Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2051

Page 4 Text:

November 14, 1925.
PRESTO
Grands; also grands under the various other names
controlled by the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.
r
Uprights for Jacob Doll & Sons.
Simultaneously, with-the Premier interests taking
over the Hallet & Davis Piano Co., arrangements
have been completed by them with Jacob Doll &
Sons to^cpntinue the manufacture of the upright in-
struments, consisting of the various brands controlled
by the Hallet & Davis Piano Company.
Thus these uprights will be produced and marketed
by the great piano manufacturing plant of Jacob Doll
& Sons, New York, which has been known for years
as one of the finest equipped and most extensive
plants in the east. The quality and most efficient
service, which have characterized these instruments
heretofore, will continue unabated. The whole line
of Hallet & Davis products, therefore, will be manu-
factured in New York, the heart of the piano indus-
try.
Other Lines to Go.
Third: The good will and trade names heretofore
held by the National Piano Mfg. Company have been
acquired by the interests of Messrs. Jacob Doll &
Sons. Under the National Piano Mfg. Company have
been sold the Briggs, Norris & Hyde and other instru-
ments, thus making available, without interruption,
this complete and rapid selling line of instruments.
This line of popular instruments will, therefore,
also be made right in the heart of the piano industry,
assuring the dealer of most efficient and quicker serv-
ice than ever.
Fourth: The Simplex Player Action Company will
continue to operate as heretofore, devoting itself
exclusively to its field, in which it has demonstrated
itself to be pre-eminent. We believe that through
concentrating on the new Simplex Reproducing
drawer, as well as on the reproducing upright and
foot power player action, this company can render a
service to the trade which has never been rendered
before, for its interest will be centered in the pro-
duction of the finest reproducing and foot power
actions possible, with no affiliations competitive with
its customers.
Fifth: The capital released through these read-
justments will be concentrated in the Conway Securi-
ties Company, giving it a capital strength second to
but few in this field of endeavor.
The Principles Involved.
The principles involved in these readjustments are:
Specialization of individual effort. A community of
interests among all. The Conway Securities Com-
pany, able and willing to assist in the financing of
the merchant wherever located—dedicated first to
the service of this community of interests and the
trade at large.
These arrangements are effective as soon after
January 1st, 1926, as a continuation of service to our
trade makes possible, and we speak to our own trade
with a feeling of great confidence that the new ar-
rangements will give to them a broader source of
supply than they have had in the past.
CONWAY COMPANY,
By CARLE C. CONWAY, President.
HENRY WEQMAN DIES
IN MINNEAPOLIS
Barnes & Strohber as traveling salesman. At the
close of his service there, in 1922, he went to the
H. C. Bay Co. as traveler and in 1924 he moved to
Bluffton, Ind., where eventually he became superin-
tendent of the H. C. Bay factory. In time he left
Bluffton and went to the Schiller Piano Co. factory
at Oregon, 111. He was in Chicago a few months
ago, on his way to Minneapolis, in which city he did
not expect to remain more than a month or two. He
had many warm friends in the trade. He was a
warm-hearted, genial gentleman, and he had arrived
at a little more than middle life at the time of his
death.
Widely Known Piano Factory Superintendent,
Traveling Man and One-Time Manufacturer,
Passes Away in the Minnesota Metropolis.
The trade will regret the passing of Henry Weg-
man, whose sudden death last week Tuesday in Min-
neapolis, Minn., came as a shock to the few who so
far have heard of it.
Mr. Wegman was one of the most widely known
men in the piano industry, having been connected at
different times with several of the leading piano man-
ufacturing concerns in this country.
He learned the business with his father in the
Wegman Piano Co.'s establishment at Auburn, N. Y.,
CLEVELAND TRADE'S
CHIPS AND CHATTER
City Buys a Steinway, Fire Destroys Radio
Plant, Wurlitzer Store Sells Sheet Music,
and Other Items.
