Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1927 2141

Page 6 Text:

PRESTO-TIMES
August 13, 1927.
smile that is somewhat grim ; in the general mists of today are saying that wireless and
public it awakes little interest. The muscles motoring are doing the same. But they could
of its pulling power have relaxed. Week after take comfort from the experience related. The
The American Miuic Trade Weekly
week and month after month the bargains and piano and its music are not dead, and will not
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn sacrifices and slaughtered prices assail the die while the spirit of music is alive in the
human soul. Like the concert movement,
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
eyes of newspaper readers.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
- Editors
But the continuous sale with excuse is not which in itself becomes one of the greatest
really hurtful to the occasional one with a factors in the development of music, wireless
Telephones. Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com.
legitimate
and plausible reason for its inaugu- and the gramophone will contribute to the ex-
merclal Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
ration.
The
ads provide most interesting pansion of the music-loving, music-making
Entered as second-c!aj?8 matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
news in the daily papers. The piano prospect public."
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1: Foreign, $4.
worth courting is a discriminative person who
Payable In advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions. Cuba and Mexico. Rates (or advertising on
readily
sees the difference between the plaus-
We would like to have every reader of
application.
ible reason for a piano sale and the reasonless Presto-Times refer this week to the Hobart
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for reason. The wise piano house manager be-
M. Cable advertisement on the first inside
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen lieves in the intelligence of the piano-buying cover page. This advertisement is an an-
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
public. He knows that the publicity methods nouncement of a special line of pianos, up-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
of a house are creative of impressions. He rights and grands, which the Hobart M. Cable
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the knows that the piano bargain sale played to
Company is offering to the trade.
editorial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of pro- death is usually taken as an evidence of des-
The import of the story, the "moral of the
duction will be charged! if of commercial character, peration.
tale,"
we might say, is that there's a way of
or other than strictly news interest.
But
the
wise
piano
house
manager
knows
selling
pianos that sells them. It is this phase
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is
requested that their subjects and senders be carefully the value of a real opportunity to hold a sale.
of that advertisement that will interest every
indicated.
His wisdom, too, shows him the necessity of piano dealer; every seller of pianos and to
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- first of all impressing the public with the
such, as well as prospective customers for
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the plausibility of the reason for holding the sale.
The
Hobart M. Cable Company's instruments,
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand Before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full Usually the facts of store remodeling and re- we are calling attention and asking perusal
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon moving to a new location are evident to the of the text of the page announcement re-
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
ferred to. Evidently The Hobart M. Cable
week, to insure classification, must not be later than people of his city. A fire that damages pianos
Wednesday noon.
in a store is always well advertised in the Company has something worthwhile to offer
Address all communications for the editorial or business newspaper. In fact, his reason for holding th-e
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
and Presto-Times is just a little insistent that
Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
sale is a talking point in every deal.
active, reputable dealers get in touch with the
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1927.
manufacturers of The Hobart M. Cable Blue
Ribbon line of pianos. Inquiry and investiga-
MR. GEORGE M. SLAWSON
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
It would be interesting to compute the great tion may mean much to many who are now
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring number of people in the piano trade who pondering over a problem of What to Sell and
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- mourn the death of Mr. George M. Slawson, How.
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
* * *
is not strictly news of importance can have dean of the traveling force of The Cable Com-
At the big Joint Radio banquet to be given
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they pany, Chicago, who passed away last week
concern the interests of manufacturers or after a prolonged illness. Many who had no at the Hotel Astor, New York, Wednesday
dealers such items will appear the week follow- intimation of a fatal illness were shocked at night, September 21, "our own" Paul Klugh
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the the news. They had known him through a will preside as general chairman of the ban-
current issue must reach the office not later lifetime of activity as a man who radiated vi- quet. Uniting of the various radio interests
than Wednesday noon of each week.
tality and performed big things continuously. similar to the Music Industries Chamber pre-
Mr. Slawson was a link between an older vails in that industry just now as is mani-
SALES THAT SELL
day and the new one in the piano industry. fested in the twenty-two radio trade organi-
The "clearance sale" for cause has the best He was one of those quietly forceful contacts zations that are to come together on this
chances for success in sales. That is to say, between the piano makers and the piano re- occasion as sponsors for the gathering, which
the given reason for the sale should be an ob- tailers that caused the business of each to run is known as the fourth radio industries ban-
vious thing. Every week in every city the an- the smoother. How The Cable Company es- quet. The twenty-two affiliated organizations
nouncements of sales occupy the newspapers. teemed him is a matter of record; how the and trade groups constitute the largest "get-
But in many cases the excuse for their appear- dealers he knew so intimately loved and hon- together" meeting in the history of the radio
ance there is very slim.
