Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2036

August 1, 1925.
PRESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. D A N I E L L and F R A N K D. ABBOTT
-
Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com.
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat-
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1. 1925.
THE TEACHER RETURNS
It is about twenty years since the first cry
that the piano teacher's job was in danger, that
the "automatic" piano would certainly drive
the flesh-and-blood performer from the parlors
of the people. The day of darkness for the
aspiring pedagogue of the piano had arrived,
or was about to begin.
But to the present writing there has been no
public provision proposed for starving piano
teachers, and the music store counters disclose
the same calls for piano instructors and suit-
able teaching pieces as before the playerpiano
arrived. The demand may not be quite as
urgent, and the piano teachers may not be so
numerous, though the change is not noticeable
and the schools of music appear to have rather
increased in number than otherwise.
And of late there have come signs of a recall
of even the few piano teachers that may have
fallen from the ranks. The special efforts of
some of the tireless workers in the piano's in-
terests have of late years been "starting some-
thing" that is bringing back the old-time en-
thusiasm for the instrument as our mothers
and our grandmothers and dads and grand-
dads knew it and loved it. As good speci-
mens of the workers of the kind alluded to it
is safe to cite Mr. Otto Miessner, of Milwau-
kee, and Mr. W. L. Bush, of Chicago.
Both the piano manufacturers named have
devoted about as much time and effort to es-
tablishing music schools and teaching the ris-
ing generation what it means to actually play
the piano, as they have to making and selling
p:anos. And they are doing it systematically
in a way that helps the piano dealers in a prac-
tical way. It is certain that if all piano mer-
chants could grasp the viewpoint of such
gentlemen as we have named, the piano busi-
ness would never again have occasion to fear
any "slump." If the dealers would so adjust
their piano selling that the piano teacher and
the tuner would be interested also in even-
sale, after it is made, it would prove a great
help to the enthusiasts who mean "make
America musical' when they say it.
J felp the piano teachers to "come back" and
stay as important aids to the progress of the
better part of life, and the piano industry and
trade will continue to be the best line of busi-
ness in the worLd.
SPRINKLE'S SPECIAL SALE
It has been long since such a stir has
been created by a special sale as was devel-
oped by the action of the Better Business Bu-
reau in the suppression of a picture contest
put on by Mr. J. W. Sprinkle, of Fort Wayne,
Indiana. When a representative of Presto
called at the store of Mrs. W. C. Murray, in
Fort Wayne, of which establishment the of-
fending piano man is manager, that gentle-
man expressed surprise that anyone on earth,
in any way connected with music trade journal-
ism, hadn't a close understanding of his store
and his own remarkable performances in set-
ting up special piano sales. He told of his
plan, and declared that at times the good-
sized wareroom had been literally "filled with
buyers." He expressed no contrition nor gave
any sign that his methods had not been cor-
rect and at least of the kind to sell instru-
ments, far and wide, in the face of keen com-
petition.
The incident shows again that advertising
is the most effective means to an end. But in
this case, also, it seems to suggest that the
Better Business Bureau has made needless
use of the Fort Wayne puzzle picture offense
in promoting the personal interests of the
salesman who tried hard to show his employer
that he could dispose of the goods. For if
Mr. Sprinkle feels that he has become a na-
tional institution because of the efforts of the
"warning" published in the newspapers and
the liberally distributed printed matter of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce—
even to this editorial in the American Music
Trade Weekly—how many other more or less
misguided young piano store managers may
try the same scheme ?
There can be no question about the need of
energy, vital effort and resourcefulness in-
conducting the piano business in cities like
Fort Wayne, where competition is keen and
the prospects come, to a large extent, from
the country 'round about. Merely to announce
that music is an essential, and to invite the
farmers to "Make America Musical," will not
do the business. And when a dealer over-
steps the ethical bounds, it seems that a good
way would be to let the local dealers, or asso-
ciation, if there is one, so conduct the case as
to stop the slaughter even to the extent of
slaughtering the offending store, and not to
make so much noise about a local offense as
to make it a national trade disaster. Mr.
Sprinkle was not "cured" of his faith in spe-
cial sales, and he has had many requests for
the outline of his schemes and his loud sound-
ing advertisements. It's a great business, this
piano selling in small places, and we can't
change it in a hurry.
It was a mistake to say that Mr. Geo. P.
Bent had returned to his Los Angeles home.
Before going to California the originator of
the "aged" in the piano trade will give two
more of the celebrated dinners to the ancient
of all ages. One will be at Minneapolis and
the other at Decorah, Iowa. Dinners to the
Aged promise to be popular affairs with many
of the youngsters of the American piano in-
dustrv.
# * *
The fish bit well on Sunday of this week at
the little lakes of Michigan and Wisconsin,
during the "Julv norther,'' as the resorters
christened the foggy, damp, all-day and all-
night wave of chilly weather. The resort sea-
son is not the most propitious period for get-
ting piano orders, but the fisherman-salesman
who angles just right can always get a "bite."
