PRESTO
Presto
And the adverse comment upon that "display"
concerns its typographic appearance.
The same sort of criticism is made of several
columns of other small business cards taken
from small town newspapers. It is the regu-
lation thing found in advertising journals, and
the trouble is that the metropolitan censors
seem
to overlook that country newspapers are
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
not
equipped
with the variety of type, or
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
"sorts," by which the big city job printers are
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
enabled to perform remarkable feats on super
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
Editors
calendered book paper.
.Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
But that is not the point. The "Small House
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Advertising" booklet of the Chamber of Com-
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the merce of the United States is a new proof of the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
recognition of the advertising need and power.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4. It is a timely publication, and if we cannot
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
reproduce all of it, the following, which is of
application.
direct concern, at least may here be presented.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
Tt is under the head of "Your Trade Paper":
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat-
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1924.
THE ADVERTISING ART
New recognition of the essential element of
advertising in business is seen in the latest
effort of the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States. And, in some respects, the ex-
perts of Uncle Sam's publicity department go
a step or two beyond the privileges accorded
to more exclusive of private advertising enter-
prises. For no "agency" would issue such a
booklet as the one entitled "Small Store Ad-
vertising," which ha.s recently appeared "in the
belief that it will enable any merchant at least
to recognize good advertising and thus save
waste and avoid the injury to his business
which is the result of poor advertising."
From the essay on the onion as a "plebeian
vegetable, tear compelling and assertive," with
which to give emphasis to the power of adver-
tising which "transforms it into the health giv-
ing gift of benign nature more delicious than
ambrosia," to the full-page advertisement of
Stetson hats, the booklet is an interesting one.
There are many books on the same subject,
but none, within our knowledge, that presents
so ingenuous a face to a subject which is gen-
erally supposed to pertain to the more selfish
side of business. It seems to refute the com-
mon notion that advertisers are as jealous of
their publicity investments, even of their
"copy/' as of other assets of factory or store.
In fact. Uncle Sam's experts do not hesitate
to devote words, lines, even columns and
pages, to individual interests which, even if
presented in the guise of good examples, or
bad, are nevertheless strong presentations of
proprietary articles. In some instances ex-
amples are presented of the kind of publicity
makers whose pens are tipped with diamonds
easily translated into dollars. And many lines
of business are represented, not even exclud-
ing the piano trade. One piano house whose
advertisement"is reproduced in facsimile, is the
Darrow Music Company, of Denver, Colorado.
it you do not read a trade journal you are over-
looking a most valuable source of ideas for adver-
tising. Trade publications are constantly striving to
get new and more effective means of merchandising.
They are the clearing houses for the interchange of
ideas among members of the trade. Their sugges-
tions on advertising are valuable and practicable; and
their editors are usually itching to take pen in hand
and give you all the help they can.
Examples of men who, they say, "never
sleep," have not been infrequent. They say
that Edison never really rests, and has no
hobby other than his work. But if you want
to interview a piano man who never rests,
stop off at Bluffton, Ind., and talk with Mr.
H. C. Bay—if he will pause long enough to
talk. He's a worker of the kind the space
fillers like to tell about.
* * *
If ever the history of the piano industry is
properly told, there will be a few names that
will shine because of phenomenal a'ccomplish-
ment. And well to the front among them will
be the name of Gulbransen. For it is that of
a man who began with nothing but his genius
and within a quarter-century built a giant
business and a large fortune.
* * *
Is a good name of great value in the piano
world? Perhaps so—certainly should be so.
But the house of Grosvenor & Lapham, retail
piano dealers, of Chicago, had built up a great
name for fine pianos and fair dealing. It was
frittered away by change of control and is now 7
quiescent.
* * *
It is sometimes asked why piano shows do
not draw the crowds that attend the radio
and other special industrial expositions.
Plainly enough it is because the piano lacks
the element of novelty that pertains to some
other things. It will be the same with radio
in a year or two.
* * *
Publication of the income tax figures dis-
closed that among the music industries the
American Piano Co. was the largest contrib-
utor to Uncle Sam's coffers. The amount paid
was $252,536.
CLEAR
SAILING AHEAD FOR IN-
DUSTRY.
I Chicago Evening Post.]