ored him is expressed in thousands of mes- trade to this time and the eastern papers
The announcement of a "remodeling sale" sages to his family and to the house he loy- speak of the occasion as a glowing tribute to
the efficient work being done by the commit-
when the ealciminers are about to tint the ally served so long.
wareroom walls in the general spring clean-
The passing of the veteran piano traveler tee, headed by Mr. Klugh.
fest is one of the season's jokes that evokes no seems like the closing of an era in the trade
* * *
laugh. The "bargains" may be honest enough. in which the pleasant personality of men were
An optimistic survey of prospective busi-
The public, which sees no evidence of any re- forces for accomplishment. Mr. Slawson did ness conditions was made public yesterday by
modeling, is not so easily convinced of the big things in piano selling and did them with the Chicago Association of Credit Men. "Busi-
reality of the bargains.
a smile that was regarded by his customers ness is looking up," the report said. The re-
To be effective, the sale must have a plaus- as a seal of valued friendship.
port is a compilation and summarization of
ible reason for taking place. Real remodeling
the replies to a questionnaire sent to repre-
of the store, moving to new quarters, a fire
sentative concerns in twenty-two lines. Al-
THE USEFUL REMINISCENCE
and an annual cleanup belong to that category.
though
the survey finds that in general pros-
Reminiscences are more interesting if they
Evident facts as reasons are given to the pub- usefully point a comparison that heartens us pects are good, some lines of business reported
lic. In them there are a sufficiency of "talking today. The pessimist doing his raven croak unfavorable as well as favorable conditions.
points" to interest the public in the oppor- about dull times in music goods sales may be
tunity. The quoted bargain prices are power- effectually squelched by recalling parallel con-
A radio course in piano lessons, potent in
ful to do the rest, with the prospect convinced ditions and courses at a previous time. That
results, was concluded this week by WGN, the
that the reason for holding the sale is a real is what Mr. Paul M. Booth, president of the
Chicago Tribune station. The extent of the
one.
British Federation of the Music Trade, did at effects of the lessons by Edward Barry can
The practice of holding bargain sales with- the recent convention :
only be surmised, but from the tremendous
out apparent excuse is like the drug habit. The
"Forty years ago many piano factories of public response, piano men are assured of good
longer you are a victim, the greater the dose that day had to close their doors and remain present and future results in piano sales. In
you require and the shorter the intervening closed for months. It was the beginning of addition to the elementary course, Mr. Barry
intervals. In many cities are found stores in the concert era. Opinion at that time had it will broadcast a course for advanced pupils
which the "bargain sale" is a blatant serial. that the concert platform had killed the piano which, in itself, is a feature promising more
To the conservative trade the thins: evokes a trade and the sheet music trade. The pessi- prospective piano buyers.
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/

Page 7 Text:

August 13, 1927.
P R E S T 0-TIMES
QULBRANSEN DISPLAY
AT CLEVELAND MEET
Four Rooms in Choice Location in Hotel Win-
ton Already Secured for Special Showing
of New Models.
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
THE CRITIC.
'Tis very cunning to criticize methods of others
who sell; question their ways of moving the goods,
just righteously givemhell. Or with doubting shrugs
the lie implies, and bland Pecksniffian smile, to hurt
the trade of competitors in the cunning critics' style.
He with the deprecatory smile will cavil at those
who meet at convention time, free to discuss and
brothers in trade to greet. 'Tis just as well the
critic's disposed to keep his name from the list, and
coddle his kill-joy grouch at home; His face will
never be missed.
'Tis pleasant to fill an easy chair, with the water
cooler nigh, and give to the sales department fits;
to question "in thunder why, collections show such
lack of pep in getting installment dough." 'Tis safe
to stay right at home and brag, while others a-sell-
ing go.
* * *
THE WORKS GETS MAD
When it was decided to establish a retail branch of
the Excello Piano Company in Smokeliegh, George
Jr. presented himself as the logical candidate for
manager. George was the son of The Works, as the
boys flippantly called George Sr., the Excello Piano
Company's president, founder and dynamic booster.
Young George had left college six mouths previ-
ously and had come into the office filled with book-
ology and ambition. The Works believed it was
ambition, too, but the rank and file in office and fac-
tory irreverently called it gall.