As showing how the corrective influence
applied to unethical piano dealers may work,
the gentleman at Fort Wayne, Ind., who was
recently disciplined by the Better Business
Bureau for putting on a picture puzzle sale,
believes that his prosecution has made him
famous and says he is doing more business
than ever before. Mr. Sprinkle has certainly
had a lot of advertising.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(August 1, 1895.)
Jerry Bauman, of New Castle, Pa., wlio deals in
pianos and organs, visited a neighboring town with
his steam calliope. Wherever he drove his noisy
machine he scared the people nearly to death, and
many ran for their suns.
Jacob Wendell, who was born in 1691, of good old
Holland stock, at Albany, was the common ancestor
of John Phillips, the first mayor of Boston, Wendell
Phillips, his son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, the author,
and of Mr. Wendell. Marshall & Wendell, the well-
known piano makers.
There is nothing JO dangerous to a liberty-loving
people as over-done legislation. Law that means
nothing more than the exercise of petty authority is
a small species of despotism. In McKeesport, Pa.,
the ancient question as to whether music is a de-
stroyer of holiness is being agitated. The mayor,
who happens to be one of the pin-headed fraternity,
decided that the performance of a brass band play-
ing in the public park on Sundays is a desecration.
The upright piano seems to have reached the high-
est point of development consistent with its present
principles of construction and the conventional style
of case. The results seem susceptible of no aug-
mentation. The limits, both of tone and beauty of
Finish, have been reached. In many pianos the sale
seem,s to be absolutely without a flaw. What then
will be
the next development of the popular instru-
ment 0
The Piano Man's Vacation.
He's coming from the woodland
Where cooling waters ran,
The while he stood a-fishing
On the installment plan.
He's
As
And
To
also been a-hunting,
all his game affirms.
now he's steering homeward
sell on easy terms.
He swam in living waters,
He sailed the raging main,
And now he's back in harness
To toil and trade again!
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, August 3, 1905.)
"Avoid the 'tin pan" piano,' is the caption of a
Hallet & Davis Co. advertisement in the Cleveland
papers.
The mark-down lists of piano bargains in some of
the store windows place the piano in the same class
as the Panama hats in August or the peek-a-boo
shirt waists in January.
If there could be any further testimony required
to prove that the piano business has grown to pro-
portions of a great industry the recent addition of
exclusive buyers to the forces of some houses seems
to supply it.
The talking machine horn to amplify the vibra-
tions imparted to the diaphragm by the needle fol-
lowing the pulsations of the record is dispensed with
by a Pennsylvania inventor, who proposes to replace
ihe horn by a violin.
E. B. Rogers, of Ashtabula, Ohio, puts the case
Avell in his local advertising when he says:
All pianos are made to sell. Some made to wear
a lifetime. Such is the reputation of the old reliable
"Kurtzmann." beautiful sweet-voiced Raymond and
Langdon."
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/
\ugnst 1, V)2$.
PRESTO
CRITICIZES DEALERS'
NATIONAL BODY
(Continued from page 7.)
His benefits will always be in direct ratio to what lie
himself does to promote its interests.
A Misunderstanding.
It seems to me that the Music. Industries Chamber
of Commerce is misunderstood by many merchants.
Among some the idea seems to prevail that the
Chamber is attempting- to destroy the merchants' as-
sociation. This is utterly absurd, as must be evident
to anyone who will give the subject a little thought.
The work of the Chamber is broader in scope than
that of any of the other organizations in the music
industry. It deals with problems affecting the indus-
try as a whole. The merchants' association deals
with problems affecting in a national, way the retail
business. The state and regional associations deal
with problems closer to home and in some of the
larger cities associations are formed to handle local
problems.
Each of these organizations has important work to
do for the good of our industry. The more localized
an organization is, the more it is qualified to deal
with details that will promote good and honorable
business. The national association can deal only
with problems which affect the retail business of the
country as a whole.
Association's Affairs.
Take, for example, the depreciation schedule re-
ferred to by Mr. Hyre. He says it is what the aver-
age dealer wants. In my opinion, the depreciation
is not a matter for the national association, for the
state associations, or for local associations, but rather
a thing for the individual merchants to work out.
Dealer's Own Business.
A depreciation schedule is, after all, only another
form of price fixing, and this editor, who is also an
attorney, seems to overlook this angle of it and
where it would lead us w T ith the federal government.
A depreciation schedule, to be worth anything, would
have to be tied up with price standardization. To
the customer who comes in to purchase a piano and
lias an old one to exchange, it matters little which
end of the price tag is whacked off, an excessive al-
lowance or a liberal discount, just so the main figure
suits his idea of driving a bargain. We cannot fix
retail prices, therefore, we cannot fix exchange values.
The dealer who conducts his business at a loss is
probably wrong on allowances. The dealer who con-
ducts a profitable business is probably right on al-
lowances.
Corrects the Lawyer.
