Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2026

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail TeUs of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
E«abu.h*j i$u.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c w « ; 91.90 « rma.
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1925
EXPOSITION ADDS
TO JOYS OF PARIS
Letter from "Charlie" Stanley Gives Pretty
Views of the Present-Time Glory of French
Capital Which Recalls Days of Our Own
White City.
AMERICAN PIANO PEOPLE
Many Prominent Manufacturers from This Side, with
Their Wives, Visit Sights, Including the Great
Factory of Gaveau & Co.
river, and both its banks. It is especially charming
at night, when the Exposition is lit up.
A Glorious Spectacle.
A big fleet of the most curious river craft one
could imagine is moored to the river embankment,
decorated in a manner that would make a "floating
garden" look like an Ashland avenue street car in
comparison to them. These boats are about a city-
block long, about half as wide and are for dancing
and restaurant purposes. They will be well patron-
ized, for they will move up and down the river at
night, which will be very attractive, especially when
the place is illuminated.
The Cafes.
Four great towers stand at the end of the grounds
nearest to the big dome of the Invalides, crowned by
great glass spaces, which will serve as restaurants,
and places of observation, as they overlook the entire
grounds and afford a wonderful view of the Eiffel
tower and a fine outlook over an interesting part
of the city.
Altogether one feels glad to be here at this time,
especially with the big Exposition going on.
CHARLIE STANLEY.
Paris, France, May 4, 1925.
Editor Presto: Paris could be no more beautiful
than now and I feel in duty bound to urge upon
you to pay Paris a visit and see the splendid Ex-
position that was formally opened last week, or you
will be the only one of the few Americans who will
be left over there! For it appears that everyone who
can manage it is here, or is coming. One wonders_
if there are any more left on the other side of the
water when one reads the list of in-coming passen-
gers, in the daily papers, as the big liners discharge
their visitors from the United States each day. And Arrangements Are Already Being Made in
all seem to think Paris is the only city on the map.
Which Haddorff Piano Officials Take
In today's paper it is announced that over four hun-
Active Interest.
dred thousand Americans will visit France this sea-
son.
The 1925 meeting of the Illinois Music Dealers As-
sociation will be held in Rockford, Monday and
Among the Visitors.
Today we have with us: Mr. and Mrs. Mark Tuesday, September 28 and 29.
Plans for the meeting, it is said, will be much more
Campbell and Mr. and Mrs. Julus White, of the
elaborate
than ever before.. Executives of the Had-
Kohler interests; Mr. and Mrs. G.""G. Foster, of the
American Piano Co.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Story, of dorff Piano Company have taken the initiative in
the Story & Clark Piano Co., Chicago; Mr. Frank starting to arrange for the two-day convention. The
Wade, of the American Piano Co., and Mr. Gold- state officers are:
President, James P. Lacey, Peoria; vice-president,
smith of the Goldsmith Piano Co. of Chicago. Mr.
Campbell helped lay a wreath on the statue of Frank- R. J. Von Fossen, Beardstown; treasurer, Lloyd L.
lin, and later visited the great factories of Gaveau Parker, Harrisburg.
L. R. Johnson, secretary of the Haddorff Piano
& Co., and attended a concert in the evening, along
Company, said he expected that Mr. Lacey, presi-
with Mr. White and wife, all of which they seemed
dent of the state association, soon will visit Rockford
to enjoy very much.
to confer with local members and arrange for the
r
Mr. Foster and Mr. W ade also paid a visit to convention.
the Gaveau headquarters, on Rue La Boetie, and
Although no definite plans have been made, it was
admired the warerooms and fine display of pianos stated that business sessions probably will be held at
very much.
the Nelson hotel.
Messrs. Gaveau and Co. have made several espe-
Clarence E. Patrick, secretary of the Rockford
cially designed pianos for the different Exposition Chamber of Commerce, is co-operating with the local
buildings, which are attracting a good deal of atten- music dealers in arrangements for the convention.
tion among musicians and art lovers, not only for
their exquisite lines, but for their wonderful tonal
qualities,
THE ILLINOIS DEALERS
MEET IN SEPTEMBER
Beautiful Buildings.
The grounds of the "Exposition City" are wonder-
ful to behold—such quantities of gorgeous flowers
and ferns, great groups of graceful statuary here and
there, fountains playing, while the arrangement of
the buildings could not be better. They are a big
advance on anything the architects of the various
countries to which they belong have ever done be-
fore. Among those that stand out with telling effect
are the Italian and English buildings.
But the strange effect of the "Soviet" structure no
one seems to make anything out of. In its singular
lines and general construction, certainly it is unique.
