Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as 8t-cond-class matter Jan. 2», 1896. at the
Post Office. Chicago. Illinois, under Act oj March 3, 1879.
Subscription. $2 a year; 6 months. $1; Foreign, $4.
Payabie 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.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the
editorial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of pro-
duction will be charged if of commercial character,
or other than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is
requested that their subjects and senders be carefully
indicated.
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 ad vs. 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, MARCH 19, 1927.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later
than Wednesday noon of each week.
INSTALMENTS ANALYZED
A survey of the instalment plan of selling
in all lines of business was recently made by
the Oregonian of Portland, Ore., and the con-
clusions of other newspapers and well known
economists are as varied as the answers to
the Oregonian's questions, with favorable
opinions predominating. Questionnaires were
sent out to bankers in all the important cities
of the country, to be redistributed to leaders
in various industries and trades.
In the answers the majority held that the
instalment plan, directly or indirectly, in-
creased production and made for general pros-
perity. An overwhelming number believed
the plan had come to stay. Nearly three to
one considered it had a tendency to level the
summer slump in buying. That it affected
the amount of savings or did not, the answers
were about fifty-fifty.
The answers were about equally divided as
to whether it "led to a dangerous situation" or
that it materially increased the purchases of
luxuries; more than a thousand answered
"yes" and to the latter question, 116 "no." That
it had the psychological effect of inducing pur-
chasers to "plunge without sufficient realiza-
tion of eventual payment," was believed by
980 against 266 who held a contrary view.
From the replies and other evidences gath-
ered by the paper a safe conclusion was taken
that instalment buying of necessities is sound
economic practice ; that it causes a family to
adopt a budget, stimulates thrift, increases
consumption and raises the standard of living.
Further conclusions are that by increasing-
quantity production it decreases the cost of
goods to the customer and has contributed
more than any other factor in the rebuilding
of business and general readjustment that has
taken place since the war. lll! ''
OUR INVENTQRS
Most men of genius have been in some way
marked for their love of music and not a few
of them have been makers of the instruments
that produce it. From Franklin to Edison the
world's greatest inventors, in whatever line,
have also had some part in the development
of musical ideas.
When Franklin discovered the secret of
harnessing the lightning he started the chain
of invention that has been climaxed in the
marvels of radio. And when Edison proved
that human speech could be mimiced by ma-
chinery he broke the way to an endless line of
inventions, including the phonograph and its
marvelous reproducing of music.
The men of music, too, have been inventors.
There are many practical creations in me-
chanics which may be credited to the world's
harmonists and, even in politics, they have
had no inconsiderable part.
Of course, Cristofori has the credit of being
the first to develop the piano and to start the
"basic instrument" along the way to its pres-
ent perfection. And in later days Jonas Chick-
ering gave to the piano its place as an Amer-
ican attainment. His introduction of the full
iron frame remains to this day as the most
vital step forward. Then came the player-
piano. An inventor is credited with that also.
But, however great the glo'ry of American
genius in musical instrument Greation, no one
questions the place of Benjamin Franklin. He
was a player upon the violin< and the piano.
Still more he was an inventor whose chief
achievement is seldom referred to. And where
is the small boy who will notagree that this
name of the printer-philosopher of Philadel-
phia stands high above all the rest?
For Ben Franklin invented th* harmonica!
FIRST INSTALMENT SALES
When did the custom of selling things on
the instalment plan begin, and in what line of
merchandising did it originate? That the sub-
ject is not understood by the public generally
is shown in the newspaper articles and com-
munications from inquiring people which
seem to suggest that it is a new system of
selling, and one that might greatly extend
lines that are now restricted.
To illustrate, Presto-Times last week re-
ceived a well-written article from a competent
piano salesman who wanted to know why the
trade did not adopt the plan of the automobile
trade and more generally sell the favorite in-
strument of music on weekly or monthly pay-
ments. And this suggests the interesting
question as to where and when instalment
sales started.
It is our own opinion that the instalment
plan of Selling costly goods began in the piano
trade. If there were other lines made easy
of purchase by the people in moderate circum-
stances, we would like to know in what line
the system had taken hold prior to the period
of, say, 1859? For at that remote period
March 19, 1927.
pianos were freely advertised to be sold "on
the three years' plan." The little reed melo-
deons in diminutive square piano form were
commonly sold in that way. The plan of sell-
ing really originated in London, but it devel-
oped to its highest point in this country.
So that it is a little late to talk about imitat-
ing the automobile trade with respect to the
instalment plan. Probably the piano men
could still give valuable pointers along that
line even to the great motor car industry.
WHAT WE WERE DOING
And Saying When the Trade
Was Young
45 YEARS AGO IN THE TIMES
(From Musical Times, March 20, 1882.)
The next ne'eessary tiling to publishing their own
music is for musicians to form a society for putting
their performing artists before the public.
The greater portion of the retail piano and organ
business of today is done by solicitation, therefore the
dealer's business is virtually in the hands of the can-
vassers.
The Chickering piano will celebrate its sixtieth
birthday in 1883.
Mr. J. P. Hale has been ordered by his physician
to cease active business from henceforth.
Mr. Rufus Blake, of the Sterling, has fitted up a
delightful little private office in connection with the
New York warerooms of the Derby industry.
35 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
(From Presto, March 17, 1892.)
The interests; rights and patents of Merritt Gaily
in the business of mechanical musical instruments,
having been bought by the Wilcox & White of the
yEolian companies, the particular features of this line
of goods are now controlled by these two concerns.
There is absolutely no doubt that a boom in the
business of the Chickering piano is now on. The
Chickering factory is very active—as much or more
so than any other piano factory in Boston.
Nicholas Weser, father of the Weser Bros , piano
manufacturers, died at his residence in New York
on the 3rd inst. Mr. Weser was a native of Bavaria
and came to America fifty-five years ago.
The Decker Bros.' piano with the Janko keyboard
at the Decker Bros.' warerooms, are a source of much
interest to students, professionals and others.
25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, March 19, 1902.)
Perhaps the greatest tribute to the memory of the
late General Julius J. Estey is to be found in the
large number of attendants, from all over the coun-
try, who went to Brattleboro, Vt., to attend the
funeral. The day before he died General Estey was
helping a little girl on Elliott street draw a sled on
which was a washing she was taking home for her
mother.
In a brief talk, Mr. Otto Wissner, the well-known
Brooklyn piano manufacturer, remarked that the gen-
eral business of his house was, as usual, excellent.
He also said that sales of the new Wissner 4-foot
6-inch baby grand are particularly large and encour-
aging.
It is reported that R. S. Howard, the late Baldwin
Co. traveler, is contemplating entering the piano
manufacturing ranks, with Chicago as his Mecca.
LEND A HAND.
When you see a fellow slipping
In misfortune's mire and muck,
With the bowl of fortune tipping,
Bravely striving 'gainst ill-luck,
Then's the time to still the chatter,
Show your heart can understand
That conditions really matter
And 'tis time to lend a hand.
Never stop to find a reason,
'Tis enough that someone's down,
Feeling that 'tis out of season
For the quibble and the frown;
No one knows who next may suffer,
All may hear ill-luck's command—
Luck's a fickle sort of duffer,
And 'tis yours to lend a hand.
Just recall the victim's kindness
When some other fellow fell,
And his almost eager blindness
To assist, and do it well;
'Tis the time to douse the glimmer
Of our greed and spread some sand,
That our better light may glimmer
While we lend a helping hand.
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/