Presto

PRESTO
September 8, 1923
now selling instruments produced in the great fac-
tories of the Kohler Industries. Another Byrne, of
much prominence a few years back, was the late
John P. Byrne, for many years a member of the
house of Lyon & Healy in Chicago. He was for a
time treasurer of the famous music house and, had
he lived, without doubt he would now have been a
piano manufacturer, for he was negotiating to that
end when stricken with a fatal illness. Names, like
characteristics, of men seem to run in schools, or
groups, though not many others make so great a
showing in the music industry.
* * *
A singular sign in the window of a commission
house in a little side street in Albany, New York,
going round, and the things which move with it will reads "Cracked Eggs." So not all things that are
continue long after all the rest of us fall off. And
cracked are spoiled—not even piano cases. Another
the men whose names have been given in this item sign in the same old town reads: "Cheapest High-
did their work so well that the house of Lyon &
Priced Pianos." "Songs Written While You Wait"
Healy has passed on to its present control so firmly is a sign in a window in Tin Pan Alley, New York.
founded that only another fire, or an earthquake,
* * *
could seriously disturb it.
A group of salesmen were killing time till a pros-
* * *
pect might enter. "What's the best sale you ever
A correspondent asks Presto's "Where Doubts Are made?" asked one. "Once I sold a piano to a farmer
Dispelled" column to give a list of the failures in the for $735," answered one salesman. "Good enough.
small instrument trade during the past twenty-five What's yours?" to another salesman. "Well, I once
years. Some job! But the question suggests that
sold a piano for $100 and a good horse and wagon
there have not been a great many such disasters in and cow; I sold the horse for $250 and the cow for
the music trade—certainly not large ones. Strange, $60, and the wagon for $75—figure it up!" "Oh,
isn't it?
those were all right, but my best sale was for cash!"
said the last man triumphantly.
* * *
One of the most conspicuous failures, in the supply
end of the business, was that of the late A. H.
Goeting, who conducted wholesale houses in New
York City and Springfield, Mass. Mr. Goeting at
first made a specialty of sheet music folios and books.
But the rule has been that the small goods and supply
Change in Ownership of Indianapolis Property
trade has been pretty steady and long-lived. There
Recalls Historic Facts.
is C. Bruno & Sons. Who is there in the music busi-
ness so old that he can remember when the Bruno
The site of the building at 18-20 North Pennsyl-
house did not exist? Another of the old ones was vania avenue, Indianapolis, occupied by the Baldwin
the house of Zoebisch, which flourished in New York
Piano Company has a novel history which was re-
for so long that its beginning runs back of the old- called last week when the property changed owners.
est memory. The great house of Carl Fischer is The portion of the Rialto building, occupied by the
another of the veterans which has grown steadily Baldwin Piano Company's store at the address named,
stronger from the first. To one without statistics at brought $137,512.50 when it was purchased from the
hand, it must seem that the small musical instru-
Foudray heirs by Lewis E., Donald A., Stella W.,
ment has been almost exempt from large failures.
and Florence Morrison, who intend to hold it as an
* * *
investment. It is probable that the site will be im-
If there is any personal name that has figured more proved following the expiration of the Baldwin Com-
numerously in the music trade than others of late, it pany's lease, which has two years to run.
is that of Byrne. Byrne—a good name it is, too. It
The site was purchased by the Foudray family in
has been especially noticeable in connection with pub- 1830 for $3,500, and after the development of the city
licity of the piano—the advertising end of the trade. made it unsuitable as a residence, a livery stable was
As note.
erected. The property was added to, and the stable
* * *
at one time extended to the Circle, having an entrance
At the present time there are three of the name at each end.
actively associated with the piano in its promotive
The firm of Foudray & Woods served as agents
departments. In Chicago there is Chas. E. Byrne, for the government during the Civil War in the pur-
treasurer of the Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co., chase of stock, and the stable was a mule depot. The
whose work as head of the advertising department
members of the firm acted for the government in the
of that great industry has attracted attention every- purchase of mules, shipping them to the various
where in the trade. Connected with the advertising government camps. The owners of the property prior
department of Lyon & Healy there is also a Byrne to its purchase by the Morrisons were John S.,
who is recognized as one of Ben Jefferson's full hand. Edw r ard E. Sr., and John T. Foudray and Walter
In New York the director of the publicity of the
Darner.
