Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyze* and Classifies
All American Pianos
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform Book-
lets, the Only Complete
Directories o£ the Music
Industries.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1923
WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED
Under This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or
Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public
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-
vidfd stamp is inclosed.
CHRISTMAN PIANOS.
Woodstock, Va., October 8, 1923.
Editor Presto: It will soon be time to publish a
new Guide for 1924, and I would like to know why
you do not give a description of the Christman piano
in Part Three. On page 32 it tells of the Christman
piano, and refers to Christman Piano Co. in Part
Three, but nothing is said about it in Part Three.
Do you recommend the Steger & Sons reproducing
phonograph as one of the best that I can recommend
to compete with other high-grade phonographs?
C. O. BINEER.
The only reason the Christman Piano Co. was not
fully referred to in Presto Buyers' Guide, edition of
1923, was due to an oversight. In the entirely new
edition, to be out in November, the interests of the
New York house will have full attention, and we are
very certain you will find Presto Buyers' Guide a
great help in closing sales for Christman pianos.
Answering your question about the Steger phono-
graph, we can say without reservation that in our
judgment there is no better manufactured. We be-
lieve that should you secure the representation of the
Steger it would prove very advantageous to your
business and that the sales would be adequate for
whatever effort you might put into it.
* * *
ENGLISH MUSIC PUBLISHERS.
Green Bay, Wis., October 4, 1923.
Editor Presto: Would like to know if it would be
possible for you to forward to me correct address of
music publishers in England who turn out good sheet
music.
WM. VAN BEAVER.
Following are names of a number of leading Eng-
lish music publishers. A complete list would entail
considerable work and time. All of the following
are in London:
Ashdown, E. (Lim.), 19 Hanover Square, W.;
Augener (Lim.), 18 Gt. Marlboro' street, W.
Barnett, T. H., 67 Newman street, W.; Bayley &
Ferguson, 2 Gt. Marlborough street, W.; Beal, Stut-
tard & Co., 16 Oxford Circus avenue; Boosey & Co.,
295 Regent street; Bosworth & Co., 8 Heddon street,
Regent street, W.; Broome, W. H., 15 Holborn Bars,
E. C.
Calcott & Co., 10 Museum street, Holborn, W. C.;
Cammeyer Music and Manufacturing Co., 3 Swallow
street, Piccadilly Circus; Cassell & Co., La Belle
Sauvage Yard, Ludgate Hill; Chappell & Co. (Lim.),
49-50 New Bond street; Cramer (Lim.), 139 New
Bond street, W.; Curwen & Sons (Lim.), 24 Berners
street, W.; Enoch & Sons, 14-14A Gt. Marlborough
street, W.
Reeves, W., 83 Charing Cross road; Reid Bros.
(Yim.), 72 Wells street. Castle street, W.; Ricordi
Co., 265 Regent street, W.; Rudall, Carte & Co., 23
Berners street, Oxford street.
Schirmer, G. (Lim.), 18 Berners street, W r .; Schott
& Co., 63 Conduit street, W.; Shaftesbury Music Co.,
26 Goodge street, W.; Weekes & Co.. 14 Hanover
street, W.; Wellington Reeves Music Co., 453 West
Strand, W. C ; Whitehall Music Co., 32-3 Charing
Cross, Whitehall, S. W.
•
*
*
ORGAN TUNING BOOKS.
Carlock, S. D., October 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: I would like to get an instruction
book on how to tune and repair organs. If you have
them, please state price.
D. TOCE.
We are not publishing books of that kind, con-
fining our business to this trade paper, Presto Buy-
ers' Guide and other trade literature.
We can advise you, however, that the book on
"Organs & Tuning," by Thos. Elliston, is one of the
most succinct and useful publications within our
knowledge. It is an English book, but we believe it
can be had of the Austin Organ Co., 415 Dorchester
avenue, Boston, Mass., or possibly any of the large
book stores like Brentano of Chicago or New York
City
have
ject.
may
could furnish you with the book to which we
referred or some other book on the same sub-
We suggest also that Lyon & Healy, Chicago,
have just the book you want.
* * *
"CROWN" PIANO PARTS.
Des Moines, Iowa, October 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: We wish you would write Mr.
M. J. Allen, Fort Dodge, Iowa, and let him know
where he can now get some repair parts for the
"Crown" piano, formerly manufactured by the Geo.
P. Bent Co.
T H E DUNING COMPANY.
The Crown factory was purchased by Sears, Roe-
buck & Co. (piano department), of Chicago, and pos-
sibly that house may be able to give you informa-
tion which you desire. However, almost any piano
industry could supply you with parts unless it hap-
pens to be some special feature of the Crown instru-
ment.
