Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1923 1926

PRESTO
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Published Every Saturday at 407 South Dearborn
Street, Old Colony Building, Chicago, 111.
is only pastime for the advertising solicitor,
for a music trade paper, to magnify the im-
portance of the circulation he represents, by
libeling a competitor. It is true that the piano
trade has grown better, but in some of its
phases the respectable and entirely necessary
corollary "trade journalism," has grown
worse. But who cares?
June 23, 1923
pianos known in the trade and spreading that
fame among the men whose business it is to
sell pianos?
BETTER BUSINESS
We do not believe that the "better business"
bureaus have had much to do with it, but cer-
Telephones. Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
tainly the piano trade has greatly improved
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
in its methods during the past five years. It
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29. 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1S79.
would
today almost startle an experienced
MR. BYRNE'S ADDRESS
member of the trade to find some of the least
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
There were some almost startlingly bright
possessions. Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
of the former-day fake advertisements in the
application.
addresses delivered at the recent music trades
daily newspapers. And it would cause a ques-
convention. And perhaps none of them has
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
tion of veracity in the minds of new-comers
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen made better "copy" for the newspapers than
in the business to tell of the old-time custom
the talk on the ever-absorbing topic of "Ad-
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
of trailing prospects from rival stores to their
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
vertising," by Mr. C. E. Byrne, of the Steger
homes, or any of the rank tricks which once
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- & Sons Piano Mfg. Co. Always entertaining
marred
and mussed up the "piano game."
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
when he writes, Mr. Byrne touched an old
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Today the business is almost universally
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
theme in a way so new that what he said at
clean, liven some of the verv houses which
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
the Drake in Chicago has been repeated to
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
at one time were aggressive in their chal-
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
literally millions of readers since June 6. Some
lenge of ethical methods are now beyond re-
Wednesday noon.
of the foremost of the world's daily newspap-
proach in their advertising and systems of
Address all communications for the editorial or business
d e p a r t m e n t s t o PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 407 S o . ers have repeated the following, as represent-
selling. The very men who once would have
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
ing an interesting example of the way the
paid liberally for any scheme by which medi-
uppermost thought of today may be vivified
SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1923.
ocrity in pianos might have been made to de-
by a glance at the historic past:
feat merit, in business competition, are now
Eve was the first salesman and took her lirst order
doing
the cleanest kind of advertising and
WHO CARES
when she sold Adam the apple in Eden. The first de-
exacting
equally good work by their sales-
partment store was conducted by Noah during the
"What's your circulation?" "Oh, about ten
Hood.
Sonic
go
so
far
as
to
say
that
it
was
the
men.
thousand," or "Oh, about six thousand," or
original Piggly Wiggly.
And what has brought the change? The
"Oh, less 'n a million !" And the innocent ad-
Air. Byrne named King Tut, Cleopatra, Barnum, law has placed some restrictions upon what
vertiser, or advertising; "expert," looks wise
Billy Sunday, Volstead, Bryan, Ruth, Ford and Poca-
might have seemed bare-faced fraud, but in
hontas as the greatest advertisers who ever lived.
and says it's very good. And to make his case
the multiplicity of laws there are few that
The particular extract just presented is
stronger, while the "contract" is being filled
could regulate the selling of pianos. There
from the Hearst newspapers' report of the
in, the salesman tells of the circulation of
have been organizations designed to censor
some other publication of which, of course, he third day of the convention, but the same
selling systems, but they have more often
points from Mr. Byrne's address have been
can know nothing.
proved
ineffectual interferences than influ-
repeated
in
other
equally
widely
read
publica-
This may be an "irregular" editorial. It may
ences
of
correction. And there have been
tions
all
over
the
world.
And
so
the
Steger
also seem that the descendants of Ananias are
changes
in
the character of the instruments
official's
part
in
spreading
the
influence
of
the
still active and that trade advertising has a
sold
by
the
piano
trade.
piano
industry
and
trade
is
past
the
possibility
few of them at work. And the wonder is
But
no
other
force
or agency has done s©
of
computation.
that men of accredited acumen and judgment
much
for
the
betterment
of piano trade meth-
If
what
Mr.
Byrne
said
proves
anything,
can be fooled by them.
ods
as
the
steady
advancement
on the part
beyond
the
facts
as
he
put
them,
it
is
that
the
From the beginning, nearly forty years ago,
of
the
public
in
the
knowledge
of what a
old
things,
and
the
out-worn
ideas
of
the
Presto, the American Music Trade Weekly,
piano
really
is.