The editor says that the small dealer does not care
about the wonderful work of the Bureau for the Ad-
vancement of Music, the Trade Service or the Better
business Bureaus. I do not believe that is generally
true, but where it is true, and if it is, perhaps that is
why he is a small dealer. If he awakened to the fact
that the best brains in our industry are at work seek-
ing to promote his welfare, and if he would come to
the national convention and get in contact with the
big men of the industry, he might be inspired to be-
come something other than a small dealer. Let me
cite, as an example, the Griffith boys, late of West
Union, Iowa.
The Bureau for the Advancement of Music has
done more to benefit the merchants of the smaller
cities than those of the larger ones, and whether
the small dealer advertises or not, his business is
affected by advertising and in this he is receiving
benefits from the Better Business Bureau.
A Logical Assumption.
If the National Association of Music Merchants,
after twenty-five years' of existence, doing business
in the same old way and finding itself in a state of
senility according to this editor—suddenly decides
on a drastic change, isn't it logical to assume that
ibis change was made in order to overcome the very
tilings which he deplores?
The Executive Committee chose to have the work
of the secretary done in the office of the Chamber be-
cause the machinery was already there and ready
for our use in an aggressive membership campaign,
and for work necessary to encourage the forming of
state and regional associations. The national asso-
ciation has not abolished its executive office—it has
simply adopted a new clerical force. The mapping
out of the work and all plans for the promotion of
the national association are in the hands, rather, the
brains of the executives of that organization.
Convention Purposes.
Our annual gatherings should be made so impor-
tant that the music merchant, no matter how small
he is, cannot afford to stay away. Here should be
gathered together, in the form of exhibits, the prod-
ucts of the manufacturers, especially those showing
new developments. So we should invite bankers,
advertising men, accountants and men who can dis-
course interestingly on the technical phases of our
business, and have them address those who are inter-
ested in any of these subjects in a room set aside
for the purpose.
The meetings of the national association should be
very brief and confined to the actual business of the
association, so that the merchants can attend these
meetings and still have time to view the exhibits and
mingle with their fellow merchants for the inter-
change of ideas. Our convention must be treated as
a serious thing and not as an annual joy ride, and to
this end I want to lend encouragement to any move-
ment which will simplify the entertainment and so-
cial features of the convention.
In commenting upon this article it would seem to
me that, in view of the fact that the criticism was
not presented by the proper persons at the proper
time and place, it is unofficial and that it presupposes
the failure of our new plan before it is in operation.
The article is not in the best of taste.
REBUILDS STORAGE WAREHOUSE.
The Ackerman Piano Co., Marion, O., is rebuild-
ing a storage structure recently damaged by fire at
an estimated loss of $6,000. When completed it will
be used for storage purposes for which it will be
equipped.
A. F. LARSON LEAVES FOR
OLD HOME IN NORWAY
President of Western Electric Piano Co. Goes
to Visit Relatives in Norway and to Tour
Other Countries.
It has been twenty-five years since A. F. Larson,
president of the Western Electric Piano Co., Chi-
cago, has been to his old home in Norway. So he
decided that a visit to renew acquaintances with his
relatives and to see his former friends was opportune.
He has made his plans and left last week, in company
with his wife and daughter, for Washington, D. C,
where he will spend a day, and then go to New York
City for another day, sailing on August 4 on the
Norwegian steamer "Bergenfjurd" for Norway,
where he anticipates a very delightful visit for sev-
eral months.
Mr. Larson came to America thirty-three years
ago, and has made but one trip to his old home since
that time. He is going back to enjoy a real vacation,
and is going to forget all about business. He will
visit parts of Norway and also make a tour of
Sweden, and perhaps visit Germany, too, before he
returns to the United States. He sails homeward on
September 26, from Stockholm, and will arrive in
Chicago on October 10.
HIGHLY VALUABLE SOUVENIR
During her work with the Aeolian Company, New
York, as secretary to Francis L. Young, now retail
sales manager of the Metropolitan District, Miss
Bertha Stulz has had the opportunity of coming in
contact with many famous pianists who record their
playing for the Duo-Art. In 1921 it occurred to her
that a collection of their signatures on a table cover
would be an interesting and valuable souvenir of her
very pleasant acquaintance with them.
Oliver Denton was the first to inscribe his signa-
made writing extremely difficult, all expressed much
interest in the undertaking and took great pains to
make their signatures legible with the aid of Miss
Stulz, w r hose care in holding the linen with a certain
firmness was largely responsible for the clearness of
the autographs.
In the photograph of the collection note that
Ignace Friedman uses a small "f" in writing his last
name. Rudolph Ganz was asked why he always fin-
ished his autograph with three small dots under the
AUTOGRAPHS OF MUSIC CELEBRITIES OX TABLE COVER
ture, and since then Paderewski, Hofmann, Bauer name, and explained with originality that they repre-
and many other of the Duo-Art's most celebrated sented the past, present and future.
pianists have added their name to her unique collec-
This unusual table cover can be seen at any time
tion.
by a telephone request to Miss Stulz in Mr. Young's
In spite of the fact that the linen in the table cover office.
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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