Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1924 2004

December 20. 1924.
PRESTO
It Pays
to Sell
Tonk Benches
,
The
The
and
Quality
Value
Are Both Achieved Thru
0
R
G
A
N
I
Z
A
T
I
0
N
•As Effec :ted By T h e
TONK MFG. CO.
1912 Lewis St. Chicago, 111.
Manufacturer s
Publishers
KD 88
TONK BENCH
TONK
TOPICS
it Pays
to Buy
the Best
CHEERY OUTLOOK
AT CLOSE OF YEAR
Music Industry Pleasantly Affected by Activi-
ties of Dealers Who Awake to Opportunities
for Sales Created by Improved Financial
and Industrial Conditions.
FARMER REENTERS MARKET
In Cities and Towns Everywhere Music Dealers Are
Heartened by Renewed Ability of Farm
Folk to Buy.
The music trade is sharing in the seasonable activi-
ties plainly evident in every city and town in the
country. The extent of the advertising by music
houses everywhere is a recognition of the fact that
the buying desire is an impelling one with the public.
Grand pianos, reproducing pianos and radio receiving
sets are being presented by dealers in a forceful way
that results in sales.
The music trade is taking- advantage of the condi-
tion which the business writers in the newspapers
describe as productive of music goods sales. "All
signs in the business sky continue bright. As a straw
shows how the wind blows so one example sometimes
suffices to illustrate a very important condition in re-
lation to trade," said the New York American of
last Sunday in commenting on the business fact.
Cheerful Conditions Widespread.
In all the great centers the newspapers reflect the
business activity in which the music dealers share.
"Radios and supplies and music goods in great de-
mand. Good holiday business. Building operations
show improvement which means more holiday, money
for the buyers," says the Los Angeles Examiner.
"Wholesale and retail buying more active and diver-
sified. Department and specialty store trade above
this season last year," says the Baltimore American.
This reflex of conditions is printed in the Washing-
ton Herald: "Each succeeding week presents
brighter business outlook. Christmas sales are in
tremendous volume. For first time this year down-
town section is crowded with early shoppers.
Weather snappy enough for good business, but not
cold enough to halt construction work."
From San Francisco comes the glad holiday tid-
ings that "country buying of seasonal merchandise
much stimulated by general rainfall greatly in con-
trast to this period last year. Local retailers doing
good Christmas trade."
Reasons for Big Sales.
In his review of present trade conditions B. C.
Forbes says in the Chicago Herald and Examiner
this week: "What is desired is not the whooping up
of a boom, but gradual, solid, substantial improve-
ment. And that, happily, is what current conditions
warrant us in expecting."
According to the observant writer named, all the
requirements which go to the making of prosperity
are with us. ''All the major elements which go to
the making of prosperity are with us. Indeed, the
present generation has never seen so thoroughly
healthy underlying conditions," is the bright view of
the writer.
Local Conditions Helpful,
The music trade bases its beliefs in a big holiday
business and a continuation of music goods activities
on local as well as national conditions. The fortunes
of the farmers are matters of consideration in every
city, but in the smaller places the music dealers can
more directly observe the causes that improve the
position of the farm folk as spenders.
The phenomenal rise in agricultural products within
the past month or so has its effect in the little music
store in the village, in the more pretentious one in
the bigger place, and with indirect sureness, in the
great specialty music stores in New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, Boston and other cities. And of course
the improvement of the farmer as a music goods
buyer has its effect in the big piano and musical
merchandise factories.
The Why of It.
The music trade and industry benefit by the main
elements that make for prosperity. Mr. Forbes sum-
marizes them in a very clear way in a few short
paragraphs:
We have the greatest abundance of liquid capital
and credit either this country or any other country
has ever possessed. Business enterprises of all kinds
have been able to fortify themselves with all needed
capital on reasonable terms.
The balance between agricultural prices and indus-
trial prices has been restored. Since more than a
third of our population are identified with agriculture,
the rise last week to new high price levels by wheat,
corn and oats is a development of far-reaching im-
portance.
The purchasing power of the wages being received
by American workers is practically the greatest that
has ever been enjoyed—in fact, greater than that dur-
ing the heyday of the war boom, when the cost of
living soared recklessly. Unemployment is well be-
low normal.