Education
has
been
the in-
early
days,
still
exert
their
influences
and
has made it a rule to forbid exaggeration on
fluence
that
has
worked
the
effect.
And
that
help to shape modern progress. They at least
the part of its workers when the subject of
largely
because,
as
the
people
have
learned,
supply the fund of thought and serve the wit
circulation comes up. Trade paper circulation
and humor by which to savor and spice the the manufacturers have tried the harder to
is not a question of quantity anyway. It is
serious progress of today. And that is a improve their products and to justify the bet-
quality and influence that count here. The
ter demand which has come by reason of the
great deal.
music trade paper with an honest circulation
improved understanding.
Advertising has become the most vital force
of a few thousand, and an influence measured
Today, aside from the rather hysterical
in modern business. It was this that made
by its character and endurance, has an in-
publicity
of the special sales, the piano ad-
Mr. Byrne's theme so prominent in the reports
direct selling force greater than the average
vertising
is
as high-class as that of any other
of the convention. And in the piano business
publication of which a half-million may be
line
of
trade.
And usually the special sales
it is now realized that no manufacturer or
printed. This is understood by business men
are
perfectly
right
and clean, so that even
who are engaged in manufacturing for the industry can hope for even moderate success
there
the
betterment
of the piano trade is
without the influence of advertising. One
wholesale trade.
equally
in
evidence.
The
day of suspicion
From the first, Presto has invested more incident at the recent meeting of piano mer-
which
was
formerly
cast
upon
piano selling
chants may suffice.
effort in its subscription department than in
is
past
and,
we
hope,
"gone
forever."
The representative of an eastern piano
its advertising-getting. This paper has re-
which, while once, famous, has of late years
fused more display advertising than some of
fallen behind, had tried to interest a western
STRAUBE TREASURER ON TOUR.
its contemporaries have carried. No other
dealer in his line. After a rather extended
trade paper in this line of work has devoted
A. T. Schuldes. treasurer of The Straube Piano
Company, Hammond,. Indiana, accompanied by Mrs.
argument, the dealer asked :
as much time and money to the work of
Schuldes and their young son Thomas, is motoring
"Why should you expect me to buy your through the East on a vacation tour. Mr. Schuldes,
securing subscribers, and no other, we believe,
can show so large a proportion of actual paid pianos? I don't owe your pianos anything. who is well known in the trade, believes in combin-
You don't advertise, or if you do, it's only in ing business and pleasure, as is evidenced by the fact
subscriptions.
that he is sending in substantial orders from points
spasms ! You are not doing anything for the along his way. Mr. Schuldes' views on collecting in
It is a source of pride to Presto that in its
dealers. Your pianos are no better than some rural districts occasioned a great deal of discussion
lists of subscribers are many who have been
readers of this paper for a quarter-century. others that do advertise largely in the trade when thev were given in the trade publications last
fall.
papers. I want some reason for changing, or
Some of them have received the paper from
for adding to my line!"
the very first issue in 1884.
FIRM NAME CHANGED.
...Isn't there an argument there? Why should
We hope that the day may come when for a
The name of the Warren Music House, Pendleton,
the dealer buy any pianos to sell again unless Ore., has been changed to the Pendleton Music House
trade paper—or any other advertising medium
—to falsify its circulation statement will be a the manufacturer does something to make his and extensive remodeling plans on the store on Main
street have been announced. A. B. Robertson, E. J.
crime subject to life imprisonment. There product easier to sell, and shows a fair dis- Scellers and J. Mulligan are interested in the com-
seems to be no remedy at this time. And it position to help his trade, by making his pany.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
-
-
Editors
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
June 23, 1923
TO CELEBRATE SEVENTIETH
ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING
Dreher Piano Company, Cleveland, Planning for Big
and Historic Event in Fall.
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
By HENRY McMULLEN.
When we turn away wretches sunk to a state of
greasy desperation from the doors of our handsome
stores, are we not as selfish as the road-hog motorist?
Are we not far from the spirit of music week? That
spirit is, Let music swell the breeze and ring from
all the trees; let radio send forth the cheering words,
so that the wayfarer, though a fool, may hear them
and delight in them. But too often the honk of the
car of the road-hog is more like the howl of death
than sweet music.
