Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
EifblUhed 1884. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
10 Cent,; $2.00 a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1924
TRADE NOTES FROM
"~~SAN FRANCE.0
Music Dealers and Others in That City Keenly
Interested in Next Music Week as a
Source of Stimulation for Musical Art
and Trade.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Value of State and County Fairs Conceded by Sher-
man, Clay & Co , Which Reports Many Satis-
factory Fair Sales.
The music trade of San Francisco is interested in
the plans for the Music Week of 1925 which will be
held on the dates coinciding with those chosen for
the national observance of the annual event. So
much was decided at a meeting recently at the St.
1
Francis Hotel with Chester W. Rosenkranz, presid-
ing. Supervisor J. Enmiett Hayden was reappointed
general manager and the name of prominent music
dealers appear on the various committees.
Since the San Francisco Music Week was estab-
lished four years ago it has been a source of stimula-
tion to music and incidentally to the sale of music
goods. The previous Music Weeks have been held
in the fall but the plan to hold it simultaneously with
the national celebration of Music Week is com-
mended by the music dealers in that the coincidence
of the national and local dates w y ill result in valuable
advertising advantages for the San Francisco event.
A Merger.
The Phonograph Shop, 109 Stockton street, San
Francisco, recently purchased by the Quarg Music
Co. at Powell and O'Farrell streets, will be continued
at the same number and under the old name. But
music rolls and radio will be added to the phono-
graph and record stock of the purchased concern by
the Quarg Music Co.
Dealers Opportunities.
Sherman, Clay & Co., is a firm believer in the
opportunities for sales of music goods afforded by
the state and county fairs occurring in the fall. The
management believes that a music purchasing spirit
obtains among the ranchers and other country folk
at this period of the year and that their assemblage
at the fairs is an excellent opportunity to impress
the desirability of the lines carried by the company.
The Sherman, Clay & Co.'s exhibit is always to be
counted upon by the promoters of many widely
attended fairs and the exhibits made by the local
branches vie effectively with the other displays of
merchandise and agricultural products.
Very satisfactory results are reported by Sherman,
Clay & Co. from the fine displays made at the recent
California State Fair held in Sacramento, and the
San Joaquin County Fair held in Stockton. The
managers of the two branches trace a great many
sales of pianos, player and talking machines to the
exhibits and demonstrations during the events. The
blue ribbon for the most tasteful and interesting
booth was awarded to Sherman, Clay & Co., by the
management of the San Joaquin County Fair.
The School-Store Idea.
San Francisco now has a combined music store and
music school which is considered the latest develop-
ment of practical business. It is the business at 34
Golden Gate avenue combining the Modern Music
House and the Modern School of Music. The man-
ager of the school is Ralph Eliaser, president, and
pile of the organizers of the San Francisco Banjo
Club and composer of banjo music and books of in-
struction for the instrument. The store feature of the
^business will be conducted by S. E. Barbee and E.
Shalk of the Barbee Music Co., 161 Taylor street.
An Anniversary.
Gibson McConnell, 315 Sutter street, San Fran*
cisco, recently celebrated the first anniversary of his
"descent to the sidewalk'' as he humorously puts it.
With his energetic methods and original means o|
advertising Mr. McConnell successfully carried on a
music store upstairs at the number named. "Para-
phrasing somebody, if you sell pianos and players
of dependability and at a fair price, the customers
will make a path to your door, even if they have to
use an elevator for the last few feet," said Mr. Mc-
Connell. A year ago he took a lease on the ground
floor of the building and set in to justify his faith
in a continuance of success on the sidewalk level.
Many of the young people in the other music
houses are rejoicing in invitations to the elaborate
Hallowe'en party to be given on November 1 by the
Employes Association of Sherman, Clay & Co. The
event has become one of the most enjoyable occa-
sions of joy and the plan is to make the coming party
the best ever held.
NEW CHICKERING
HALL IS OPENED
WESTERN TRIP OF STANDARD
ACTION CO'S. TREASURER
First Piano Made by Jonas Chickering Holds Place
of Honor in New York Wareroom of
Boston Industry.
Chas. L. McHugh Found Trade Good and Improv-
ing in All the Cities He Visited.
The first piano built by Jonas Chickering in 1823
stands in the place of honor in the new Chickering
Hall, which opened its doors at 27 West Fifty-seventh
street, New York, last week. The old piano is still
holding its own, and its case is almost as shining as
the day it was completed in the little factory on Tre-
mont street, Boston.
History has included the names of Jonas Chicker-
ing in a particular nook of its own. He not only
founded the first American piano to still survive,
but he made revolutionary changes in piano construc-
tion which were copied the world over and are still
in effect.
Before his introduction of the full iron plate it was
impossible to make the advances in piano manufac-
turing which have since marked the instruments.
First New York Branch.