As you probably know, the Geo. P. Bent Co.,
which made the Crown instruments, have retired
from the business.
* * *
SCHOOL PIANOS.
Monticello, Ind., October 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: Kindly give me the names of some
of the manufacturers who make a small school piano.
Would like the smallest made.
J. L. ACKERMAN.
All the following industries are manufacturing
small uprights suitable for school room purposes, and
all are instruments of distinctly fine character:
The Cable Co., Chicago, who make the beautiful
little "Midget" upright; Miessner Piano Co., 228
Third street, Milwaukee, Wis., who make the "Miess-
ner" and "Monogram," both remarkably fine little in-
struments; Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co., 1872 Cly-
bourn avenue, Chicago, who make the "Strohber
Diminutive"; Packard Piano Co., Ft. Wayne, Ind.,
who make the "Packard" and "Bond" instruments.
There are a number of other fine small uprights
manufactured and the ones we have here named are
dependable in every way and have won fine reputa-
tions.
WALLACE W. CHICKERINQ
DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS
Junior Member of the Firm of Chickering
Bros., Chicago, Succumbs to Two Months'
Suffering from Pleurisy.
WAS POPULAR WITH TRADE
Quiet But Effective Member of the Industry, Who
Contributed Much to Acoustigrand's Success.
A very large proportion of the piano trade will
learn with deep regret of the death of Wallace W.
Chickering, junior member of the house of Chicker-
ing Brothers, of Chicago, makers of the Acousti-
grande piano. Although Mr. Chickering had been
ill for two months, his death was quite unexpected,
and resulted from an attack of pleurisy. He died on
Wednesday of this week at 2 p. m., at his home in
Winnetka.
Wallace Wiley Chickering had become thoroughly
expert in the piano business during the sixteen years
he had been associated with his brothers, Clifford C.
and Fred W., the latter of whom died five years
ago, leaving the founder of the industry and the
STORY & CLARK SALES
EAST AND SOUTH GOOD
F. F. Story Now in the East and E. M. Love Re-
cently Returned from the South.
The Story & Clark instruments are experiencing
prosperity that is not confined to any special terri-
tory, but over the whole country in general. F. F.
Story, vice-president and treasurer, is now in the
East and has found conditions very satisfactory as
far as the Story & Clark piano is concerned. Mr.
Story has sent in many orders, and there is no doubt
that he will send in many more before he returns to
Chicago.
E. M. Love, secretary, recently returned to Chi-
cago from a southern trip, covering the states of
Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Ar-
kansas. Mr. Love describes conditions in the south
as being excellent. Orders are being received daily
from the South which indicate that Mr. Love's trip
was a prosperous one from a business standpoint.
GUY CONKLIN RETIRES.
Will A. Young, music dealer, of 1132 Calhoun
street, Fort Wayne, Ind., purchased stock of the Guy
Conklin Music Store at 1120 Calhoun street apd will
consolidate the two stores under one roof at his
present address. Mr. Conklin, who has been in the
music business in that city for many years, has retired
Plans have been made for remodeling the store.. He
handles The Cable Company, Mehlin and Kranich &
Bach lines of pianos and players, together with
phonographs.
WALLACE W. CHICKERING.
younger, whose death this week makes this writing
necessary. W. W. Chickering was the third of the
three brothers to enter the Chicago firm. He had
originally chosen a professional career and graduated
from the University of Michigan in the department
of mechanical engineering.
After the Chickering Bros, had attained to promi-
nence, in 1907, Wallace, the younger brother, was
called to assist in the further development of the
business, and became a member of the firm. Natu-
rally musical, as well as a student of music, he quickly
acquired the ability to handle the details of manufac-
turing and made many trips among the dealers, where
his salesmanship proved a strong factor in Acousti-
grande distribution.
He made countless friends
among piano merchants, and his enthusiasm grew
with his experience. His going is a sad blow to his
brother, Clifford, as well as to the fast-growing
business in which he had taken part.
Wallace W 7 . Chickering was born in Cincinnati in
1874.
After graduating from college, he was for
eight years connected with Fairbanks-Morse & Co.,
of Beloit, Wisconsin, leaving that house to join his
brothers in piano manufacturing. His death leaves
Clifford W. Chickering the last of the three who have
worked to successfully develop the Acoustigrande.
He leaves his widow and four children, two girls and
two boys. The funeral services were held at Grace-
land Chapel, Chicago, yesterday, the twelfth of
October.
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