Presto

PRESTO
Presto
T H E AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. D A N I E L L and F R A N K D. ABBOTT
Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Tost Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, f4.
jyable in advance. No extra charge
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ge in ~*
United
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application.
comprehensive and complete article of home
adornment and entertainment.
This is the last issue of Presto in 1924. When
the last issue of 1925 shall be written we be-
lieve that things will show a little more rosy
aspect in all branches of the business. Cer-
tainly the piano is destined for a real "come
back" which will pour results into the coffers
of manufacturers and merchants in the best
business on earth—best because of its dual
character of spreading blessings that elevate
a i:l refine, and in bringing both material and
spiritual satisfaction to all who are engaged
in its production or selling. Happy New Year!
FORGOTTEN INVENTIONS
At a recent meeting of the Chicago Piano
& Organ Association a speaker referred to
the changes that had taken place because of
changes in the membership. Of course, death
and removals had a good deal to do with it,
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- and the lapses suggested other changes of
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before another kind.
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
What, for instance, has become of a long
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current list of inventions pertaining to the piano, and
week, to insure classification, must not be later than its trade, since this century began?
How
Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business many of the creations of man's ingenuity, in
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
this department of endeavor, have been an-
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
nounced and then forgotten, since we first
wrote 1900 on the date line? And which of
SATURDAY, DFCEMBFR 27. 1924.
the long list promised so much more than they
achieved as to present an almost pathetic point
ANOTHER START
of interest ?
Since the advent of Sir Volstead the cus-
Perhaps one of the most interesting inven-
tom of turning- the new leaf has fallen into tions of the last quarter-century was the de-
disuse. We merely roll over and thank God vice designed to render the piano "tunerless."
we are alive, and hope for better things. And A young man of Lyons, N. Y., proclaimed that
usually they come to all who work hard by a chemical adjustment the strings would
enough for them. Rut the New Year greet- be maintained at a fixed tension, and so the
ings are just as hearty and the possibilities discordant sound of pianos out-of-tune would
even greater for good work well done. And be wholly unknown in the near future. At
so the new year about to begin, will dawn one of the annual conventions in New York.
brightly enough for the piano industry and it was said that a certified check for $150,000
trade if we only- feel that way.
had been offered for the patent rights, and
The year closing has not been the best on refused.
record. Things have been in a condition of
Where is the "tunerless" piano today? A
reshaping themselves. The number of pianos specimen instrument was made. What be-
produced, while large, has not reached the came of it ?
high-water mark. As to quality there has
A young genius worked night and day upon
been no advance, nor has there been any de- a player action which should have no tubing
terioration. The feature of the trade has been and no pneumatics. He declared that it was
the steady growth of the Small Grand which, ready and that it would be really trouble-
with some factories, has proved almost, or proof. And then it faded away. Where is it
even quite, a monopoly.
now ?
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
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.
The interfering element of the year has
been radio. The development, in a popular
way, of that wonder has in a measure ob-
scured some other things of the trade, the
phonograph being the chief sufferer.
Of
course anything that creates a noise resem-
bling music must, for a time, at least, put the
brakes upon the piano, and radio has been no
exception.
But. as the public becomes familiar with
radio, it also tires of it and in the end, so far
as the piano is concerned, the result will be
beneficial. And in time the confusion, and
multiplication of broadcasting stations, must
call for some disciplinarian control, and then
the endless discussion and dispute about what
is best for radio, and who shall bestow it, may
be settled.
At present, as a commercial proposition, the
whole thing is chaotic and the competition
promises to be sharper than that of any other
specialty in any way associated with the music
trade. For it has become a part of the music
trade, since the cabinets and other convenient
and beautiful accessories have made radio a
A piano tuner from Canada came across the
St. Lawrence with a machine by which it was
declared any novice could tune a piano in
short order. The device was much like a
miniature reed organ. A company was formed
with prominent capitalists at its head. Then
the inventor moved to California and the cap-
italists closed up shop. One other automatic
tuning device came forth. Where are they
now ?
