgotten and the entire staff came to work. But
all hands agreed that the turkey and mince pie tasted
better after a busy full day in the factory.
Poole dealers in the state of New York and in
Pennsylvania are among the urgent ones who want
Poole pianos, players and reproducing pianos now
and right away at that, according to Dan Fabyan,
who has just returned from a trip through these
states. "Every dealer makes a sale of a Poole in-
strument with full dependance on the Poole merits
of tone, action, design and durability," said Mr.
Fabyan.
APPOINT NEW COMMITTEES
FOR CHICAGO P. & 0 . ASS'N
W. E. Guylee, President Chicago Piano and Organ
Association, Announces New Standing Committees.
The Chicago Piano and Organ Association has
now a new set of standing- committees, which will
work through the coming year. They were selected
during the few weeks after the annual meeting of
the association, and announced at the meeting last
Wednesday noon, by W. E. Guylee, president. The
members on the list have agreed to give the time
necessary, and a successful year ts predicted under
the new administration and the new committees.
The committees, as announced, are:
Ways and Means: E. B. Bartlett, Chairman, Otto
Schulz, C. S. Wi!iiams, W. H. Wade, Harry Schaaf.
Legislative: Jas. F. Bowers, Chairman, C. C. Chick-
ering, Adam Schneider, C. G. Steger, Dr. J. R.
Wolfenden.
Membership: Eugene Whelan, Chairman, W. A.
Stapleton, C. M. Reichardt, M. J. Kennedy, H. H.
Bradley.
Entertainment: W. S. Jenkins, Chairman, R. E.
Davis, E. F. Lapham, F. S. Spofford, T. J. Mercer.
Publicity: F. E. Morton, Chairman, E. H. Uhl, P.
E. Mason, T. B. Thompson, R. C. O'Connor.
PIANO AND ORGAN ASS'N
TO GIVE BANQUET JAN. 25
Chicago Organization Will Be Hosts to Committees
of National Associations, at Annual Banquet.
Invitations will be sent out to members of the
executive committees of the national music organiza-
tions which will meet in Chicago late in January, to
be guests at the annual banquet of the Chicago Piano
& Organ Association, to be held at the Palmer
House on the night of January 25.
At the meeting of the Chicago organization last
Wednesday noon, it was decided that the night of
January 25, Thursday, would be the most fitting,
since the custom of the club is to hold this function
late in January each year. Further preparations as
to entertainment and the like will be announced later.
Through members of the Piano and Organ Asso-
ciation who are also connected with national organ-
izations, arrangements will be made to have members
of those executive committees as guests at the ban-
quet. The executive committee of the National As-
W. W. GRIGGS.
sociation of Music Merchants, of which Matt Ken-
nedy, of Chicago, is secretary, and the National As-
business. His last call at Presto offices was about
sociation of Piano Manufacturers, of which C. C.
two weeks ago, at which time he had partly ar-
NEW CLUB COMMITTEES.
Chickering, of Chicago, is president, will each have
ranged to that end.
The regular monthly meeting and luncheon of the a meeting in Chicago late in the month. These meet-
Mr. Griggs began in the piano business in early Chicago Piano & Organ Association was held ings have not yet been definitely set, and can be
life. He established a retail business in Sioux City, Wednesday, December 13, at 12:30 p. m., at the arranged so that the members can be in Chicago
Iowa, and it was while there that he was discovered
Palmer House, at which time the luncheon was com- for this banquet, it is thought. Formal invitations
by Herman D. Cable and given an opportunity to plimentary. The new officers had charge of the will be sent out as soon as they are ready.
enter the old Chicago Cottage Organ Co. As a meeting, at which plans for the activities of the
Correspondence with Alfred L. Smith, president
wholesale traveling salesman for the industry named association during the ensuing year were discussed. of the national music Chamber of Commerce, indi-
he made a good record and remained with the Com- The new Ways and Means, Legislative, Membership, cates that a fair contingent from the east will be in
pany after it had become The Cable Company.
Entertainment and Publicity committees were Chicago for the affair, and indications are that most
of the members of the executive committees men-
named.
Activities Were Wide.
tioned will be present.
With that great industry he served in several im-
The meeting of the Piano and Organ Association
OUR MANUFACTURERS ABROAD.
portant capacities, both "on the road," as salesman,
on Wednesday followed a gratifying lunch, given
and in the home office as general sales-manager. The
The growing importance abroad of American
latter service was during the presidency of the late products manufactured ready for consumption is complimentarily by the club as a holiday celebration.
