Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2019

PRESTO
April 4, 1925.
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells"
The Famous
Studio Grand
AEOLIAN COMPANY'S
RETURN TO 5TH AVE.
Building of Twelve Stories to Be Erected at
Northeast Corner of Fifty-fourth Street
and on New York's Famous
Thoroughfare.
AN IMPOSING STRUCTURE
Both Old and New Locations to Be Occupied for a
Time, and Company May Build a Public
Concert Hall.
(only 5 ft. long)
Remains the foremost of all the dainty
little pianos for Parlor and Music
Room. It has no superior in tone
quality, power or beauty of design.
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
Equipped with
Has advantages for any Dealer or
Salesman. It is a marvel of expressive
interpretation of all classes of compo-
sition, reproducing perfectly the per-
formances of the world's greatest
pianists.
CHRISTMAN
Players and Pianos
"The First Touch Tells"
IUf. U. S. Pat. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
Ratification by the directors of The Aeolian Com-
pany, announced Monday, completes a transaction
involving more than twelve million dollars, which
brings The Aeolian Company back to Fifth Avenue,
New York, at the northeast corner of the avenue and
Fifty-fourth street. The site was recently secured
by Commodore Charles A. Gould in anticipation of
the deal now completed, and is secured by The Aeo-
lian Company in a straight lease of sixty-three years.
Upon this plot a twelve-story building is to be
erected, within the next year, devoted to the exposi-
tion and sale of musical instruments, the finest ap-
pointed structure for the display of Aeolian pipe or-
gans, Duo-Art pianos, and other musical instruments,
with important new radio features comparable with
the advances in this art already introduced by The
Aeolian Company.
An Impressing Display.
The plot covers almost 10,000 square feet, and The
Aeolian Company will occupy most of the 140,000
total square feet for its own requirements. The first
floors will be devoted to display of pianos, and other
musical instruments, and a grand salon will feature
Steinway Duo-Art pianos in cases specially designed
in the periods of artistic decoration, and two, or per-
hape three, Aeolian residence pipe organs will be in-
stalled. The new building will contain a recital hall
of intimate proportions and 'approximating more
nearly the space conditions met in private resi-
dences.
While the building, to be built for The Aeolian
Company's special needs, has not been planned in
detail it will be one of the finest structures on Fifth
avenue, the design being suggestive of the glories of
Francis I decoration. It will have an imposing cor-
ner entrance with hand forged iron and glass markee
and show windows at the right and left of the en-
trance of theatric proportions, two windows of the
same majestic size as the one magnificent show win-
dow of Aeolian Hall in West Forty-second street.
Many locations have been mentioned as having
been decided upon by The Aeolian Company, but it
has steadfastly held to its determination to be located
again on Fifth avenue. While many sites have been
offered, and some seriously considered, the selection
of the valuable Fifty-fourth street corner was inevi-
table, though a negotiation began for another corner
on Fifth avenue really inspired the string of real
estate transactions which have kept The Aeolian
Company and its property in the forefront of real
estate affairs in the last nine months.
A Bit of History.
"The first business house to locate in Fifth avenue,
then a street of private homes, was Albert Weber,
whose name is revered as a pioneer with Henry
Steinway in the building of magnificent pianos," said
William H. Alfring, vice-president and general man-
ager of The Aeolian Company. "We had a senti-
mental urge to return to Fifth avenue, not only for
Albert Weber's early association, but as well because
The Aeolian Company was the first to erect a fine
building north of Twenty-third street, when it built
at Thirty-fourth street and Fifth avenue, from which
it removed twelve years ago for its present location
in Forty-second street.
"In our consideration of locations, we felt that we
required a site which would be equally convenient
for our patrons residing in the upper east and west
sides. A location on Fifth avenue, in the fifties,
seemed to be best accommodated with lines of transit
and to best serve motor traffic. Within the few
blocks of the fifties, in Fifth avenue, the natural flow
lines of traffic converge, and the fixed institutions, as
Central Park, the subway and bus lines, and railroad
stations undoubtedly fix and establish this as the
choice retail section of New York for many years to
come.
Concert Hall Considered.
"Whether our company will operate a concert hall
in future is now being considered," said Mr. Alfring.