American Piano Co. is F. H. B. Byrne, recognized as
The site is occupied by a building of brick con-
one of the most astute and resourceful in the busi- struction, three stories in height with a basement. It
ness. He is credited with creating the word "re- was erected more than forty years ago, but is in
enacting" as applied to the player piano, to supplant excellent condition. The entire building is used by
the more conventional "reproducing."
the Baldwin company, the upper floors being used
* * *
for repair and storage purposes.
Until recently Chas. E. Byrne was at the head of
the New York piano industry which bore his name.
The U. S. Census Bureau is taking account of the
He manufactured a dozen or more commercial lines, piano production for this year. Manufacturers will
and retired with a fortune several years ago. He is receive a questionnaire before the year's end.
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
In one of the editorial offices of Presto there is a
group portrait of the "Directors and Officers of
Lyon & Healy, 1904." The photograph is hand-
somely framed, just as it came from the directorate
of the old music house at the time it was taken. And
the picture seems to present, with special insistence,
the lesson of the instability of mundane things, the
quick succession of changes and the mutability of
human affairs.
* * *
The Lyon & Healy group photographed less than
two score years ago bears the portraits of the fol-
lowing familiar builders of the Chicago music house,
in the order named: Robert B. Gregory, James
Bowers, P. .T. Healy, James P. Byrne, and Chas. N.
Post. Of the live in the picture, all of whom were
alive and active, of course, when the picture was
taken—even Mr. Healy presenting a sturdy appear-
ance, though he survived but a year later, dying in
1905. Next to follow the chief of the old music
house was the stalwart Byrne, and then "Bob"
Gregory, almost a giant in stature. Mr. Post, the
last to go, died last Saturday. Happily Mr. Bowers
is still with us and to remain, his friends hope, for
very many years.
* * *
To one who was also a member of the early group
of youngsters who knew the late P. J. Healy, as an
employer, in the early days, there comes a picture
even more vivid than the photograph itself. It dis-
closes P. J. Healy as a rather small,- red-bearded
man, as active as lightning and as kindly as aggres-
sive. It shows "Bob" Gregory as a very slender
youth, with somewhat weak eyes, working hard in
the small goods department which was located in the
'"balcony" of the Smith & Nixon hall, which was the
Lyon & Healy store of that time.
* * *
It has. by the way, been published that "Charlie"
Post was the organizer of the small instrument
branch of Lyon & Healy. As a matter of fact, he
had little to do with that branch of the house. That
was Gregory's part of it. Originally Mr. Post was
behind the books in the little cage which stood in the
center-right of the store which had been the Smith &
Nixon auditorium.
* * *
Byrne joined the house later, as did also Mr.
Bowers. But there was a fifth member of the staff
of the old days, when P. J. Healy was struggling hard
to get the house well started. He, too, has passed
away. He was Silas G. Pratt, who had charge of the
sheet music counters in the music-hall music store
at Clark and Washington streets, Chicago.
* * *
And now every one of the old-timers of the early
days of Lyon & Healy has passed out—Post being
the last of them—leaving the younger generations to
carry forward the business—as they are doing with
good results. It all goes to show again that no one
is absolutely essential. The world keeps right on
SITE OF BALDWIN STORE
HAS INTERESTING HISTORY
BRINGS PIANO and PROSPECT TOGETHER
All Sales Plans, Schemes, Aids, Etc., simmer down in their last analysis to one essential thing,—that is to bring
the prospect and piano together.
That's just what the BOWEN LOADER does, with all frills left off.
Price, including set of relief springs for reinforcing the Ford Spring, and a special moving cover, $110.00.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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