Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2047

Page 4 Text:

PRESTO
NAME COMMITTEES FOR
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION
State Organization to Hold First Annual Con-
vention at Grand Rapids, Nov. 2 and 3,
When "Cheese Hounds" Will Organize.
The Michigan Music Merchants' Association will
hold its first annual convention at Grand Rapids, No-
vember 2 and 3, according to an announcement made
this week by Frank J. Bayley, Detroit, acting chair-
man. C. E. Hoffman, Grand Rapids, is acting secre-
tary-treasurer. The anticipations of the temporary
officers is that a large attendance will show the eager-
ness of the Michigan music merchants for a state
organization. The following are chairmen of the
various committees:
Herbert Hardy, Bay City, registration; E. E. Wood,
Battle Creek, credentials; Walter Jenkins, Detroit,
nominating; H. Pulfrey, Ann Arbor, speakers; Harris
WALTER LANE.
Meyer, Kalamazoo, publicity; A. H. Howes, Detroit,
program; E. L. Johns, Grand Rapids, hotel; S.
George Graves, Grand Rapids, theater; Hugo Fred-
ericks, Grand Rapids, banquet; F. C. Dietzol, Grand
Rapids, ladies'; J. Maher, Jackson, entertainment;
Fred Beerman, Muskegon, reception; K. W. Curtis,
Chicago, souvenirs; A. V. Minifie, Pontiac, by-law r s;
Phil Sadowski, Detroit, stunts; Chas. Smith, De-
troit, music; L. E. Phillips, Grand Rapids, printing;
Henry D. Hewitt, Chicago, manufacturers; George
Ames, Chicago, golf; Victor O'Brien, Bay City, ser-
geant-at-arms; Walter Lane, Holland, Head Cheese
of Cheese Hounds.
Walter Lane, of Holland, Mich., organizer and
Head Cheese of the Illinois Music Merchants' Cheese
Hounds, has conferred with other members of that
prominent semi-secret organization, during a special
trip to Chicago last w T eek, and there made plans for
organizing the Cheese Hounds' Association in a
Michigan Chapter. Plans are being made for an in-
itiation of the new Michigan members, at a special
meeting, the location of which will be divulged only
to the old members and candidates. The organiza-
tion and initiation will be held at 11:00 o'clock on
DECKER
U
EST. 1856
51 SON
Grand, Upright
and
Welte-Mignon
(Licensee)
Reproducing
(Electric)
Pianos and Players
of Recognized
Artistic Character
Made by a Decker Since 18S6
699-703 East 135th Street
Monday, November 2. Among the old members who
will assist in the initiation are: Henry Hewitt,
Bobbie Forsythe, Marshall Seeburg, Chas. Burtzloff
and Kenneth Curtis.
The "Gold-Dust Twins," in the persons of Ter-
willigar and Forsythe, will have charge of the en-
tertainment, following the organization and initiation.
The initiation will probably be in charge of Rex
Hyre from Cleveland.
STRANGE JUGGLING OF
MUSIC STORE STOCK
Concern Opens on Wabash Avenue, Chicago,
Secures Credit, "Owner" Disappears, and
Stock Is Taken Back by Original Owner.
Queer how some things do happen in the music
trade, sometimes. A few months ago a music store
blossomed out in the second story rooms which had
been occupied by the C. H. Taylor Company, at 218
South Wabash avenue, Chicago. The assumptive
head of the new house was O. G. Thomas, and by
that gentleman's name the concern w r as advertised.
It was proposed to do both wholesale and retail busi-
ness, but principally wholesale.
The O. G. Thomas & Co. continued for several
months, running account on account, of which there
seemed a vast indifference to settlements. And then,
one fine morning, when a collector called he was told
that the concern had changed hands and that the
present head knew nothing at all about his predeces-
sor. He declared that no such person as O. G. Thomas
had even come within seeing distance nor was there
any responsibility as successor to the business.
It then appeared that even the present stock was
not the same. The Thomas stock—so it was said—
had been taken away by the house which had
"backed" the business, and the present stock had also
been supplied by the same enterprising house which
plainly thus became daddy to both the past and pres-
ent "owners" of the strangely pliant assets consist-
ing of a "complete line of musical merchandise."
Credit is easy in the music business—some branches
of it. But it is sometimes well to investigate the
progeny of some concerns before making large ship-
ments—or smaller ones.
