Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1927 2128

MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1927
JESSE FRENCH, SR.
DIES AT NEW CASTLE
End of Active Career of Head and Founder of
Jesse French & Sons Piano Co. Occurs
Unexpectedly at His Home in Town
Associated with His Activities.
A LIFE OF ACHIEVEMENT
Since 1873 His Strong Personality Had Made Him
a Prominent Figure in the Business
He Loved.
Jesse French, head and founder of the Jesse French
& Sons Piano Company, New Castle, Ind., died at
his home in that city at 1:55 last week Saturday,
May 7. Although he was past eighty years of age
and had not been in his normally robust health for
many months, his death was unexpected by his fam-
ily. Almost to the last the veteran piano man had
JESSE FRENCH.
found recreation and inspiration in an industry in
which his early visions had become practical accom-
plishments.
Mr. French had been known in the music business
since 1873' when, prompted by his musical proclivi-
ties, he purchased the small goods and sheet music
department of Dorman & Holmes in Nashville, Tenn.
Three years later he was persuaded to take a one-
third interest in the firm named and the house of
Dorman, French & Smith was created. The Smith
in the firm was F. G. Smith, maker of the Bradbury
piano, which was featured. The next form of the
title was Dorman & French, when the Smith interests
were acquired. Mr. Dorman retired a year later and
Mr. French took entire control.
A Winner frorii Start.
Thus commenced the single-handed play of Mr.
French's abilities which eventually resulted in the
great manufacturing plant in New Castle and piano
selling interests of a wide character at home and
abroad. Thrown on his own resources, he became
a pathfinder in piano merchandising, the creator of
chain stores directed from headquarters. He cov-
ered the southern states thoroughly and in 1885
found it expedient to organize the Jesse French
Piano & Organ Co.. with a capital of $500,000. It
was the proud accomplishment of a man who had
started twelve years before with a capital of barely
$3,000.
Began Piano Manufacturing.
In 1902 Mr. French had become one of the com-
manding figures in the piano trade, so that progress-
ing to piano manufacturing was logical. In the year
named the Krell-French Piano Co. was incorporated
with a capital of $550,000, with Mr. French as vice-
president. In 1905 he became president and assumed
entire control.
But other profitable activities shared his interests
in piano making and selling. He was one of the
organizers of the Union Trust Company and the
Liberty Mills, in Nashville, and when he trans-
ferred his headquarters to St. Louis, he became a
director of the Missouri-Lincoln Trust Company, with
a capital of over $13,000,000. In addition he became
a director of the Lincoln Trust & Title Company and
active president of the Mercantile Metal Milling Com-
pany, capitalized at $400,000.
He was also formerly president of the St. Louis
Motor Car Company, which was sold in 1907 to the
Doris Motor Company. Until moving to Newcastle
he was vice-president of the Missouri Lincoln Trust
Company and the Lincoln Title and Trust Company
at St. Louis.
Mah of Affairs.
Mr. French came of good old English stock, the
family of his father, who came to this country in
1820, being of a highly influential type. The sister
of Mr. French's father was one of the literary
geniuses of her day and had the proud distinction
of being the first woman to petition Parliament to
grant woman's suffrage.
He was born in Devonshire, England, in 1846, and
came to the United States with his parents when a
child. In 1856 they moved from New York to Nash-
ville, Tenn., where he began his business career as a
clerk in the office of the Secretary of State of Ten-
nessee. He worked for awhile on the Nashville
Banner and for seven years served as assistant secre-
tary of state in Tennessee.
Mr. French was a fine example of the American
man of affairs, but in his wide interests he always
found his greatest joys of achievement in the piano
industry. He built a plant which produces pianos
which are strictly high grade and express his aspira-
tions better than any words could do. In addition
to his well-known character as a business man he
was also a philanthropist in the practical meaning of
the word. He devoted large sums of money to
public betterment and in his home town of New
Castle the handsome building of the Y. M. C. A. is
a monumental proof of his wise generosity.
Besides his widow he is survived by his sons, H.
