Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2018

March 28, 1925.
17
P R E S T O
CALIFORNIA TRADE
CONDITIONS GOOD
Favorable Weather Everywhere Throughout
the State Mean Certainties of Big Crops for
Farmer and Orchardist and Good Busi-
ness for Music Dealers.
ACTIVITIES ARE NOTED
Straight Pianos of High Grade Character, in Up-
right and Grand Models, Favored in Numerous
Sales in San Francisco.
tised in the same degree, the sales of such have been
amazingly numerous, a fact which has pleased the
managers.
Effective Advertising.
Excellent advertising for the Wiley B. Allen Co.,
San Francisco, is being accomplished by the musical
members of the staff under the direction of Harold
Pracht, sales manager of the company. Mr. Pracht
has organized the firm's employes into a concert
troupe which under his able leadership broadcasts
splendid programs over Station KPO. That the
Mason & Hamlin piano represented by the Wiley B.
Allen Co. is used in the concert work is another good
publicity fact.
Mr. Pracht himself is a baritone of more than state
wide fame and among those who assist in the con-
certs are Jack Gerovich, pianist; Eileen Sprague,
pianist; George Madison, basso; Clara Barnett,
mezzo-soprano; and Maurice Michiner, organist.
More Music Promotion.
The series of lecture recitals given in various places
throughout northern California by Geoffrey O'Hara,
composer, musician and clever talker on musical
topics, have proved welcome events to those inter-
ested in the encouragement of music. Mr. O'Hara
uses a Steinway Duo-Art in his demonstrations, the
instruments usually being supplied by the local rep-
resentative of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco.
Lee S. Roberts, Inc.
Lee S. Roberts, Inc., will open in the near future
at 230 Pos street, a location suitable to a business
handling artistic products. Lee S. Roberts, formerly
vice-president of the Q R S Music Co., is head of the
new company, which, among other commodities, will
handle the Chickering piano.
Music dealers, everywhere in California are heart-
ened by the possibilities of generous crops as a
result of the copious rains reported from all the fruit,
wheat and general crop sections of the state. The
sales of pianos and other music goods to the well-to-
do settlers who arrive every year from eastern points
are always assured from obvious reasons but the
sales to the folk whose incomes are dependent on the
variety of weather that blesses or distresses Cali-
fornia are among the uncertain things. This year,
however, the general farmers and orchardists are as-
sured of good returns from trees and soil and the
probabilities of a profitable run of business cheer
the music merchant.
Event Promotes Music.
One of the events promoted to celebrate the dia-
mond jubilee of California's admission to the Union
will be the San Francisco Spring Music Festival to be
held in the Exposition Auditorium from April 18 to
25. Prominent music merchants are taking an active
part in the preparations for this notable event which
will be held under the joint auspices of the City of It Is Better to Stress the "Music in the Home" Need
San Francisco and the San Francisco Musical As-
Than Price.
sociation. The affair will be of a high class character
It
is
just
as
good
salesmanship in selling player-
in which famous operatic stars, great choral features
pianos, as in selling other merchandise of service, not
and symphony orchestras will be attractions.
to stress the cost of the piano you are selling, says
A desirable feature that distinguishes piano sales "Vocalstyle Notes." Stress what it means, what it
in San Francisco this season is the favor of customers does and the great pleasure and benefit it will give.
for the finer types of instruments in uprights and This, after all, is what they are buying—not the
grands. The interest of the well-to-do customers in the price.
expensive reproducing pianos is not so remarkable as
their interest in the straight pianos according to the Many a player deal has been lost through price
sales managers. The reproducing pianos have been dickering when the meaning of "Music in the home"
featured in a strong way with splendid results but should have been the subject talked about. Convince
while the straight instruments have not been adver- a man of the great utility and necessity of "Music in
the home," and closing the deal will be easy.
Don't try to convince him that he can afford to
pay $50 down and $15 or $20 per month on a piano.
