Presto

Issue: 1927 2137

PRESTO-TIMES
10
THE MUSIC TRADE
IN LOS ANGELES
vacation. He went direct to San Francisco to attend
the convention of the Western Music Trades Associa-
tion at the St. Francis Hotel in that city this week
and from there to Washington and Oregon. Mr.
Fitzgerald has been a hard worker the past few
months and he says that this year in particular he
prides himself on "earning a good vacation."
July 16, 1927.
TOLEDO IN LINE IN
PIANO PROMOTION
H. Paul Mehlin, Head of Paul G. Mehlin &
Sens, New York, Makes Tour of Paacific
Coast and Voices His Opinion
of Great Section.
Leading Music Houses in Ohio City Coop-
erating with Daily Newspaper in Melody
Way Lessons and Grand Final Recital
Is Feature of Scheme.
OFF FOR CONVENTION
VETERAN SALESMAN'S VIEWS
Regrets for Mr. Daniell's Death.
Many expressions of regret and sorrow on hearing
of the death of G. A. Daniell, were uttered to Presto-
Times correspondent at Los Angeles by men in the
trade in that city ,who were personally acquainted
with the deceased.
K. Elmer Tucker, of the Wiley B. Allen house,
said just as he was leaving for the convention at
San Francisco: "In the death of Mr. Daniell the
Big Delegation, Led by Edward H. Uhl, Leaves for music trade press has experienced a great loss." Ben
the Annual Meeting of the Western Trade
B. Platt, president Platt Music Co., said: "I am
much grieved to hear of the sudden taking away
in San Francisco.
of this able and widely known music trade editor
By GILBERT BRETON.
who has been so long connected with the trade and
Officials of
H. Paul Mehlin, head of Paul C. Mehlin & Sons. has done so much for the industry."
New York, accompanied by Mrs. Mehlin, is making the Wiley B. Allen Co. and others gave like tribute
a tour of the Pacific Coast. Last week they were to the deceased.
Sundry Trade Notes.
guests at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. To a
reporter for Presto-Times Mr. Mehlin gave his own
T. J. Fitzgerald, of the Fitzgerald Music Co., left
original answer to the never failing question: "What Los Angeles Saturday last, the 9th inst, for the con-
do you think of the growth of Los Angeles?"
vention, to be followed by a pleasure trip to the far
"It would be following copy to say 'I am amazed north. George Eppstein. vice-president of the Platt
at the manner in which Los Angeles has reached the Music Co., and others of the Platt company forces,
top group of American cities, in population and mate- were off at the same time for San Francisco. Mr.
rial improvements.' But I am not amazed, because Jackson, the Straubc Piano Co. representative, got
the progress of the city to its present status as a away Sunday afternoon after having spent several
buyer of tine pianos has made me familiar with its days in and around the "City of Angels."
purposes and achievements in other ways. A city's
desire and ability to buy fine pianos is a good stand-
ard of judgment. As a good piano buyer Los
Angeles shows the extent of its culture as well as its
great wealth.
Whole State Pleases.
'"But what I think of Los Angeles applies to Head of Platt Music Co. Surprises Patients with
practically every community in California. You can
"Piano They Can Play Themselves."
judge Saii Francisco and all the other cities by the
Ben B. Platt, president of the Platt Music Co., Los
ease with which you can sell the right piano to the
right prospect. Of course you know the Mehlin Angeles, last week presented a playerpiano and a
piano sells itself," he added with a quizzical smile. generous supply of music rolls to the Children's Ward
"As far as I have experienced it the climate is just of the General Hospital in that city.
The gift came as a complete surprise to the little
what is claimed for it and up to now I have found
nothing on which I could base a heresy on Southern patients. Mr. Platt. the donor, explained he had se-
lected a player piano for them because it not only
California's climatic faith."
Accompanied by J. T. Fitzgerald the Los Angeles provided music, but it offered something the children
piano dealer, Mr. and Mrs. Mehlin did considerable could play themselves—an instrument which required
motoring in that part of the state. Mr. Mehlin called no "engineering."
on practically every Mehlin dealer in Southern Cali-
"These children of Ward No. 330 arc hungry for
fornia and therein found the basis for his bright the real joys of childhood," he said. "And I hope
anticipations for his line for 1927 and 1928.
the music will help to cheer the pain-wracked bodies
J. T. Fitzgerald's Vacation.
and make the youngsters forget their sufferings."