Edgar French, vice-president and general manager,
of the Jesse French & Sons Piano Co., and Jesse
French, Jr., secretary of the company
Funeral services were held on Monday afternoon.
May 7, at the home in New Castle with interment in
Southmound Cemetery. A large number of men
prominent in the piano industry and trade were in
attendance.
ANOTHER PRACTICE KEYBOARD.
The Forse Manufacturing Company, of Anderson,
Ind., is making a keyboard invented by H. C. Neely,
who demonstrated the keyboard at a national music
teachers' meeting in Springfield, 111. Since that time
many orders have been coming in from all over the
country for the keyboard. Prof. Neely's invention is
constructed for class piano instruction. It has the
same action as the piano.
SMALL STARR BLAZE.
Friday afternoon, May 6, a fire was found in the
rear of the Starr Piano Company store, 49 Monument
Circle, Indianapolis. H. G. Hook, manager of the
store, extinguished the flames before apparatus ar-
rived. Damage was said to be small, although the
finish on several pianos was damaged by smoke which
filled the establishment.
BUYS SCHEFFT STOCK.
The Flanner-Hafsoos Music House, Inc., Milwau-
kee, has purchased the music goods stock of the
Schefft Music House, 96 Mason street. The last
named company was the successor to the Ross,
Schefft & Wienmann Piano Co., which was organized
in 1901. Charles H. Schefft has become associated
with the Flanner-Hafsoos Music House, Inc.
$2 The Year
PLANS PROGRESS AS
CONVENTION NEARS
Arrangements for Piano Playing Tournament
Give Promise of Special Interest, and the
Social Events of the June Days
Will Be Brilliant.
PIANO CLUB ACTIVITIES
Why It Will Be Wise to Reserve Places at Music
Merchants' Banquet Well in Advance, and Other
Suggestions for Convention Visitors.
The official seal of the
annual convention of the
music trades at the Hotel
Stevens, Chicago, June 6
to 9, shown here, is be-
ing used in sticker form
by t h e manufacturers,
retailers, travelers, a n d
all individuals and organ-
izations desirous of the
most effective publicity
for the event. It will be
an odd thing if anybody
connected with any of the various associations
making up the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce fails to see and note the little emblem with
red lettering on a black background. Many seals
in the first batch distributed by Treasurer Brownell
of the Chicago Piano Club have before this time
performed their purpose of reminding somebody of
the annual meeting in Chicago.
Invitations Are Out.
Chicago music merchants, and the Piano Club of
Chicago in particular, are putting into execution the
plans already laid out for the great music trades con-
vention to be held at the new Stevens Hotel, Chicago,
June 6 to 9 inclusive.
Before this issue of Presto-Times reaches its read-
ers the invitation cards for the Music Merchants'
banquet, Thursday evening, June ninth, will have
been received. This event, always a delightful affair,
takes place in the grand dining room of the Stevens,
advertised as the world's largest hotel.
The committee in charge urge that reservations be
made at the earliest hour possible. It has been ar-
ranged that favorable reservations will be alloted in
the order of receipt of responses to the invitations.
To insure the best table locations, therefore, it will be
necessary to make early reservations. Communica-
tions should be addressed to Roger O'Connor, treas-
urer and member of the Chicago committee of ar-
rangements, 77 East Jackson boulevard, Chicago.
Monday's Dinner.
The other social event of particular importance is
the Monday luncheon-dinner at 'the Stevens. This is
known as the Piano Club Luncheon, and is the only
special noon-day event of the week. It will set in
motion the great convention. As in the case of the
Thursday night banquet, reservations should be made
early. Those who intend to be there and who will
want choice places in -the room and special tables
should report at once to G. R. Brownell, the treas-
urer, 243 South Wabash avenue, Chicago. The tickets
for this luncheon are two dollars each.
The committee in charge is planning to make this
an extraordinary luncheon in point of entertainment;
a sort of "Three in One" affair, where one occasion
equals three less consequential ones. There will be
speeches, songs, and an array of talent which would
cost away into the thousands of dollars to secure if it
had to be purchased. Lee Sims will be there, and
next week other names will be announced, and the
thing broadcast over one of Chicago's biggest sta-
tions.