The Wurlitzer Co. are installing a complete sheet
music department which will be in charge of Mai
Seigel, well known in the trade, and all the latest
popular music as well as classical pieces will be
carried.
Fire destroyed the one-story plant of the France
Mfg. Co., makers of radio and electrical goods, on
Nov. 7, with a loss of $25,000. The fire started
from a can of gasoline being left too close to an
annealing furnace.
A Steinway grand piano has been selected by the
City of Cleveland for its new radio broadcasting
studio in Public Halt. It was furnished by the
Dreher Piano Co., Cleveland agents.
Cleveland dealers are continuing their public dem-
onstrations of the new Orthophonic Victrola due to
the many who still demand it. The big trouble is in
being able to satisfy prospects as to when they will
get their instruments. Every dealer has a waiting
list which is constantly growing.
Only three music dealers had booths at the Radio
HENRY WEGMAN.
Show, the Dreher Piano Co., Buescher Co. and Euclid
Music Co. All report good business, a number of
and at later periods in his career served in the prospects being secured.
capacity of factory superintendent and occasionally
J. A. Malott, for many years assistant manager
as a traveling wholesale salesman.
of Department E of the Wurlitzer Co., at Cincin-
The son of one of the most distinguished piano nati, and recently with the Zenith Corporation, is
inventors and manufacturers, whose name he inher- now connected with the Cleveland Talking Machine
ited, Henry Wegman began his practical tuition in his Co. in charge of Zenith Radio sets, for which the
father's industry at Auburn, in his early boyhood. company is distributors.
Henry Wegman, Sr., was a progressive piano manu-
facturer who established the industry which bore his
name. He there produced a number of innovations,
including the double keyboard, also a piano with two
distinct sets of strings, and later a piano organ.
The feature of the latter instrument was that it con-
tained reeds as well as strings and could be played as It's Good Sign that Fine New York Industry Is
either of the instruments which at that time were
Almost Overwhelmed with Orders.
almost equally popular.
Krakauer
Bros., piano manufacturers, Cypress ave-
The Wegman Piano Co. was continued, after its
founder's death, by the son, as assistant to Will nue and 136th street, New York, are overwhelmed
Burgess who had been associated with the house from with orders. The factory has been working overtime
its start. In 1917 the old industry became involved continuously for the past three months.
During October Krakauer Bros, enjoyed the very
financially and the business fell to other hands and
was finally closed in a whirlwind of litigation. To best month in the history of the house.
the time of his death Mr. Henry Wegman had wor-
Both W. B. Marshall and Arthur Hahn, traveling
ried about the old industry and its fate and the almost for the Krakauer house, have returned from most
ceaseless litigation followed with no results to its successful trips and report business is very encour-
heirs.
aging, more so than in years past. There could be
Shortly after the crash at Auburn Henry Wegman no better sign of good piano trade than when the
came to Chicago and entered the employ of Smith, high-grade industries are busy.
KRAKAUER BROS.' FACTORY
IS WORKING OVERTIME
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
beautiful in design and rich in tone.
Write for our new explanatory Chart,
the most complete an3 simple treat-
ment of the reproducing action.
Wabash at Jackson - - - Chicago
Builders or Incomparable
[PIANOS. PLAYERS^REPRODIJCING PIANOS
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATIVE
PLAN
will increase your sales and
solve your financing problems.
Write to the nearest office
for prices.
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
INCORPORATED
CHICAGO
DALLAS
ST. LOUI8
DENVER
NEW YORK
8AN FRANCISCO
The Best Yet
Graceful lines, rugged construc-
tion, moderately priced. It's the
very best commercial piano from
every standpoint.
Style 32-4 ft. 4 in.
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell Readily—Stay Sold
Send to-day for catalogue, prices and
details of our liberal financing plan
Weser Bros., Inc.
520 to 528 W. 43rd St., 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
November 14, 1925.