The Works took young George at his own valua-
tion, however, and sent him to rip things up in
Smokeliegh with the Excello line and to make the
piano business of the houses there look like a brick
of ice cream in Hades. But the ripping up was slow
in commencing in Smokeliegh and The Works waited
in vain for the annihilation of all Excello competitors.
When the statement of the Smokeliegh branch was
presented the Excello Piano Company's president at
the end of the third month, The Works determined to
have a plain talk with the Smokeleigh manager over
the long distance telephone. One side of it was some-
thing like this:
"Hello! long distance? Yes. Ah, that you George?
Yes, this is your dad. I want to talk to you and I
wish I could talk plainer than the telephone rules
permit.
"Your letters? Sure I got 'era. What do I think?
I think you ought to be soothsayer at an amusement
park. That's what I think. Eh! Haven't got started
good and proper yet. What the
!! **
!*?
"Yes, young lady, I know. But consider my feel-
ings, too. Yes, I'll be calm.
"Hello! Hello! that you, George? Yes, somebody
cut me off. As I was saying—why haven't you got
started? What? Got to build up an organization
first. What the—. Say, what are you trying to
start—a political party? Why, blank you! Ahem!
Lookee here, I didn't send you to build up organiza-
tions. I sent you to sell Excello pianos. To sell
pianos, d'ye hear? S-e-1-1, get that?
"What! You can't go after business until—wha-at?
Until you've established a system in the branch first.
Well, of all the—why, d—n you, say, say, hello! why
** pp ji
****
~* *
"Yes, yes, my dear young lady, I know, but I am
extremely agitated—and my feelings—yes, I'm per-
fectly aware of the rules. Yes, thanks, I will indeed
be calmer.
"Hello! Hello! that you, George? Yes, got cut off
again. Say, about those systematization plans of
yours. Well, I don't like 'em a little bit. What?
Necessary?
Fudge! We've paid for fifty-seven
varieties of pretty little dinky booklets, eight hundred
dollars' worth of fancy furniture and for an autotruck
that up to the present has hauled only two pianos.
What? Four pianos? Yes, but according to your
statement for last month, two of the four were hauled
back to your precious branch again.
"Now look here, my boy, I took you at your own
estimate, hoping you would make good. For three
months you've been losing time and wasting money.
To hell—ahem! I mean to Jericho with your sys-
tems. You know you've been nursing fool theories
instead of hustling for customers for pianos.
"That's all right, my boy. I know you meant well,
but you've based your system on the idea that the
town of Smokeliegh w T as going to present you with
a business to fit it, and all on a silver platter. You've
simply perched too high and you've got to come
down and scratch. Hello! What's that?
"Want to make the right front from the start?
Eh! Want to start with right appearance. Say, boy,
you're dead wrong. When you get your business up
to where you can see it, you can make your system
to fit it. No, George, you've got the ambition all
right, but what you want is logic to go with it.
"Now, listen. Hello! Hello! Are you listening?
Remember you haven't any money to spend on ap-
pearances. You've got to earn it in your branch.
Build up the business first. Afterwards you can do
some fancy architecture on your system and organ-
ization.
"What's that! Guess you can get business all
right? That's the talk! Sure you can. Now you
talk like a bully boy. The thing is to go out and
do it. Today, mind you. And George, say, quit
thinking of yourself as George the Branch Manager
and heir apparent to The Works, and get down to
plain hustling. Good bye."
* * *
PEN SHY
That the pen is more treacherous than the sword,
bowie knife, near-synthetic gin, derringer or rifle is
the belief of many an Indian, according to H. C.
McRay of Tulsa, Okla., who sold pianos and organs
through the Creek nation when it was known as part
of Indian Territory.
Many of the Cherokees with whom Mr. McRay
had dealings from time to time were able and willing
to pay cash for pianos for the daughters brought up
in Indian government schools. Once, when he made
a sale to a Cherokee family the money available did
not cover the price. The old chief, now one of the
richest Indians there, was even then reputed w r ea!thy.
His money was well invested in big herds of cattle
and horses.
"The balance will be all right. I'll take your
notes," said Mr. McRay, producing his blanks and
fountain pen.
''Me no sign," grunted the chief.
"Why not?" asked the dealer persuasively. "To
me it will be as good as cash."
The Indian spoke a few words in his own language
to his daughter, who turned to Mr. McRay and
translated:
"Father says he will not sign, because every time
he has touched a pen he has lost something."
* * *
HEAR COMPLETE
REPORT
A personal opinion of the state of business was
recently stated by a pessimistic citizen of Chicago
in the presence of Max Widner, a piano salesman
on the outside for the Shea Music Company, 5114
West Madison. It was an honest, impromptu one,
but the circumstances didn't call for it.
