Presto

Issue: 1924 1958

PRESTO
ACTIVITIES IN THE
CALIFORNIA FIELD
How Employes of Music House May Be Stim-
ulated to Find Prospects for Piano Sales
Shown in Report of Sherman, Clay &
Co.'s Contest.
4
BUY THEATER ORGANS
Threatened Strike of Union Musicians Provides Op-
portunity for Roll Player Instruments and Roll
Trade Also See Opening for Sales.
A new piano and playerpiano prospect contest has
been begun in the various stores of Sherman, Clay &
Co., and employes in California. Oregon and Wash-
ington are again being stimulated by the allurement
of cash prizes. This is the eighth prospect contest
in the big Pacific Coast concern in which the workers
of all kinds participate in finding customers for the
sales departments. The idea for the contests orig-
inated with William Tatroe, head of the piano de-
partment in the San Francisco store. The contest
now inaugurated will terminate in June.
The prizes from $10 to $50 have been awarded in
the contest which closed last week and through the
help of the prospect leads close to one hundred and
twenty sales were consummated.
The employes
of the San Francisco store led w T ith fifty-nine. Oak-
land was second with twenty-five and Seattle third
with seventeen.
A Frequent Winner.
The prospect contests are open to all employes with
the exception of managers, salesmen and those sell-
ing pianos on a commission basis. William Meade of
the San Francisco store, who won the first prize
in the contest just closed was winner of the second
prize in the contest which ended June, 1923, and also
winner of the first prize in the contest ending on De-
cember 31, 1922.
Effects of Strike.
The threatened strike of the organized musicians
asking for more pay has provided an opportunity for
the theater organ salesmen and to judge by results
and possibilities they have taken advantage of the
chance. Quite a number of motion picture houses are
considering the installation of instruments played by
music rolls. The crisis has been a spur to the Ex-
hibitors' Music Roll Co., which supplies rolls to
movie houses and other places using the mechanical
instruments. Among twelve motion picture houses
on Market street seven have discontinued the orches-
tras and organists and depend on instruments using
rolls. It is a happening repeated in other portions of
the city. To provide for the new theater condition
Sherman, Clay & Co. is cutting its own song publica-
tions on rolls for theater use, accompanied by slides
which are also being prepared.
Band Spirit Spreads.
The spread of the band spirit in California is not
disregarded by the Quarg Music Co., San Francisco.
Indeed, all the activities of the company are directed
to increase the spirit which plainly makes the busi-
ness in Conn instruments enjoyed by the firm, grow
in an amazing way. "Amazing" is the word used
QUALITY
in Name and in Fact
TONE, MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience—are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
BUSH&LANE PIANOS
BUSH & LANE CEGILIAN PLAYER PIANOS
t~ke high place, therefore, in any com-
parison of high grade pianos because of
the individuality of character which dis-
tinguishes them in all essentials of merit
and value.
BUSH ft LANE PIANO CO.
Holland, Mich.
by Richard Quarg to describe the manner in which
the band and orchestra departments are flourishing.
Sydney J. Wilson, sales representative of Sherman,
Clay & Co., has opened a piano store at 543 Main
street, Hayward, Calif. While Mr. Wilson is a new-
comer in this field he has been with this old, well
known firm for a great many years. He had charge
of their branch in Stockton, later at Santa Rosa, and
for the past eight years in Bakersfield.
Other Items.
George R. Hughes, secretary of the Wiley B. Allen
Company, San Francisco, stated that business in
grands in 1923 had been especially marked by a heavy
demand for small grands, and by a desire, on the part
of the public, for the more costly kinds of pianos.
This has influenced the company in its plans for 1924,
when the small grand will be featured in a stronger
manner than ever before.
The Photoplayer Company, San Francisco, under
the management of Y. A. G. Schiller, has been work-
ing and producing, and the outlook is very cheering.
The offices on Golden Gate avenue were given up
months ago, and Mr. Schiller's headquarters are now
at the Berkeley factory.