CHRISTMAN
"The
First Touch Tells t 9
And Every Touch Thereafter
Increases the Admiration for
Splendid Tone and Artistic
Qualities of the
CHRISTMAN
Studio Grand
with members of the committee concerning this tax
matter.
The following letter has been sent by the Chamber
to the individual members of the Ways and Means
Committee by the chamber in which it was said that
the "tax applies to a great variety of articles which
Equipment of the Nordlund Grand Piano Co. are operated by coin mechanisms, but it is especially
burdensome and unfair to the manufacturers of auto-
Is Being Installed in the Factory at
matic pianos. Congress in 1921 eliminated the excise
Muncie, Indiana.
tax on pianos, and since then has indicated its adver-
As was told in last week's Presto, the new Dela- sity to taxing musical instruments by making spe-
ware Piano Co., at Muncie, Ind., which succeeded to cific exemption in the case of other taxes.
"While we are interested primarily in the appli-
the Bell Bros, factory in that city, will install the
equipment of the Nordlund Grand Piano Co., of Chi- cation of this tax to pianos, nevertheless we believe
that the entire tax should be eliminated for the fol-
cago, and produce the "Delaware" pianos.
"The name of Delaware is so familiar in the vicin- lowing reasons:
"The revenue derived, amounting to only $368,000
ity of Muncie and, as the name of the county, it is one
of the best in Indiana, we thought it best to christen annually, is too insignificant to justify the contin-
our pianos with it," said Clarence Wood, manager of uance of this tax and the expense of collection.
"It is so vague in its application as to be unfair to
the new industry.
The new company was organized by Charles Hous- those industries who pay the tax. For instance, the
ton to take over the Bell Bros. Piano Co., and opera- attachment of a coin operating mechanism to a piano
tions have already begun at Muncie. Olie Bell is subjects the entire piano to the tax; why, then, should
now on the road for the company, and Max Rich- not the attachment of a coin operating mechanism
steig, who has been acting as superintendent for the to self-service restaurant equipment subject the en-
Nordlund industry in Chicago, has gone to the tire equipment to the tax?"
Indiana city to serve in the same capacity there.
NEW "DELAWARE" PIANOS
WILL SOON APPEAR
DUO=ART ARTIST IS
ESPECIALLY HONORED
IMPROVEMENTS AT
BALDWIN PIANO CO.
Chicago Branch Spending Some $50,000 in Re-
building the Fourth Floor at Its Chicago
Los Angeles Holds Huston Ray Week for Ex-
Store and Putting in Radio.
clusive Duo-Art Concert Pianist, and
Between $40,000 and $50,000 is being expended by
Mayor Presents Keys to City.
(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 tr umph is the
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
Equipped with
"•jjignon.
THI
MASTER'S
FINGERS
O N YOUR
PIANO 1
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"
Reg. U. S. Pat. Oft.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
One of the many sensational high-lights of the
Pacific Coast tour of Huston Ray, exclusive Duo-Art
concert pianist, was Huston Ray Week at the Forum
Theater Beautiful in Los Angeles, Cal., during the
week of October 24. It was in honor of the talented
young artist and his playing with the Duo-Art. At
the beginning of the week he was presented with the
keys to the city by Mayor Geo. E. Cryer. The
Mayor's message to Mr. Ray follows:
"As presenting you with the key to Los Angeles
in welcoming your Pacific Coast debut in inaug-
urating October 24 as Huston Ray Week, am sure
the people will likewise welcome a real American
artist and also marvel at his art."
E. A. Geissler, of the Birkel Music Company,
headed a committee which met the pianist-composer
at the train. A special Sunday aid-day concert was
held at the Forum Theater—one of the leading play-
houses in the country, on November 1, featuring Mr.
Ray and the Duo-Art. He played ot capacity audi-
ences during his entire engagement.
Mr. Ray also gave a week-end recital at the home
of James Cruze, famous director of "The Covered
Wagon" and other well-known film productions, and
his wife, Betty Compson, who were so impressed by
the Duo-Art that they ordered one delivered to their
home, to be personally selected by Mr. Ray.