J. T. Fitzgerald, of the Fitzgerald Music House.
Mr. Platt was given a vote of thanks by the
Los Angeles, left home last Saturday for his annual children.
BEN B. PLATT'S GIFT TO LOS
ANGELES CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
AMPICO SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON
LKFT TO RICHT: J. M. .H'STICE, I. T. LAWSON, F. S. KISKI-K. F. W. W O O D I J K V , W. H. MUKRAY, V.
N'OKUXC, W. 10. HAVNER. J. K. SHOEMAKER. (3. M. WAbKER. <3. H. ELY, (3. H. JELLY. H. RUDDACH, C. H.
SPEAK, E. .1. IMQUETTB (INSTRUCTOR), C. R. CHAPMAN, T. W. MILLER, C. S. BARNES, W. M. ZIGLER,
H. L. RICHARDS.
An enthusiastic class of twenty-three members at-
tended the sessions of "the Ampico Traveling School
in Washington, D. C. The class was conducted by
E. J. Piquette, who reports a most satisfactory ses-
sion. Nine of the twenty-three members graduated
and received the Ampico credential. The fact that
only nine of the twenty-three received this credential
is a tribute to the exacting requirements of the man-
agement of the school in projecting the examinations
which every student must take before receiving the
credential. It takes a very real knowledge of the
subject to pass the examination, as is evidenced by
the fact that nine of the twenty-three members suc-
ceeded in doing so.
In addition to the Ampico course of instruction
opportunity was given the men to become thoroughly
familiar with grand action regulating. Special classes
in regulating were conducted by E. S. Werolin, man-
ager of the Ampico Service Department, and twenty
men enrolled for this study.
F. W. Church, Active for Twenty-nine Years with
the J. W. Greene Co., Returns from European
Trip—Other News of Trade.
By HENRY MAC MULLAN.
The music trade of Toledo, Ohio, is showing its
activity and progressive spirit in the manner in which
it is sponsoring the piano class promotion plan. The
music merchants of the city were always prominently
identified with the national organization of the "nisic
trade, so it is natural to expect their helpful action in
sponsoring the plan of the Toledo Blade in extend-
ing the opportunities for piano study to the public of
the city and a wide contiguous section.
Every reader of the Toledo Blade is presented with
the opportunity to learn to play the piano by means
of the Melody Way plan, devised and perfected by
W. Otto Miessner.
The Melody Way comprises 12 lessons which the
Blade is offering free to every reader. There are no
strings attached. Everyone is to have his chance
through the Blade's Melody Way Club. The first
lesson was published Saturday, July 9. Others
will be published each Saturday.
Free use of their pianos has been offered by To-
ledo's leading music houses, all of whom are co-
operating heartily with the Blade in giving Toledoans
this unequaled opportunity.
Interest Is Widespread.
Prominent music dealers throughout northwestern
Ohio, southern Michigan and eastern Indiana also are
joining this movement. Club rooms in various loca-
tions will be provided for use by the members of
the Blade's Melody Way Club. Expert instructors
will be in attendance at these clubs to give members
personal instruction and any help they desire. Many
of the country's leading teachers of music, both vocal
and instrumental, are indorsing this method and mar-
veling at the wonderful results it gives.
Everyone who completes the lessons will be per-
mitted to participate in a great recital, later in the
season. A grand picnic for the Blade's Melody Way
Club students also is being planned.
Only those who join the club by tilling out a mem-
bership application blank will be allowed to enjoy
these privileges.
Back from Europe.
There is no better known piano salesman in the
city of Toledo, Ohio, than F. W. Church, who for
29 years has been selling pianos for the J. W. Greene
Company, 801 Jefferson avenue. He was just back
from Europe three days when I called on him Sat-
urday, July 9.
Mr. Church went to Ostend, Belgium, with the
Rotarians to attend the convention there, and on
the trip he was attached to the famous Ice-House
Quarter of Toledo. He played the piano for it.
There were fifty persons in the Toledo party.
After the convention the party journeyed on
through Belgium, Holland, (icrmany, Switzerland,
France and England. Mr. Church says that busi-
ness on the other side of the Atlantic is slack, even
as it is here in the good old United States. But.
like us, the Europeans believe things have taken a
turn for livelier selling of musical instruments.
Grands Are Selling.
In Toledo, Mr. Church says, grands and high-priced
radio combinations go the best just now. There is
an encouraging restorative movement bringing back
the demand for straight pianos, he affirms, and the
straights that are in earnest demand are the small
grands.
