PRESTO
UNUSUAL IN PIANO
MAN'S TRAVELS
Strange Places Where Pianos Are Sold, and
How a Christening Inspired a Sale
Twenty Years After That
Interesting Event.
By J. P. SIMMONS.
Apropos of the peculiar conditions under which
the traveler sometimes finds pianos being sold, I re-
cently "made" several southern states, and in one
thriving town down there I asked the town marshal,
whom I found "ineetin' " the trains, where the music
store was. I le said :
"Go right up the street and stop at the first butcher
shop on the left."
I asked: "Is it right next to the meat shop? 1 '
He replied: "Hell, no! It's right in the meat
shop!"
1 followed directions and went to the meat shop.
There 1 made my little talk and sold my line. After
momentous question by calling the little one Ger-
trude. As time passed the truth that is stranger than,
fiction developed.
Almost a Romance.
The day I was in Winston-Salem recently, a beau-
tiful young lady of twenty summers and as many win-
ters came into the Bowen store and asked for Mr.
Hampton. He was called to the front and this is
what took place: The young lady said: "Mr.
Hampton, you don't know me and I don't remember
you. But you are the one, my mother tells me, who
named me and I like your selection so much that I
am going to ask you to select a playerpiano for me
and send it out home right away. 1 know I will be
pleased with your choice, for you certainly gave me
the prettiest name of any girl in our neighborhood."
That was the sequel of an incident which started
twenty years before and, I might add, a profitable
one for our good friend Hampton and his enter-
prising company. It was not just what a short story
writer or a movie picture creator might have made
of it, but it serves to show that human nature, is
appreciative. After all and that, like the good seed
told of in Scripture, what is planted right may bear
fruit at a later day. And, to return to my original
observation about blind piano men, it has seemed to
me that this business fits the ambitious and intelligent
members of the brotherhood who can see only with
the inner eye.
NEW NELSON =WIGGEN
INSTRUMENT FOR CONVENTION
New Model of Style 3, Fitted With Pipes and Banjo
Attachment Ready for Big Show.
.). P. SIMMONS.
"signing up" the dealer, 1 asked him what his idea
was in running a butcher shop in his piano store.
"Well," he replied, "you know the meat brings in
the farmers and 1 sell them meat for their stomach's
sake and music for their souls!"
This true story may give the trade some idea as
to how, in some sections in this good old U. S. A.,
the farmers have not all learned to diversify their
crops, and possibly also where the department store
idea originated!
Good P'ano Salesmen.
Another thing which struck me very forcibly was
the remarkable success that blind men are having in
piano selling in some sections.
At Chattanooga there is the Chattanooga Music
Co., composed of Dan Coleman and Frank Costello,
both blind. Both own beautiful homes and are very
successful. Costello is the active manager and Cole-
man, who, by the way, was on the road twenty-five
years ago for the old Jesse French Piano & Organ
Co., traveling out of Nashville, when the writer was
in charge of the floor and city sales department for
that company there. He puts in his spare time help-
ing to run the business of the State, as he is a mem-
ber of the legislature and a special commissioner for
the blind institutions of Tennessee.
Down in Tampa, Fla., Mr. Hamilton, a prosperous
piano dealer, also is blind. He has been one of the
most prominent piano dealers in that section.
Over at St. Augustine I met R. L. Parks, who has
the oldest and largest music business in that section
of the East Coast. At Greenwood, S. C, I called on
Jno. A. Holland, who, while he is not totally blind, is
so nearly so that he is unable to read with ease. But
he gets around all over the adjoining country, and
I'd wager he sells more pianos than any other dealer
within fifty miles of his store.
At Wiuston-Salem, N. C, 1 saw a most happy con-
clusion of a Christening which took place some
twenty years ago. J. L. Hampton, of that city, is a
very successful blind piano salesman, connected with
the well-known firm of Jesse G. Bowen & Co. He
has sustained that connection for many years. Some
twenty years ago he was called out into the country
to name a new-born babe. It appeared that the
father and mother could not agree on a name. So
they called in their blind friend, and he decided this
A banjo attachment and pipes distinguishes the
new model, Style 3 of the Nelson-Wiggen Piano Co.,
Chicago. The new electric piano will be one of the
attractive features in exhibits at the annual conven-
tion in Chicago from June 4 to 7. The beauty of
the case design of Style 3 and the originality in the
use of the art glass on the front panel gives the
new model distinction among instruments of that kind.
A two-tone mahogany effect in the case harmonizes
well with the added art effects. Style 3 is modeled
after the style of a cathedral organ with miniature
pipes in relief on the sides. The art glass arrange-
ment in the front panel is very unique. The use of
shades of gray, green and brown glass adds to the
harmoniousness of the whole.
The company has in preparation a new art glass
design for the Pian-O-Grand which also will be
shown at the convention exhibit. This model is an
acknowledged money maker for dealers and admit-
tedly a most effective coin control instrument. The
instrument plays 65 note rolls and whether for public-
places, theaters or private parlors it is all that its
name suggests—Pian-O-Grand.
MUSIC TRADE NEWS FROM
PORTLAND, OREGON, FIELD
Bush & Lane Piano Co. Receives Shipment of Goods
by Panama Canal Route.