Mr. Widner is prominent in Thirty-fourth Ward
politics, which may perhaps account for his success
at installing many good pianos in the thrifty homes
of the foreign born residents there.
Recently a dozen aliens wanted to be naturalized
and Mr. Widnes went to court in the interests of the
organization and to cinch a solid twelve votes for
the "gran' ol' party." They were required to fill
out blanks, the first three lines of which had the
following questions: "Name?" "Born?" and '"Busi-
ness?"
The first future voter filled his blank without the
Widner aid and answered:
Name—Isador Kadeshowitz."
"Born—Yes."
"Business—Rotten."
* * *
There is many a piano scheme so smooth that the
schemer slips up on it.
* * *
A line is the shortest way between two points; a
lawyer the longest,
* * *
Sometimes optimism is only a substitute for hard
work.
Last year the Gulbransen Company, Chicago, had
almost 100 per cent attendance of its dealers in the
state at the convention of the Music Merchants'
Association of Ohio. The company is looking for-
ward to a duplication of that record at this year's
convention, and has again engaged the very choicest
space in the Winton Hotel, Cleveland, parlors eleven,
twelve, thirteen and fourteen.
Included in the display will be the sensational new
Combination Registering and Reproducing Piano,
which made a stir at the Chicago and San Francisco
conventions.
This instrument may be used as a straight repro-
ducer, or as a registering piano, played by foot,
pedals and rolls. When played by foot pedals, it has
the spool propelled electrically. Regular piano
pedals, not player pedals, are used for striking the
notes and putting in the expression. This is one of
the biggest steps forward in the industry, since the
invention of the playerpiano itself. .
Another striking design to be exhibited will be
the Art Model Minuet in deep verde green, with
dainty decorations and fancy scroll back. Another
new product exhibited will be the 4 ft. 6 in. repro-
ducing Grand, and some of the smaller sized instru-
ments in the Gulbransen line which have recently
been turned out in registering and upright pianos.
Clark F. Gross will again be in charge of the com-
pany's display, and promises unusual features that
will make it worth the while for every Gulbransen
dealer and salesman in the state to be present.
PIANO PLAYING CONTEST
PROPOSED FOR CLEVELAND
Plan Outlined at Meeting of Dealers This Week
May Be Carried Out in Fall.
It begins to look as though there would be a piano
playing contest staged in Cleveland this fall. This
was revealed at a meeting of the Cleveland Music
Trades Association held on Tuesday evening when
two veteran newspapermen, C. S. Gregg and C. H.
Ashcraft, addressed the meeting and outlined a plan
for holding such a contest. It is proposed to hold
the contest either late in September or in early
October. Newspaper sponsorship of the contest
has been obtained and prizes amounting approxi-
mately $5,000 will be awarded.
There will be six classifications or divisions of the
contest, these being governed by age limitations.
The judges will be nationally known pianists.
Another feature will be a popular music division in
which anyone excepting professionals will be eligible
to compete. Only those dealers who underwrite
the contest will get full credit. President A. L.
Maresh of the Cleveland Music Trades' Association
is in hearty accord with the plan and the majority
of the piano dealers of the city have also given it
their approval.
William Bowie of the Dreher Piano Co. will have
charge of transportation arrangements in connection
with the convention of the Music Merchants' Asso-
ciation of Ohio from September 12 to 14. President
Maresh of the Cleveland Music Trades' Association
appointed Mr. Bowie to preside, as Richard White,
chairman of this committee, will not be able to return
from California for at least three weeks.
GOOD SALES PROPAGANDA
A pamphlet of the Bureau for the Advancement
of Music, "Musical Quotations," is being widely
used by the trade in America for distribution and
for advertising copy. A prominent English firm,
Rushworth & Draper, of Liverpool, has applied to
the Bureau for copies not only of that pamphlet but
of others of its new publications.
LANDAU BROS. FORMED.
Leo Landau, formerly identified with the Landau
Music Store, Hazleton, Pa., has resigned to form 3
new company called Landau Bros. The concern
will occupy the new three-story and basement build-
ing being erected at 17 West Broad street and will
handle musical instruments, radio, as well as jewelry
and furniture.
TIPS FOR SALESMEN.
"Twelve Tips for Traveling Salesmen" is the title
cf a folder issued by the Baldwin Piano Co., Cincin-
nati. It is by Herbert N. Casson and is reprinted
from the December 1, 1926, issue of Forbes Maga-
zine.
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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