Transportation facilities are the most efficient the
United States has ever attained. The iron and steel
industry, accepted as an unusually dependable yard-
stick, is showing notable recovery from its summer
dullness. Various other important industries are
strengthening their position. Construction continues
very active, with price advances in raw materials, in-
cluding lumber.
For the twenty-second consecutive week Dun's re-
ports more advances than declines in commodity
prices. Even so, nothing savoring of inflation has
developed. Our foreign trade is showing great
vitality. From the financial and business viewpoint
our own political outlook is eminently satisfactory.
This has more influence upon operations of high
finance and big business than the man in the street
probably realizes.
Savings and Sales.
And here are a few facts which suggest a greater
willingness in the people to consider the purchases
of pianos, players and reproducing pianos and a
better ability to pay cash or put up a generous first
payment. "Our record-breaking savings bank de-
posits and our unprecedented sales of life insurance
indicate that, notwithstanding continuous complaints
about the extravagance of the people, a larger num-
ber of families than ever before are setting aside a
part of their earnings for their future financial
protection."
CLEVELAND'S PIONEER
MUSIC MAN DIES
Henry E. McMillin, Who Had Been in the
Business Since 1882, Passed Away
on December Ninth.
The death of Henry E. McMillin marks the pass-
ing of one of Cleveland's pioneer music men and the
termination of a life of devotion and service to the
music business.
Mr. McMillin died as he had lived—in the harness.
He came downtown to the store on the morning of
December 9, apparently in the finest of spirits and
health. He was extremely bright and cheerful and
active during the morning, and it was during a busi-
ness conference at his desk that he was suddenly
stricken with paralysis. His death occurred about
an hour later after he had been removed to a hos-
pital. He was 77 years of age.
Mr. McMillin, though born in Cleveland, spent the
early part of his life in Shelby, Ohio, where he or-
ganized the Shelby Band. This experience gave him
an insight into the actual needs of the small town
band and in 1882, when he returned to Cleveland to
engage in the music business, with the firm of J. G.
Richards & Co., he set out to provide the small town
bands with a band service. In 1892 he severed his
connections with the Richards house and entered into
business for himself, organizing the H. E. McMillin
& Son Co. He soon became one of the biggest pub-
lishers of band music and secured for his library sev-
eral very prominent numbers. His "Dirge Dolores"
is one of the widely known funeral pieces.
From 1892 until 1907 the firm continued business at
the old stand on Superior avenue. In 1907 Mr.
McMillin bought a fine building on East 9th street
and continued in business there until 1918. The
business moved to the Miles Theater Building and
remained there until 1918, when the leases were sold
and another building at 1351 Superior avenue was
purchased. It was here that Mr. McMillin died.
H. E. McMillin was always active in church and
civic circles as well as in business, and had been an
active member of the Cleveland Chamber of Com-
merce since 1892. He is survived by one son, H. E.
McMillin, Jr., and three daughters, Mrs. Herbert L.
McKinnon, of Cleveland; Mrs. C. B. Klingsmith, of
Youngstown, and Mrs. Neva Morris, of Pittsburgh.
His wife died several years ago while she and Mr.
McMillin were wintering in Florida.
GIVES DUO-ART CONCERTS.
The J. R. Reed Music Co., 805 Congress avenue,
Chicago, of which John S. Caldwell is manager, gave
a Duo-Art concert Dec. 11, 12 and 13 at 9:30 p. m.,
at the Majestic Theater and a concert at the Saturday
matinee on Dec. 13. Mr. Caldwell was in charge of
the concerts at which a Steck Duo-Art Pianola was
used. Mrs. John R. McCall, vocalist, and Professor
H. J. Kronsberg, violinist and director of the Majes-
tic Concert Orchestra, assisted at these Duo-Art con-
certs.
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/
10
PRESTO
C. L. DENNIS GIVES
PLANS OF BUREAU
Manager of Trade Service Section of Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce in
Message This Week Gives Interesting
Outline of Work for 1925.
WIDE RANGE OF WORK
Review of Helpfulness of 1924 Suggests High De-
gree of Effectiveness for Next
Year.
