Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
E.tabli.hed 18S4. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
JO C.nf.; $2.00 a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1925
SPREAD OF THE
INSTALLMENT PLAN
Method of Selling Successful in Music Busi-
ness Now Being Adopted by Other
Lines Under Pressure of Neces-
sity for Moving Merchandise.
PROPOSES TRADE ACTION
Music Dealers Everywhere Should Show Plan Desir-
able in Order to Forestall Reaction Against
Method.
as washing machines, particularly for the reason that
in most cases they are used to save labor expense of
hiring a laundress.
# .__
MICHIGAN DEALERS
AT GRAND RAPIDS
Automobiles Not Fitted.
Considerably farther down the list, we would place
pleasure automobiles whicl$|Kr.e:»not nearly so fitting
from either a social or economic standpoint as are Detroit Music Dealers' Association Holds En-
musical instruments for installment selling, because
thusiastic Session and Decides to Attend
they wear out in a few years, can easily become de-
State Convention in a Body and Urges
stroyed by accident or stolen,'"and usually add very
materially to the family expenses'rather than decrease
Return Meeting for Next June.
them.
The installment methods of music merchants were
formerly in competition only with the similar methods
of merchants dealing in products properly adapted to
installment selling, especially real estate men and fur- Some of the Detroit Boosters Who Will Take Part
niture dealers. Almost all types of merchants are
in Next Month's Gathering and What
now competing with the music, trade for public favor
through installment terms.
They Will Do.
Action of Music Dealers.
By ALFRED L. SMITH.
President John J. Glynn, at the recent meeting of
From a selfish standpoint, the music trade is vitally
the New York Piano Merchants' Association, asked interested in having installment selling confined as
Alfred L. Smith, general manager of the Music In- much as possible to a few lines of business. Also the
dustries Chamber of Commerce, to speak for a few music trade must realize that ifinstallment selling is
minutes on the subject of "Installment Sales." The carried to an extreme by lines of industry not prop-
erly qualified for that type of selling, and if as a re-
following js.a digest oi Mr. Smith's remarks:
While business during the past year or so has been sult of this extension of installment selling an abnor-
keeping up fairly well in volume, generally speak- mal amount of the average worker's wage goes to
ing, nevertheless in many individual lines of business paying for merchandise bought on the installment
profits have been far from satisfactory. This has plan, then a certain form of credit inflation has been
been due largely to the fact that sales managers have created and bankers and credit men and the public
been under pressure of the necessity of moving mer- generally are likely to cause a great reaction.
The degree of reaction would depend upon the ex-
chandise in the best way possible, in order to take
care of production of excessive factory facilities, to tent to which installment selling has been carried be-
offset the inroads of new products which may be sub- yond the proper point before the reaction sets in. If
stituted for old, and to make up for the decrease in a great public reaction to installment selling occurs,
public demand for their particular products due to the public will not distinguish between desirable in-
stallment business and undesirable ones, and in such
changes in styles and similar reasons.
a case the music merchant may be the innocent
Under this pressure of necessity, sales managers in victim.
many lines of business have looked with envy upon
the success of such lines as musical instruments, fur-
To Curtail Extension.
niture and real estate in moving products through in-
Therefore, it would seem that any reasonable and
stallment selling. The result has been that in many wise curtailment of this abnormal extension of in-
lines where the products are not adapted to install- stallment selling which may forestall a great public
ment selling either from a social or economic stand- reaction is to the interest of the music dealers rather
point, this method has been used nevertheless in push- than detrimental to them. Every music man through-
ing sales until the time has come when many bankers, out the country should do what he can to show that
economists and credit men are seriously alarmed at installment selling of musical instruments is both de-
what they believe to be an abnormal amount of in- sirable and justified from both a social and economic
stallment selling.
standpoint. If the public realizes this fact, the music
trades should be benefited and not harmed by the
Interests Labor Officials.
curtailment of abnormal selling in those lines which
Officials of the American Federation of Labor have are not properly adapted to it.
also been quoted as stating that an undue portion of
wages throughout the country is being used to pay
NEW KALAMAZOO STORE.
for products purchased on the installment plan, and
The Blanchard Music Shop, Kalamazoo, Mich., will
in many cases already consumed. This campaign
against installment selling does not seem to be open for business this week in its new loca-
directed against the installment plan as such, or its tion in South Burdick street. A. E. Blanchard,
use in the case of products which can be properly proprietor, originally planned to be ready last week,
sold in that manner. On the contrary, it is the exten- but delays in work of completely renovating the
sion of installment selling to products not properly establishment have made it necessary to postpone his
adapted to it which is bringing condemnation of in- opening one week. The new shop will be an attrac-
tive one in every particular. Fixtures have been
stallment selling generally.
installed.