The Bush & Lane Piano Co. of Portland, Ore.,
placed three carloads of pianos on their floor this
week, which were received by rail and the Panama
canal route. The shipment consisted of grands,
players and uprights, and give the display floor the
appearance of a warehouse. But from the way pianos
are moving it will not be long before this condition
will be removed by the sale of the instruments.
The piano department of Lipman, Wolfe & Co. of
Portland, Ore., according to Warren Erwin, has
closed many sales of Baldwin pianos due largely to
the advertising of the Baldwin in connection with
the coming of Chaliapin, the great Russian singer,
who will appear in concert in Portland the last of
this month and who uses the Baldwin exclusively in
all his concerts.
The Reed, French Piano Co. of Portland, Ore.,
have established a branch at Tillamook, Ore., placing
their line of pianos with J. E. Berry of the Berry
Music Co. of that place. Mr. Berry has a complete
up-to-date music store and as Tillamook is located
in the largest timber belt in the world and the mills
are now working day and night shifts to keep up
\vith the demand, the Reed French company feel
that they have made no mistake in branching out in
this direction.
DINNER TO PADEREWSKI.
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Steinway gave a dinner
of twenty covers for Mr. and Mrs. Ignace Paderewski
in the Louis XVI suite at the St. Regis, New York,
last week Thursday night. A number of prominent
musical people were present.
May 19, 1923
SEND IN APPLICATION
FOR GOLF TOURNAMENT
A Day of Rare Sport Is Planned for June 8th of the
Convention Week.
Following is the application form for entries in
the Golf Tournament that is being arranged for Fri-
day, June 8th, during Convention Week, open to all
visiting members of the music industry. The idea is
for prospective contestants to clip this item, fill in
the application and forward to K. W. Curtis, chair-
man of the Handicap Committee, 1222 Kimball Hall
building, Chicago.
The Chicago Golf Association is officered by E. P.
Lapham, president; R. E. Davis, vice-president; Jas.
T. Bristol, secretary.
Olympia Field has been secured for the day, which
will be one of the big ones of the Convention week.
This Tournament is winning much advance attention,
and the Convention Committee is making plans which
must insure a day of delight for the golfers. Here
is the application to be filled in and sent to Mr.
Curtis:
Kenneth W. Curtis,
Chairman Handicap Committee,
Prosperity Convention Music Trades Golf
Tournament,
1222 Kimball Building.
Chicago, Illinois.
Please accept my entry in the Prosperity
Convention Music Trade Golf Tournament to
be held under the auspices of the Chicago Piano
Golf Association at the Olympia Fields Coun-
try Club on Friday, June 8th, 1923.
My club handicap is
; or my five best
scores for 18 holes during the last year's play
are
Entrance fee (to cover ground fees, lunch and
Special Golfers' Dinner, also transportation
from Chicago and return) os $10.00 is enclosed.
Signed
'
Address
Players will be divided into many flights. Two
handsome prizes have been donated for winners in
each flight. Many other special prizes offered. This
tournament is open to any member of the music
industry. Entries close June 4th. Mail application
early.
PIANO STYLES FOLLOW
THOSE OF FURNITURE
And the Trend of Furniture Fancies Interests Piano
Case Designer.
It is generally admitted that marked preferences
for particular styles in furniture affect the piano in-
dustry. The fact is more noticeable in the finer kinds
of pianos and players. But the vagaries of furniture
styles do not distress the piano manufacturers. The
styles in piano cases number too many staple models
to cause worry to the case departinents when a
novelty agitates the furniture men.
The styles which seem to hold first place in public
approval at present are the English periods, princi-
pally, Queen Anne, Charles II and Chippendale.
Italian Renaissance is also in vogue, walnut and
mahogany being the prevailing woods. But, accord-
ing to Adolph Karpen, of S. Karpen & Brothers, Chi-
cago, the new designs brought out are many. The
furniture man's comments on the distinctive features
of various styles are interesting to the piano trade:
"The Queen Anne is perhaps the simplest of these
styles, depending for its beauty on its rounded, com-
fortable looking contour. Another attractive feature
is the curved splat in the chair bacjes, often called
'riddle back' because it is shaped like that instrument.
The Italian Renaissance, on the other hand, is rich in
carved detail, polychrome coloring. One's first im-
pression is its imposing appearance. There is no
richer ornamentation than can be found in this style."
GETS "ADAPTO"IN CHICAGO.
The Lindenberg Piano Co., of Columbus, Ohio,
has appointed Sidney W. Sachs Chicago agent for
the "Adapto" player action. The ease with which
Adapto may be installed in any used piano has given
it a good start toward popularity, and Mr. Sachs is
quite enthusiastic, on the subject of its possibilities.
His territory is all of Chicago, and the number of
"dead" pianos is so large that he expects to have a
business in installing the action beyond his capacity
to satisfy. Mr. Sachs is at 425 South Wabash ave-
nue, Chicago.
The offer of a refund on railroad fare to piano pur-
chasers is made to out-of-town customers by the
Foster Music House, Marshalltown, la.
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