The new wholesale building of Sherman, Clay &
Co., San Francisco, is practically completed. Work
is now in progress on the interior installation. It will
probably be ready for occupancy about March 1. The
building is considered a model of convenience and
equipment, fitted to simplify everything in the whole-
sale handling of music goods.
February 2, 1924.
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Cincinnati Factories of The Baldwin Piano Company
SUCCESS
is assured the dealer who takes advantage oj
THE BALDWIN CO-OPERATION PLAN
which offers every opportunity to represent
under the most favorable conditions a com-
plete line of high grade pianos, players and
reproducers.
F»r tnjorm*4on wrtU
Cfje Jgalbtotn ^tano Companp
Incorporate
3irrciNNATi
INOIANAPOLIA
LonwTti^B
CHICAOO
8T. LOUIS
DALLAS
NEW YORK
Dravn
SAN FRANCUCO
CHICAGO PIANO & ORGAN
ASSOCIATION 40 YEARS OLD
E. J. Meredith, Ex-Secretary of Agriculture, Makes
Interesting Talk on Purchasing Power of Farmer.
The twenty-fifth annual dinner of the Chicago Piano
and Organ Association was held at the Palmer House,
Thursday evening, January 24. The dinner was
marked with good speeches and entertainment and
was considered by the large number present to be
the best meeting ever held by the association, which
has been organized for forty years.
The principal speaker of the occasion was E. J.
Meredith, former member of ex-President Wilson's
cabinet as secretary of agriculture and owner of the
Meredith Publications, Des Moines, Iowa., which are
devoted to the interest of the farmers.
The subject of Mr. Meredith's talk was "The Pur-
chasing Power of the Farmer," in which he explained
the farmer's condition at the present time.
The Glee Club of the Chicago Association of Com-
merce furnished the music. The club, which is com-
posed of 25 singers, completed an unusually good
program. The officers of the association for this
year are: James T. Bristol, president; E. F. Lapham,
Hirst vice-president; William S. Miller, second vice-
president; Adam Schneider, treasurer; C. M. Reich-
ardt, secretary.
The Heppe. Marcellus and Edouard Jules Piano
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos in the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented In the United States, Great Britain
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only.
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
BUSY IN OLD LOCATION.
The W. T. Crane Piano Co., Syracuse, N. Y., which
recently returned to its old home at 352 South Salina
street, which it left nine years ago to take over quar-
ters located across the street, is one of the most
active firms in that city. W. T. Crane is founder and
head of the business. The new store is really "the
old store' to the Crane firm. It was there nearly 20
years, moving when Mr. Crane took over the Green •
leaf Piano Co. on South Warren street. He always
wanted to get back and when he moved across the
street a few years ago, he said, "I'll keep my eye on
the place." When it became available last summer
he joyfully signed a new lease. "I hope I'll be here
at least twenty years more,"' he said. "It feels like
home."
Small
Grand
Five foot case
full
grand tone, beautiful
design and finish.
Lester Piano Co.
1306 Chestnut St
Philadelphia
SHIPPING ORGANS SOUTH.
There is sale for reed organs if the manufacturers
will go after busniess energetically. As proof is the
fact that Nace's Music Stores, Inc., with stores at
Hanover and Gettysburg, Pa., and Westminster, Md.,
have just shipped another car of the reed instruments
to the south, this being their sixth car of organs
within ten months. These organs were all taken in
trade for other musical instruments. Nace's Music
Stores, Inc., have been making a specialty of the used
reed organ business with very considerable results.
MR. BENT'S NEW BOOK.
There is a cheerful promise that Geo. P. Bent's
review of the piano trade and industry, as he knew it,
will be out before long. The popular ex-piano manu-
facturer is now at his home in Los Angeles, Cal.,
busily engaged upon the work he loves. And mean-
time the characteristically original advertising of the
Bent—letters really "'bent"'—is appearing in the Chi-
cago newspapers in connection with the Bent Music
Shop on Wabash avenue.
When in doubt refer to
PRESTO BUYERS GUIDE
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All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
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February 2, 1924.