PROMINENT INDUSTRY ISSUES
LOUD CALL FOR ALVAH BAKER
Will Any Dealer Who May Know Whereabouts of
This "Repair Man," Please Report?
New York, Oct. 8, 1925.
Editor Presto: A piano dealer, tuner and repair
man of Rochester, Ind., it seems, has suddenly dis-
appeared owing a lot of money. We are among his
creditors and would like to have you insert a notice
in your paper broadcasting some information that
may bring about the location of this man.
His name is Alvah Baker, formerly of 530 Fulton
avenue, Rochester, Ind.
We know you have such a column and would ap-
preciate anything you can do along these lines.
Yours very truly.
BJUR BROS. CO.,
A. V. Koeher, Secretary.
CHANGES IN PROSPEROUS
HOUSE AT OAKLAND, CAL.
Girard Piano Co. Very Active Since Taken Over by
Hallet & Davis Co.
Business has been humming with the Girard Piano
Company of Oakland, Calif., since Hallet & Davis
gained control last spring. The company has moved
to new quarters at 1519 Clay street, where they have
a large ground floor display, in a new building which
is located in the new shopping district. The presi-
dent, B. R. Van Vankenburg, reports the fall busi-
ness as having set in in earnest and lists several
Angelus Reproducing sales, as well as high grade
players and grands as part of the first half month's
business.
Mr. Hartleib and Mr. Gray, of the same office in
Boston, and James Stitt, the Hallet & Davis live
wire Coast representative, visited the Oakland store
recently and they are very optimistic as to the
future outlook.
A full line of Hallet & Davis instruments is car-
ried, together with Packard, Autopiano. Henry F.
Miller, Starr and other well known makes.
F. W. Turpin has rented the Long Building in
Springdale, Ark., and has opened a music store.
October 17, 1925.
NATIONAL PUBLICITY
FOR STRAUBE PIANOS
Helpfulness of Hammond, Ind., Piano Manu-
facturers to Dealers Made Clear in Fine
Display in Saturday Evening Post.
Straube grands, players and uprights are alluringly
featured in the ad of the Straube Piano Co,, Ham-
mond, Ind., in the Saturday Evening Post of Oct. 10.
It is a convincing sample of the national advertising
by which the company helps the dealers.
"For Your Own Golden Hour of Music—A
Straube" is the caption to the picture of a beautiful
girl playing a Straube playerpiano. This follows:
"To play the piano—yourself! To play the selection
your fancy dictates—and to play it the way you like!
That priceless, satisfying privilege will be yours when
a Straube player-piano comes into your home. You
don't need to know a note of music; nor to play any
other musical instrument.
Anyone can play a
Straube—beautifully and expressively! Like thou-
sands of others, you can find in a Straube that per-
fect companion for your own golden hour of music.
You can enjoy, as often as you like, the thrill that
comes to the true artist."
The caption to a picture of a Straube upright
reads: "Famous for half a century, Straube upright
pianos are known wherever fine quality is respected.
Ranging in size from four feet to four feet six inches,
with a convenient price choice, there is a Straube
piano for every purse and every purpose."
This is said about the Straube player, a cut of
which is shown: "A player-piano has eighty-eigiV
valves. Each valve plays a note. The Straube valve,
of patented design, cannot get out of order; it is
the owner's guarantee of dependability.
NOTE:
This valve is found only in instruments built by the
Straube Piano Co."
The Straube grands are written about as follows:
"Quality! That one word, better than any other, is
truly descriptive of Straube grand pianos. Those
who are most discriminating like the Straube grands
best. Ask any Straube dealer to show you the lam-
inal type construction of the keybed and back. This
feature is employed exclusively in Straube grands.''
CONGRATULATIONS FOR MANAGER.
William F. Tatroe, manager of the retail piano de-
partment of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco,
recently received the congratulations of his friends in
the trade and his fellow members in the Union
League Club, of which he is a director, at the an-
nouncement of his marriage at San Rafael to Miss
Elenore O'Leary of San Francisco.
Frank M. Hood, vice-president of the Schiller
Piano Company, Chicago offices in the Republic build-
ing, 209 South State street, who is in the field with
some of his dealers, is expected back about next
week Wednesdav.