Fayette S. Cable between whom. and. Mr. Griggs shown in an analysis of the country's exports for • W. E. Guylee, new president, made a short talk
congratulating the club on the large number present
there long existed a warm personal friendship, and October, completed this week by the Department of
in spite of the nearness of the holidays, and spoke
continued with that gentleman's successor, Frank
Commerce, which discloses that nearly one-third of
Shaw. After leaving that department' of the Chi- total exports for that month went through the entire briefly for the incoming administration.
cago industry, Mr. Griggs entered the retail piano manufacturing process before shipment from the
business in Seattle, where he was manager of one of country.
SECRETARY HOOVER'S VIEW.
the largest houses of that city in which The Cable
As to the general business situation. Secretary of
Company was also interested.
TONK PIANO IN CONCERT.
Commerce Hoover declared this week that the out-
On leaving Seattle, Mr. Griggs returned to Chi-
A Tonk piano was used December 8th, at a con- look was "so improved over a year ago as to be in-
cago and, for several years, operated for himself in cert in the High School Auditorium at Sparrows comparable, "despite the inequalities still existing in
the retail piano business with success. He had also
Point, Md. The pianist was Selma Tiefenbrun, who the price levels between various commodities and
other interests, and was prospering, when by a slip acquitted herself with distinction. The vocalist was between wage earners and farmers. Discussing the
he was caught under the wheels of a North Clark
Mary Huber, and the violinist Israel Dorman. Many effects of the new tariff law, Mr. Hoover asserted
street car in Chicago, and was so badly injured that enthusiastic comments were made upon the tone and that generally the volume of the country's exports
it was necessary to amputate his left leg. From that beauty of the Tonk piano, which was loaned for the is likely to be increased by the increasing prosperity
time to his death Mr. Griggs had suffered a great
occasion by C. H. Hildebrandt & Son, of Baltimore. at home.
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
December 16, 1922.
palatial piano department in New York. There, too, he repre-
sented a fine line of instruments, still with the Chickering in the
lead. He secured the best capacity there also, in the selling depart-
ments, and the Wanamaker store became one of the headquarters
for big musical events in the metropolis, where he had even put in
one of the largest, if not the very largest pipe organs in the country,
with which to entertain his customers and the public in general.
The American Music Trade Weekly
Chicago might have had an equally large department store piano
establishment
but that the late Marshal Field would not embark
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT 407 SOUTH DEAR-
BORN STREET, OLD COLONY BUILDING, CHICAGO, ILL. in the musical instrument line because his close friend and associate,
P. J. Healy, had already entered the business and made a success
Editors
C. A. OANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
of
it. Looking out over the lake, from his office window, Mr. Field
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234. Private Phones to all De-
partments. Cable Address (Commercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
once said to this writer: "No, as long as Lyon & Healy exist, I would
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the Post Office, Chicago. Illinois,
no more consider putting in pianos than I would steamboats."
under Act of March 3, 1879.
John Wanamaker had no such obstacle to overcome. He was
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4. Payable In advance. No extra
charge in United States possessions. Cuba and Mexico.
the first great general merchant to introduce a piano department into
Address all communications for the editorial or business departments to PRESTO
his establishments. For this alone the late "merchant prince" of
PUBLISHING CO., 407 So. Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
Philadelphia and New York will retain a place in the heart of the
Advertising Rates:—Five dollars per Inch (13 ems pica) for single insertions.
piano industry and trade.
Complete schedule of rates for standing cards and special displays will be furnished
on request. The Presto does not sell Its editorial space. Payment Is not accepted for
articles of descriptive character or other matter appearing In the news columns. Busi-
ness notices will be Indicated by the word "advertisement" In accordance with the
Act of August 24, 1912.
Photographs ot general trade interest are always welcome, and when use*, if of
•pedal concern, a charge will be made to cover cost of the engravings.
Rates for advertising in Presto Year Book Issue and Export Supplements of
Presto will be made known upon application. Presto Year Book and Export issues
have the most extensive circulation of any periodicals devoted to tne musical in-
strument trades and industries in all parts of the world, and reach completely and
effectually all the houses handling musical instruments of both the Eastern ana West-
ern hemispheres.
PY«8to Buyers' Guide is the only reliable index to the American Piano* and
Player-Pianos, it analyzes all instruments, classifies them, gives accurate estimate!
»f their value and contains a directory of their manufacturers.
Items of news and other matter of general Interest to the music trades are in-
flted and when accepted will be paid for. All communications should be addressed to
Presto Publishing Co., 407 So. Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1922.
