Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1924 1969

10
PRESTO
manufacture. It is not unnatural that those who had
been frequent visitors to the markets of Italy should
seize the opportunity of securing her fading manu-
factures. The timber was coming from Russia. South
Germany had already, in the sixteenth century, a
flourishing metal trade. Nuremberg is said to have
one of the first wire-drawing mills, and
How Victory of Turks in 1453 Influenced the possessed
hence we are not surprised to find the manufacture
Music Industry Told in Interesting Way
of musical instruments transferred to Central Europe.
Moreover, the financial center of Europe had shifted
by Lecturer.
in the same direction. The house of Fugars is repre-
sentative of the large scale enterprise which was grow-
Few people would connect the fall of Constanti- ing up. This house made a phenomenal fortune in
nople in 1453 with the manufacture of a grand piano two generations, and was the great hidden force be-
in London five hundred years later. But A. L. Flight, hind European politics. Consequently, manufacturers
a lecturer in the Music Trades School of London, in settled in German towns. The growth of German
a recent article in the London Music Trades Review, industry at the expense of Italian suggests an explana-
tion of the fact that Germany and Italy had rival
shows that the paths of history often lead from one
event to another and easily traces the connection be- claimants for being the inventor of the pianoforte.
Antwerp was now the western port of European
tween the events named.
commerce. All the big financial firms of Germany
It is significant that the honor of inventing each of
and England had branches there. The people were
the early types of instrument, such as the clavichord, largely Protestant, and would naturally offer hospi-
spinet, and harpsichord, is claimed by the Italians. tality to their co-religionists. The names of Hans and
Until the end of the Fifteenth Century Italy was the Andre Ruckers of Antwerp are sufficient to recall the
center of civilization so far as the modern world was manufacture of harpsichords in that district. In Eng-
concerned, writes Mr. Flight.
land the Tudor sovereigns were genuinely interested
Suddenly there came a great disaster to the Italians. in the development of native industries, and, in addi-
The horde of Turks traveling westward captured Ihe tion, were not blind to the possibilities of increased
Black Sea ports, and then settled in Asia Minor, thus prestige for England by inviting Continental work-
obstructing the trade to the ports of Africa and the men to leave their homes and settle in this country
eastern Mediterranean. As these routes became under royal protection. Many came here, bringing
closed, every country sought for a fresh avenue lead- with them considerable skill and technique.
ing to the lands of spices. This gave rise to the
London and Antwerp had been rivals for commer-
adventures of Vasco da Gama and other explorers.
cial supremacy, so that the fall of Antwerp, histori-
Thus did Italy become isolated, rapidly losing her
cally alluded to as the "Sack of Antwerp" in 1594,
commercial status, and with it her power to finance meant the rise of London. London took Antwerp's
industries for her neighbors.
place in the commercial organization of the world,
But what was to happen to her own industries?
and with its increased opportunities developed the in-
Italy had been the home of the musical instrument
dustries which had flourished in the Low Countries.
One of the Flemings who had been directly con-
nected with Ruckers was a clever craftsman named
Tabel. He was, of course, a harpsichord maker.
His two foremen, Tchudi and Kirckmann, were
THE
among the early migrants to England. They started
business as harpsichord makers, but when they saw
the possibilities of the newly-invented pianoforte,
they were not slow to develop this instrument also.
By the middle of the Eighteenth Century the industry
was firmly established in London, and the names of
PIANOS
these early makers are still to be seen on old square
pianos in the salesrooms and markets all over the
country.
HISTORICAL EPISODE
AFFECTED PIANO MAKING
W. P. HAINES & COMPANY
April 19, 1924.
ARRESTED ON CHARGE
OF EMBEZZLEMENT
Active Branch House of Baldwin Piano Company
Stops Salesman Who Misapplied Funds.
Don L. Taylor was arrested on state warrant by
the Baldwin Piano Company, the defendant being
charged with embezzlement. The following is an
extract of a letter which the company sent to W. A.
Smith, at Aurora, 111.
''This is to advise you that this office has arrested
on state warrant one Don L. Taylor, charging the de-
fendant with embezzlement from the Baldwin Piano
Company."
The case is rather remarkable because, of the many
hundreds of salesmen working out of the Baldwin
retail branches, it is very rarely that a case similar
to that of Taylor develops. The Aurora agency is
a live one and is controlled by the Chicago house of
the Baldwin Piano Ox, of Cincinnati.
T. M. Matthews is owner of the Vcrbeck Musical
Sales Co., formerly opened recently at 42 Central
avenue, Hartford, Conn.
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell readily—Stay sold
Great profit possibilities
Style E (shown below) our latest 4'6"
THE PIANOS OF QUALITY
Three Generations of Piano Makers
All Styles—Ready Sellers
Attractive Prices
GRANDS
REPRODUCING GRANDS
UPRIGHTS and PLAYERS
AVAILABLE TERRITORY OPEN
W. P. HAINES & CO., Inc.
138th St. and Walton Ave.