There will be a rush for seats and tables for the
Monday noon luncheon and entertainment, so get
your reservations in early, and remember that the
ladies will be there. It is a social event insofar as;
the invitation to ladies is concerned, although the
(Continued on next page)
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/
PRESTO-TIMES
PLANS PROGRESS AS
CONVENTION NEARS
(Continued from preceding page)
occasion is the first meeting of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce.
Band Playing Contest.
Plans are now developed for the Piano Playing
Tournament finals, where it is expected five thousand
persons will be present. Apportionment of tickets
has been made by which the contributing- music
dealers aiid industries, schools, parents and friends of
entrants, the Piano Club and other interests will have
liberal allotments. It is planned, at the suggestion
of Adam Schneider, that a group of fifty or more
children from the Home for Crippled Children be
invited and be brought to the entertainment in auto-
mobiles provided by members of the Piano Club. At
the club meeting next Monday final arrangements
for the tournament concert and allotment of seat res-
ervations will be made.
One of the Winners.
The new sticker-seals, an illustration of which was
printed in Presto-Times, are out and a few of the
first batch of 500,000 were distributed by Treasurer
Brownell on Monday. From now on the music trades
will see pictures of this round gummed sticker, with
red lettering and black background.
At 'the Monday Piano Club luncheon the members
were given another opportunity of hearing one of the
winners of the Piano Playing Contest, Johanna Sira-
gusa, fourteen years of age who, as was stated, has
been studying the piano between four and five years.
This young girl, perhaps a genius, played a Chopin
nocturne, a Liszt's Campanella and one other selec-
tion, all three numbers surprisingly well done for a
child of her age, and years of study. It seems quite
certain that this candidate will show up well in the
finals at convention, and she surely will pass all inter-
vening elimination contests.
LARGE ATTENDANCE AT
C. A. GRINNELL FUNERAL
Many Prominent Members of the Piano Industry
from Various Parts of Country Present.
A large number of prominent manufacturers and
their representatives attended the funeral services
of the late C. A. Grinnell in Detroit on 'the 3rd.
Among them were: Howard J. Shartle and Milton
H. Wells of the Cleveland Talking Machine Co.,
Cleveland, Ohio; Ray Briggs, Ludwig Piano Co.,
New York City; Geo. W. Conover, Griffith Piano Co.,
Newark, N. J.; C. A. Ericsson, Ludwig Piano Co.,
New York; Frank E. Edgar, Aeolian Co., New York;
Alex. McDonald, Sohmer Co., New York; Ernest
Urchs, Steinway Piano Co., New York; Arthur Wes-
sell of Wessell, Nickel & Gross, New York; Wm.
Lewis of Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J.;
Fred G. Harlow, Vose Piano Co., Boston; C. H. J.
Thorby of Straube Piano Co., Hammond, Ind.;
Henry Hewitt of M. Schulz Co., Chicago; Harry
Gennett of Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind.; Mr.
Martin of "Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind.; H. C.
Rice, Kurtzmann Piano Co., Buffalo, N. Y.; C. H.
Anderson and Mr. Roach of Lyon & Healy, Chicago;
W. W. Smith of The J. W. Green Music Co., Toledo,
Ohio; J. Bristol, Chicago; Harry Valentine, Dreher
Piano Co., Cleveland, Ohio; John H. Parnum, Cable-
Nelson Piano Co.; A. E. Clarkson, His Master's
Voice, Toronto, Ontario, and E. T. Hall, Williams
Piano Co., Oshawa, Ontario.
BUSY TEACHER TELLS WHY SHE
LIKES "STRICH & ZEIDLER"
Has Given 7,500 Lessons on the Piano, Using It Con-
stantly for Six Years.
One of the loyal and enthusiastic representatives of
the Strich & Zeidler piano is B. F. Smith, of 135 West
Fall street, Indianapolis, Ind. He has been selling
•the Strich & Zeidler for ten years and he is a great
hustler and booster for the famous New York instru-
ment—just such a representative as any manufacturer
may take pride in having. Recently Strich & Zeidler
received a letter from one of Mr. Smith's customers
which reads as follows:
Indianapolis, Ind., April 12, 1927.