Besides his contributions to piano construction, he
was regarded as one of the leading musical authori-
ties in the country, and he was one of the first to
encourage foreign pianists and singers to come over
on concert tours.
Back in 1853 Jonas Chickering opened his first New
York branch of his Boston firm. This was on the
second Moor of a four-story building at the corner of
Broadway and Reade street. At that time, as today,
the firm was known as Chickering & Sons. The
founder did not live to see the erection of the once
famous Chickering Hall at Fifth avenue and Eigh-
teenth street, a hall known to music lovers the coun-
try over, and to which many a famous artist owes his
success.
Today the new building which has been erected in
honor of the memory of Jonas Chickering is the last
word in perfection. It is not simply a piaiio store.
As intended by the founder, the hall is to be the
Mecca of musical talent, budding and developed, giv-
ing to it the opportunity to be heard by an appreci-
ative audience and affording others who love music
the opportunity to hear it.
Music Salon on First Floor.
The building is fourteen stories in height. Four
floors are devoted to piano display, four more to
studios, where teachers may instruct their students;
two will be turned over to the experimental depart-
ment, that the work of trying to improve on the piano
may continue, and on the ground floor will be the|
music salon.
The salon differs from the old Chickering Hall in.
that it seats less than two hundred persons. This is
for the purpose of permitting a choice few to hear
the efforts of a newly discovered artist and pass on
his or her ability before he or she undertakes the ex- :
pense of a recital in a larger hall. During the day
business men and women go into the hall and listen
to the best of musical selections.
From top to bottom of the building a scheme of
color and decoration of modest simplicity, and yet
beauty, has been put into effect. An announcement
of the details of a prize competition for American
compositions is soon to be made by the management,
which promises it to be the largest competition of its
kind ever held in this country.
Charles L. McHugh, treasurer of the Standard Ac-
tion Company, Cambridge, Mass., recently made an
extensive tour in the interests of the Standard Ac-
tions, covering the entire west where pianos are man-
ufactured as well as all the eastern centers of piano
manufacture. Mr. McHugh found a decided increase
in business at all points visited. In the line of piano
production he believes the corning six months will
show a great increase over the same period a year
ago.
The Standard Action factory is at present working
overtime in several departiweiits, and the company's
increased activities and business have required the
installation of a considerable amount of new machin-
ery and additional working space to keep up with the
increasing demand for Standard Action products.
When in Chicago Mr. McHugh said that "business
is good and bound to continue to keep getting better."
ACTIVITIES OF THE
STORY & CLARK COMPANY
Repro-FhrEso Prominent at Springfield Convention
and Is Winning in the East.
R. A. Burke, popular Story & Clark traveler, re-
turned to Chicago headquarters early this week from
the Illinois Music Merchants' Convention, at Spring-
field, where he showed the Repro-Phraso instrument
to the visiting dealers. After the convention had ad-
journed Mr. Burke visited the trade in St. Louis, In-
dianapolis, and Lexington, Ky., and found the trade
in good shape.
Stil Harcourt, inventor of the popular Repro-Phraso
instrument, is on his way to Pennsylvania, New York
and other points east.
WILLIAM TONK VIEWS CONDITIONS.
President William Tonk, of William Tonk & Bro.,
Inc., New York, returned early this week from a trip
to several eastern points. He found business condi-
tions satisfactory in most places visited except in
manufacturing towns where things are not so favor-
able. Factories in several important manufacturing
centers were working only part time, and, in conse-
quence, trade generally in those localities was rather
depressed. '"But," said Mr. Tonk to a Presto repre-
sentative, "I am satisfied that business is improving
and with no unforeseen set-backs there is a brighter
outlook ahead."
NEW BOWEN MODEL.
The new "23" Model Bowen Loader, made by the
Bowen Piano Loader Co., Winston-Salem, N. C, is
particularly worthy of the attention of the piano
dealer. It is fool-proof and indestructible and the
price is an alluring feature of the commodity. The
quoted figure includes an extra good moving cover.
The company agrees to ship on approval to the hesi-
tating dealer who may test out its claims to useful-
ness, and return it if he doesn't like it. With the
Bowen Loader the work of two men is performed
by one. By aid of a simple device the piano is loaded
or unloaded in a few minutes. By the aid of the
Bowen I oader the salesman performs his own load-
ing and unloading without drudgery.
Fourteen Story Building at West 57th Street
Marks Very Last Attainment in Metro-
politan Temples of Music and the
Piano Trade.
IN CENTER OF PIANO ROW
SELLS OLD BUSINESS.
The Brown Music Co., 285 South Thomas street,
Pomona, Cal., has been sold to the Fidelity Reserve
Corp., of Los Angeles. The music store was estab-
lished in 1907 and is considered one of the oldest
concerns in Pomona Valley.
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