Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
E,tabu.hed lass.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform B o o k -
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
to c*nt, t n.oo a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1924
put him at the head of one of the most completely
equipped and aggressively managed piano industries
in the United States. And Mr. Netzow long since
gave evidence of his capacity to carry forward the
enterprise into which he has invested all of his mature
life, even from his boyhood days.
A Successful Career.
At Recent Meeting of the Directors of the Mil-
The Waltham Piano Company is today one of the
most widely known and successful of American piano
waukee Industry the Former Treasurer
industries. It has won a name for its products based
and General Manager Was Named
upon distinctive merit, and it has attained to a reputa-
as President.
tion for the manufacture of reliable instruments which
present the assurances absolutely essential in this day
of advanced ideas and critical public.
Waltham dealers are of the kind who understand
what a piano must be to justify their enthusiastic
endorsement, and the Waltham position, with trade
New President's Advancement the Result of Nineteen and public, ma}' fairly be, in a large sense, credited
Years of Hard Work in All Departments
to the energy and watchful enthusiasm of Paul Net-
zow, the newly elected president of the Milwaukee
of the Factory.
company.
A Unique History.
At a meeting of the directors of the Waltham Piano
The
history
of
the Waltham Piano Company is in
Company, of Milwaukee, on February 12th, Paul F.
Netzow, former treasurer of the company, was elected some respects unique. When it was established,
president. The advancement came after nineteen there were few who would believe that the Wisconsin
city could develop so extensive a piano industry as
was planned. But the founder of the Waltham Piano
Co. was a piano man whose experience began at the
beginning and was based upon a very extensive ex-
perience in the retail trade. He therefore knew just
what the music loving people wanted.
When he decided to embark in the piano industry
the founder of the Waltham began to produce, in a
small way, just what the people wanted, but, im-
proving upon the instruments he had formerly been
selling, because he meant to build, not only pianos,
but also a reputation for the quality of his own
products.
The Factory's Growth.
The first Waltham factory was a little frame build-
ing on Grove street, Milwaukee. Even at that time
Paul Netzow was a worker there, as the picture which
accompanies this article will show. Gradually the
business grew and something like twenty years ago
the new factory at First street, Island and Keefe
avenues was erected.
To that great building several additions have been
made, until today the Waltham plant is one of im-
posing proportions and large productiveness. Its
products now are the Waltham, the Warfield, and
several other lines of lesser note. The Waltham is,
of course, the leading instrument. It is made in a
THE FIRST WALTHAM FACTORY.
fine variety of styles, in both pianos and playerpianos.
Under the management of President Paul F. Netzow,
years of steady application to the interests of the in- a man of ideas as well as energy, the future of the
dustry, during fifteen of which Mr. Netzow has served Waltham Piano Company is secure.
as treasurer. His work in the Waltham factory be-
gan, however, in the humble but necessary capacity
A BRADDOCK, PA., BRANCH.
of boxing pianos in the shipping department.
From the shipping room Mr. Netzow served in
The opening of the new branch of the Frederick
various capacities, all of which helped to acquaint Piano Co., of Pittsburgh, in the Strathern Building,
him with the many and varied departments of a Braddock, Pa., was made a great advertising occa-
large piano industry, and fitted him for the position sion by that company. An exceptionally large stock
which he was later to assume, and which finally has of pianos was assembled there for the opening.
PAUL NETZOW IS
WALTHAM HEAD
A PROGRESSIVE PLANT
KRAKAUER BROS. ELECT
OFFICERS FOR THIS YEAR
Manufacturers of Fine Pianos Report Good Year with
Promise of Better One.
At the annual meeting of Krakauer Bros., held in
the company's office in New York on the 5th day of
February, the following officers were elected for the
year 1924:
I. E. Bretzfelder, president; W. B. Marshall, first
vice-president; Arthur Hahn, second vice-president;
B. I. Siegel, secretary; A. L. Bretzfelder, treasurer.
A. L. Bretzfelder, treasurer, reported that the re-
sults for the year 1923 were verjr gratifying and the
outlook for the year 1924 most promising, inasmuch
as the company has many orders on hand. The re-
port of last year's business was also satisfactory in
every respect.
D. G. BAUMBAUGH HEADS
NORTHERN OHIO ASSOCIATION
Other Officers Chosen and Plans for Banquet Dis-
cussed at Annual Meeting Last Week.
At the meeting of the Music Merchants' Associa-
tion of Northern Ohio at the Hotel Statler, Cleveland,
last week, D. G. Baumbaugh of the talking machine
section of the May Co. was elected president for the
ensuing year.
Other officers elected were: Vice-president, John
R. Ortli; treasurer, H. K. Day. Nobody was named
to fill the office of secretary. Rexford C. Hyre, who
served in that capacity last term asked to be relieved
of his duties. Mr. Hyre made the plea on account of
the pressure of work as secretary of the Music Mer-
chants' Association of Ohio. It is possible M. Hyre's
place will be filled at a special meeting to be called
soon.
The date of the banquet proposed for the associa-
tion has not yet been decided upon, and that, too, will
be fixed at the special meeting. A committee of ar-
rangements, however, has been named as follows:
D. G. Baumbaugh, T. R. Buel, J. R. Ortli, J. L. De
Bruil and W. G, Bowie.
LOUISVILLE'S BIGGEST STORE
HANDLES A GREAT LINE
Stewart Dry Goods Co. Making Good Selling Some
of the Leaders.
One of the largest and most progressive piano
stores in Louisville is known as the musical instru-
ment department of the Stewart Dry Goods Com-
pany, which ranks as the finest department store in
Kentucky.
The pianos, playerpianos and phonographs occupy
the top story of the big establishment, and here are
displayed and sold a large line, including the Bram-
bach Grands and the Vose & Sons pianos and players
from Boston. The Stewart Dry Goods Company
also handles some of the Starr styles.
"Trade has been good all winter," said S. H. Aver-
ill, of the piano sales department to a Presto repre-
sentative on Monday of this week. "And the year
1924 is starting out very well both as to sales and in-
quiries."
NEW ELECTRIC PIANO CO.
The latest acquisition to the list of piano enterprises
is the Western Electric Piano Co., 215 Englewood
avenue, Chicago. Capital, 5,000 shares no par value.
The purpose is to manufacture and deal in musical
instruments. Incorporators: R. H. Malmquist, J. F.
Eiszner, K. R, Craft. Correspondent: McCormick,
Kirkland, Patterson & Fleming, Tribune Building,
Chicago.
THE WALTHAM PLANT OF TODAY.
The George M. Ott Piano Mfg. Co., Cleveland, O.,
formerly located on the second floor at East Nine-
teenth street and Euclid avenue, is now at 1920 Euclid
avenue on the ground floor.
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