He alone controls his expenditures. Just sell him the
idea of the pleasure and benefit of music. He'll take
care of the money end if you take care of yours.
If you have to talk in terms of dollars and cents,
speak of the important "returns" upon the money
Graceful lines, rugged construc-
spent. There are limitless other logical arguments
for "Music in the home" that have a stronger appeal
tion, moderately priced. It's the
in closing deals than that of price.
HOW DO YOU TALK WHEN
SELLING PLAYER PIANOS
The Best Yet
very best commercial piano from
every standpoint.
Style 32—4 ft. 4 in.
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell Readily—Stay Sold
Send to-day for catalogue, prices and
details of our liberal financing plan
Weser Bros., Inc.
520 to 528 W. 43rd St., New York
NEWSY FACTS ABOUT THE
MEN WHO RETAIL PIANOS
Items gathered From Various Sources Relate Inci-
dents in the Trade Activities.
F. L. Hutchinson, formerly of the Victrola depart-
ment of the Portland, Ore., store of Sherman, Clay &
Co., has been appointed manager of the phonograph
department of the Wiley B. Allen Co.'s Portland
store.
The Kurtzmann piano is ably featured by the
Elliott-Rittenberry Piano Co., 148 Fourth avenue,
Nashville, Tenn. This instrument has proved popu-
lar in Nashville and is in use there in several music
schools.
The Hardman piano was used to accompany Beni-
amino Gigli at recitals he recently gave in the Cen-
tral High School Auditorium at Scranton, Pa., and
the Capitol Theater, Hartford, Conn.
R. D. Owens Music Co., Inc., Pt. Allegany, Pa.,
recently suffered loss to stocks by fire.
The stocks of the Brazil Furniture Co. and the
C. S. York Piano Store, Brazil, Ind., were recently
acquired by Horace Link & Co., Paris, 111.
FINDS TEMPORARY QUARTERS.
Moyer Bros., East Liverpool, Ohio, a department
store with a music section, destroyed by fire recently,
has reopened in temporary quarters on East Fifth
street. The music department will be re-established
in the new store, but necessarily will be limited in
space. When the store reoccupies its old store, how-
ever, the department will be enlarged.
D. E. AHLERS PIANO CO.
OPENS IN DAYTON, 0 .
Head of New Company Is Former Dayton
Man and Widely Known in Wide Sec-
tion of Ohio.
The D. E. Ahlers Piano Company, 34 East First
street, Dayton, O., was incorporated last week at
Columbus for $30,000.
The president of the company, D. E. Ahlers, is a
Dayton man who is returning to the piano business
in his home city after an absence ot two years at
Atlanta, Ga., where he was manager of the Phillips
& Crew Piano Company. Mrs. D. E. Ahlers is vice-
president of the company and Hugo Wagenseil is
among the incorporators.
Mr. Ahlers is widely known in the musical circles
of Dayton, having spent the greater part of his, life
here in the piano business.
The date of the opening of the company's, new
quarters will be decided within a few days. The
house will represent the Knabe and Fischer lines in
Montgomery county and six surrounding counties.
For nine years Mr. Ahlers was manager of the
Aeolian company in this city. He went to Atlanta,
Ga., after resigning that position.
~
CHANGE IN FREEPORT, ILL.
A change of ownership has been made in the Cha-
telle Music store, corner of South Galena avenue and
West Main street, Freeport, 111. Ross Tuess, a for-
mer president of Stockton, has purchased this busi-
ness from A. B. Chatelle, and will conduct the store
as before, carrying the same lines of musical instru-
ments and sheet music as his predecessor. Mr. Tuell
and his family moved to Freeport last week.
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Qrand*. Upright* and Players
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Uprights and Player Pianos
A high grade piano of great
vaiue and with charming tone quality.
Livingston Pianos— Uprights and Player Pianos
A popular piano at a popular price.