But as a whole, the buildings and surroundings are
glorious and, in color and design, they easily sur-
pass anything that has been accomplished before in
the way of attracting attention and interest. When
the whole show gets underway it will be still more
beautiful. With the big Alexandria bridge as a cen-
tral point, the grounds stretch down the bank of
the Seine to the place De L Ama, and backs up to
the front of the "Invalides." The Alexandria bridge
itself has been called into play, for across its entire
length is a line of little "kiosks," or shops, on both
sides of the bridge, that are connected in a beautiful
manner.
I imagine this spot will command a great deal of
attention from visitors because of the view of the
TWO GOOD TALKERS
AT THE CONVENTION
Henry L. Rathbone Will Speak at the Banquet
May 10, and Ed. Uhl Will Preside
at Pacific Luncheon.
Henry L. Rathbone, congressman-at-large from Illi-
nois, will be the principal speaker at the banquet of
Music Merchants on the night of June 10. His ad-
dress will be of an idealistic character, with music
having a big place in it. Mr. Rathbone is recognized
as one of the leading public speakers of America
and has appeared before many distinguished gather-
ings in all parts of the nation. He is a lawyer with
offices in Chicago.
Mr. Rathbone was born in Washington, D. C, and
is a grandsome of the Hon. Ira Harris, founder of
the first law school in the United States. Mr. Rath-
bone's father was in the box at Ford's theater, Wash-
ington, with President Lincoln when the latter was
shot.
The Honorary Chairman for Pacific Coast Day
Luncheon, Tuesday, June 9th, will be Edward H.
Uhl, of Los Angeles, California.
The Hager Music Co. recently opened a branch in
Grand Haven, Mich.
•
DETAILS OF THE
CONVENTION PLANS
Day, Hour, Location and Title of All Impor-
tant Events of Big Annual Meeting of
Music Trade Associations Are Of-
ficially Announced in Program.
AN ALLURING LIST
Many Interesting Gatherings of a Business Nature
Well Interspersed with Functions of a Social
and Sociable Character.
The following detailed program of the annual con-
vention of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce and all the associations of the music trades
and kindred bodies having membership therein, gives
the date, hour and room location of the various events
at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, from Sunday, June 7, to
Friday, June 13, inclusive:
SUNDAY.
7:00 P. M.—Eoard of Directors, Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, Room C.
MONDAY.
9:30 A. M. to 12 Noon.—Registration, validation of
railroad certificates, distribution of tickets for enter-
tainment functions, etc. Registration headquarters,
Reception Court.
9:30 A. M.—Board of Directors, Musical Supply
Association—Room D.
10 A. M.—Executive and Advisory Boards, Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants—Room B. Ex-
ecutive Committee, National Piano Manufacturers'
Association—-Room F. Meeting Technical Sub-Com-
mittee on Standard Pitch—Room E.
12:30 Noon.—Luncheon, under auspices of the
Piano Club of Chicago, to be followed by opening
session of Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker: Richard W. Lawrence, president, Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce.
2:00 P. M.—Convention Session, National Associa-
tion of Band Instrument Manufacturers—Room C.
7:30 P. M.—Convention Session, National Associa-
tion of Piano Technicians—Room C.
TUESDAY.
9:30—Convention Sessions: National Association
of Music Merchants—Ball Room. National Piano
Manufacturers' Association—Room C. Musical Sup-
ply Association of America—Room D. Organ Build-
ers' Association of America—Room G.
12:30 Noon—Luncheon, under auspices Chicago
Piano Club, to be followed by granting of awards to
winners of 1925 Retail Advertising Display of Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce.
2:00 P. M.—Convention Sessions: National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants—Ball Room. National
Piano Manufacturers' Association—Room C. Musical
Supply Association of America—Room D. National
Association of Musical Instrument and Accessories
Manufacturers—Room E. Organ Builders' Associa-
tion of America—Room G.
2:00 P. M.—Shopping tour of Marshall Field &
Company for the ladies followed by Fashion Show.
6:30 P. M.—Dinner Association of Musical Mer-
chandise Manufacturers—Chicago Zone. Members of
National Association as guests.
WEDNESDAY.
9:30 A. M.—Convention Sessions: National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants—Ball Room. Organ
Builders' Association of America—Room G. National
Association of Musical Instrument and Accessories
Manufacturers—Room E.
12:30 Noon.—Luncheon, under auspices of Chicago
Piano Club to be followed by brief program of Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce. Speakers: Presi-
dents of various member associations. This is
Southern Day luncheon.
2:00 P. M.—Convention Sessions: National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants—Ball Room. Organ
Builders' Association of America—Room G. National
Association of Musical Instrument and Accessories
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/
May 23, 1925.