New York City
Henry G. Johnson
Piano Mfg. Co.
Manufacturers
SOME VERY LATE OPENINGS
IN THE RETAIL MUSIC TRADE
A Few of the New Ventures in the Best Business in
the World.
James A. Fagan has bought the furniture store of
John L. Slocum, Bath, N. Y.
R. W. Dilley has opened a music store at 817 Mont-
rose avenue, Montrose, Cal.
The Glendale Music Co. is erecting a new building
at 118 Southern boulevard, Glendale, Cal.
The Ritz Music Shop was recently opened at 1661
Broadway, New York City, by Joseph Reinborn.
The Davis, Burkham & Tyler Music Co., Wheeling,
W. Va., is offering free lessons in piano instruction
under competent instructors.
Ginsberg & Son, furniture dealers, 413-415 West
Walnut stret, Des Moines, la., has added a piano
department.
The Belknap Piano Co., Napa, la., opened a branch
in Vinton, la., last week.
The Foster Piano Co. has moved to a new store in
Greenville, S. C.
The Davis, Burkham & Tyler Co., Cambridge, O.,
has opened a branch at Caldwell, O.
Weser Bros., Inc.
Manufacturer!
520 to 528 West 43rd St.
New York
A Line of Pianos and Players
That Will Meet Every Re-
quirement of Your Business.
BEAUTIFUL IN TONE AND IN
CASE DESIGNS
To Sell at Prices That Insure
Good Profits to the Dealers
and Always with Satisfac-
tion to Their Customers.
Factory and Offices
Bellevue, Iowa
Chicago Office
307 Great Northern Bldg.
Write for catalogue
and price list
Just What You Want!
of
High Grade Pianos
and Players
Capacity
6,000 per Annum
Order a sample to-day.
Liberal advertising and
cooperative arrangements
Send for Full Particulars
and We Will Do Business.
FUEHR&STEMMER PIANO CO.
2701-2709 South Wells Street
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
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/
11
PRESTO
April 19, 1924.
DETROIT, MICH., EXPECTS
BIGGER MUSIC BUSINESS
Large Add-tion to the Population Last Year
Means Bigger Payrolls and Increase in the
Number of Music Goods Prospects.
The growth in importance of Detroit, Mich., as an
automobile city has been accompanied by a growth
of another form—the expansion of the music busi-
ness in the old houses and the organization of new
firms. It is pleasant but not remarkable that the
great increase in population should result in the
selling of more music goods. Over a dozen new
music stores were added to the existing facilities for
providing for the musical wants of the additional
90,000 population acquired by Detroit during 1923.
The added population is accountable for the in-
crease in the advertising spirit. The new accretions
to the population naturally mean more payrolls or
bigger payrolls and the percentage of such money
going to the music stores depends on the alluring
quality in the music store advertising as much as
the spontaneous prompting of the people to buy
music and music goods.
Grinnell Bros, have prepared for any possible in-
crease in the business of the city and steps are being
taken to increase the facilities of the branch stores
throughout the state and outside of it. Vigorous new
plans for stimulating sales have been formulated by
James E. Carey, new supervisor of stores for Grinnell
Bros. He is a man of great activity and wonderful
success in store management. He has been manager
of the Kalamazoo branch since 1915 and during that
time has considerably added to the importance of the
branch.
One sign of activity in the piano business in De-
troit is the increase in the calls of customers for the
services of the tuners. It exhibits an interest in the
tone of the pianos after the trying season of winter.
The increased calls for tuners may be from the spon-
taneous desire of the piano owners with a considera-
tion of their pianos or they may be caused by the
propaganda of the individual tuners or that of the
Detroit Division of the National Association of Piano
Tuners. The plan for special repairing and tuning
courses for the Detroit tuners has been widely pub-
lished by the newspapers.
The Cable Piano Co. will move to its new quarters
on Library avenue about May 1—that is, the formal
opening will take place at that time. The company
is already in possession of the building, which is being
remodeled. The improvements include a new front,
which will provide considerable space for displays.
The business is being made lively for the closing
weeks in the Woodward avenue store.
ANDERSON PIANO CO.'S
NEW BRANCH IN XENIA, 0 .
Progressive Dayton, O., Music House Inaugurates
New Store With Lively Sale.
The Anderson Piano Company, Dayton, O., which
recently purchased the Aeolian-Vocalion Company
there, has purchased the remaining stock and equip-
ment of the Brower Music Shop, West Main street.
Xenia, O., and opened the store with a full line of
musical goods and equipment.