* * *
There can be no great achievement without large-
ness of vision, mastery over men and capacity for
work. The men who lead must be strong and ener-
getic in body and mind. Too many men have believed
in the mistaken theory of Thomas Jefferson that all
men were born equal. Men who have won in the
"piano game" were born to lead. You know many of
them and you know why they won. Were it not that
they might feel flattered, a long list might be printed
here of the leaders in the piano industry among the
living. The dead are secure.
* * *
The export trade in pianos is increasing somewhat.
Yet it is but little to what it will be. The time is
coming when all tropical countries will be governed
by the people of temperate zones. When that good
time comes many pianos will have to be built to
withstand the various hot climates of the world.
*
*
*•
After a man has allowed debts and mortgages to
accumulate, as they will, and finds that he must go
to jail or through bankruptcy., he generally gladly ac-
cepts the latter alternative. Even then he feels more
at peace from without than from within. Although
regarded by his creditors as an offender, he feels
that the world has treated him in a brutal and bar-
barous manner. It all depends on the side for which
he is fighting and the justice of the cause.
* * *
A few talking points are necessary in selling pianos
but the fewer the better—the points should be scarce
enough to disengage the buyer and seller from con-
troversies. There should be no necessity for the cus-
tomer to accept every discrepancy in the salesman's
statements as veracious; the seller shouldn't make any
statements with holes in them. Every real salesman
has found real customers enough; he has found them
at once so scanty and so abundant, so uncertain and
yet so indisputable; as evasive one day as the person-
ages of Etruscan Mythology, and the next day so up
and coming that the loss of one is less inconveniently
felt than the frown of one would have been the day
before. But, the guy of today becomes the genius
and the pride of tomorrow. The drummer and the
doorbell ringer have come into their own as archi-
tects of many of our peculiar institutions.
* * *
A few words seem appropriate about compulsory
savings on the installment plan in building associa-
tions, in life insurance and in piano purchases. Most
people have an aversion to entering into an engage-
ment to pay so much money a week, or a month.
But the engagement is only compelling enough to
operate one's conscience, and it is found that a great
majority of men will keep such an engagement punc-
tiliously to the end. The compulsory principle, which
is only a sort of constrained conscience to keep up
with the rest, is found to be one of the best prin-
ciples in the world to enforce upon oneself regular
and systematic savings. It never becomes irksome,
and is like a duty well performed, which grows the
more satisfactory the more it is done. It might be
well even to teach the principles in the public schools.
The plan develops character through self-reliance and
self-help.
* * *
So far there are only five industrial plants devoted
to the manufacture of pianos or their supplies located
in the cities of Louisville, Ky., and its biggest suburb,
New Albany, Ind. But there ought to be more. If
a man will devote himself sincerely to an inspection of
southern industrial conditions, he will be forced to
the conclusion that there are endless opportunities in
the South to start piano-making plants. Produce
something that everybody wants. And everybody
wants food, clothing, shelter and music. Southerners
are among the best fed and highest cultured people in
the world. They are no longer plain, either in dress
or address. The loafing habit is passing away in all
towns where manufacturing enterprises have been es-
tablished. Southerners have learned that genius is
mostly application; that the joy of work is the great-
est of human satisfaction. In but few southern towns
now can one find a daily newspaper that serves poli-
tics to its readers as their accustomed diet. But
where the dailies do produce this diet the town of
their publication will be found dead from the neck
upwards, if not also downwards.
* * *
By the way, what has become of all the schemes
for musical autohorns? They used to be as musical
as Oprheus' flute. Today the honk which scares the
life out of you on a city street is about as strident
as a German Bertha. Still there was a big corpora-
tion formed this week for the purpose of manufac-
turing ''motor horns" in vast quantities.
* * *
The next convention will be held in New York. It
is said that the eastern trade papers are already get-
ting ready for extra-fat issues. No enterprise like the
enterprise of the trade papers in pre-convention days.
Good that it is so, for the piano needs more invest-
ment in printer's ink.
* * *
Tell me of a piano that has made a lasting success
and I'll point to full-page trade paper advertising.
Show me the piano that hoped to climb by means of
a little card in all the light literary journals on earth,
and I'll point to a piano that is as little known as the
stars behind the sun!