The J. W. Greene Company specializes in the Mil-
ton pianos as a leader. It handles the C. G. Conn
instruments and the Weyman orchestra banjo.
The Automatic Musical Company, 125 Ontario
street, handles the J. P. Seeburg line, the Smith,
Barnes & Strohber Continental and the Cremonas.
This is a commission business and the employes of
the house are paid for operating the instruments.
F. A. Roth is the manager.
The Mayes Music Shop of Durant, Okla., has
opened a branch in South Second street. Sulphur,
Okla., under the name of the Sulphur Music Shop.
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/
July 16, 1927.
11
PRESTO-TIMES
rival newspapers may not relish the idea of boosting
the Detroit Times Piano Playing Contest and the
other organizations possibly would much prefer that
an automobile, airplane or washing-machine were
used, but here is a great civic project and none can
afford to stay out.
Cheerful Views of Dealers There Based on
Big Anticipations.
Street Dance in Connection with Detroit Piano
Unusually Numerous Sales for
It is expected that a quarter of a million people
Contest, Last Year, Was Ridiculed as
will turn out each night to witness the formal and
Month of July.
official honoring of the 430 children who have been
"Circus Stuff," But It Effectively
Business in general is exceptional with most In-
judged piano champion in schools of Greater Detroit
Advertised Contest Finals.
and join in the following festivities. The public is dianapolis dealers, considering the season of the year,
always curious to know what it is all about and thus with the sale of the higher grade instruments selling
the piano is "news," news is limelight, limelight is better than anticipated.
popularity, popularity can be cashed in.
The Carlin Music Company is having excellent
The Third Annual Convention of Michigan Music results with The Cable Company's line, and among
And Fact Is Daily Made Plain by Eagerness of a Merchants, to be held in Detroit at the Book-Cad- the sales of the past week was one of the Period
Variety of Interests to Participate in
illac Hotel August IS, 16, 17 and 18, may not be the models, William and Mary Kingsbury grand. Frank
largest attended of any music trade convention, but Carlin is very much sold on this instrument and the
Forthcoming Event.
it promises to have outstanding piano publicity. It is future prospects are very promising. Mr. Carlin
By FRANK J. BAYLEY.
our goal to eventually have from 75,000 to 100,000 believes that more of the old upright pianos should
"What connection has a street-dance to selling children taking lessons on the piano in the schools be junked and clear them off the market, which
pianos?" This question was frequently asked and of Greater Detroit. Come and see for yourself what would make more room for the grand instruments
the idea ridiculed as "circus stuff" at the Detroit Con- connection a "street-dance" has to selling pianos.
and increase their sales.
vention of Michigan Music Merchants last year.
Frank Wilking of the Wilking Music Company
However, it was noted that the finals of the piano
reports business good and among the recent sales
playing contest, the piano convention and the street-
was one of the new Wurlitzer Period models, the
dance, all taking place at the same time, resulted in
Clavichorde. in walnut. "The French & Sons' line
the newspapers being full of the "news," pictures and
of grands is selling better than we expected," said
speeches. The radio broadcasted the finals, the
Mr. Wilking looking into the large room where noth-
movies took the winners and put the films in every Rockford Organ Company, Rockford, 111., in Ne- ing but these instruments are displayed, which was
gotiation
with
Creditors
of
Bennett
Co.
theater of Detroit and Michigan, the Associated and
entirely empty. "We are expecting several to arrive
United Press relayed the news to all papers not only
The Rockford Organ Company, Rockford, 111., has by truck from New Castle today w 7 hich are practically
in Michigan, but throughout the country, as many made an offer to purchase the Bennett Organ com- sold. French & Sons' instruments have been selling
piano men can attest. The Convention Bureau stated pany, Third avenue and Forty-fourth street, Rock about as fast as we can get them from the factory in
in its annual report that this convention had secured
Island, for $21,623, according to notices received this the past few weeks."
more publicity than any other held in Detroit, "the week by creditors. There are several legal techni-
Gordon Laughead, sales manager of the Wurlitzer
Convention City," in years.
calities to be met before the sale is consummated, it House, was a visitor last week and spent the day at
In August, Detroit is to repeat the experiment on is understood.
the warerooms of the Wilking Music Company.
