Presto

May 2, 1925.
PRESTO
ERROR RAN TWO
NECK AND NECK
By an Oversight in a Recent Article Two
Well Known Pianos Were Named as
Being in Identical Number of Mil-
waukee Homes.
KIMBALL PREPONDERATES
A Difference in the Placing of the Little Figure 8 Gave
to the Favorite Milwaukee Made Piano, the
Kreiter, Equal Place with Kimball.
The article in a recent issue of Presto, in which
an analysis of the piano trade of Milwaukee, based
upon statistics gathered by the Daily Journal of that
city, created a great deal of trade comment. It also
has brought in a number of requests for explanation
or correction, of typographic error, which occurred in
this paper. Among the letters is the following which
may serve to indicate the gist of them all.
Little Rock, Ark., April 21, 1925.
Editor Presto: We were very much interested in
the article in your issue of April 18, about the census
of instruments in Milwaukee, and would like very
much if you could give us some details as to what
tie-up the Milwaukee Journal had with the giving
of this census, and where the grocery prizes came
from.
We think the idea may be a very good one for us '
to try in Little Rock, and would appreciate very
much if you would give us some information regard-
ing it.
We also note, in your list of numbers of individual
makes, your article states that KIMBALL was first
with 2,434, and the Kreiter came second with 2,434.
As this is evidently a mis-print, would appreciate it
if you would give the correct figure on these two in-
struments.
Yours very truly,
HOLLENBERG MUSIC COMPANY,
F. B. T. HOLLENBERG, JR.,
Secretary-Treasurer.
The Explanation.
The explanation and answer is simple. The fig-
ures credited to the Kimball were wrong, and the
number of Kreiter pianos was correctly quoted 2,434,
or just 50 less than those of the former instrument.
With that correction the statement shows the Kim-
ball piano leads in the number possessed by the
homes of Milwaukee, the Kreiter coming second, and
others following in this order:
3_Waltham, 2,086; 4—Story & Clark, 1,214; 5—
Gulbransen, 1,110; 6—Kurtzmann, 1,060; 7—Gram,
1,017; 8—Netzow, 936; 9—Hazelton, 899; Schaaf, 861.
The figures indicate all kinds—straight pianos,
players and grands. And the total number of instru-
ments made by many of the individual industries is
not accurately shown because, in not a few instances,
the factories put forth other pianos than the ones
bearing the company or trade-mark names.
Of minor interest is the fact that there are 363
names in the list of pianos found in the homes of
Milwaukee. Of course a fair proportion belong to
the limitless tribe of the Stencil. But the showing
made by the Milwaukee Journal tells plainly of the
love of the Cream City for music, and equally of the
activities of the local piano merchants and their sales-
men. As a "piano town" Milwaukee has few rivals.
The number of retail stores there compares with any
other city of like size, not only in numbers but also
in spaciousness and the ample lines displayed.
Many Fine Pianos.
It is also gratifying to notice that a good propor-
tion of the pianos are from high grade industries, and
the loyalty of the Milwaukeeans to their local piano
factories seems clear, aside from the fact that the
Netzows, Gram and Kreiter, are energetic in their re-
tail departments. Of the stencil pianos the names are
often unique if not altogether significant. Among the
names unknown to any piano factory catalogue, a few
are as follows: Buncae; Kieher; Kruer; Kunstler;
Orachmar; Palti; Valadunis—a lengthy and strange
nomenclature.
It is notable, also, that the grand pianos which
have added to the stability of the Milwaukee piano
dealers makes a fine showing, all of the leaders being
represented. A statement in the Milwaukee analy-
sis tells how the "non-player still leads"—that it, the
"straight" piano—as follows:
Considering the ownership of pianos as a whole,
and disregarding for the moment the division of
grand and upright models, 27.36 per cent, or 18,3*80
Greater Milwaukee families who own a piano own a
player model. When, however, we consider grands
and uprights each as a distinct class, we find that
while 28.34 per cent of the total upright pianos are
players, only 9 89 per cent of the total grands are of
this type.
Some Salesmen's Helps.
And another rather quaint paragraph gives further
tips to salesmen in the assurance that "girls are great-
est piano users"-—not new but still interesting. Here
is the item :
A completion of the data of this analysis, relating
to the users of pianos owned, shows that in 34.86
per cent of the total families owning a piano the
daughter uses the piano most, while in 25.97 per
cent the housewife herself uses it most. Other lead-
ing users are the son, generally all children.
When we consider the total piano owning families,
divided into grand and upright, we find the percen-
tage varying somewhat. In the grands the largest
percentage is for the housewife, while in the uprights
it again is the daughter.
Presumably what applies to the piano trade in Mil-
waukee may serve as an index also to other cities and,
considering the interest which was aroused by the
first article on the subject in Presto, it is safe to say
that too much space has not even yet been devoted
to the figures supplied by the enterprising Cream
City newspaper.
NEW BRANCH OPENED
BY WINTER PIANO CO.
Latest at Painesville, Ohio, Makes
Store of the Progressive
Firm.
Fifth
The Winter Piano Co., with stores in Conneaut,
O., Ashtabula, O., and Olean, N. Y., opened another
branch recently in Painesville, O. The store is in
the L. T. Curtis block.
The Painesville store is under the charge of Hun-
ter Darling, who was formerly sales manager of the
Erie, Pa., store of the same Company, and more
lately general manager of the Ashtabula and Con-
neaut stores. Assisting Mr. Darling is J. A. Bar-
tholomew, of Ashtabula, who has also been with
the Winter Piano Company several years.
