December 6, 1924.
17
PRESTO
NOW GET READY
TO SWEAR 'EM OFF
Before January 1 Gets Here Hold a Little Con-
versation with Yourself and Make Frank
and Honest List of Your Failings.
By FRANK DELANE.
Any time is a good time for the man in the music
trade to hold a little conversation with himself, and
at this time any dealer with a frank mind may find
benefits from the introspective glance. When busi-
ness may be slow at a period when it should be
pleasantly and profitably lively, is a good time to ask
"What's the matter with me?" There are leading
questions that the man in business may profitably
ask himself. The answer may save him from blun-
dering along in a rut.
Are your business methods excellent copies of the
antique or are they those of your own devising made
to fit conditions today? The piano trade is full of
taggers, walkers in old mossy trails, who had their
thinking done for them by someone gone before. If
your little introspective session tells you that you are
plodding along in the old rut that leads to the back-
woods of business, stop short, and then make a jump
for the great uncharted.
Keep Up with Procession.
There is nothing else which kills, the creative faculty
and paralyzes growth more quickly than following
precedents in everything and doing everything in the
same old way. The world moves quickly and any-
body with eyes can note that the piano trade keeps
well up with the procession. But there are too many
who fail to put the stamp of individuality on their
work or in their business. Some of them are just
naturally mossy and others inherited the fear of doing
things in a new way. They cannot see any reason
for doing things in a different way. They must have
a precedent for everything or they reject it.
Every town has one or more of these ivy-clad deal-
ers who worship at the shrine of the precedents. You
will find them in the same musty old stores, with the
same old, out-of-date show windows, the same sloppy
method of displaying the goods, the same cumber-
some systems in the office. They are progress-proof.
New ideas frighten them. If the local editor rushes
in with a proposition for a rousing advertising cam-
paign they throw a fit. Business is not what it ought
to be and the condition requires something original.
The editor has the very thing. But its originality
scares the mossy dealer. He must get something
that has been used before.
No Dead Level.
The Creator never made any two piano men alike,
and the trade conditions of one place differ from all
the other places as they in turn do from each other.
Jflorep v
MAKERS OF
SUPERIOR QUALITY
(Sranb
WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY
It is good that the majority recognize these facts and
save us a monotonous dead level of imi'.ations. It
is refreshing to talk to the chaps who never remind
you of anybody else. It is a stimulant to read the
rugged original ad that reflects its writer, and not to
be nauseated with the stereotyped hogwash which the
precedent worshiper lays before the public.
The swear-off day is approaching and before Janu-
ary 1 arrives it might be a good thing for all of us to
examine our methods.
Are you trying to be somebody else or endeavoring
to be yourself? Hold a little conversation with your-
self and find out. It is surprising what a jolt a short
introspective session will give all of us once in awhile.
Ah! you believe you are original. Good. But are
you effectively original? There are thousands of men
who are constantly chasing new ideas, new ways of
doing things, who never accomplish anything of note,
because they are not practical. They are original
according to their lights, but they lack the judgment
or sagacity to select effective methods.
A man achieves the best success by being original.
Nature has given each a peculiar equipment for its
purpose and every man is born to do a certain work
in an original way. If he tries to copy some other
man's work he will be a misfit.
Your grandfather—peace to his ashes—was an ex-
cellent gentleman and $>~ fine authority on pianos.
Your father, too, was no slouch at the business. He
made quite a nice little pile. But they belong to the
grand roster of precedents, and the worthy gentlemen
would not wish that you should bow down and wor-
ship them. If you do, it is good-bye to your expan-
siveness. Wake up. Make a good jolting resolution
or several of them and hold up your hand early in the
morning of January 1 ?nd take a few swears.
THE END OF A ONE TIME
LARGE PIANO INDUSTRY
Property Once Owned and Occupied by West-
ern Piano & Organ Co. and Later the
"Merrifield" Piano Sold for Taxes.
There was a time when Ottawa, 111., stood forth
among the important points on the map of the musi-
cal instrument industry. The last scene in the his-
tory of one of the large piano and organ industries,
with a record, is chronicled in another column of this
issue of Presto.
The incident was the sale, for the paltry sum of
$100, of what remains of the factory of the one-time
Western Piano & Organ Company, which later be-
came the Merrifield Piano Co., and finally the
Hiawatha Phonograph Company. In the days of
the reed organ's glory, the Western Cottage was one
of the best. It was sold by leading houses through-
out the country, and the Merrifield brothers con-
trolled it with the late Col. W. P. Parker as sales-
manager, with a fine factory from which poured forth
reed instruments in great numbers.
When the reed organ began to decline in favor,
the Merrifield brothers changed the factory output
to pianos. They made the Merrifield and other
pianos. Then Col. Parker withdrew and at last
"Lew" Merrifield died and the industry passed to his
son. The factory superintendent was E. P. John-
son, now the prosperous piano manufacturer of Elgin
and Ottawa.
But things didn't go well with the Merrifield and,
after several spurts for trade, it was discontinued and
the plant was sold to a talking machine company pro-
ducing the "Hiawatha."
A CHANGE IN PORTLAND.
Months ago fire attacked the frame factory build-
H. W. Heineck, who has been acting manager of
ing, which sprawled along a side street, opposite the
the Bush & Lane Piano Co. branch at Portland, Ore , Ottawa railroad station, leaving it a wreck. The
has resigned and the branch placed in charge of J. F. land has now been taken over by the city in payment
O'Gara, who for several years has been credit man- of taxes, the price allowed being, it is said, one hun-
ager of the firm. The removal sale of the firm is dred dollars. A pathetic end of a one-time ambitioif
going on preparatory to removal to other quarters industry.
when their lease expires in the spring. Their new
location has not been announced. D. A. Halgren, of
SARCASM.
the Seattle branch, is in Portland assisting with the
"How's business?"
sale.
"Brisk," answered the piano dealer of Hog Corners.
"I've bought tickets for two picnics and four excur-
sions this morning, promised to supply the piano for
the charity concert and coughed up $2 to help pro-
vide nighties for the benighted heathen of Patagonia."
QUALITY
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
in Name and in Fact
Qrando, Uprights and Player*
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
TONE, MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience—are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
Uprights and Player Piano*
BUSH&LANE PIANOS
A high grade piano of great
vaiue and with charming tone quality.
BUSH & LANE CECILIAN PLAYER PIANOS
Livingston Pianos— Uprl e hts and Player Pianos
take 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 & LANE PIANO CO.
Holland, Mich.
A popular piano at a popular price.
Over 70.COO instruments made by this company are sing-
ing their own praises in all parts of the civilized world.
Write lor catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition if yen are
located in open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO., Inc.
Fsclory: YORK. FA.
Established 1870
KURTZMANN
The True Test
Grands—Players
Compare the new Jesse French & Sons Piano
Manufactured by
C. KURTZMANN & CO.
Factories and General Offices
526-536 Niagara Street
BUFFALO, N. Y.
Jesse French & Sons Style BB
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 fci catalog and prices
"They are the one best buy on the market"
JESSE FRENCH & SONS PIANO CO.
NEW CASTLF,
INDIANA
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