July 9, 1927.
PRESTO-TIMES
WHAT MAKES A
CONVENTION GOOD?
For One Thing the Advantages of the Event
Are Not to Be Measured by the
Numbers Attending the
Business Sessions.
ITS ESTIMATED VALUES
Notable Among These Are the Opportunities Pro-
vided for Dealers to Meet Manufacturers
Face to Face.
By MARK P. CAMPBELL.
trend of the industry, and we are all agreed that the
style of pianos is going to change somewhat. It was
only by personal contact and the interchanging of
ideas that a true line on the mental aspects could be
obtained.
There were very few who actually attended open
sessions as compared to last year in New York. Last
year in New York the meetings were full and inter-
est was very high, due to the fact that the manufac-
turers were trembling on the brink in voting a $600,-
000 advertising budget, and which has so well justi-
fied the support and enthusiasm of its advocates a
year ago.
The machinery of our trade organization is very
strong. The personnel and the officers are comprised
of the leaders in the trade, and I know their con-
tinuance is in safe hands, and I think our industry
owes a vote of thanks to those who so liberally gave
their time to the furtherance of the trade. I refer,
particularly to Mr, Irion, the new president of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
The Trend of Trade.
"Was it a good one?" is the question always asked
after a convention is over by those who did not The trade itself has felt the modern trend in its
attend. In the many years that I have been attend- economic demands of consolidation at the sources of
ing piano conventions, I have found very few that supply. This is not only true of the piano industry,
were not good ones. Occasionally there comes a but all other industries as well. We have been over-
convention in the trade, when very little can be supplied with factories. A large number of consol-
accomplished, because there is very little to accom- idations have taken place within the last few years;
plish at a convention.
many more are contemplated, and this is true also
I sometimes think there is a mistaken idea among of the dealers. More and more dealers are folding
certain people to the effect that the success or failure their tents, or consolidating with other houses. Con-
of a convention is determined by the number who ditions are now pertinent for dealers engaged in the
attend the open sessions to hear the papers read. If distribution of pianos who are not operating profit-
that is true, very few conventions in any trade are ably, to well consider the advisability of liquidating
worth the time or effort. I am sure this is not and taking out their accumulated money from the
true, however, where a convention affects the indi- industry, rather than fight against the struggle of
vidual meeting of the manufacturer with the dealers the movement of consolidation until the overhead
from all over the country—both those whom he sells, expenses have eaten up the live assets that may be
in the business.
as well as others.
There is a feeling of fraternalism prevailing in
There were two outstanding matters of merchandise
our trade, making it a very wonderful industry with at the convention. The first, and probably of greater
which to be associated. When I talk with a com- interest, was the very small upright presented by a
petitor he tells me exactly his opinions concerning number of the manufacturers with 58 and 61 notes.
conditions—what will sell and what will not sell, and There was a great deal of enthusiasm displayed by
what prospects are, etc. In the same way I give my dealers from all over the country who believe that
opinions and information on any subject pertaining to a great number of them will be sold during the next
the trade to any who ask for them.
two or three years. In rny opinion, this will not
The Recent Meeting.
interfere in any way with the full scale upright, but
The recent convention in Chicago, I think, was will serve only in the capacity of an auxiliary piano
one of the best. I do not recall when we had more for the family—either for the use of the child, or at a
real interested dealers who made it their business to summer home, perhaps, or something of that sort. I
visit the manufacturers to get a line on the possible look for a large sale of this piano for two or three
years to come.
• THE HOUSE OF GRANDS'
Concert, Parlor and Small Grands
Period and Modern Designs
PAUL STOYE, NOTED PIANIST,
PLAYS IN MINNEAPOLIS
In Recital with Symphony Orchestra Great Artist
Uses Baldwin Concert Grand.
Prof. Paul Stoye, noted pianist, composer and
teacher, appeared in a specially arranged recital with
the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra at Des Moines,
la., recently, delighting his many friends and admirers
present.
Arcule Sheasby, in the Des Moines Register,
writes: "Paul Stoye followed with the Weil known
E-flat concerto of Liszt. The concerto is padded
PAUL STOYE.
with brilliant passages, and Prof. Stoye did full jus-
tice to the task. His technique was more than ade-
quate and the climaxes were carefully augmented
with power. As. a.n encore he played his own
Caprice in the form of a waltz."
The Des Moines Evening Tribune-Capital: "Prof.
Paul Stoye appeared in a specially arranged number
playing the concerto from Liszt, a difficult, involved
The Art Grand.
and lengthy selection, but interspersed with brilliant
The second matter of importance was the Art
passages that gave Professor Stoye fine opportunity
Grand, and here we enter into a matter of speculation
to display his technique and power."
that is of great importance to our trade, as it involves
The Baldwin Grand piano used at this concert was
large investments, heavy stocks, and the dealer who
furnished
by Howard's "Baldwin Piano Store," Des
goes wrong on what will sell, if the demand turns
Moines.
out to have been a product of enthusiasm on the part
of a few dealers, who may suddenly feel a desire of
having a combination of woods in their cabinet work,
rather than ornate cases, and will be forced to dispose
of the instruments at a great sacrifice and finally a
loss. There were all kinds of art models displayed at
all prices. A number of manufacturers had products
that met with approbation, but those that gained the
greatest confidence for future sale were the more
moderate designs—and not elaborate.
DECKER
J L ^ EST. 1856
Manufacturers of the
Grand in Upright Form
Grand tone and quality in the Upright Piano
is exclusively Bush &? Lane
(Pattntti)
Reproducing and Player Pianos—
a {Licensee)
and Ceciliait
Write for our Art Catalog
Busk & Lane
Piano Co.
Holland. Michigan
& SON
Grand, Upright
TOO MUCH BARGAIN BAIT.
"The chief menace to American business," said
Edmond A. Whittier, secretary-treasurer of the
American Fair Trade Association, in a bulletin just
issued to the members of the association, "is not the
products of cheap foreign labor against which our
tariff laws are a safeguard, but lack of legal power
to protect trade mark good will created by years of
satisfactory public service. Through a series of more
or less conflicting legal decisions our manufacturers
of branded products are now helpless to prevent the
use of their goods as bargain bait to delude the con-
sumer and dislocate economical svstems of market-
and
Welte-Mignon
(Licensee)
Reproducing
(Electric)
Pianos and Players
of Recognized
Artistic Character
Made by a Decker Since 1856
699-703 East 135th Street
New York
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
GOLDSMITH
Price 50 Cents
Players and Pianos
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Have Every Advantage in Quality and Results
to the Dealers
An Investigation Will Prove It
CHICAGO
GOLDSMITH PIANO COMPANY
1223-1227 Miller Street, CHICAGO
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