Presto

Issue: 1927 2127

May 7, 1927.
PRESTO-TIMES
BAUER DRUMS IN
CIVIL WAR DAYS
Founder of Julius Bauer & Co. Interrupted
Fiano Making to Froduce Drums at His
Father's Wood-Working Shops
in Chicago.
MR. TONK'S VERSION OF IT
Wh'le Essentially Correct, Recent Newspaper Story
of Interesting Incident Presents a Few Errors
Which Are Here Corrected.
Following is an entertaining article which appeared
in a Chicago daily newspaper in connection with the
announcement of the sale of the retail department of
Julius Bauer & Co., to Lyon & Healy.
And following the story, as it appeared in the news-
paper, is an extract from "Memoirs of a Manufac-
turer," by William Tonk, the eminent New York
piano manufacturer, in which is presented an accurate
record of Chicago's music industries and trade at the
time of the Civil War.
It will be seen that present day history in the
matter of the Bauer drum making, while essentially
correct, is inaccurate in some details.
From Old Scrap-Book.
The manufacture of hundreds of snare drums
for the northern army during the civil war was re-
sponsible for the first period of real growth in Chi-
cago's oldest musical instrument business, it became
known this week as dusty scrapbooks of the Bauer
Piano Company, 305 South Wabash avenue, were
brought to light while workmen carried the last of
the pianos to the Lyon & Healy building, a few
doors away.
Pianos have been the principal item of Julius
Bauer's business in Chicago since he established
himself in 1857, but when the war came along and
a "drummer boy" became a necessary adjunct of
every military outfit the entire Bauer staff devoted
its energies to making drums on government con-
tract, and the activity proved profitable.
Transfer of Retail Business.
The retail business of the company was sold re-
cently to Lyon & Healy, and William Bauer, presi-
dent of the corporation, has announced that all
attention will be devoted to the making of pianos.
He is an expert acoustics engineer.
None of the Bauer employes who helped make the
civil war drums is alive today. The person whose
memory of the organization goes back the furthest
is Adam Schneider, a Chicagoan, who is now offi-
cially retired after fifty-three years' connection with
the company.
Three sons of the founder—William M., Richard
and Julius, Jr.—are carrying on the manufacture of
Bauer pianos at the factory at Altgeld and Wood
streets.
For Historic Accuracy.
For the sake of historic accuracy it will interest
members of the trade to read also what the author of
"Memoirs of a -Manufacturer," no less an authority
than William Tonk, of New York—said in his book
on the subject of the Bauer Civil War drum activities.
It will there be seen that it is not altogether correct
that "none of the Bauer employees who helped make
civil war drums is alive today." Further, it seems to
have been "Grandfather Bauer," and not Julius Bauer,
who actually embarked in drum making for his son's
house at a time w'.ien the country was in dire need
of the rebounding instruments with which to stir
public patriotism.
Following is the story from Mr Tonk's chapter on
"The Ellsworth Zouaves and the Services They Per-
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.
formed." Mr. Tonk, by the way. though but a boy
at the time, was a member of the famous company
referred to.
Mr. Tonk's Reminiscence.
"By this time I had advanced in position in the
store of Julius Bauer & Co. My duties were not
confined to chores, but now extended to filling of
orders and doing small repairs. During this period I
received the benefit of a commercial college course,
which I attended evenings, and some piano lessons.
"Returning briefly to the scene of my youthful
activities before entering the music business, during
the period beginning with the outbreak of t'ic Civil
War to the end of it. Grandfather Bauer's cooper
shop was turned into a drum factory. Part of my
time within this period was spent working on drums.
which the Bauer firm was making for t'.ie army.
Thousands were made and sold. My part of the
work was to paint hoops, put on heads, snares and
cords. My father, who by this lime had returned
from the West, was pat in charge of making the
calf-skin heads for the drums."
H. C. BAY CO. ANNOUNCES
FINE NEW GRAND MODEL
Highest Attainment of Blufftcn Factory's Line
in Tone, Construction and Case Work
Is the New Scale 90.