Twenty years ago there was a great deal
of talk about the cost of piano boxes for
shipping purposes.
Many
manufacturers
shipped by harnessing the instruments to
supports in the freight cars and used no boxes,
just as they do now. This suggested a return-
able crate. A practical piano man in Pitts-
burgh made one. It was demonstrated at a
trade convention in Cleveland. Where is the
collapsible piano case now?
And there have been many more—very
many—including countless "music leaf turn-
ers" and endless phonograph improvements.
Hut through it all a notable fact is that novel
devices by which to still further perfect the
December 27, 1924.
piano have been scarce, except for the devices
designed to stow away music rolls safely and
sightlessly. It has been an inventive age, cer-
tainly, but the piano is not changed much.
This is the last issue of Presto during 1924.
But between the date of this issue a great
many pianos will be shipped to dealers who
are waiting to deliver them again to the retail
trade. And may the New Year soon to dawn
prove so much better than the old one that the
doubts of today may be wholly obliterated by
the warmer suns of the next one.
As a lesson in the constantly enhancing
values of New York property it is interesting
to recall that in 1901 the Chickering Hall, on
Fifth avenue, was sold for $57,500, and a few
weeks ago Aeolian Hall on Twenty-second
street brought $6,000,000.
* * *
For the first time in several years, a new
and quite important piano will be announced
with the incoming of the new year. The head-
quarters will be in Chicago.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(December 27, 1894.)
The time for turning over a new leaf has come
again. We trust that the old one will balance up sat-
isfactorily and that the amount to be carried forward
is a substantial one.
George P. Bent was the first organ manufacturer,
we believe, to add piano manufacturing to his busi-
ness, followed by Tryber & Sweetland. We have
good reasons for believing that Number Three will
appear during 1895.
By order of Emperor William II, a contract has
been made with Herr Humperdinck, the composer of
"Hansel and Gretel," in which he undertakes to give
the first offer of his new works for the next five
years to the Royal Opera, Berlin.
The Story & Clark Co. arc rapidly making head-
way in Europe and under Mr. C. H. Wagener's vig-
orous direction the business this year promises, de-
spite the demolition of the London factory by fire,
to show a large increase on the previous year's turn-
over.
Reference was made last week to the novel and
desirable location of the new Boston warerooms of
Henry F. Miller & Sons, at No. 88 Boylston street.
The building is a new one of modern architecture and
is equipped throughout with every improved appli-
ance for the comfortable conduct of a great business.
20 YEARS AQ0 THIS WEEK
(From Presto December 29, 1904.)
The managers of the W- W. Kimball Company
today released to the trade press the resolutions
passed by the house on the death of their chief, W.
W. Kimball. These resolutions are an expression
of the high esteem and warm appreciation of loyal
men who knew and loved Mr. Kimball through all
the intimate associations of business life. The full
text follows:
It is a fact that the sale of Chickering grands—of
the quarter and infant variety—was so great that the
stock was entirely exhausted last week, and two car-
loads were rushed from Boston to New York by ex-
press.
The death of H. D. Bentley at his home in Free-
port, 111., last Saturday morning, removes from
that city a conspicuous figure among the piano and
organ dealers. Mr. Bentley was more than a dealer;
he was also a manufacturer of stools and scarfs with
headquarters in Freeport.
Happy New Year to every manufacturer irrespec-
tive of the size of his business with Presto. Happy
New Year to all the dealers everywhere. Also and
likewise Happy New Year to the trade papers and
their happy trade editors.
In the last issue of the year, The Presto presents
its compliments to the entire trade, and in addition
extends thanks to the manufacturers for their share,
individually and collectively, in the prosperity with
which the paper has been favored during 1904.
And now the "Old Reliable Stock" has become a
part of The Aeolian Company combination. The
merging of the distinguished piano with the powerful
piano player industry will naturally create great in-
terest in the trade. It is more of a surprise than
was the sale of the Weber to the same interests.
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