Dual purposes are set forth in the slogan of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce: "For the
Advancement of Music and the Development and
Protection of the Music Industry." Although it sug-
gests two aspects, to those who understand the activi-
ties of the Chamber, it conveys a singleness of am-
bitious effort. To advance the cause of inusic is to
develop the music industry and when the sales of
music goods are encouraged, music is effectively pro-
moted. In his forecast of the means by which the
Trade Service Bureau will promote the interests in
music and furnish valuable aids to music dealers for
1925, C. L. Dennis, manager, says:" "No one service
in the range of work contemplated by the Trade
Service Bureau can be more valuable than the unit-
ing of various individual trade interests in a com-
bined understanding and activity for the aims set
forth in the slogan of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce." Continuing Mr. Dennis details the
character of the plans:
Mr. Dennis Writes.
Outstanding in this service will be the effort to
bring the forces of the industry into proper co-oper-
ation with National Music Week for 1925, May 3
to 9. As this article is written a call is going out
to the advertising men of the industry to get to-
gether on plans for this one particular event. Last
May the National Music Week of 1924 did not have
the recognition in the trade it should have, pos-
sibly because it was the first observance of Music
Week nationally.
The 1925 Music Week will furnish an incentive
for combined effort which should be reflected in
other efforts for advertising co-operation, such as
that for the "Music Corner in the Home,'' Better
Homes demonstrations, tie-up with Music Memory
Contests, etc. In the work of the National Bureau
for the Advancement of Music the trade has a val-
uable guide for co-operative effort and advertising
material. Proper understanding and use of this
material will open up tremendous markets for the
output of the music industries. In a small way, the
Trade Service Bureau has already made available
some of the advertising material and it has sought
also to stimulate better advertising by means of
convention advertising displays, both national and
local. In addition to the Retail Advertising Ex-
hibit, National Advertising Display and Music
Week Window Display Contest presented at the
1924 convention a new feature for the 1925 conven-
tion will be a Direct-by-Mail Advertising Exhibit.
Things Accomplished.
A list of "Service Helps, References and Publica-
tions" issued by the Bureau this year shows what
has been issued so far, including the book "Adver-
tising Music," resulting from the 1923 Retail Ad-
vertising Contest; "The Care of the Piano," a serv-
ice booklet nearing 300,000 distribution; "My Friend
the Player Piano," Better Homes literature, Thrift
Week and Franklin anniversary data and miscel-
laneous promotion service items which every adver-
tising and sales manager should have. New features
in the making are additional co-operative newspaper
advertising series, with special reference to Music
Week, and literature to enable manufacturers and
distributors to familiarize the retail trade with the
service helps available.
A start has been made on improved business
forms and methods in distributing the book, "Ac-
counting for Retail Music Stores," compiled by
Archie M. Peisch, C. P. A., in co-operation with
a committee of the Chamber, and two pamphlets
on income tax returns. New activities taken up in
this direction are a 'co-operative effort with the
United States Department of Commerce to study
the trade-in problem and to determine differential
costs or carrying charges on installment sales, and
an inquiry with the aid of Mr. Peisch to determine
rate of net income and turnover in music stores.
Information for Trade.
Under the heading of information service the
Trade Service Bureau has answered scores of ques-
tions relating to trade problems, address data,
sources of supply, statistics, collections, etc., going
out for facts not already in hand and providing
references of various kinds. Much of the informa-
tion gathered and disseminated has resulted in val-
uable publicity in important publications. The dis-
tribution of "Weekly Business Statistics" gathered
by
the Department of Commerce, and information
c
or wood-users in co-operation with the Forest
Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis., has assisted
different branches of the industry. A new item of
information service in course of preparation is a
reference list of publications of value to the music
trade.
The merchandising trend of the industry, in rela-
tion to the general music store, the retailing of
radio, insurance, financing, selling terms, credits
and collections, service elements like tuning and
music lessons, and other general subjects, has been
watched toward the end of making the Trade Serv-
ice Bureau of practical value to members.
GOOD PORTRAIT OF THE
LATE PAUL J. HEALY
Publication of Wrong Portrait Suggests He
Was Very Generally Known in the
Trade.