Whatever the economic hazards of the next two,
and possibly four, years, the result of the election
makes it certain that legitimate business will suffer
no added handicap through a hostile Congress.
The Republicans appear to have a working ma-
jority in the House and Senate and in the former, in
particular, it should be no longer possible for a radi-
cal minority to hold the balance of power and influ-
ence legislation by skillful political trading. The
November 15, 1924.
survivors of this once powerful group of La Follettc
associates will be back in Congress as holdovers but
they are likely to be more cautious in their attitude.
The defeat of Senators Brookhart and Magnus John-
son, leaders among the legislative business baiters,
will see lo that.
Added to this immunity from the destructionist
school of statesmanship is the steadying economic
factor of an unchanged national administration. The
uncertainty as to policies and appointments which al-
ways followed the ousting of a party from power will
be absent when President Coolidge begins his first
full term of office. Industry of the law abiding sort
knows that it will have nothing to fear, while the less
reputable variety already realizes that a Coolidge
chosen attorney general is in office who plays no fa-
vorites.
In the realm of economics, there is everv reason to
believe that all will be favorable. The farmer is in
a better position financially than he has been for the
last four years. He has a host of needs to be filled
because of his hand to mouth existence during the
deflation period, and this rural demand should more
than offset any slackening in city activities.
Clear sailing is ahead for industry and the political
skies arc more favorable than at any time since the
prewar days.
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.
[The Economist.]
Business men in nearly all branches of industry
and trade are now persuaded that the removal of
political uncertainties paves the way for a definite
program of improvement which will extend to all cor-
ners of the country. Even if this belief had to rely
for support solely on the number of its adherents
(and it does not have so to rely), it would be worth
while taking into consideration. Because the power
of favorable psychology in business is an element to
be taken very seriously. In addition to this favorable
psychology, other accessories before the fact are at
work to encourage new undertakings, more extensive
forward buying and a greater degree of confidence
all around.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(November 15, 1894.)
Some of Manager J. M. Hawxhurst's recent adver-
tising in the daily papers is attracting no little atten-
tion. His "Morton's Latest" is a very clever skit of
the Ex-Vice President's testimonial to the Bradbury
piano.
The trade dinner will be given at the Auditorium.
Chicago, on Saturday night. Ex-Governor Levi K.
Fuller, of Vermont, will be the principal speaker.
Mr. Nahum Stetson and Mr. George H. Chickering
will probably not be present.
The Conover piano is receiving great attention in
Chicago and the West as a concert instrument. It
was heard in several important concerts last season
and received many words of praise from critical
musicians for its beautiful quality of tone.
Among the combinations recently formed in the
music trade, is one that bids fair to occupy an im-
portant place and make itself felt. This is the Clif-
ford Piano Co., recently organized for the manufac-
ture of the Clifford piano. This company is made-
up of the principal stockholders of the All Arbor
Organ Co., of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Mr. Clifford
C. Chickering, of Chicago.
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, November 17, 1904.)
A very pretty piano question has been sprung by
the Boston house of Stcinert. It is as to how far the
small grands may decrease in size without passing
the "danger line."
After the feast—music. Nothing makes more de-
lightful home music than the "Crown" piano. Let
your customers know this, then let the orders come
in quickly. P. S.—Portly Santa, too, is shortly due.
Are you ready? (A Geo. P. Bent adv.)
Wm. Knabe, of Wm. Knabe & Co., Baltimore,
reached New York Monday night for the Horse
Show. Mr. Knabe remarked that he drove around
the city for three hours before he found suitable
apartments, such is the crush at the better hotels
because of the show.
The latest report from the sick room of W. W-
Kimball is by no means an encouraging one. The
distinguished" piano magnate, industrial organizer
and wholesale mercantile manager, is now so weak,
it is said, that he is no longer lifted to a sitting posi-
tion. His life seems to be slowly ebbing away and
his life-long friends speak of him in tones of sadness.
More piano men are to be seen spinning down
Michigan avenue on up-to-date motor cars. Verily
there must be something doing in selling pianos.
Speaking of motor cars, Major Jonas M. Cleland, of
The Cable Co., sent the following dispatch to the
home office when he was last in the South: "What
about a branch at Mobile, Ala.? Ought we to open
one or not? Wire reply." The reply came all right,
characteristic if laconic—"Ought—to—Mobile."
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