The H. C. Bay Co. factory at Bluffton, Ind., with
main offices at 209 South State street, Republic build-
ing, Chicago, has an important announcement which
will interest dealers throughout the country. The
announcement will be made in near future of the
H. C. Bay Co.'s "Scale 50," a grand piano that is
destined to become a leader among the fine grands
in the field today.
No effort will be spared by the company in pro-
ducing, in "Scale 90," all that is required by the
most critical music lover. It will be built in a sep-
arate factory and by a picked group of skilled tech-
nicians. The finest materials will be used, the best
ivory keys and the strongest and most responsive
action used in high grade grands will be procured.
Gold plated strings will be a feature, and all other
essentials of construction will be of such high quality
as to assure the new instruments permanence in the
field of high grade grands.
Production of "Scale 50" will be sufficiently large
enough to meet all requirements of dealers, and those
who attend the National Music Industries Convention
at the Stevens Hotel, Chicago, in June, are urged to
visit the H. C. Bay display and hear the tone of this
new grand and inspect the details of construction.
DEFER AEOLIAN CEREMONY
BECAUSE OF SENTIMENT
Buyers of Old Building on 42nd Street Forbid Lifting
of the Stage Floor Which Artists So Long Trod.
A piece of sentimental carpentry wais postponed in
New York when officials of the Woolworth Com-
pany forbade the removal of a three-foot piece of the
svage of Aeolian Hall on 42nd street.
The section of planking upon which the feet of
great artists and orators have trod was to have been
taken from the stage of the 42nd street building with
fitting ceremonies to be built into the stage of the new
Aeolian Hall.
The old building, where great tenors and sopranos
have thrilled thousands, is de.Uined to hear the tinkle
of 5 and 10 cent store cash registers and has passed
under t'le control of the new owners.
When the cere.r.ony of lifting ;he Mooring was
about to start, representatives of the new owners
refused to permit the boards to be taken up There
was nothing to do but await the return of the presi-
dent of the Woolworth Company who, it was said,
had consented to the transfer of the piece of stage.
BUSH TESTIMONIAL CONCERT.
The testimonial concert to Will L. Bush, at Kim-
ball Hal!, Chicago, on last Saturday evening, was all
that the fame of the artists had suggested The pro-
gram was a fine one and the attendance testified to
the appreciation of the perfection with which it was
interpreted. All of the artists who had been an-
nounced were present and proved again their phe-
nomenal skill. They included Helen Fouts Cahoon,
soprano; Julia Rive King, pianist; Arthur Dunham,
organist; Elias Day, characterist; Richard Czerwonky,
violinist; Edgar Nelson, accompanist.
F. M. Field has opened a music store in Spencer,
Ind. He carries in stock the Hobart M. Cable piano,
player rolls, records and sheet music. Miss Jessie
Lawson is in charge.
BUSINESS PROGRAM OF
THE JUNE CONVENTION
Corrected and Up-to-Date Announcement of
the National Music Merchants' Convention
at Stevens Hotel, Chicago.
Following is a corrected
and up-to-date announce-
ment of the business pro-
gram of the National Mu-
sic Merchants' Convention.
This program is released
to the Arrangements Com-
mittee by President E. H.
Uhl, of the National Music
Merchants' Association.
The official seal of the
convention is here repro-
duced. It will be much in evidence during the week
of June 6—10. The Committee on Arrangements
consists of the well-known members of the Chicago
trade:
Gordon Laughead, Gurney R. Brownell,
Roger O'Connor, Harry B. Bibb.
June 5th: Executive Day.
10:00 A. M.— Meeting of the Auxiliary Board; A. E.
Moore. Chairman.
1:00 P. M.—Luncheon and meeting of Board of
Control (Executive. Advisory, Auxiliary and State
Commissioners).
June 6th: Registration Day.
9:00. A. M.—Reception and registration of incom-
ing members, secretaries or other designated officers
of all state associations and commissioners at large
from non-chartered states, should be at their respec
tive registration tables throughout the morning to
greet incoming members and assist in registration
matters.
10:00 A. M.—Meeting of Advisory Board, Resolu-
tions Committee, special committees.
12:30 P. M.—General luncheon meeting under aus-
pices of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce.
2:30 P. M.—Special meetings of any state associa-
tions or any group of dealers desiring to organize a
state association.
June 7th: National and State Association Day.