Strich & Zeidler Piano Co.,
740-742 East 136th St.,
New York, N. Y.
Gentlemen: I purchased my Strich
& Zeidler
Grand from your Indianapolis representative, Mr.
B. F. Smith, nearly six years ago. I am using it con-
stantly for teaching purposes, having given nearly
7,500 lessons on it, beside my own, and my little
daughter's practice. My pupils range in age from
seven to sixteen. As Mr. Smith will verify it is sim-
ply wonderful how it has retained its beautiful tone
and how the action has withstood the hard usage. I
am very proud of it and I hope to own an electric
reproducer of the same make in the near future.
Yours verv respectfully,
MRS. NAOMI GRAY,
3'51 Hamilton avenue.
May 14, 1927/
BUSH & LANE CO.'S NEW
SALES ORGANIZATION
Publicity and Selling Forces of Piano Industry
at Holland, Michigan, Has Been En-
larged and Strengthened.
CLEVELAND TRADE GETTING
READY FOR FALL CONTEST
Recent changes and augmentations in the organiza-
tion of the Bush & Lane Piano Co., of Holland,
Michigan, have increased the efficiency of those de-
partments of the famous house. As now organized
Board of Education Calls for Bids on Pianos for Use Leslie I. King is sales manager; Charles Karr, who,
has been with the Holland Furnace Company for
in the Public Schools.
many years, is the advertising counselor.
Members of the Cleveland Music Trades Associa-
The Bush & Lane Piano Co. is also fortunate in
tion held the last meeting of the season on May 9, having, commencing this week, the services of A. E.
the next meeting to be in September. The evening MacElroy, who was formerly with the Straube Piano
was given over to discussing various angles of the Company, as assistant sales manager and advertising
piano playing contest to be put on this fall. The man.
fullest cooperation is to be given by the association
All of the gentlemen named have had long experi-
to the Ohio Music Merchants Association meeting ence in the work to which they will devote their
in Cleveland September 12 to 14.
energies. , Mr. King has been with some of the fore-
Cleveland Board of Education is calling for bids most piano industries and has wide acquaintance
on pianos for four schools. Information can be had among the piano dealers. There can be no question
from the offices at East Sixth street and Rockwell as to what he will do for the Bush & Lane instru-
avenue.
ments.
Fred Muehlhauser, widely known in the retail
Mr. McElroy, also, is sustained by a reputation in
piano trade and a member of the firm of Muehlhauser publicity work which must still further give distinc-
Bros. Co., is very ill at a hospital. The Cleveland tion to the instruments it is now his work to promote.
Music Trades Association passed a resolution order- He is a graceful writer and he understands fully
ing flowers. The Muehlhauser brothers have been big the preparation of "copy" and the effective display of
factors in the piano business.
printed type.
HOBART M. CABLE SMALL
UPRIGHT IS EXHIBITED
La Porte, Ind., Music Lovers Express Delight at
Addition to Blue Ribbon.
The Hobart M. Cable Co., La Porte, Ind., has in-
troduced a new small upright piano, the "Songbird,"
which is only three feet eight inches in height, which
was shown last week in the window of Kessler's
furniture store in that city.
The "Songbird" is not a toy piano, but "a little
piano with the full-sized Hobart M. Cable tone,"
according to the makers. It took long experimen-
tation to develop a scale for this piano that was
suitable in tone.
"The Patrician," a baby grand, is another note-
worthy model of the new Blue Ribbon line, designed,
and built in the Hobart M. Cable Co.'s plant. Well-
known musicians of La Porte and such a prominent
artist at Carlos Salzedo have expressed delight with
this new model. Other models of the new line are
"The Conservatorv" and "The Aristocrat."
MOVES IN ROCKFORD, ILL.
