Presto

March 28, 1925.
FfcESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
and a guide to the factory with privilege of
going through it.
There is no longer any possibility of gain
in the old-fashioned "knock." And if you, as
a salesman, are tempted to resort to any of
the half-forgotten "tricks of the trade"—don't
do it.
BIG BUSINESS
There is much to think about and talk about
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
Editors
in the latest report of the American Piano
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Company. In the history of the piano there
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
has never been any other organization or busi-
ness
enterprise that has done so much for the
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879. instrument as a factor in the world of practical
affairs. Until Mr. George G. Foster thought
Subscription, $2 a year; . 6 months, . . $1;
. Foreign,
. . f4.
.
Payable In advance. No extra charge in United States out his plan of a great merger of piano indus-
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
tries, and put it into concrete form, it had been
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if customary to regard the instrument of music
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for as something unfit for commercial exploitation
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre- in a really large way.
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
And so the American Piano Co., which now
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- sets forth a statement showing sales of more
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the than fourteen millions of dollars in a year sup-
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full posed to have been especially dull, has taught
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon the world to respect the piano as an item of
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than financial and industrial importance, as well as
Wednesday noon.
an article of social charm and domestic delight.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
It has taken the piano out of semi-seclusion
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
and given to it a place in the cold field of
finance.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1925.
There are scores of piano dealers still in the
business who can remember the time when it
DON'T DO IT
was thought that the piano in business be-
Not often, but now and then, some of the longed more to the profession than to com-
past-and-gone tricks of the piano trade show merce. It was common to repeat that the
their little heads in the crush of local retail piano could "never be an object of big busi-
competitions. And some of the old-time ness.'' It was a "small affair," and it em-
tricks of the trade were not creditable. They ployed comparatively small capital.
were born of a fierce desire to close sales in
The American Piano Co. has lifted the in-
which two or more houses were concerned. strument and its trade into a larger life. It
And often salesmen paused at nothing 1 short has taken away much of the old notion that
of murder to "do the business."
music and the means of its interpretation be-
It may be that some day a book designed to longed to the kind of specialization which of
cover the progress of the retail piano trade necessity implied restricted scope and limited
may be written, in which the strange devices fields. The American Piano Co., which is now
of eager salesmen may appear, to astonish the earning dividends of nearly $23 on each share
more refined and placid trade of the future. of its preferred stock, has pulled away the
But even now there seem to be dealers and fences which for so long kept the piano within
salesmen who are not quite ready to let the the lines of small business. By its steady
past bury its past capers of disreputable kind. progress and its broad vision it has helped the
An instance came to notice last week, when dealers, its stockholders and the cause of the
a 'phone in Presto offices tinkled and a mascu- piano itself. It has given a new vision to the
line voice, seemingly tremulous with some sort industry and has helped to develop the trade
of emotion, asked a question. It was: "Can almost beyond the most fanciful dreams of a
you tell me whether the house of (naming an quarter century ago.
old and distinctly reputable concern) has a
factory or not? And if they have a factory,
In every department of life's activities there
are they now making any pianos, or do they are individuals who rise above the crowd by
have them made elsewhere? This is impor- reason of their force of character and original-
tant !"
ity of thought. In music, we believe that Mr.
It happens that the house inquired about has
a good factory and is making some very fine
pianos. It is a house above question, as to its
methods, and it has few equals in fame or in
the extent of its business ramifications.
Why, then, such frantic desire to put a vital
question with the suggestion of negation ? It
seemed to be a return of a worn-out trick in
which the ancient venom of the "stencil" has
place. The reply, if tending to imply that the
old house did not operate a factory, might
upset a sale or turn it elsewhere. Possibly.
But the wrong source of that kind of uncer-
tain information had been appealed to. The
reply was to advise the anonymous questioner
to apply to the office of the music house it-
self, with a request that a Yellow take him
W. Otto Miessner is such an individual influ-
ence at this time. And, being a piano manu-
facturer as well as an instructor, Mr. Miess-
ner's influence is felt in industrial as well as
educational circles.
* * *
It looks as if the New York musicians have
determined to show the world that there is
nothing but slander in the common belief that
professional men are not practical. A group
of distinguished pianists and composers an-
nounce the early establishment of a chain of
stores wherein everything musical will be sold.
The experiment will be watched with interest.
* * *
As might have been expected, it is now an-
nounced, with the customary air of scientific
assertion, that radio will soon solve the prob-
lem of life after death. The same comforting
assurance was set up for the telephone when
that wonder appeared, even so calm a phi-
losopher as the late Murat Halstead having
written serious editorials on the subject.
••!:
: | :
*
The International Spring Fair at Leipsic,
just closed, was a failure. While the attend-
ance was large, sales were small. The musi-
cal instrument department, which is usually a
brisk one, proved a disappointment. Ameri-
cans bought little because no cash discounts
were allowed.
* * *
Don't make it a rule to press attention to
the lowest price in the store without finding
out what your customer wants. Usually it is
easier to come down than to go up. That ap-
plies to prices, and to selling things, as well
as to almost everything else.
* * *
A New York manufacturers' association has
adopted rules designed to check the habit of
many retailers who return goods on the slight-
est pretext. The piano manufacturers also
suffer from that evil. Perhaps the Music In-
dustries Chamber may settle it.
*fi
*T»
'J*
Last week Presto published a complete list
of the # exhibitors who will add to the interest
of the music trade conventions in Chicago next
June. All additions will be noted in future
issues.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(March 28, 1895.)
The Boston "Times" is authority for the state-
ment that the Mason & Hamlin Co.'s gross business
for the month of February this year was twenty-five
per cent greater than during the same month in 1894.
The item elsewhere, showing briefly the extent of
piano manufacture in Chicago, will surprise many
in the trade. Some one said, the other day, that
more than ten thousand uprights were turned out in
this city last year. Figure it out.
After a long season of suspense and doubt, the turn
in the affairs of the Haines Bros, piano has come.
And there is every reason to believe that with the
change is inaugurated a new era of prosperity for
the famous old instrument.
In an article on the new Story & Clark piano, two
weeks ago, we predicted that the trade would be
agreeably surprised when the new instrument is put
upon the market. In some respects the styles of the
new Story & Clark piano will be not only graceful
but will present points of novelty.
W. B. Price thought that it would be fine fun to
mount the festive bicycle and skim along to business
from his home at the Hyde Park Hotel, Chicago. So
he selected two "safeties"—latest pattern, one for
himself, the other for Mrs. Price, who shared his
enthusiasm. And the other day, after preliminary
practice at Spaulding's, they started out together for
a spin down the avenue.
Wagner is said to have remarked to King Louis
of Bavaria, out of respect to his Majesty's dislike
to the American Republic, "Your Majesty, the Cen-
tennial March that I have composed for them is no
march at all, but only an old etude in triplets." This
is the march for which the enterprising Cincinnati
house of the John Church Co. paid $5,000 in gold to
the Women's Centennial Commission in '76.
20 YEARS AGO THIS' WEEK
(From Presto, March 30, 1905.)
Construction work was resumed this week on the
Foster-Armstrong Piano Company's plant at Des-
patch, near Rochester, N. Y., after a layoff of several
weeks.
Robert B. Gregory, treasurer of Lyon & Healy,
Chicago, is now traveling in Greece, the earliy home
of music. He will return to Chicago about May 1.
In the death of Simon Krakauer, which occurred
last Friday, New York lost one of the pioneers in
the city's musical life. For although the piano in-
dustry of Krakauer Bros, was only established in
'81, the late venerable head of the house had for
many years before that time been active as a violin-
ist and orchestra leader.
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