9:30 A. M.—Opening session. Report of officers.
10:30 A.M.—Report on charter associations bv the
Chairman of the Auxiliary Board.
10:50 A.M.—Short reports from President or dele-
gated officers of various chartered associations on
"What They Have Accomplished in Their State Asso-
ciation."
11:50 A.M.—Report from State Commissioners.
12:00—State Laws and Legislation.
"The Formation of State Association," by C. J.
Roberts.
June 8th: Piano Contest Day.
9:30 A. M.—Chicago Contest, by Mr. Peter Meyer.
(Continued on page 21)
SCHILLER
A GREAT NAME—A GREAT PIANO
THE SCHILLER
Makes Friends, Makes Customers, Makes
Money, for the Dealer
Super-Grands, Medium Grands, Small
Grands. Full Plate Uprights; Medium
Uprights; Small (3:7) Uprights.
Reproducing Grands, Uprights and
Players
Grands with the Famous Bauer
Patented Construction
The SCHILLER PIANO challenges
superiority in tone quality as in construc-
tion, workmanship, finish and appearance.
For Agency Proposition and All
Particulars, address
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Offices:
OREGON, ILLINOIS
CHICAGO OFFICE:
State and Adams Sts.
922 Republic Bldff.
NEW YORK OFFICE:
130 W. 42nd St.
Bush Terminal
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/
May 7, 1927.
PRESTO-TIMES
Hardman, Veck & Co.
make
a Fine Piano
for every pocketbook
All exquisite instruments
offering unique tone beauty
and durability. All made
and g u a r a n t e e d by t h e
makers of the Hardman, the
world's most durable piano.
Your choice of models priced
to consumers from $375 to
$5000.
85 Years of Fine Piano Making
\VY K ,' 4 o for
f° r cataloj
catalog and prices
of pianos
Made and guaranteed by
Hardman, Feck <&f Co.
433 Fifth Avenue, New York
Fine Pianos
Makers oj the world's most
durable piano—the Hardman
Schumann
PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS
GRANDS and UPRIGHTS
Have no superiors in appearance, tone
power or other essentials of strictly
leaders in the trade.
Warning to Infringers
Thli Trade Mark la cast
In the plate and also ap-
pears upon the fall board
of all genuine Schumann
Pianos, and all Infringe™
will be prosecuted. Beware
of Imitations iuch as Schu-
mann & Company, Schu-
mann & Son, and also
Shuman, as all stencil
shops, dealers and users of
pianos bearing a name In
Imitation of the name
Schumann with the Inten-
tion of deceiving the public
will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law.
New Catalogue on Request.
Schumann Piano Co.
W. N. VAN MATRE, President
Rockfoni, 111
W. P. Haines & Co.
Manufacturers or
BRADBURY. WEBSTER
and
W. P. HAINES & CO.
Grand, Upright and Reproducing
Pianos
138th Street and Walton Avenue
NEW YORK
campaign. The church pipe organ, said to have cost
$50,000, was his gift.
The family residence in Detroit is at 90 Arden Park,
while a winter home was maintained by Mr. Grinnell
in Seabreeze, near Daytona, Fla.
Besides his widow, Mrs. Myrtle Grinnell, and the
President of Grinnell Bros., Detroit, Which daughter, he leaves two sisters, six nephews and a
niece. The sisters, Mrs. Frank Johnson and Mrs.
He Helped in Founding, Hsd Been
Louisa Van Gieson, live in Clinton.
111 for a Year.
Three nephews are identified with the business.
They are Elmer W. Grinnell, and Jay Grinnell, both
Clayton A. Grinnell, president and co-founder of
the Grinnell Bros, music house, of Detroit, one of the vice-presidents and directors, and Fred Grinnell, man-
largest establishments of its kind in the country, died ager of the Pontiac branch.
in Colorado Springs, Col., last Saturday, at the age
of sixty-seven.
Mr. Grinnell had been ill since last June, when he
was stricken with plearisy while attending a conven-
tion in New York City of the National Association
of Music Merchants. He went in September to Col-
C. A. GRINNEIX DIES
AT COLORADO SPRINGS
EVEN EIQHTY=SEVEN YEARS
NOT OLD FOR MUSIC PAPER
Nor Is It Fair for Man to Take Credit foi His
Wife's Years in Measuring
His Own.
