October 20, 1023
P R E S T O
CHRISTMAN
The First Touch
Tells"
Piano warerooms where the Christ-
man line of instruments is found, at-
tract the best class of trade. The
Christman line is absolutely complete
and, whether upright, grand, player-
piano or reproducing piano, electrically
operated, there is nothing better.
The Christman
Reproducing
Grands and Uprights
on the floor are, in themselves, suffi-
cient attraction to induce attention
and create sales.
There is no other line that surpasses
this one, and none in which high qual-
ity and popular characteristics blend
in a like degree, to the profit of the
dealer in fine instruments.
CHRISTMAN
Studio Grand
Only 5 Feet Long
It was the CHRISTMAN GRAND that
first demonstrated the truth that size has
nothing to do with the depth and resonance
of a Grand Piano's tone.
Built with a careful eye to the exacting
requirements of the space at the command
of city dwellers and owners of small houses,
the CHRISTMAN GRAND combines every
essential that wins for the grand piano first
consideration in the mind of the artist.
t(
The First Touch Tells"
Reg. U S. Pat. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
SEVENTY YEARS OF
DREHER HISTORY
Story of a Prominent Cleveland Music House
From Its Foundation to the Present Time
Told in Absorbing Way in Commemo-
rative Booklet.
FOUNDER HAD VISION
Proofs of Progress by Following His Policies Shown
in Convincing Pictures and Interesting Story
of Achievement.
"Seventy Years of Progress." is the apt title of a
booklet giving a history of the Dreher Piano Co.,
Cleveland, O. It begins at the founding of The
Mouse of Dreher by Baptiste Dreher in 1853 and ends
with the latest incidents of the activities of the firm.
The flyleaf shows the portrait of Baptiste Dreher,
the founder, and that of Henry Dreher, the present
active head of the progressive house. The final page
is illustrated in an equally interesting way. It shows
the location of the beginning of things in 1853, the
meeting house of the First Baptist Church, built in
1836 at Champlain and Seneca streets where in 1853,
Baptiste Dreher begun the manufacture of Dreher-
Kiunard Melodeons. The Cleveland Telephone Com-
pany building now occupies this site. The page also
shows the result of a progressive policy in a picture
of the Dreher Building, 1226-1236 Huron Road at
Euclid avenue, completed this year.
Another pictorial contrast of an illuminative kind
is that between the picture of a Dreher-Kinnard
melodeon made by Baptiste Dreher in 1853, now a
part of the furnishings of the Randell Tavern, Stop
81, C. P. & E. Ry., Painesville, O., and the picture
of the Steinway Grand Duo-Art piano.
Interesting Family History.
The following bit of family history is written by
Archie Bell:
Baptiste Dreher, founder of the influential enter-
prise that bears his name, brought from Europe the
right building materials in the way of an inheritance.
Drehers in Germany, the original home of the fam-
musicians or as makers of musical instruments, they
spent their lives, generation after generation. In
fact, mention of the immortal name of Bach in this
connection is not at all extravagant nor is it an exag-
geration. The greatest of the Bachs, Johann Sebas-
tian, inscribed a book upon organ-building to Mein-
rad Dreher, who was engaged in this worthy calling,
as far back as 1779 at Illreichen near Ulm. Meinrad
Dreher had constructed organs in European cathe-
drals, upon which had played men whose names are
today inscribed among the immortals. The book
published by Samuel Hallen in 1779, naturally con-
tained much of the wisdom of his friend Bach upon
the important subject and Bach inscribed the book to
Meinrad Dreher, whom and whose work he doubtless
held in high esteem.
Family a Musical One.
Perhaps before, and certainly since the time of
Meinrad Dreher, the family that bears his name has
been associated with music and things musical. Mein-
rad's son, Joseph Anton, was also an organ-builder.
His son, Baptiste, came to America and his first occu-
pation was that of a piano-builder at Cincinnati.
Later he selected Cleveland for his home city and
formed the Dreher-Kinnard Melodeon company in
an old church building at the corner of Champlain
and Seneca streets. Baptiste Dreher was well fitted
for this occupation, for he had served his apprentice-
ship as an organ-builder in Germany. The com-
mencement of his operations in Cleveland was in
1853, just seventy years ago.
Seventy years of untiring and painstaking effort
have gained for the firm the confidence of a critical
and exacting public. For seventy years the members
of the linn have advised their patrons in the selec-
tion of musical instruments, with a desire to please.
A patron once should be a patron always is a slogan
that this House has approved since the foundations
were laid by the first American Dreher who built
melodeons.
Shows Its Position.