a much larger scale. There has been a scramble of
The proposed purchase includes the name, good
John Pearson has returned temporarily from his
all the Detroit papers to get the piano contest, of
will, patents and other intangibles, all machinery, fur- summer home in Michigan to take charge of the piano
the hotels to secure so prominent a convention, of
niture, fixtures and other equipment and all raw mate- department during the absence of Mr. Wert, now on
other organizations to get in on the "street-dance" rial, manufactured goods, goods in process and re-
his vacation. The company reports some excellent
and of the theater interests to tie-up. It is quite pair parts.
business with the higher grade instruments retailed
evident that the great publicity secured last year
The Bennett Organ company has been located in
deeply impressed the whole city and that a wide- the tri-cities for more than 35 years and many years by it. Mr. Latroe of the Aeolian Company, Mr.
Leroi of Kilgan & Sons', Chicago, and Geo. Schaef-
spread interest is alert to the 1927 activities.
ago was situated at Seventh street and Fourth ave- fer of the Lester Piano Company were recent visitors
A Great Carnival.
nue, Moline. It was first known as the Moline Organ at the Pearson store. The branch at Kokomo, Ind.,
The street-dance of last year has developed into a company, later as the Marshall Organ company and in charge of C. I. Shirley is doing a very fine summer
great "Detroit Music Carnival," sponsored by the then as the Bennett Organ company.
business.
city government and the leading organizations, to
It has been the custom for many years to close
take place in the spacious downtown area of Wash-
READ BEFORE YOU SIGN.
the music houses of the city at noon on Saturday,
ington boulevard and Grand Circus Park for two
The National Better Business Bureau, Inc., reports but this summer all stores will remain open until 6
evenings. Four large band-stands and four stages,
complaints
from a number of business men who o'clock on Saturdav.
connected by a 2,000-foot board walk and a throne
and reviewing stand will be erected by the city signed documents presented by the International
Dan Phillips, wholesale representative in Boston of
authorities, likewise the lighting will be taken care Transportation Association and apparently did so
of by the city engineers. The motive is music, the without reading carefully the entire printed matter on the P. A. Starck Piano Co., recently visited the
foundation of any function, therefore it is obvious the back. A careful reading of small type set in a Knickerbocker Music Co. in Springfield, Mass., and
that since the piano is the basic instrument, that the box in the upper right hand corner should have dis- the McAuslin & Wakelin Co. at Holyoke, which
have recently inaugurated piano departments and
best boy and girl performers should rightfully grace closed that the company was soliciting a contract in
the occasion as prince, princess and court. The other which compensation was an essential factor. They installed the P. A. Starck line.
were enlightened only when they were billed.
PUBLICITY THAT
MAKES PIANO SALES
SUMMER BUSINESS
GOOD IN INDIANAPOLIS
PIANO IS NEWS
OFFERS TO PURCHASE THE
BENNETT ORGAN COMPANY
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianom Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
NEW INCORPORATIONS.
The Small Automatic Talking Machine Co., Cleve-
land, 300 shares no par; David J. Brophy.
The Soward Piano Co. and Anderson Piano Co. of
Dayton, Ohio, have been consolidated and incor-
porated with a capital stock of $200,000 under the
name of Anderson-Soward Piano Co.
The People's Music Co., 4814 South Ashland Ave-
nue, Chicago, has been incorporated.
WEAVER PIANOS
Qrandfl, Uprights and Players
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Upright* »rd Player Pianos
CHRISTMAN
UPRIGHTS, GRAtyDS, PLAYERS
AND REPRODUCING PIANOS
THE FAMOUS "STUDIO GRAND"
"The First Touch Tells"
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
CHRISTMAN PIANO CO., Inc.
597 East 137th Street.
A high grade piano of great
value and with charming tone quality.
Livingston Pianos— Upright! and Playar Pianos
A popular piano at a popular price.
OTCT 70,000 instruments made by thit company are sing-
Ing their own praises in all parts of the civilised world.
Write for catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition if you are
located in open territory.
(Reg. U. S. Pat. Off.)
310-312 We Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
The LEADING LINE
NEW YORK
WEAVER PIANO CO, Inc.
Factory: TURK. P4.
Established 1870
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
GOLDSMITH
Price 50 Cents
Players and Pianos
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
CHICAGO
Have Every Advantage in Quality and Results
to the Dealers
An Investigation
Will Prove It
GOLDSMITH PIANO COMPANY
1223-1227 Miller Street, CHICAGO
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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