It sometimes seems that
the way for a man to dis-
cover how well and widely
he is known is to lay down
the cares of life forever.
Last week, accompanying
a sketch of the late Paul J.
Healy, son of the founder
of the house of Lyon &
Healy, and at one time
himself president of that
great concern, a portrait of
his elder brother, James
Healy, was used. And a
PAUL. J. HEALY.
score or more of his
friends have advised Presto of its mistake.
The error was due to the lack of care on the part
of the cut-room keeper, who has perhaps the largest
collection of pictures of piano men, and events. Not
a boast, but a fact which demands a good deal of
care. Consequently, herewith appears a very good
likeness of the late Paul J. Healy, and we believe
that his friends will be glad to have it for his por-
traits are scarce.
DATE SET FOR ANNUAL
CHICAGO P. & 0 . BANQUET
A Great Event Is Promised, at Which Officers of
the M. I. C. of C. Will Meet.
At the regular monthly meeting and dinner of the
Chicago Piano & Organ Association, held at the
Great Northern Hotel last week, the date for the
annual banquet was set for Thursday, January 22, at
the Chicago Athletic Club. At the same time also
the executive officers and others of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce and its allied divisions,
will hold their regular pre-convention mid-winter
meeting.
The dinner, on the twenty-second proximo, prom-
ises to be a record-breaking gathering in attendance,
as well as of diversified interests in the piano and
music trades industries.
A. L. Smith, secretary and general manager of the
Music Industries Chamber, who was present at the
Great Northern dinner observed in a short speech,
that statistics so far obtainable, showing the increased
development of business at the last quarter of the
current year, indicated that the regular straight piano
had come to the front with a good showing, while
ihe playerpiano had fallen behind in production, as
compared with the earlier months of the year.
GEORGE B. GROSVENOR JOINS
RANKS OF THE REALTORS
Trade Loses Popular Chicago Piano Man Who Made
A. B. Chase Famous in Middle West.
The retail piano trade has lost one more very popu-
lar and energetic member. George B. Grosvenor, one
of the founders of the late rirm of Grosvenor & Lap-
ham, Chicago, has abandoned the business and en-
tered the real es'.ate line. He is now with the com-
paratively new, but successful, firm of Krenn &
Dato, representatives also of the properties of Mrs.
Rockefeller-McCormick.
Mr. Grosvenor was so good a piano salesman that,
without doubt, he will make a success of his new
line. His friends certainly will hope so, and any in
Chicago who may want a good section of city
earth will know just where to apply for it.
The National Association of Purchasing Agents'
meeting in Washington, D. C, recently endorsed
a scheme to bring about a simplification of invoice,
inquiry and purchase order forms for all lines of
industry.
December 20, 1924.
"Built on Family Pride"
Doll & Sons
Represent the Artistic
in Piano and Player Piano
Construction
JACOB DOLL & SONS
STODART
WELLSMORE
Jacob Doll & Sons, Inc.
Southern Boulevard, E. 133rd St.
E. 134th St. and Cypress Ave.
NEW YORK
Becker Bros.
Manufacturers of
HIGH GRADE PIANOS
and PLAYER PIANOS
Factory and Warerooms
767-769 Tenth Avenue, New York
STRICH & ZEDDLER, Inc.
GRAND, UPRIGHT and PLAYER
AND
HOMER PIANOS
740-742 East 136th Street
NEW YORK
Schumann
PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS
GRANDS and UPRIGHTS
Have no superiors in appearance, tone
power or other essentials of strictly
leaders in the trade.
Warning to Infringers
This Trade Mark la cart
In the plate and alao ap-
pears upon the fall board
of all genuine Schumann
Pianos, and all Infringe™
will be prosecuted. Beware
of Imitations such as Schu-
mann A Company, Schu-
mann ft Son, and also
Shuman, as all stencil
shops, dealers and users of
ilanos bearing a name in
mitation of the name
Schumann with the Inten-
tion of deceiving the public
will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law.
New Catalogue on Request.
?
Schumann Piano Co.
W. N. VAN MATRE, President
Rockford, III.
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/

Download Page 9: PDF File | Image

Download Page 10 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.