The standing of this House has enabled it to select
only those instruments which they recommend. For
example, among the instruments sold are the Stein-
way piano, internationally renowned; the Duo-Art
pianola, the acknowledged peer of all reproducing
pianos, obtainable in the Steinway, the Steck, the
Wheelock, the Stroud and the famous Weber pianos;
the Aeolian Pipe Organ, with its wealth of superb
organ and orchestral tones, constructed for and es-
pecially adapted to the home; while the genuine Vic-
trola and the Aeolian Vocalion lead the list of de-
pendable phonographs. Singularly, the first Stein-
way piano was produced in 1853, the year when Bap-
tiste Dreher founded his Cleveland enterprise.
The enterprise was built upon principles that the
father impressed upon his sons, Oscar and Henry
Dreher, who learned the business from him, as he in
lurn had learned it from the older members of his
family.
The House of Dreher has had other locations since
it was established in what is now the down-town dis-
trict; hul now it is reasonable to suppose that its
magnificent home on Huron Road in 1 lie new dis-
trict radiating from Euclid avenge and East Four-
teenth street, will be its permanent home for many
years to come. The magnificent Dreher building was
occupied on the sixty-ninth anniversary of the firm.
The Piano Line.
The line of pianos handled by the Dreher Piano
Co., includes: Steinway & Sons, Weber, Steck, Schu-
mann, Steinert, Krakauer, Vose, Dreher Bros, and
other dependable makes.
The officers of the Dreher Piano Co. are:
Henry Dreher, president; H. R. Valentine, vice-
president, and M. E. Smith, secretary and treasurer.
The directors arc: IF. I). Messick, E. S. Rogers and
Wm. McLaughlan.
T. T. GARDNER RETURNS
TO PIANO BUSINESS
Temporarily
Lured by Gaswagon He Again Is
Happy Selling Pianos.
The Gardner Music Company is erecting a new
building for music store purposes in Gardena, Cal.
The new building is indicative of the growth and for-
ward step this community is experiencing. The struc-
ture is to house an exclusive music store of high
order.
T. T. Gardner has lived in Gardena the past eigh-
teen years. Twenty years of his life have been spent
in music business. Three years ago he built the
present structure and took the agency for an auto-
mobile. But the call of music was too strong for
him, and where his heart was there also was to be
found perfect health. So he gave up the automobile
business and in place of automobile he put in a stock
of musical goods.
Realizing the place was too small for the up-to-date
music store he had in mind Mr. Gardner sold the
building and started the erection of the new structure
by the side of the old.
The new home will embrace 2,400 feet of floor
space, being of 30x80 feet dimensions. Tt will be of
brick front, hard wood floors, and will have every
modern convenience for doing an up-to-date music
business.
FEATURES OF HAMILTON
MINIATURE PIANO DESCRIBED
Instrument Manufactured by Baldwin Company Per-
fectly Fits Small Apartments and Class Rooms.
The Hamilton Miniature Piano serves many pur-
poses to which a larger piano would not be adapted.
That fact, added to its excellent tone and durable
construction, makes it a most desirable instrument
and accounts for its wide popularity.
The little Hamilton, a product of the Baldwin
Piano Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, is described in an in-
teresting folder, issued by the company, as being
the ideal instrument for small apartments, class
rooms and other places where a larger piano would
be out of place.
The piano is correctly described as "Diminutive,"
is easily handled, and has a marvelous depth and vol-
ume of tone. Hamilton principles of construction
are utilized throughout. The width and depth are so
designed that the instrument has a pleasing and at-
tractive appearance without interfering with its mu-
sical possibilities.
NEW ILLINOIS DEALER.
Fred Crumbaugh, Xokomis, 111., has taken the
agency for the Hobart M. Cable line of pianos, also
for the Melostrelle player, made by the Steger &
Sons Piano Mfg. Co.. Chicago. Models of the pianos
will be on display within a few days at the Nokoniis
Music House. The regular Gulbransen line of player-
pianos is to be handled in connection" with these
two.
BUYS OHIO STORE.
Clarence Howenstinc of Millersburg, O., recently
purchased the W. E. Jones building on North Water
street. Mr. Howenstine also purchased the stock
of musical instruments, etc., of A. M. Shrimplin who
has been conducting a music store in the building.
Possession was given October 1.
GET BALDWIN AGENCY.
John Burton, Columbus, Ind., announced last week
that he would open an agency for Baldwin pianos at
the J. F. Marshall & Company jewelry store about
October 12. Mr. Burton handles all models of the
Baldwin line. Mr. Burton will continue the real es-
tate business in addition to the sale of pianos.
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