The Gulbransen Music Company, Rockford, 111.,
formerly located at 1423 Eighth street, recently
moved into new quarters at 1126 Broadway. John
Blomquist and W. H. Thompkins, formerly of Tay-
lorville, are managers of the concern, which in addi-
tion of the agency of Gulbransen pianos, also han-
dles Columbia phonographs. The removal of the
store was necessitated by an increased business.
GROUP ADVERTISING.
Group advertising is being done by four of the
leading music firms of Evansville, Ind. The Harding
& Miller Music Co., the W. P. Geissler Music Co.,
the Stahlschmidt Piano Co., and the Galloway Music
Store advertisements feature the thought that the
piano is the basic musical instrument. The W. P.
Geissler Music Company also has been riming a series
of ads suggesting the Grand as a suitable gift for a
June bride.
STEINERT BRANCH MOVES.
The branch store of M. Steinert & Sons, in Spring-
field, Mass., formerly located at 1342 Main street, is
now in its handsome new quarters at 1217-1219 Main
street, where it has double the accommodation pro-
vided in the old store. Additional wareroom space
has been taken in the Ley building at State and
Main. The branch was established thirty-live years
ago by Albert Steinert, present head of the company.
CHANGED FROM WEEKLY
TO A SEMI-MONTHLY
One of the Old Music Trade Papers Finds
Condition Such That Less Frequent Pub-
lication Is Advisable.
The "Musical Courier Extra" has discovered a new
principle in the law of dimensions and power. It is
described in the following editorial in last week's
issue of that publication:
On and after June 1 the publication days of the
"Musical Courier Extra" will be the 1st and 15th of
the calendar month.
This change is being made with the belief that the
"Musical Courier Extra" can be made of greater
value to the piano industry and trade. P'or long has
it been apparent to those who produce the "Musical
Courier Extra" that they have been hampered
through lack of time to prepare the copy that is
necessary to cover the piano business.
It is a difficult matter to produce a trade paper in
magazine form such as has been the "Musical Courier
Extra" for many years past. The difficulty presents
in the fact that there is such a limited field as to
topics.
Li has been the policy of the "Musical Courier
Extra" to give whatever news that was of value.
When it is stated that practically every article that
appears in the "Musical Courier Extra" is original,
and if material from press agents of manufacturers
is presented, those articles are rewritten, the strain
that comes upon the production of a paper of this
kind issued weekly is evident.
Always it has been the aim to give an artistic pub-
lication that is in keeping with the artistic factors of
the music business, especially of pianos. All matters
pertaining to the manufacturing and the selling of
pianos can be treated in a manner that heretofore
has not been possible. There also will be greater
opportunity given those who do this writing to come
in personal contact with 'the men who manufacture
pianos and musical instruments and those who sell
them.
There is nothing wrong about our contemporary's
process except that the office boy seems to have
prepared it, or at least "put the head on it." For
while the announcement declares a "change in pub-
lication dates," it is really a suspension of the old
"Extra" and replanting of a fortnightly. One of 'the
late Marc Blumenberg's last plans for his "Extra"
was to have it absorbed by the Wednesday edition
of his paper. The latest plan seems even a better one.
U. S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
The fifteenth annual meeting of the Chamber of
Commerce of the Linked States was held in Wash-
ington, D. C, May 3, 4 and 5. On the day preceding
the opening of the convention the annual meeting
the National Councillors was held. All meet-
HADDORFF PIANOS FOR THEATER. of
ings were held in the Council Chamber, U. S.
Maxey Grunthal & Bros., Jacksonville, Fla., re- Chamber of Commerce Building. The annual break-
cently sold two Haddorff pianos for use in the new fast, luncheon meeting, annual dinner and dance and
Florida Theater recently opened in Jacksonville and a golf tournament were among the social features of
one of a chain of movie palaces being built in the the convention week.
south. Besides 'the durability necessary for instru-
ments in constant use, the two fine pianos made by
I. N. Rice, Pacific coast representative of W. P-
the Haddorff Piano Co., Rockford, 111., have the Haines & Co., whose headquarters are at San Fran-
power and greatness of tone that pleases the artist. cisco, was in Los Angeles, the last week of April.
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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