Leroy Brower, who opened the Brower Music
Shop several years ago, has been closing out his
business in recent weeks and with Mrs. Brower will
move soon to Spring Valley, where they will have
charge of the medicinal spring of the Spring Valley
Medicinal Water Company.
Brunswick phonographs, records and sheet music
have been carried in an extensive way and the new
owners will continue this line and add to it their line
of pianos, other phonographs and a full line of small
musical instruments. The Anderson Piano Company,
at 114 North Main street, Dayton, is owned by C. D.
Anderson, who was employed in Xenia several years
ago when he was just starting on his successful
career.
The new store will be the agency for the Bruns-
wick, Cheney and Aeolian-Vocalion phonographs,
and Brunswick and Vocalion records, and for the
Steinway, Weber, Steck and Stroud and for the
Duo-Art pianos. In addition the company will han-
dle a complete line of radio instruments and equip-
ment. Arthur Brown, formerly of New York City
will be in charge of the store managing the musical
department and Warnock McDill, of Xenia, who
has been employed by the company in Dayton, will
have charge of the radio department.
The company is introducing itself to Greene County
patrons by a piano sale, pianos from its Dayton store,
both used and new, being placed on sale last week.
The company had a super-heterodyne radio receiving
set on exhibition at the store.
In addition to its sales service, the company will
operate a tuning and repairing service for patrons of
the Xenia store.
A section of the Jesse French & Sons piano factory
at New Castle, Ind., used for storing the veneer stock,
was damaged to the extent of $15,000 in a fire last
week.
B. K. SETTERGREN CO.
Exclusive Manufacturers
Owners of Big Retail Chain Visit Philadelphia
Piano Industry and Factories at Lester, and
Place Large Initial Order.
Arrangements were recently completed between
the T_ nited Music Company, with headquarters at
Brockton, Mass., and the Lester Piano Company of
Philadelphia, whereby the United Music Company
will handle the full line of instruments manufactured
by the Lester Piano Company in all of their stores.
The United Music Company have a chain of retail
stores in Brockton, Mass.; Plymouth, Mass.; Web-
ster, Mass.; New London, Conn.; Willimantic, Conn.;
and Stafford Springs, Conn., and in the last few years
have grown to be one of the largest retail organiza-
tions in the New England States.
Charles Feidman, a member of the firm of Popkin
& Feldman, who own the United Music Company,
and Roy T. Davis, general manager of all the stores,
called at the Lester offices and factories last week and
were so favorably impressed with the Lester organi-
zation and factory facilities for manufacturing high-
grade instruments that they placed initial orders for
three carloads to be distributed between their sev-
eral stores.
The Lester piano is already well known in the ter-
ritory which has been assigned to the United Music
Company, and both the Lester Piano Company and
the United Music Company feel very optimistic as
to the rcsulte that can be attained through this asso-
ciation.
NEW BRANCH MANAGER.
Ralph Hervey last week became manager of the
Adams Music Company, Canton, 111. Mr. Hervey
previously was associated with the Canton branch for
10 years, leaving there about two years ago. He has
been with a band instrument manufacturing firm at
Fort Wayne, Ind.
CLOSES BRANCH IN WARREN, ILL.
A. D. Chatelle, of Freeport. 111., has been in War-
ren, Hi., during his last closing out sale of pianos and
musical goods in his branch there. On the 10th of
April his lease was up on the store in the Morris
Building, and he had to vacate. Goods left were
moved to his Freeport store.
The Lyric Music Co., opened a store recently in
Waukesha, Wis.
For QUALITY, SATISFACTION and PROFIT
NEWMAN BROTHERS PIANOS
ot
HIGH GRADE SMALL GRANDS
NEWMAN BROS. CO.
Established 1870
35 Years' Experience in Piano Building
UNITED MUSIC CO. SELLS
"LESTER" IN ALL STORES
Factories, 816 DIX ST., Chicago, 111.
BLUFFTON, IND.
Kinder & Collins
E. Leins Piano Company,
Pianos
4Mi s
NEW YORK
L
Makers of Pianos That Are Leaders
in Any Reliable Store
NEW FACTORY, 304 W. 42ml St.. NEW VORK
Jesse French & Sons Style BB
The True Test
KREITER
Compare the new Jesse French & Sons Piano
Pianos and Players
with any other strictly high grade piano in tone,
touch and general construction, and you will be
" convinced at once that t h e y offer the most
exceptional v a l u e s to be found anywhere.
Write today for catalog and prices
"They are the one best buy on the market*'
JESSE FRENCH & SONS PIANO CO.
NEW CASTLE,
INDIANA
Have No Competition Where
Beauty of Cases and Tone
Sustain Profit Making Prices.
Everything the Highest but
the Price.
Inspect them Carefully and See.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
320-322 W. Water St., Milwaukee, WU.
Factory i Marinetto, Wis.
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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