PRESTO CORRESPONDENCE
IT IS NOT CUSTOMARY WITH THIS PAPER TO PUBLISH REGU-
LAR CORRESPONDENCE FROM ANY POINTS. WE, HOWEVER,
HAVE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN NEW YORK, BOSTON,
SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, MIL-
WAUKEE AND OTHER LEADING MUSIC TRADE CENTERS, WHO
KEEP THIS PAPER INFORMED OF TRADE EVENTS AS THEY HAP-
PEN. AND PRESTO IS ALWAYS GLAD TO RECEIVE REAL NEWS
OF THE TRADE FROM WHATEVER SOURCES ANYWHERE AND
MATTER FROM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS, IF USED, WILL BE
PAID FOR AT SPACE RATES. USUALLY PIANO MERCHANTS OR
SALESMEN IN THE SMALLER CITIES, ARE THE BEST OCCA-
SIONAL CORRESPONDENTS. AND THEIR ASSISTANCE IS INVITED.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Forms close promptly at noon every Thursday. News matter for
publication should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the same
day. Advertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, five p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy should be in
hand by Monday noon preceding publication day. Want advs. for cur-
rent week, to insure classification, must be at office of publication not
later than Wednesday noon.
A GREAT PIANO MAN
The trade papers can add little to what the great daily news-
papers have said about the late John Wanamaker. But to the piano
world, in the industrial sense, the late Philadelphian has more than
the significance of a great merchant. For he was the first of them
all to recognize that pianos belong to commerce no less than to art.
He was the first to view the musical instrument in the light of an
essential in which the people have the same purchasing interest as
in other things which for years were classed among the exclusives.
John Wanamaker, unlike his western counterpart, the late Mar-
shal Field, never permitted sentiment to dictate his trade to policies.
When he was approached with the proposition that his great stores
would be still more complete, and would make a still larger appeal
to the kind of customers he most wanted, he did not hesitate long.
He saw that, if he could start the piano business right, it must
prove a suitable acquisition, and he had little trouble in starting
right.
He secured the representation of the Chickering piano. That
was the first essential to his piano success. And then he secured
the Emerson piano. That was a good second. He found in his home
city, the "gold string" Schomaker piano rapidly declining. He bought
it, factory and all, and so kept a good piano industry for Philadel-
phia. He secured the right kind of ability to manage his piano
department, and he gave his piano manager every possible facility
for building up the business. He engaged the late Mr. Woodford
and kept him as long as he could. And then he introduced his
TALK IT UP
There are only two ways to talk things. Whether art, industry,
music, character, religion or trade we must talk it up or we may talk
it down. Goldsmith—the English literary light, not the Chicago piano
manufacturer—said that "Error is always talkative." And what Gold-
smith said applies to the piano trade at this particular time as it prob-
ably never did before.
The world is filled with the discussion of psychology. Even the
business psychology is supposed to exercise a very potent influence.
Piano salesmen like to tell how much the psychic forces have to do
with their success. And people who do not know the dictionary defini-
tion of the word are often heard telling of the "psychology" of this
subject or that. It has become one of the over-worked terms and yet,
on the whole, the very essence of its meaning seems to have escaped
the men who really exert its power in their daily work.
If one of the functions of the mind is to think, then men whose
business it is to influence'people in the desire for life's better things,
should know that the way they talk largely shapes the degree of their
success or failure in their work. To talk success is one of the ways
for winning success. To talk failure is a certain invitation to failure.
Apply this to the piano trade and see how it works out.
Unfortunately for the piano trade, there is no lack of opportunity
to find illustrations at this time. We hear piano men every day, and
almost everywhere, talking about conditions that are not satisfactory.
Piano men are to be heard complaining about their business—the busi-
ness in general—as if it were something to want to get out of, to es-
cape from. It is even possible for retail piano dealers to hear manu-
facturers talking about their own troubles as if no other industry car-
ried so great a burden. And yet it would be impossible to induce the
same dealers or the same manufacturers to consider any other busi-
ness. They love the piano and they know that trade opportunities in
the business surpass those of men in most other lines of business.
Why, then, continue to talk of the darker side of the piano busi-
ness? If we must talk let's talk up, not down! "I think the first wis-
dom is to restrain the tongue," said Cato. It may be folly to be silent.
It is worse folly to talk when the only impulse is to talk your own
business down. Talk it up or don't talk at all. It is still the best busi-
ness in the world if you go about it right. It is not the best business
if you feel as a late New York manufacturer had a habit of seeing it
when he said that he was "ashamed to have his friends in social life
know that he was in the piano business." That is about the worst
way of talking a man's business the wrong way.
What business is there in which there are not some depressing,
even degenerating, influences? You find the undesirables even in the
manufacture of Christians! Even the pulpit now and then discloses
discouragement, failure and contempt. But that doesn't change the
good of the church, nor materially lessen the influence of religion.
Talk up, not down! Tell the best side of your business, not the
worst side of it. Keep a stiff upper lip always. Play fair with your-
self as well as with your customers and your creditors. You can tell
the truth, and the whole truth, without talking your business down.
The world needs your business. There can never come a time when
music will not be as essential to worthwhile people as food and rai-
ment. And there can never come a time when the world can make
music without musical instruments. More and more the world will
want pianos, and now that the days of peace have come again, and
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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