Over 70,000 instruments made by this company are ling-
Ing their own praises in all parts of the civilised world.
Write tor catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition if you are
located in Open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO, Inc.
Factory: YORK, P V
Established 1870
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ GO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHEW BRANCH? 790 Gandlar ffldfc, ATLANTA, GA
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/
18
March 28, 1925.
P R £ S TC
U. S. MUSIC CO.'S RECORDING STAFF
The artists who make records for the United States
Music Co., Chicago, are widely known by name to
buyers of U. S. Music rolls and many are familiar
with the personal facts about the artists. In the fol-
lowing the standing of each of the artists in the
musical world is told, the preparation of each for the
important role now filled in the U. S. Music Co.,
given and other intimate facts about the clever men
and women in the notable group of recording artists.
An appropriate beginning is the story of Mary E.
Brown, recording manager for U. S. Music Co. She
was a mere child when she joined the organization in
1909. Before coming to the company she had at-
tained prominence as an organist and pianist. She
MARY E. BROWN.
Music Co. and records for the Auto-Art and Library
Editions.
Robert Billings' Versatility.
Robert Billings, a very versatile performer, does
classical, popular and ballad stuff, records and edits
for the Library and Auto-Art editions, and special-
izes on ballads. He is the youngest son of Frederick
C. Billings, one of the noted inventors in the piano
industry. He has been with the United States Music
Co. for two years and is the composer of "Summer
Verses," "Melody Waltz" and "My Vigil."
McNair Ugenfritz, one of the best known recording
pianists, is now on the concert stage in Europe, but
I VAX PETRIKOFF.
HORACE O. PflELL..
Earl Billings, one of the most popular recording
pianists in the United States, is not only a pianist,
but an extraordinary piano salesman, composer and
organist. Mr. Billings has recorded for the player-
piano and the reproducing piano; has done concert
tours all over the country in connection with repro-
ducing instruments; is the composer of "Spring
Whispers" and other hits, and as a recording artist,
he is the best known of any among the music dealers
of the country.
Orchestration His Specialty.
Horace O. Prell has arranged popular music for
fifteen years or more for leading bands and orchestras
CORA MEL, HATTON.
WANSBOROI'GH.
LEE SIMS.
is a graduate of the Chicago Musical College and
also studied the advance course in music at St.
Xavier academy. She taught the piano at this acad-
emy for two years and is also the composer of several
well known songs. Miss Brown is organist at one
of the most prominent churches in Chicago. She is
the only woman in the world employed as manager
of a recording department by a music roll company.
Her biggest job consists of locating suitable artists
for the U. S. recording department and developing
them so that they can conform with the requirements
of that organization.
Walter A. Sifielski studied piano under Rudolph
Ganz and Mary Wood Chase. For fifteen years he
has engaged professionally in nearly every line of
musical endeavor, including concert work, teaching
and theatrical playing. He takes care of many of
the foreign rolls and catalogs for the United States
will return in June to specialize on Auto-Art rolls for
the U. S. Music Company. Starting in September,
he will do all his recording exclusively for U. S.
Lee Sims, considered one of the best recording
pianists, records popular music for the U. S. Music
Co. For many mouths he has been musical director
of Station WTAS at Elgin, 111., and is now a mem-
ber of the recording staff for KYW in Chicago.
A Marimba Specialist.
Harold Wansborough specializes for the U. S.
Music Co. in marimba waltzes and the marimba
type of rolls. He was born in South Bend, Ind.;
studied harmony, orchestration and composition with
Felix Borowski, of the Chicago Musical College.
Mr. Wansborough has written a number of composi-
tions, among which are a Symphony Prelude for full
orchestra, quartet in F minor, also many songs, violin
and piano pieces, etc.
in the country and also has orchestrated numbers for
musical productions, the vaudeville stage, motion pic-
ture theaters and the larger dance orchestras such
as the Edgewater Beach Oriole Orchestra. He has
been associated with Harry L. Alford for nine years
and for quite a time made special arrangements for
the orchestras of the Balaban & Katz theaters. Mr.