A vigorous infant publication called "The Radio
Dealer," of New York, recently celebrated its fifth
anniversary with a birthday cake illuminated by a
great group of shining candles in shape of commen-
datory letters from members of the radio trade. One
of the lights seemed particularly bright because it
reflected one of the former distinguished workers in
the piano trade as follows:
Editor The Radio Dealer:—Five years of life for
a trade publication is a short one. I have before me
at the moment, a copy of Presto-Times, published by
my good friends, Daniell & Abbott, which paper
covers the music trade with which I was identified
for many years, bearing the following legend at the
top: "Eighty-seven years in the Music Trade In-
dustry."
When it is considered that the piano was commer-
mercially made in the early part of the last century,
and its forerunners, the harpsichord and spinet long
ante-dated this period, it will be seen that a career of
eighty-seven years does not even date back to the
beginning of the music business.
Your magazine is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
That takes us back to 1922 and we know that radio,
insofar as broadcasting and reception are concerned,
was in its infancy at that time. Your magazine, there-
fore, has been catering to the trade since radio be-
came a commercial entity.
^
Zenith Radio, Chicago, 111.
PAUL B. KLUGH,
Vice-Presideivt.
It is fair to say that Mr. Klugh extends too great
C. A. GRINNELL.
credit for longevity to Presto-Times. While this is
orado Springs, where he and his family took up resi- undoubtedly the oldest of the music trades papers,
dence in the Broadmoor hotel. His ilhress reached the immense aggregate of 87 years indicated the
the critical stage several t'mes last winter.
concurrent figures which represent the existence of
Wkh his brothers, the late Ira L. and Herbert B. both Presto and Musical Times to the time of their
wedding in 1926.
Grinnell, he established the business which now bears
their name forty-six years ago. Clayton A. Grinnell
was born in Barre, N. Y., in December, 1860, and first
BIG WEEK'S BUSINESS.
engaged in business in Clinton, Mich., when about
Liberal use of printer's ink sold a carload of pianos
twenty years of age.
for the Van de Walle Music & Radio Company,
The brothers at that time were proprietors of a Seymour, Ind., on Saturday, according to John Van
sewing machine store. From Clinton they moved to de Walle. When Saturday evening came, not a piano
of the carload which had been placed on sale, re-
Ann Arbor, and in 1880 to Detroit, opening a store at
mained in stock and a considerable number of cus-
218 Woodward avenue.
tomers could not be cared for.
From the experiment of carrying a few organs and
pianos in stock, the business has developed into one
of the largest music houses, in volume of business, in
AN AKRON ANNOUNCEMENT.
the United States. The house has ten branch stores
A. B. Smith, head and founder of the A. B. Smith
in Detroit and twenty branches and sub-branches in
Piano Co., Akron, O., and prominent in state and
the principal cities of Michigan, Ohio and Ontario. national trade activities, will soon retire in favor of
The present Grinnell Bros, building, at 1515-21 his son, A. B. Smith, Jr., who has been actively
Woodward avenue, was erected about eighteen years associated with his father in the management of the
ago.
progressive house.
Mr. Grinnell also was president of the Grinnell
Realty Company, and of the Old Shores Land Com-
pany, of Detroit. He was vice-president of the
Detroit properties corporation, of the Detroit Metro-
politan corporation and a director of the Industrial
Morris Plan bank. He was always active in the
UPRIGHTS, GRANDS, PLAYERS
affairs of the National Association of Music Mer-
AND REPRODUCING PIANOS
chants, of which he was president during a term.
THE FAMOUS "STUDIO GRAND"
He was prominently identified with welfare work
"The First Touch Tells"
and was a member of the board of the Children's
(Reg. U. s. Pat. Off.)
Welfare Society. As an active member of the Metro-
CHRISTMAN PIANO CO., Inc.
politan Methodist Episcopal church, he played an
597 East 137th Street.
NEW YORK
important part in the church's recent building fund
CHRISTMAN
THE JEWETT PIANOS
Reliable Grand, Upright and Player Pianos
JEWETT PIANO CO., Boston Factories: Leominster, Mass.
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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