PRESTO
November 17, 1923
CHRISTMAN
The First Touch Tells 9 t
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.
What the dealer must have to induce
high-class trade is the piano possessing
the very finest characteristics and the
most advanced features.
The Christman
Electrically Operated
Reproducing
Grands and Uprights
Are the most artistic instruments in
the entire field of piano manufacture.
It is the latest development of the
Christman.
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.
ct
The First Touch Tells"
Re*. U S. Pat Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
ORIGIN OF PIANO
TITLE A THEME
Veteran Traveler Discusses Difficulty of
Dealers in Finding a Name with Local
Significance as Well as Euphonious
Sound.
AN INSTANCE RELATED
How Choice of Piano Name Left to a Gambling
Chance Was Never Accepted and the Story
Which Follows Tells Why.
In a great many pianos the origin of the title is an
obvious thing. It perpetuates the memory of the
founders if dead and identifies living men and families
with piano industries. Some of the names are his-
toric in the piano trade sense and have been borne
by square pianos in the early days with as much
pride as they are borne today by reproducing pianos.
In the so-called regular pianos generally, the origin
of the titles are easily understood. A great many
pianos considered worthy, however, give no clue in
their form to any man, family or industry.
But the list of pianos of unknown origin, a long
one in Presto Buyers' Guide, contains numerous
names that puzzle piano men. Some are palpable
take-offs on well known piano names. Others sug-
gest the firm names of retail houses and others are
plainly the titles of stencils selected for the fanciful
sound or quality of suggestion. Names of towns,
counties, states are all present in the list of so-called
unknown pianos; some are euphonious and others
harsh in the sound as possibly are the pianos they
stand for.
The Dealer Perplexed.
When a dealer decides to put out a second piano
with a title of his own. choice the task of deciding on
it is often a difficult one. Issuing one with his own
name is easy. There he is proceeding along the lines
of least resistance.
The piano dealer is rare who
would hate to see his name ornamenting a fallboard.
In the choice there are no complexities and the proc-
ess of naming is simple and pleasant.
It is in the selection of a second firm piano to be
featured and pushed that causes the dealer to hesi-
tate. The possible popularity of the piano depends
largely upon the attractiveness of the name. Will
he bid for the loyalty of the town? Will the county
be honored? In such events it is not alw r ays wise to
mal^e a choice. The '"Junction City" piano suggests
the clatter of trains instead of the pleasant tinkling of
the stencil. "Wamego" and "Osawwatomie" have a
war whoopy sound that might be suitable for an in-
strument featured in an unethical piano competitors'
strife. Local names are often impossible because the
freely translated Indian word may signify onion, pole-
cat, horse face, place-of-the-big-noise or something
highly unsuited to distinguishing such a pleasing and
melodious thing as a piano.
The Illustration.
Of course this subject is one which suggests the
illuminating instances, and, as my stuff is always sup-
posed to lead to the story that illustrates, it is as well
to tell the experiences of a very dear dealer friend
who one time decided to have a second piano sten-
ciled with a copyright title. I will not give his name,
but he will be identified by many of my brother
travelers by the facts herein related.
At the time the incident occurred the dealer had
live as. pretty daughters as ever spoiled a doting
father. Their names were Rose. Violet, Lily, Daisy
and Pansy. The lir-st three are handsome matrons
now, Rose and Violet being married to fortunate
piano men. Daisy and Pansy, who are twins, are in
college and wonders for imbibing knowledge.
Appeals to Wife.
When the selection of a piano name was puzzling
the dealer he appealed to his wife for help in making
a choice. In emergencies he naturally turned to his
better and, as he frankly admitted, wiser half.
"Why not give it the name of one of our girls,"
suggested Mrs. Dealer.
"As usual, my dear, you're inspired!" shouted the
fond and proud father of five pretty girls and the
slave of the twins. "Great idea! How about nam-
ing it for Daisy?"
"That would be great, but Pansy is just as sweet,"
was the mild objection of the impartial mother.
Daisy Claims.
"Yes, but Daisy is two minutes older. That makes
a lot of difference," persisted the doting popper.