The business of the Winter Piano Co. was estab-
lished in 1884, around the personality of George J.
Winter, Sr., who was also a violin maker of note.
The progress since then has been steady and continu-
ous. The line carried by the company includes the
Chickering, Knabc, Kurtzmann, J. & C. Fischer,
Frances Bacon and Foster & Co.
OLD BUSH & GERTS CO.'S
REAL ESTATE IS SOLD
Factory at Weed and Dayton Streets, Chicago,
Finally and Satisfactorily Disposed Of.
The old factory building of the Bush & Gerts
Piano Co., at Weed and Dayton streets, Chicago, was
finally disposed of last week. The sale included the
real estate belonging to the old company, and out of
the funds received a considerable dividend has been
paid upon outstanding claims.
The payment made the total reimbursements sev-
enty-eight per cent of the entire indebtedness of the
old Chicago company, and there still remains a good
share of the assets in notes and accounts receivable,
so that further payments will be made. The sale
shows that the industry was in good financial condi-
tion when it was sold to the new owners who are
making the Bush & Gerts just as before and in stead-
ily increasing numbers. The sale of the famous in-
dustry was due almost wholly to internal dissensions,
the partners finding it impossible to agree on con-
duct of the business.
A PIANO MAN'S DAUGHTER.
Miss Ellalee Jeanette Ruby, of New York City,
formerly of Knoxville, Tenn., winner of one of the
Brewster Publications beauty contests, has entered
the movies and will play opposite Richard Barthel-
mess, prominent screen idol, in his next big picture,
"Great Music." The new screen discovery was a
very attractive and popular member of Knoxville's
social realm last summer, when she and her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ruby, resided in that city.
Miss Ruby's father is identified with the Gulbransen
Company.
PIANO MEN PROMINENT.
The Boylston Street Association, Inc., is a Boston
organization which exerts considerable influence in
that city. The organization is made up of merchants
doing business in Boylston street, and practically all
of the piano and music men of this thoroughfare are
included in the membership.
The Claude P. Street Piano Co., Nashville, Tenn.,
has opened a branch in Columbia, Tenn.
PIANO TECHNICIANS TO
MEET AT DRAKE HOTEL
First Annual Convention of New National
Association Set for June 9 and Tentative
Plans Promise Interesting Time.
The National Piano Technicians' Association will
hold its first annual meeting since its organization, in
connection with the coming convention at the Drake
Hotel, Chicago, on the evening of Monday, June 8.
Notices have been sent not only to members but
to many non-members and the association is anxious
to have it understood that anyone who is interested
in the technical problems of piano manufacturing is
invited and urgently requested to attend whether a
member or not. Tentative plans are being made for
a dinner at the Drake Hotel, to be held at seven
o'clock immediately preceding the meeting, but these
plans will not be definite until the desires of the
members are learned with respect to holding a dinner.
The chief topics of discussion will, undoubtedly, be
"Standardization" and "Methods of Tuning in the
Factory," as a great deal of information has been and
is being gathered on these subjects through the re-
cent questionnaires sent to all superintendents and
other technical men in piano factories. These ques-
tionnaires will be analyzed and reports sent to all
members well in advance of the convention so that
members will be able to give careful consideration to
them.
President A. K. Gutsohn says that he has examined
the questionnaires as they have come in and is sur-
prised both by the number of replies and the great
amount of interest shown.
"There are many comments that it is about time
real efforts are made to develop standardization in
our trade," said Mr. Gutsohn. "The questionnaire
on tuning has brought forth facts and ideas never be-
fore thought of in the trade. Apparently there is a
great variation in methods of tuning. The discus-
sions at the meeting on the methods of tuning should
prove very valuable. The data with reference to
pitch will be turned over to the Committee on Stand-
ard Pitch of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce, of which Charles Deutschmann is chairman,
and it is hoped that the report of that committee will
be ready at the convention also."
MUSIC STORE ADVERTISING
TO BE LUNCHEON TOPIC
Winners of Awards in Retail Advertising Ex-
hibit for 1925 a Feature of Chamber
Event at Convention.
"Music Store Advertising 1 ' will be the subject of
the short business session of- the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, in connection with the Tues-
day noonday luncheon at the coming conventions at
the Drake Hotel, Chicago.
The fifteen minute speaker will be an advertising
man of national prominence. Several men are under
consideration and definite announcements will prob-
ably be made within a week or so.
A very interesting feature of this luncheon will
be the granting of the awards in the Chamber's
1925 retail advertising exhibit open to music mer-
chants. The advertising writers of the winning
advertisements and officers of their companies will
be the guests of honor.
The Chamber announces that it is not too late for
merchants to submit their advertising for this year's
display. Twelve or more newspaper ads run during
the year ending March 31st, will be considered an
entry. All such advertising should be sent, care of
Trade Service Bureau. Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, 45 West 45th street, New York City,
prior to May 15th.
It is planned to make the business session on "Ad-
vertising Day" short and snappy as will be the case
at the other three luncheons. The major part of
the program will consist of entertainment, which
together with the arrangements for the luncheon
itself, in charge of a Chicago Committee headed by
Harry Bibb of Brunswick-Balke-Collender Com-
pany. Mr. Bibb promises features which will sur-
pass previous luncheons.
SUCCESSFUL WASHINGTON STORE.
Louis D. Robbin, who conducts the Tivoli Music
and Novelty Shop, 3606 Georgia avenue, N. W.,
Washington, D. C, announces that his music store
has proven a success, after six months in business,
and he is enlarging his establishment. Mr. Robbins
is credited with being a hard worker and to have
fairly earned his success.
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