PRESTO
ADDS TO CORPS OF
STEQER ROADMEN
Sales Manager Givler Augments Sales Forces
of Old Chicago Industry in Launching Cam-
paign for Still Bigger Business.
you fail to secure the
agency for the See-
burg O r c h e s t r i o n s
and coin-operated pi-
anos you miss an all-
year-round source of
profit—a maximum of
results for a minimum
of effort.
They appeal to the
very best class of trade
because of their real
musical efficiency and
artistic appearance.
They represent the
acme of durability and
simplicity of construc-
tion. "The sales stick."
Write for catalogs
and full information.
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO CO.
Factory
Offices
1508-16 Dayton St.
1510 Dayton St.
CHICAGO, ILL.
The Stcger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co., has added sev-
eral salesmen to its sales force. It is the plan of the
company to reach all parts of the country through its
traveling representatives, who will establish new deal-
ers and give aid to those already selling the Chicago
line.
The new salesmen employed by the Steger Com-
pany are C. W. Reed, W. A. Floyd, S. L. Davis and
H. B. Schroeder. All of these gentlemen are experi-
enced salesmen, but before going on the road, they
were given intensive training at headquarters.
The course of instructions included for four days at
the Steger factory at Steger, 111., where salesmen
dressed in overalls, inspected the entire factory and
studied the processes of construction of the Steger
instruments.
The unique policy of acquainting salesmen with the
product they are to sell is considered of great value
by Sales Manager Givler. He believes it is the best
equipment they can carry into the field and that it
enables them to discuss their line in an intelligent and
interesting manner.
The territories have been re-arranged. Mr. Davis
will have Illinois, except Chicago, and will also take
care of the St. Louis trade. Mr. Floyd will be the
Southern traveler, having Arkansas, Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi and Oklahoma. Mr. Reed has been assigned
Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, except St.
Louis. Mr. Schroeder will travel Michigan and West-
ern Ohio.
Of the older salesmen, E. J. Duffey will represent
the Steger line in Pennsylvania, New York, except
New York City, and New Jersey except Newark. J.
A. Bryan, Jr., will travel western Ohio and Indiana,
and M. E. Walsh will be the Northwest traveler,
having Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Da-
kota. H. T. McCallon is the Pacific Coast wholesale
traveler.
FIELD=LIPPMAN STORE AT
SEDALIA HAS NEW MANAGER
Brother of W. A. Lippman Goes to Sedalia From
St. Louis to Manage Music House.
Chas. F. Lippman, a brother of W. A. Lippman
of the Field-Lippman Piano Store, St. Louis, has
succeeded to. the management of the Field-Lippman
branch at Sedalia, Mo. Mr. Lippman has been asso-
ciated with his brother in the piano business in St.
Louis, holding a place as sales manager. He is
widely experienced in the middle west piano trade.
W. A. Lippman, who was in Sedalia to introduce
his brother, believes that conditions just now justify
extra efforts in the piano business, and he is sure that
the plans he has under way to promote and build
the Sedalia store will reinstate and provide an added
service that this store has been accustomed to giving
the people of this section in years past.
J. F. Bloom will continue with the Field-Lippman
stores in the districts occupied by the chain of stores
this St. Louis firm owns.
STRENGTH OF THE LINE
OF C. KURZMANN & CO.
Company's Excellent Co-operative Methods Add to
Sales Successes of the Dealers.
The C. Kurtzmann Co., Buffalo, N. Y., gives ex-
cellent advice to its dealers in the "Kurtzmann Ad
Book" and the sensible suggestions plainly have been
followed by them. This is said:
"'You need to advertise, primarily to keep your
name before your people as their leading piano house.
"You need to advertise to reduce overhead and
accelerate the turnover of the money invested in your
piano stock.
"You need to crystallize that universal desire for
the purchase of a good piano into a definite buying
frame of mind, when the prospect will come to your
store first.
"You need to point out, directly or inferentially,
that the purchase of a worthy piano should precede
the spending of money for other less permanent
pleasures. Even in the best of times, people only
have a certain amount of money to spend and they
are prone to spend it in the direction in which they
receive the most urging.
"And when you carry a piano as fine as the Kurtz-
mann you surely want ot tell your prospective cus-
tomers about it.