"It would not if the piano were a half twin. Other-
wise
"
"I see," admitted the disappointed father. "But I'd
like to find a way to select the name of one without
hurting the other."
"But why narrow the choice. Any one of our girls'
names would fit a nice piano," suggested the open-
minded mamma. "We'll let chance, too, decide which
of the names you select for your piano."
Mrs. Dealer's Plan.
Mrs. Dealer proposed her plan. Across the street
was a florist's store, and every Saturday it was the
florist's custom to make a showing of some particu-
lar flower on the stand outside his windows. It was
a season in which the florist could and might show
roses, violets, lilies, daisies or pansies and his facilities
for growing the different kinds were great.
"Mr. Schultz will make his special show tomorrow
as usual. Let the gambling chance decide what the
piano name shall be," was her plan.
That was on Friday. On Saturday all members of
the dealer's family, the wife and all the pretty daugh-
ters, were up early and nervously peeking from time
to time across at the florist's store. At last he opened
up, turned the hose on the windows, swept the side-
walk, and did a lot of tasks preparatory to fixing his
special show of flowers. The delay was maddening
to the girls. Even father and mother chafed at the
slowness of the florist.
At Last.
At last he retired within his store. Ten minutes
passed, fifteen, twenty. The watchers knew he was
arranging the flower specialty on the stand which he
would eventually push on rollers to the sidewalk. At
last he appeared pushing the stand before him.
The girls shrieked, the dealer's wife said "Bother!"
The dealer himself said "Damn!"
The show for that day was rubber plants.
M. D. S.
GOOD SALES FOR H. C. BAY
REPRODUCING GRAND PIANO
Orders of Dealers for This Desirable Instrument
Shows Demand to Be Unusually Strong.
The fall season has been a boomer for the H. C.
Bay Reproducing Grand. Orders for this piano have
far exceeded expectations and the wide popularity of
this particular style is obvious. Piano lovers every-
where have recognized the intrinsic value of the Re-
producing Grand and are accountable for the present
active sales.
In his talk with a Presto representative last week,
I. S. Purcell, sales manager of the H. C. Bay Co.,
Republic Bldg., Chicago, expressed his opinion as to
the business outlook in the near future. "The sales
of our reproducing grand in October and November
thus far are the best we have ever experienced, but
the real surprise is the consistent manner in which
orders are arriving. Our factory is working with the
same precision and efficiency regardless of the many
orders received. Adequate facilities have increased
production capacity and the factory is able to meet
all requirements of dealers in a short time."
GOOD BRINKERHOFF REPORTS.
Two live dealers in Chicago last week visited the
Brinkerhoff Piano Co., Republic Bldg., 209 S. State
street, and made a good report for the Brinkerhoff
piano in their respective territories. The dealers were
George Mickel, of Mickel Bros. Piano Co., Omaha,
Xebr., and Mr. Reynolds, of the Reynolds-Brooks
Piano Co., Lagotte, Ind. The Mickel Co. which is
the Victor distributor for a large territory around
Omaha comprising several states, is also active in
the distribution of pianos.
BEST OCTOBER IN YEARS.
Frank Lucas, of the Seiberling-Lucas Music Co.,
Portland, Ore., says that the volume of business done
by the firm in October was greater than any month
since they started in business in 1909. The large sales
of the piano department contributed to this result,
the Gulbransen, Kranich & Bach, and Kohler &
Campbell selling as never before. The Gulbransen
player was especially prominent in the sales, as it is
very popular with the Portland public.
HANDSOME JACKSONVILLE STORE.
The new store of the Arnold-Edwards Piano Co.,
Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the most elaborate retail
music warerooms in the entire South. The building
represents a total investment of $90,000- for construc-
tion cost alone.
The structure is three stories in
height and contains not only display rooms but an
auditorium and professional studios as well.
CLOSES SUCCESSFUL SALE.
J. H. Crapp, manager of the piano and talking ma-
chine department of the H. S. Barney Co., Schenec-
tady, N. Y., recently closed a very successful sale on
pianos to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of
the store.
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/