PRESTO
Manufacturers—Room E. National Musical Mer-
chandise Association—Room D.
6:30 P. M.—Reception.
7:00 P. M.—Annual Banquet, National Association
of Music Merchants. Main Dining Room and Ave-
nue of Palms. Entire trade invited.
THURSDAY.
10:00 A. M.—Annual meeting delegates to Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce and election of
Directors, followed by meeting of the Board of Direc-
tors—Room C.
12:30 Noon.—Eastern Day Luncheon, under
auspices Chicago Piano Club, to be followed by
brief program of Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce. Installation of new president.
6:30 P. M.—Annual Dinner and Meeting, National
Piano Travelers Association.
9:00 P. M.—Chicago Piano Club Frolic.
FRIDAY.
Golf Tournament—Olympia Fields.
THE BUSINESS SESSIONS
The tentative program of the business sessions of
the National Association of Music Merchants, at the
Drake Hotel, Tuesday, June 9, and Wednesday, June
10, is an assurance of an interesting and instructive
time for dealers.
On Tuesday, June 9, Professor Osbourne McCon-
athy of Northwestern University, Evanston, 111.,
director of the Department of Public School and
Community Music, will address the merchants on
"Relationship Between Public School Music and the
Music Merchants."
Curtis A. Wessel, editor Phonograph and Talking
Machine Weekly, New York City, will cover the
phonograph situation, his subject being entitled
"Friendly Enemies."
William Braid White, representing the National
Association of Piano Tuners, will cover the subject,
"What Is the Matter with the Service End of the
Piano Business."
Alex. McDonald of New York, member of the ex-
ecutive committee of the merchants' association, will
deliver an address on "Make America Musical," the
slogan coined by Mr. McDonald and used officially
at the 1925 convention.
During the Tuesday session, Alfred L. Smith, gen-
eral manager of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce; C. M. Tremaine, director of the Bureau
for Advancement of Music, and C. L. Dennis, man-
ager of the Trade Service Bureau and Better Busi-
ness Bureau of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, will give reports on their activities in
their respective departments during the past year.
In addition to the above assignments, several other
subjects will be covered.
It is expected that the entire morning of Wednes-
day, June 10, will be occupied in a thorough discus-
sion of the radio situation. Howard A. Lewis of
New York, manager of Radio Retailing, will lead in
the discussion, and he has selected as his subject the
"Radio Problems of the Retail Merchant." After
his address, the radio subject will be discussed by the
members of the association.
The afternoon session on Wednesday will be given
over to the state and regional associations, the pro-
gram for this meeting will be in charge of Wm. C.
Hamilton of Pittsburgh, Pa., vice-president of the
National Association of Music Merchants, and this
will be followed by routine business, resolutions, etc.,
and election of officers.
The above program is not quite complete, and will
be amended as events are added to the schedule.
Parham Werlein, Chairman.
Parham Werlein, New Orleans, will be honorary
chairman of the luncheon on Wednesday, June 10,
Southern Day. The honorary chairmen will be
named later for Pacific Coast Day and Eastern Day.
The Tuesday Dinner, June 9.
The dinner on Tuesday evening, given by the
Musical Merchandise Manufacturers, Chicago Zone,
will be held at the Hotel Drake. F. E. Larson of
Ludwig & Ludwig, who is in charge, reports that
he expects about 250 jobbers and dealers to be their
guests, and practically all the manufacturers of small
goods in the country will be there.
The Banquet Invitation.
Formal invitations from The National Association
of Music Merchants, to attend its Twenty-Fourth
Annual Banquet on Wednesday evening, June the
tenth, nineteen hundred and twenty-five at The Drake
Hotel, Chicago, having been mailed to the trade.
The tickets are $7:00 per plate and to insure adequate
arrangements it is essential all replies reach James
T. Bristol, treasurer, not later than Saturday, June
the sixth.
N. P. M. A. NOMINATIONS.
In a notice to the members this week the nom-
inating committee of the National Piano Manufac-
turers' Association presents the following nomina-
GETS CABLE PIANO CO'S. PRIZE
The first prize offered
by the Cable Piano Com-
pany, Chicago, for the
best essay written by the
school children of that
city on "What Music
Means to Chicago" was
won by Margaret Wil-
liams, 214 Franklin ave-
nue, River Forest, 111.
The contest, held dur-
ing Music Week and
sponsored by t h e Chi-
cago F e d e r a t i o n of
Woman's Clubs was open
to any child in the Chi-
cago schools. Fifty dol-
lar in prizes was offered
by the Cable Piano Com-
pany.