* * *
Summer is the good old time for the agile piano
salesmen who drive out into the country from the
small cities and towns and "visit" with the farmers'
families. Every now and then you see them on the
roads, with a Bowen or Atwood loader hitched be-
hind, as bright as the dewy morn itself.
NEW BOISE MANAGER.
W. C. Carnes, until recently manager of the Web-
ber Music Co., St. Cloud, Minn., has been appointed
manager of the Sampson Music Co., Boise, Idaho.
C. B. Sampson, who formerly had direct control of
the operations of the business intends to take things
easier for the future. "I've had my hand on the
old wheel for seventeen years and think I'm entitled
to rest. But I suppose I'll be digging in at something
else right away. There are too many interesting
things to do in Idaho to lay back and rest."
The Dreher Piano Co., Cleveland, O., will cele-
brate the seventieth anniversary of its founding next
fall and plans to that effect are now being prepared
by the company. The anniversary will really be a
state event in that the fine old house is closely as-
sociated with the early history of Ohio. People in
the farthest corners of Ohio are familiar with the
character of the Dreher Piano Co., so long known to
them as the B. Dreher Sons Co. The change was
made to more distinctively mark the house as a piano
concern.
The business had its beginning in 1853 when it was
founded by Baptiste Dreher under the firm title of
the Kenard-Dreher Mclodion Co. The melodion field
was an important one in those days and the house
went after the melodion business and got it. When
in time the melodion favor gave place to that of the
piano the energetic Cleveland house was in at the
start. And when the present head of the Dreher
Piano Co., Henry Dreher, entered the business in
1879 the mclodion business was only an interesting
memory.
The officers of the Dreher Piano Co., are Henry
Dreher. president; H. R. Valentine, vice president,
and M. E. Smith, secretary and treasurer. The board
of directors is composed of: Henry Dreher, H. R.
Valentine, E. S. Rogers, Wm. McLaughlin and H. D.
Messick.
LEASE BUILDING JOINTLY.
The Vessey Piano Co and Reinhardt's, Inc., Mem-
phis, Tenn., have jointly taken a lease of the building
at 104 South Main street, considered one of the
most desirable locations in the Tennessee city. The
building, which will be remodeled, will also house
the Reinhardt Band and Orchestra School and sound-
proof studios for pianos and vocal teachers will be
provided. Reinhardt's, Inc., will occupy the first
Moor where a big line of talking machines and musi-
cal merchandise will be shown. The Vesey Piano Co.
will show its piano and playcrpiano lines on the
second floor.
OLD HARTFORD FIRM.
Owing to the plans of the property owners to erect
a new modern structure to house a big furniture
firm, the Karris Music Store, 173 to 181 Asylum
street, Hartford, Conn., must move to a new location
by July 1. The choice of a new location for the
business will be decided upon this week. The busi-
ness was established by the late John Farris in 1851
and has been located in the present store since 1891.
Since the death of Mr. Farris in 1911 the business
has been conducted by his daughters, Mrs. H. L.
Kenyon and Miss Alice M. Farris.
Factory
Standardization
on One Type of Piano
Makes Miessner the Leader
With the building of the first small piano 5 years ago, W. Otto Miessner opened
a big, new field of profit for music dealers, one that in no way interferes with
regular business. The Miessner was built originally for schools. But right from
the start its appropriateness was seen for use in smaller homes, apartments,
hotels, clubs, churches, theatres, etc.
It filled a need of the times and opened up these new fields of selling for retail-
ers. A growing demand for the Miessner type of instrument followed and soon
other manufacturers began to build small uprights.
But the Miessner is not merely a smaller instrument. It is scientifically built by a
firm that has always specialized in making this one type of piano exclusively.
All the energy and ingenuity of the Miessner Organization is concentrated on
making the small upright better and better.
That is the secret of the Miessner's big, full tone. The Miessner clearly leads
its field. Just as it was the first of its kind, it is also first in development and
improvement.
Compare the business-building possibilities of such a piano with those of an in-
strument put on the market just to get some of the small piano business. The
wise dealer realizes on Miessner leadership in this fast-developing new field.
Our dealer proposition will interest you greatly.
MIESSNER PIANO CO., 126 Reed St., Milwaukee, Wis.
The Little Piano with the Big Tone
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/

Download Page 8: PDF File | Image

Download Page 9 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.