Over forty moving picture stars were present at
his Forum Theater premier and the entire city of
Los Angeles was placarded with Huston Ray week
banners and Duo-Art posters.
PROTEST TAX ON
COIN=OPERATED PIANOS
Plea Made for Manufacturers Before Ways
and Means Committee by Counsel for J. P.
Seeburg Co. Followed by Chamber Action.
The Ways and Means Committee have now about
reached in executive session consideration of the
excise taxes, many of which it is expected will be
removed. The only one now affecting the music in-
dustry is that on coin operated machines, which in-
cludes automatic pianos.
A strong presentation of the case of the piano man-
ufacturers was made before the committee in the
public hearings on Monday, Nov. 2, by Willis D.
Nance, appearing for the J. P. Seeburg Piano Co.,
Chicago. Mr. Nance based his case upon the fact
that past records of Congress showed that it did
not desire to tax musical instruments, and that the
use of the coin operated mechanism is incidental in
an automatic piano; nevertheless by attaching such
a mechanism the entire piano is subjected to the tax,
amounting in many cases to much more than the
value of the mechanism which makes it taxable.
Mr. Nance apparently made a deep impression
upon the members of the committee, and if any of the
minor taxes are eliminated this tax should be in-
cluded in the elimination.
Alfred L. Smith, general manager of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, also conferred
the House of Baldwin in rebuilding the fourth floor
of its store structure at 323 South Wabash avenue,
Chicago. This floor when completed will be one of
the finest retail rooms for pianos to be found in the
United States.
The company is also establishing its own broad-
casting system, which is in charge of Richmond Har-
ris, director of the reproducing division of the Bald-
win Piano Company.
"We are using the very latest equipment," said Mr.
Harris on Thursday of this week, "and broadcasting
from the house by sealed wires through our towers
in Oak Park, 111., and we've spent about $15,000 in •
insulating the studio ceilings and walls and floors, in
order to make the place sound-proof against all
foreign vibrations.
"We made an arrangement with the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad to share in the programs and the ex-
penses. Our station is WGES. The programs are
listed as Baldwin Piano Co. and Illinois Central Rail-
road Company. We give operatic and popular and
instrumental music by radio, and we use the Baldwin
Reproducing Piano for this work."
MOVING CHARGES CUT
FOR CHICAGO PIANOS
Furniture, Piano Movers' and Expressmen's Associa-
tion Makes a Cut of Fifty Cents a Mile.
A reduction of fifty cents a mile in moving charges
was announced on Tuesday of this wek in Chicago
by the Piano Movers' and Expressmen's association
"in a sincere effort to speed the cost of living back
to normalcy." The mileage charge was cut in half by
the reduction which Daniel Healy, secretary of the
association, said is preliminary to further lowering
of the charges.
"The association has recognized that the cost of
moving is often a serious item in the annual budget
of the householder," reads the announcement telling
of the cut. "It is our earnest hope that the moving
public will assist in maintaining these reduced rates
and make further reductions possible by giving its
business to those firms which are responsible, repu-
table, reliable and reasonable, which employ only
careful, conscientious and experienced workmen as do
the members of this association."
The organization comprises 850 members, Mr.
Healy said.
GULBRANSEN FOR WOODMEN
The Thompson Piano Co., Portland, Ore., oper-
ating the piano department of Seiberling, Lucas Music
Co., at 151 Fourth street, Portland, Ore., furnished a
Gulbransen grand piano for the main hall of the
new $300,000 building erected in Portland by the
Multnomah Camp No. 77, Woodmen of the World,
which has a local membership of over 6,500 members.
FRANK EDGAR IN PORTLAND.
Sherman, Clay & Co. of Portland, Ore., the local
representatives of the Aeolian company, was visited
recently by Frank Edgar of New York City, man-
ager of the wholesale department of the Aeolian
company.
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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