The following para-
graph from the essay by
Miss Williams, w h i c h
won the first prize of $25
is of special interest to
all those connected in
any way with the music
trades:
"Music has its privi-
leged class, but it is
meant for every one. The
privileged class meaning
those with a creative
MISS WILLTAMS SHOWN RECETVTNG PRIZE PROM R. J. COOK. GENERAL
genius, are supposed to
MANAGER, CABLE PIANO CO. FACING MISS WILLIAMS IS HER MOTHER
be the teachers. We can-
AND IN BACKGROUND IS EDWARD MOORE, MUSIC CRITIC,
not expect to know mu-
CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
sic by merely reading
The second prize of $15 was awarded to Fred
about it. Only by taking it into our hearts and homes,
and by making it our intimate companion can we gain Stenn, 1811 West 47th street; the third prize of $10
a knowledge of the art that has enriched so many to Lcona de Marc; 2600 Foster avenue.
lives."
JESSE FRENCH
IN JUBILEE EVENT
Big Display of Pianos and Players at Drake
Hotel During Convention Week to Com-
memorate Fiftieth Anniversary of His
Entrance Into Piano Business.
AMBITIONS REALIZED
Array of Instruments from New Castle Factory to
Prove Attainment of Excellence Suggested
in Widely Known Motto.
The display of the Jesse French & Sons Piano
Co., New Castle, Ind., at the music trades conven-
tion at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, June 8 to 11, will
be in the nature of a golden jubilee celebration of the
entrance of Jesse French, Sr., president of the com-
pany, into the piano business, with which he became
associated in 1875. It is considered by the company
that the fiftieth anniversary could be fittingly and
enthusiastically commemorated by showing the hand-
some styles in a fine line to the assembled dealers,
many of whom are old and warm friends of Mr.
French.
Begins in 1875.
Mr. French started in the music business in 1872,
branching out into the piano business in 1875. Since
that time he has been continuously connected with
the industry, and all the time imbued with the pur-
pose to make the products of his factory representa-
tive of progress in piano manufacture. The spirit of
the company is expressed in the motto, "First Qual-
ity and Quality First." The attainment of excellence
is made surer by the fact that all parts of the instru-
ment, with the exception of the hardware, are pro-
duced in the mammoth factory at New Castle, erected
tions to be acted upon at the annual meeting of this
association on Tuesday, June 9:
For Secretary, Harry Schaaf.
For Treasurer, Charles Jacob.
For the Membership Committee—Allan B. Lane,
Roger S. Brown, Adam Schneider, Walter Lane and
E. B. Bogart.
The convention sessions will be held in Room "C"
at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, on Tuesday, June 9, at
9:30 a. m., and after adjournment of the noon-day
and equipped with the ideas of securing the best pos-
sible results in making Jesse French & Sons pianos.
To Show Realized Ambitions.
The display at the music trade convention at the
Drake Hotel is considered a desirable opportunity
to show the persistence in ideals set up fifty years
ago and the realization of ambitions long recognized
as the policies of the house. The. array of grands,
uprights and players at the Drake will be the Jubilee
Year culmination of the experiences and purposes of
Jesse French and his company since 1875.
The occasion will be a celebration in various ways
outside of commemorating the historic event in the
career of the president of the company. It will be a
reunion of Jesse French & Sons dealers and a suc-
cession of joyous meetings of travelers and retail
representatives. It will be a Jesse French reception
of the characteristic kind where old friends, new
friends and the music trade generally will be made to
feel at home.
Join in the Line.
Among the line of instruments which will be made
to show the extent and meritorious character of the
instrument will be a Jesse French & Sons style SG
grand in beautiful Circassian walnut, with Welte
reproducing action.
A Jesse French & Sons style CC playerpiano in
beautiful burl walnut with standard action. A Jesse
French & Sons style A upright piano in polished
brown mahogany and a Lagonda style 45 medium
grade player in dull satin brown mahogany.
Those who will attend from the company will be
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse French, Sr.. H. E. French, Jesse
French. Jr., W. R. McKown and Earl May.
APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT
OF STRAUBE GRAND FACTORY
David Mcllwrath, Experienced Piano Maker, Will
Be In Charge of New Hammond Output.
David Mcllwrath will become superintendent of a
new grand piano factory being erected by the Straube
Piano Co. at Hammond. Mr. Mcllwrath has been
in the employ of another big Indiana piano industry
for twelve years and has been superintendent of the
factory for the last six years.
The Straube Company at Hammond has been mak-
ing upright pianos for many years and is just com-
pleting a new factory for the manufacture of grand
pianos. It is this plant that Mr. Mcllwrath will be-
come superintendent of. The factory has a capacity
of twenty-five grand pianos a day.
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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