"The advertisements contained in this book have
been purposely prepared to include a wide variety of
human appeals. For that reason they merit your
earnest reading. If you will do that, you will want
to see them in your newspapers."
The statement in a Kurtzmann ad in this paper,
"Why Kurtzmann Dealers Sell Kurtzmann Pianos,"
is explained when the aid in selling given by the com-
pany to its dealers is understood. This is said, and
every Kurtzmann dealer can verify its truth:
"The piano dealer who seeks to erect an enduring
business structure in his community cannot choose a
more trustworthy corner-stone than the Kurtzmann.
It is as much of a friend-maker as it is of a money-
maker—a piano that has as warm an appeal for the
uninstructed as it has for the music master."'
PRESIDENT ILLINOIS MUSIC
MERCHANTS GOES SOUTH
Fred P. Watson, of Mt. Vernon, Will Visit Panama
Canal, Cuba and Costa Rica.
Mt. Vernon. 111., January 24, 1924.
Editor Presto: I want to thank you for the pub-
licity given the Illinois Music Merchants' Association
work. Allow me to say that the officers and mem-
bers of the association are under obligations to the
trade press for splendid cooperation and assistance.
I want to take this occasion to thank you personally
for this assistance.
I had the pleasure of being a guest of President
John McKenna at the Piano Club luncheon last Mon-
day. 1 had hoped to call at your office and get a
little better acquainted, but the weather and being a
delegate to the United States Chamber of Commerce
divisional meeting and also a director in the Illinois
Chamber of Commerce, which body held a meeting
on Tuesday evening, my time was pretty well occu-
pied, and as far as the weather was concerned, I
have never been in Chicago when it was so cold.
Mrs. Watson and I are hoping to leave on the 13th
of February for a trip down the Caribbean Sea way,
down to Havana, then down to the Panama Canal and
over to Costa Rica, to be gone three or four weeks,
stopping a day or two on our return trip at New
Orleans for the Mardi Gras, and we hope by the time
we get back not only southern Illinois, but Chicago
will be taking on spring airs.
Thanking you again for the kindness to the asso-
ciation, and with personal regards, I remain,
Yours very truly,
FRED P. WATSON,
President Illinois Music Merchants' Association.
AMONG THE LATE VISITORS
TO GULBRANSEN=DICKINSON CO.
Piano Dealers and Other Trade Visitors at Kedzie
and Chicago Avenues, Chicago.
Recent visitors to the Gulbransen-Dickinson Co.,
Chicago and Kedzie avenues, Chicago, were W. R.
Schutes, manager of the El Paso Piano Co., El Paso,
Texas. Mr. Schutes had been visiting the trade in
New York previous to his arrival in Chicago, and,
while in the latter city, he called at the Gulbransen-
Dickinson factory. He left last Friday evening for
his home in El Paso.
J. N. Nixon, music dealer, of Pleeble, Ohio, stopped
over a day while on his way to Martinsvillc, Ind.
Mr. Nixon is a frequent visitor to the headth springs
at that city.
Another caller last week was Mr. Hubble, of the
Hubble Talking Machine Company, of Monroe, Mich.
BIT OF TRADE HISTORY.
In a circular letter issued to the public of Reading,
Pa., Raymond B. Brown, proprietor of Brown's Music
House, 21-23 N. Eighth street, tells about the Lichty
Music House, which Brown's Music House suc-
ceeded. The Lichty Music House was established by
the late Charles Lichty in 1876, and was conducted
by the late Mr. Lichty and his sons until six years
ago, when Mr. Brown became associated with the
Lichty store. Four years ago Mr. Brown took over
the business under his own management, but did not
change the store's name until recently.
HARTFORD FIRM CELEBRATES.
Watkins Bros., Inc., of Hartford, Conn., recently
held its semi-annual banquet at the Hotel Bond,
in that city. Over eighty salesmen and man-
agers, including those from the firm's Bristol and
Manchester stores, attended the dinner, at which
$2,000 in cash prizes were distributed to the winners
of the recent sales contest conducted by the man-
agement. William Rush, manager of the Hartford
branch, presided.
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/

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