"Under the terms by which we sold Aeolian Hall,
we may continue to occupy the premises until 1929,
and while the new building in Fifth avenue will be
available in the late summer of 1926, we now expect
to occupy both locations, the new building in Fifth
avenue, and Aeolian Hall in West Forty-second
street. We are now making concert bookings for
Aeolian Hall, season of 1925-26.
"At the time Aeolian Hall was built, in 1913, the
company then felt an obligation to music lovers to
provide a concert hall of approximately 1,100 seating
capacity. We have not determined if the same condi-
tions prevail at this time, or in the same measure, but
if it is so decided that we are to continue in the oper-
ation of a concert hall, such an auditorium would
need to be a separate structure, and so could be
planned for any convenient location."
In the negotiations covering The Aeolian Com-
pany's new site in upper Fifth Avenue the Charles
F. Noyes Company was the broker.
ACOUSTIGRANDE FACTORY
HAS BEEN DESTROYED
Building Erected by C. C. Chickering, in Chi-
cago, Gives Way to New Boule-
vard Extension.
The last of the factory built by C. C. Chickering
for the manufacture of the "Acoustigrande" piano
has been razed to make room for the turning of
the South Park boulevard viaduct at Twenty-third
street, Chicago. The staunch square building was
permitted to remain intact until early this week, so
that the instruments it contained might be completed
and the machinery disposed of.
As is well understood in the trade, Mr. Chickering
has been made vice-president of Chickering & Sons,
of Boston, a post to which he naturally belongs. He
began his experience as a piano maker with that
old industry and his return to it seems the logical
thing. The tearing down of the comparatively
recently erected piano factory in Chicago is a sacri-
fice to civic progress, as the building stood directly
in line of the new outer drive viaduct which will
permit of better traffic arrangements to the South
Side residential sections.
PORTLAND, ORE., SENDS
GOOD TRADE ITEMS
Kohler & Campbell Representatives Deciding Upon
New Branch House in That City or Seattle.
During the past week the Portland music dealers
were visited by W. A. Lund, of Chicago, of Kohler
& Campbell, who was accompanied by Beeman P.
Sibley, of San Francisco, the Pacific coast representa-
tive of the house. These gentlemen were looking
over the field with the idea of opening up a Pacific
Northwest branch, and after leaving Portland went
to Seattle to look over the field there before deciding
upon the location of the branch.
The Remick Shop and Gift Shop of Portland has
added a radio department and will carry a full line
of the Radiola Corporation of America, the Crosley
Radio Corporation and the Gilfillan Bros, Inc. I. E.
Sklare announced that the same service would be
given the radio department which has built up their
sheet music department.
Ernest Crosby, business manager of the G. F.
Johnson Piano Co. of Portland, was elected presi-
dent of the Civic Music Club for the coming year.
Mr. Crosby has always taken a prominent part in
the activities of the club, and as he possesses a fine
lyric tenor voice has been much in demand and has
appeared on many of their programs.
MASON & HAMLIN FOR ART CENTER.
The D. L. Whittle Music Co., Dallas, Tex., has
sold a Mason & Hamlin grand to the Community
House and Art Center of Highland Park, the beau-
tiful suburb of Dallas. The first floor of the civic
building is occupied by offices of the mayor, the city
treasurer and other municipal officials. The second
floor has the art gallery and assembly room and
auditorium in which the Mason & Hamlin grand has
been placed.
STARTS CO-OPERATIVE BUYING CLUB
J. T. Dickey, 37 Main street, Champaign, III., is
organizing a "Co-operative Piano Club," a plan to
buy an enlistment on easy payment terms. Free
bench, free rolls, free delivery and a trade-back privi-
lege two years from date of purchase are inducements
offered by the dealer.
OPENS REPAIR SHOP.
Edwards & Garlock, Preston, Idaho, music deal-
ers, have opened a repair shop in the Woods Build-
ing on North Main street. C. J. Edwards is in charge
of the shop, where a stock of piano and players will
also be carried.
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/
PRESTO
STOP ALL SALES
UNTIL YOU READ
Here's a Promise Compared to Which. the
Shortest Installment Note You Get Is
of Small Value and May as Well
Be Extended.