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianos Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
WILLIAMS
PIANOS
The policy of the Williams House ia and always
has been to depend upon excellence of product
instead of alluring price. Such a policy does not
attract bargain hunters. It does, however, win the
hearty approval and support of a very desirable
and substantial patronage.
WILLIAMS S K S / J . S r s S S S CHICAGO
New York
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/

Page 5 Text:

PRESTO
October 17, 1925.
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells 9 '
That slogan has become familiar in the
trade the world over. It means that the
piano buyer who discriminates must at
once recognize the superior artistic excel-
lence of the
CHRISTMAN PIANO
and that excellence finds perfect expression
in the famous
Studio Grand
(only 5 ft. long)
This little Grand has no superior and it
presents the very qualities that win the
prospect and makes the sale.
CHRISTMAN
Grands, Players and Uprights
command the admiration of
the best class of music lovers.
The latest triumph is the
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
Equipped with
A marvel of tone and expressive
interpretation of all classes of com-
position, reproducing perfectly the
performances of the world's great-
est pianists.
"The First Touch Tells''
Keg.
U.
S.
Pat.
Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
VALUE IN A GOOD
REGISTERED NAME
Often a Distinctive Firm or Commodity Title
or Phrase Suggestive of the Character of
the Goods Is as Important as the
Pictured Trade-Mark.
INSTANCES POINTED OUT
Many Successful Pianos and Other Musical Instru-
ments Are Indebted for Success to Wise
Selection of a Registered Name.
This is the second installment of well-known
phrases used by piano manufacturers and by manu-
facturers of other instruments in the music trade.
The choice of a phrase to impress the character of
a product is one of the most important matters for
the manufacturer and the selection of a happy one
often means a quick reach to fame as well as per-
manence as a manufactured commodity. The dis-
tinctive firm title or phrase to designate the product
is often as important, perhaps more important than
the pictured trade-mark.
Virtuola.
Virtuola, the name ,ri the famous player piano prod-
uct of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co., Boston, is an-
other term Tilled with suggestion of things artistic.
The very sound is an intimation that the Virtuola
would be a choice of the virtuosa—the person skilled
in music who naturally would be discriminative about
the choice of the playerpiano. This widely known
player is characterized by simplicity of playing, won-
derful expression devices and great durability. And
the name is a recognized asset.
Midget.
Midget is the highly descriptive name of a very
small piano possessing the musical qualities of the
standard sizes, manufactured by The Cable Company,
Chicago. The Cable Midget Upright, a compara-
tively recent addition to the line of the company, has
achieved such success that makes it of great promi-
nence in the presentations of The Cable Company.
It is a little piano, standing only 44 inches high and
55 inches in length, but neither a toy or a compro-
mise. The Midget is a real piano, meeting every
exacting Cable standard of musical quality and work-
manship. The sales manager of The Cable Company
gives due credit to the name of the little piano which
in a word so eloquently brings to mind one of its
distinguishing characteristics—smallness.
Manualo.
Manualo is the title of the player which the Bald-
win Piano Co., Cincinnati, further describe as "The
Player Piano with the Human Touch." The trade
well understands that the Manualo is not an instru-
ment with a player action installed in a piano but a
complete and distinctive unit—a playerpiano built as
such. No other playerpiano is a Manualo. A few
of its features gives appropriateness to the name. The
accented pedal action, for instance which gives the
instrument the "human touch," the standardized and
replaceable valve and air finger units, direct striking
pneumatics, an original bellows arrangement and a
simple and most responsive tempo arrangement.
These features justify the use of the word Manualo.
Melostrelle.
Melostrelle is the widely known word applied to
upright, grand and player pianos of distinctive char-
acter made by the Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co.,
Chicago. The great favor for the instruments is
due to the realizations of the features suggested by
the name, which promises something conforming to
all the laws of melodies. Melostrelle suggests an
instrument of soothing, satisfying tone, which is pro-
duced through the art and science employed in its
manufacture. Melostrelle small grands are made in
a separate factory in the "Piano City" at Steger, 111.
Melostrelle player pianos are equipped with the cele-
brated, drumtight, Steger E-Z action.
Coinola.