Prell has been with the United States Music Co. for
the last six years.
Ivan Petrikoff, a concert pianist who acquired most
of his fame abroad and whose specialty is player roll
transportations of heavy classics, was educated in
Europe and made quite a reputation in foreign coun-
tries as a pianistic artist.
Miss Cora Mel Hatton plays the lighter type of
classics. She is a young musician of talent, was edu-
cated in Europe, and is engaged in concert work
both in this country and abroad.
ENTHUSIASTIC PIANO
DEALERS IN CALIFORNIA
This instrument was installed by Mr. Pomeroy, of
the Sonoma Valley Music Co., of Santa Rosa.
The McMahon Furniture Co., of Bakersfield, Cal.,
has installed the complete Baldwin line in its beauti-
ful new building in Bakersfield. The brothers Mc-
Mahon, who started in business only a few years
ago, are to be congratulated on their success. They
have now what is probably the largest furniture and
piano business in the San Joaquin valley.
SOME LATE DOINGS IN
THE RETAIL TRADE
W. F. Phillips, Observant Baldwin Traveler on Pa-
cific Coast, Reports the Cheerful Facts.
Harry Allen, who has been connected with the
Humboldt Music Co. for the past two years, has
purchased the business from Mr. Smith, the former
owner. Mr. Allen will continue to handle the Bald-
win line exclusively.
W. L. Brown, proprietor of Brown Music Co.,
Merced, California, is holding a closing out sale of
pianos and has arranged to handle the Baldwin line
exclusively.
Ray Smith, who, for a number of years, was trav-
eling salesman for the George P. Bent Piano Com-
pany, is making extensive alterations in his store-
room at Modesto, Cal. Mr. Smith has added sound-
proof rooms to his storeroom where he will demon-
strate Baldwin grands and reproducing pianos.
Every evening between the hours of 6 and 7:30,
the radio fans of the entire west are treated to a
radio concert by a Baldwin reproducing piano played
from the broadcasting station at Santa Rosa, Cal.
USES MELODY WAY.
Miss Cora Dumbauld, music teacher, Denver, Colo.,
uses the Miessner "Melody Way" method of piano
instruction in her studio in the Woman's Club Build-
ing. She was the first teacher to introduce this
method in that city and achieved immediate success.
Miss Bumbauld was previously associated with the
Knight-Campbell Music Co.
ACTIVE IN CIVIC AFFAIRS.
Elmer D. Luhring, of the Stahlschmidt Piano Co.,
Evansville, Ind., has returned from Indianapolis,
where he worked in the interest of a bill in the In-
diana State Legislature that would give Evansville
the right to establish proper terminal facilities on the
Ohio River in that city. Mr. Luhring is president of
the Chamber of Commerce.
Items of General News Value from the Field
Throughout the Country.
The Galion, O., branch of the W. E. Jones Piano
House, of Mansfield, has been bought by R. G. Bell,
a prominent merchant of that place. Mr. Bell was
formerly engaged in the music business in Columbus,
Ohio.
The record, sheet music and talking machine de-
partment of the Moyer Bros. Department Store, East
Liverpool, Ohio, was recently destroyed by fire
which wiped out the Lewis Bros. Co.'s store. The
sheet music department of the Woolworth 5 and 10
cent store was also damaged by smoke and water.
Mr. Ludwig, of Ludwig & Ludwig, the great drum
manufacturing house of Chicago, was a New York
visitor last week. The Ludwig drums are very popu-
lar everywhere and have a great sale in and about
New York City.
Phil Henderson, of Chicago, recently opened a new
music store in Beardstown, 111. The quarters have
been remodeled to serve as appropriate showrooms
for a general line of music goods.
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 17: PDF File | Image

Download Page 18 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.