ANNOUNCEMENT EXTRAORDINARY
George P. Bent Breaks Into Monotony of Pre-Con-
vention Plans with a Special Invitation Lim-
ited to Few in the Business.
If it proves possible to find any eligibles within the
very limited lines drawn by Geo. P. Bent, one of the
biggest events of the music trades convention in Chi-
cago next June will be a gathering of the experienced
young men of the industry and trade to do justice
to a dinner provided by the gentleman named. This
we know by reason of the following which must be
read carefully in order to avoid any invasion by
giddy old people upon a meeting of the Volstedian
assembly of antiques, whether thirty years old or
eighty years young. But read.
Mr. Bent's Invitation.
Los Angeles. Calif., March 28, 1925.
Messrs. Abbott and Daniell,
Presto Publishing Company,
417 South Dearborn street,
Chicago, 111.
Dear Friends: Am planning to, some night during
the coming Convention, give a dinner to old friends.
Do not know what night it will be; in fact, I have
not made any arrangements whatever, but I wish
you would make an announcement in Presto some-
thing after this style:
DINNER TO AND FOR THE AGED!
Of the Music Trade.
To be eligible for this dinner no one must be much
less than sixty years of age. Aiide from that, there
will be no age limit. The more decrepit and derelict
each one is, the better.
Those wearing false teeth, false hair, gray hair,
hair thin or absolutely gone, will be especially wel-
come, also those whose sight and hearing are fail-
ing, and those who must come on crutches or carry
canes.
I especially desire to have with me on this occa-
sion those who have, or can pretend to, an air of
doddering senility.
Some things I must know in advance, so as to pre-
pare for my guests. I must know whether you use
spoons exclusively, or other tools at table. All those
eligible to accept this invitation, ulease write me as
soon as possible, care of the Illinois Athletic Club,
where I shall be from April 13th until after the Con-
vention is over.
Various sizes of spoons will be provided for those
who subsist on liquid diet, and, of course, 1 nives and
forks will be provided for those who are still able to
masticate. There will be some poems and short
speeches by those who are still able to talk, for the
benefit of those who are still able to hear.
Hoping for early replies to this invitation, which is
cordially and sincerely extended, I am,
Very truly yours,
GEORGE P. BENT,
Illinois Athletic Club, Chicago.
Accompanying the foregoing invitation there came
also a personal communication which may or may not
have been designed to be of confidential character.
But, in the absence of any specific instructions to
the contrary, Presto presents some of that part of
Mr. Bent's personal communication which may serve
to explain what will also follow. Mr. Bent says:
''I want you to prepare a poem for the occasion,
and be on hand to deliver it. I am going to try to
get Robert O. Foster to come, with a poem, Col.
Payson with a speech, Jas. Bowers, Mr. Matchett
(and no doubt others) with a speech, also Jesse
French, with a poem, and I shall endeavor to get
Collins and Bush to entertain us, as both are gifted
in demonstrating the speech and actions of the aged!
Mr. Price is also expected to make a speech."
A "Pome" and Apology.
What Mr. Bent sets forth there is the cause of
Presto's I'oik presenting his "poem" at this time.
And more especially so in view of the large spoons
which are to be provided for such guests as may still
be able to swallow anything not too tough. Hence
this, with apologies to all of the cripples of what-
ever age:
The years roll on—or do they fly
In keeping with this rapid age,
When lightning's slow
and Ford.s whiz by,
And babes are w r ise as old-time sage?
Well, let the poets tell of that,
While we strum Time's old instrument,
And dream of Casey at the Bat
And sing the halt and blind—and Bent!
Of course we know that Time's a fake.
And has no power to make us old,
But still his custom 'tis to make
Us kids act strange and almost bold;
The recompense they tell about
That comes to all with lives half spent,
Is also ours, without a doubt—
Tf we know worry, care—and Bent.
So who wants youth, with all its cares
Of learning how and growing bald—
Bemoaning lack of lady fairs
Who never come when they are called!
'Tis better much to gather 'round
And hear Will's voice with Adam's blent,
While Platt plays on his Circus Grand,
And dance with cripples, old—and Bent.
They'll Get Here.