Where Plan Is Suitable.
It may be asked what products are properly
N E W ORLEANS DEALER WEDS.
adapted for installment selling and what are not
Walter Dwyer, of the Dwyer Piano Co., New Or-
from the economic and social standpoints. From an leans, and Miss Rosemary Douglas of New Orleans,
economic standpoint, those products most suitable to were married Saturday, Oct. 10, and are spending
installment selling are those which are of a character
their honeymoon in Chicago. Miss Douglas is a
which can be mortgaged, which depreciate or become great-grand niece of Stephen A. Douglas, and the
obsolescent very slowly, which can be identified and
daughter of one of the south's largest cotton growers.
located easily and are not easily lost. From a social
standpoint, to be adapted to installment selling prod-
PLANS FALL DRIVE.
ucts should not only have many of the economic char-
Considerable additions to its wareroom space have
acteristics already noted, but they should be used for been acquired by the Landon-Sleckner Music Co.,
purposes which contribute to the real welfare of the Williamsport, Pa., preparatory to the enlargement
users, and should tend to decrease expenses rather of its piano and musical stocks at 427 Market street.
than increase them.
Practical means to stimulate sales will be devised
Thus at the head of the list, we would probably for the spirited drive for business planned for fall.
place houses purchased as homes. Very near to the
head of the list we would have musical instruments,
MRS. WHEELER'S APPOINTMENT.
particularly pianos, which last on an average of
Mrs. W. P. Wheeler, of Oshkosh, Wis., has been
twenty years, contribute materially to the education
and welfare of the family and decrease rather than in- appointed principal of the Miessner "Melody Way"
crease family expenditures for entertainment. Near method of piano instruction for that city and adjoin-
the head of the list, we would also have such products ing territory.
STATE ORGANIZATION ASSURED
By F. J. BAYLEY.
The Michigan Music Merchants' Association Con-
vention at Grand Rapids, November 2 and 3, prom-
ises to start the state organization movement "with
enthusiasm.
The Detroit Music Dealers' Association went on
record unanimously in support of the formation of a
Michigan Music Merchants' Association, at a special
meeting called for the purpose of obtaining the De-
troit sentiment, held at the Union League Club, Mon-
day evening, October 19th.
It was felt that the dates set were rather late in
the season, but when it was discovered that the De-
troit delegation would number at least IS it was felt
that everyone should get behind and push.
Special Attendance.
E. P. Andrew, manager the J. L. Hudson Co.,
volunteered to act as chairman of a special attend-
ance committee, which he proposes to organize to
promote enthusiasm among the Michigan dealers by
personal correspondence, feeling very strongly the
necessity of having a representative attendance at the
organization meeting.
Phil Sadowski, whose middle name is "Pep," as
chairman of a special stunts committee, has some
great ideas to startle the sedate town of Grand
Rapids. S. E. Clark and W. H. Howes, of Grinnell
Bros., assured the co-operation of their large organi-
zation, the attendance of C. A. Grinnell, past presi-
dent of the National Association, and Mr. Howes,
chairman of the speakers' committee, announced the
presence of several names of national reputation.
Some Surprise Stunts.
Walter Jenkins, manager The Cable Co., of De-
troit, chairman of nominating committee, expressed
himself as strong for the association, stating that he
had held' some correspondence in regard to the offi-
cers to be proposed. Paul H. Cagle, manager, Story
& Clark Piano Co. Detroit store, has some original
ideas on decoration stunts that he thinks Grand
Rapids has not seen, and which he was encouraged
to carry out and was proffered the assistance of the
rest.
B. O. Hallis, manager the Artonian Piano Co., ex-
pressed himself strongly that Detroit should go in a
solid body and invite the convention back to Detroit
in June, so it was left to him to secure a big bus for
a personally conducted tour of all Detroiters and
wives.
Return Meeting in June.
Wm. H. Huttie, manager of Starr Piano Co. in De-
troit, expressed the intention of writing all the Starr
dealers in Michigan, urging the importance of this
meeting. Charles Smith, manager Detroit Music Co.,
regretted that he could not get away, but stated he
felt the necessity of the success of the organization
meeting so strongly that he intended urging it upon
several of his personal friends among the state dealers,
also favoring an invitation to Detroit in June. It was
felt that several legislative matters should be brought
up at Grand Rapids, as also the proposal of intro-
ducing the instruction on the piano into the curricu-
lum of the public schools.
The State Music Co., Mansfield, O., has started a
"Christmas Saving Club," "open to 100 members
onlv."
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