Coinola was the clever and happy choice of a reg-
istered term for the coin-operated instruments of the
Operators' Piano Company, Chicago. The company
makes electric pianos and orchestrions, all of which
are coin-controlled, so the appropriateness of the
choice is obvious. A great many public places are
now equipped with Coinolas and their reliability and
ready response to the dropping of the nickel, make
them constant sources of profit. Coinola is synony-
mous with coin to owners and dealers.
Premier.
The registered word, Premier, applied to the grand
pianos made by the Premier Grand Piano Corpora-
tion, New York, has been justified in character of the
pianos and in the success of the company, also dis-
tinguished by the word in its firm title.
Playernola.
Playernola is the name by which the trade distin-
guishes the playerpianos of admirable quality and
reliability made by Becker Bros., Inc., New York.
Playernola also suggests a distinctiveness of action
which makes the Becker Bros, playerpianos esteemed
by dealers and their customers, Its simplicity of
construction and ease of operation are qualities of
which Jacob H. Becker, bead of the business and a
pianomaker of wide experience, is justly proud.
What Minum Stands For.
The smallest in the three sizes of grand pianos
made by the Starr Piano Company, Richmond, Ind.,
is the Minum, a copyrighted name that suggests
exclusive features to the dealers and general satis-
faction to their customers. The word denoting small-
ness presents a desirable characteristic to music lov-
ing people who must adapt the piano to the space
available in the home or apartment. But like the
larger grands in the Starr line, the Minum is sought
where there are no limitations of space, and where
the buyer is assured of pure tonal qualities regard-
less of size.
Meaning of Claritone.
Claritone is a word registered by Adam Schaaf,
Inc., Chicago, for its playerpiano, which fulfills the
expectations of the most exacting customer. The
clear, pure quality of tone in the Adam Schaaf piano
is also found in the Claritone and the character of
dependability which has maintained the piano in a
foremost place in the music world is also present in
the playerpiano. Claritone is a word demanding im-
portant desirable qualities in a playerpiano. These
Adam Schaaf, Inc., has supplied.
Power of Q R S.
An odd name for a product is often of great value.
The letters Q R S distinguishing a make of player
music rolls are now widely known to represent merit.
Many old customers of the rolls, while knowing that
they are made by the Q R S Co., Chicago, do not
know what words the initials stand for. The Q R S
Redtop tube inherits the character for excellence
of the Q R S music roll and invites a trial which the
Q R S Music Co. guarantees to reward with satis-
faction.
Tonkbench a Winner.
Another oddity in wording is the trade-marked
title, Tonkbench, adopted for its piano benches by
the Tonk Manufacturing Co., Chicago, with branch
factory in Los Angeles, Calif. The coined word is
now understood to signify the highest quality obtain-
able in every bench made by the company. The
pictorial trade mark of the Tonk Manufacturing Co.,
a pretty girl seated on a Tonkbeuch at a grand piano,
is one of the most familiar things in the music trade.
May Bell's Meaning.
To the musical instrument trade of the United
States and Canada the distinctive phrase, "May Bell,"
now denotes the merits of the line of banjos of the
Slingerland Banjo Co., Chicago. It is euphonious,
easily remembered and the Slingerland Banjo Co.
continually sees to it that the term shall convey the
assurance of high quality. The Slingerland May Bell
banjos have received their present reputation through
the good will and enthusiasm of professionals and
amateurs who have established them in an enviable
position in the banjo industry.
(To Be Continued Next Week.)
WITH THE MUSIC TRADE
IN DENVER, COLORADO
Apparently Not Much Doing, but at Least the
Radio Business Seems to Be Humping
Along at Lively Rate.
By J. B. DILLON.
The Gray Brothers Company (radio) has been in-
corporated, capitalization $33,000. Frank Gray, W.
E. Johnson and L. B. Wirth.
Denver music folks are all puffed up. The band
of the Forty and Eight went to Omaha and came
back with the silver cup, acclaimed the best band
in the American Legion parade.
McKannon Piano Company says: "In the last
thirty-five years thousands of satisfied customers in
every walk of life have purchased their musical in-
struments from us, and in no case have we failed
to justify their confidence."
W. R. Frank, president, and A. R. Nelson, sec-
retary of the Northland Radio Company of Minne-
apolis came to Denver and with J. M. Knott, local
manager and director of sales, called in its Western
district salesmen and put on some good stuff which,
if it had been broadcasted, would ha,ve told the rest
of us how they do it.
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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