It is certain that when June "comes smiling up
this way" there will be a scampering of cripples, the
bald and toothless, to prepare themselves for the use
of any tools of whatsoever kind they may be in the
habit of employing in their Wrigley exercises. And,
having spoken with what may seem unbecoming
levity on a subject which will seriously interest a
large number of readers, it may be added that Mr.
Bent's invitation, aside from its characteristic and
distinctly witty style, will need no R.S.V.P., in large
capitals, to insure a hearty acceptance by every crip-
ple who can hire a Yellow, or otherwise get from
their confinement in the factory, office and store,
throughout the country, long enough to be in Chicago
for even one day during the convention.
OLD MUSIC STOCK SOLD.
April 4, 1925.
RADIO FANS HEAR THE
BRAMBACH EVERY NIGHT
New York Piano Broadcasts from Station
WGBF, of Evansville, Indiana, Six
Nights in the Week.
A Brambach Baby Grand has been chosen as the
official piano of Station WGBF, Evansville, Ind. The
Brambach is used in their studio for all concert work.
Through this station, music from the Brambach
reaches a tremendous audience every night in the
week. WGBF is one of the most powerful broadcast-
ing stations in the country and is heard throughout
the Middle West as well as in the Eastern and
Pacific Coast States by radio fans whose sets get the
more distant stations.
This is a tribute to the tonal qualities of the Bram-
bach, for only the clearest toned instruments are
acceptable for this kind of work. Of course, great
numbers of persons among the radio audience are
keen critics of music. The favorable comment re-
ceived on the musical qualities of the Brambach has
proved Station WGBF made a wise choice in choos-
ing the Brambach for this most exacting service.
The Brambach was chosen for this Station's broad-
casting through the efforts of Harding & Miller,
Brambach dealers in Evansville. Not only has
Harding & Miller's accomplishment increased Bram-
bach sales in their own territory but has impressed
a huge radio audience throughout the middle west
with Brambach's merits.
WESTERN PIANO CORP. NEW
NAME IN CALIFORNIA
Title Replaces Old One of Kohler & Campbell Piano
Industries of California.
The Western Piano Corp. is the new title of the
Kohler & Campbell Piano Industries of California,
a change that the company considers will obviate a
lot of confusion caused by the old company title.
No change of location is meditated, the offices on
the fourth floor of the Phelan Building continuing
to be Pacific Coast wholesale offices for the fol-
lowing: uprights, grands, players, and reproducing
pianos (Welte-Mignon Licensee):
Kohler & Campbell, Brambach, Autopiano, Daven-
port-Treacy, Behr Bros., Hazelton Bros., Kroeger,
Milton and Francis Bacon.
The Western Piano Corp. is also a service head-
quarters for the Standard Pneumatic Action Co.,
Auto Pneumatic Action Co., De Luxe Rolls, for
Welte Mignon (Licensee).
A full range of styles in all lines is on hand in
San Francisco for immediate delivery to Coast deal-
ers. B. P. Sibley is president of the Western Piano
Corp.
The building and music goods stock formerly
RECONSTRUCTION PLANS BEGIN.
owned by the Music Store, Fullerton, Nebr., has
passed into the ownership of W. B. Phillips of Col-
The Lang Piano Co., 2140 Ridge avenue, Philadel-
umbus. The store has been a matter of litigation for
phia, has begun reconstruction of its building, and
years and has been closed all that time. It was
when the work is completed, about May 1 the busi-
opened last week by the new owners and the stock is ness now at 1204 Columbia avenue, will be removed
now being sold. Friday and Saturday of this week
there. Two other stores are maintained by the com-
the remaining stock will be sold at auction. The new pany, that on Ridge avenue and at 1514 South street.
owners plan on remodeling the building and will offer
The branch stores also carry a line of musical
it for rent.
instruments.
THE BOWEN LOADER
makes of the Ford Roadster the Ideal piano truck,—most Convenient, most Economical and most Efficient.—Goes anywhere, over any
kind of roads, and distance makes no difference.
It will greatly assist any energetic Salesman, City or Country, but is indispensable for successful country work.
It's the best outfit for making collections and repossessions.
Our latest model is fool-proof and indestructible, and the price has been reduced to $95.00 including an extra good water-proof
moving cover. Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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/

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