Presto

MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1927
TRADE INCIDENTS IN
NEW YORK CITY
Merits of the Ampico for Teaching Dancing
Convincingly Shown at Exhibit at Hotel
Astor in Connection with Conven-
tion of Dancing Masters.
OTHER TRADE INCIDENTS
Resignation of Frank E. Edgar Announced; Growth
of Ludwig Sales in West; Glamorous Opening
of Radio Show and Other Items.
A speaker at the Convention of Dancing Masters
of America held last week at the Waldorf Astoria,
New York, compared the experiences of old-time
dancing masters who pranced about teaching their
classes while scraping music from a fiddle, to the
dancing teachers of today who had the advantages of
the Ampico. The comparison was prompted by the
exhibit of the Ampico Corporation at the conven-
tion, which included the complete library of dance
routines played by Louis Horst and taught by the
Ted Shawn School of Dancing. The following were
named among the dance teaching profession as di-
recting lessons solely for the Ampico: Ned Wey-
burn, Alexis Kosloff, the Denishauns, Oscar Duryea
and Albertina Rasch.
E. E. Vogel Returns.
E. E. Vogel has returned to the Kohler Industries
after an absence of four years in which he was asso-
ciated with the sales department of the Estey Piano
Co. and the Welte-Mignon Corp.
In his previous association with the Kohler Indus-
tries Mr. Vogel was advertising manager and was
the originator of many successful promotion schemes
for merchandising pianos and reproducing pianos.
Sympathy for Louis P. Bach.
The sympathy of the piano trade has been ex-
pressed in letters and telegrams to Louis P. Bach,
president of Kranich & Bach at the death of his
sister, Miss Sophie M. Bach, who was buried last
week from St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church,
Port Chester, N. Y. Miss Bach was a daughter of
the late Jacques Bach, one of the founders of
Kranich & Bach.
Frank E. Edgar Resigns.
Frank E. Edgar, . manager of the wholesale and
Duo-Art departments of the Aeolian Company, New
York, has resigned but no plans as to his future
activities have been announced. He joined the com-
pany in 1919 with a fine record in the music industry,
his work in the music field beginning with the A. B.
Clinton Co., New Haven, Conn., later serving as
manager of the Pianola department for M. Steinert
& Sons, and manager of the Angelus department in
the Wanamaker store, Philadelphia.
His work as a piano traveler began with Wilcox &
White in 1903 and in his years on the road he
made a great number of friends among dealers and
travelers. He was one of the group of travelers who
formed the National Piano Travelers' Association
during a trade convention in Put-in-Bay and he was
elected president of that body in 1912.
In 1918 lie joined the Kohler Industries, immedi-
ately becoming vice-president of the Autopiano Com-
pany, in which capacity he served until he joined
the Aeolian Company in 1919.
Suggestion for Music Trade
Helpful pointers for other trade organizations in
providing spectacular attractions for their conven-
tion openings were afforded by the promoters of the
Radio World's Fair, held at Madison Square Garden,
New York city, last week. Of course they had the
makings of a good show in displaying the develop-
ment of radio during the comparatively few years of
its history, but they saw the advantages in achieving
a big attendance with the help of a glamorous grand
opening.
Governor Al. Smith, with his gaily uniformed mil-
itary staff, added dignity and color to the proceed-
ings and official features were contributed by Joseph
A. McKee, who acted for the absent Mayor Walker.
The banquet in connection with the Radio World's
Fair on Wednesday night at the Hotel Astor was
made the occasion of national publicity for radio and
radio trade organizations. It was held simultaneously
with a large number of banquets held in cities
throughout the country, each one sharing the enter-
tainment provided for the Hotel Astor program.
Twenty-seven state associations of radio men co-
operated in the big affair at Madison Square
Gardens.
Franklin Dunham, educational director of the
Aeolian Company, has been elected to membership of
the New York Rotary Club to represent the player
piano manufacturers' division of the piano trade.
Ludwig Sales Grow
The growth of Ludwig piano sales in the West,
particularly in California, is a fact the Ludwig & Co.
reports with satisfaction. It is the result of progres-
sive, energetic and reliable methods of marketing its
products, a course of action helpful to the trade and
one that carries enlightenment about Ludwig piano
merits to the piano buying public. A considerable
number of sales of Ludwig grands are reported by
the Wiley B. Allen Co., San Francisco, since the
display made by the company in conjunction with the
Fall Fashion Opening of the cooperating downtown
merchants. The occasion prompted the announce-
ment that the Wiley B. Allen Co. has represented
the Ludwig piano for thirty-eight years.
James & Holmstrom in Readiness.
The new James & Holmstrom Baby Grand, Style
3, is now ready for large production and the James
& Holstrom Piano Company, through John J. Glynn,
secretary of the company, declares that immediate
action can be taken on all orders. This five foot
grand is the smallest grand in the line and will be
made up in Period cases, in mahogany or walnut
lacquer or art finish.
R. W. Lawrence Returns
Richard W. Lawrence, president of the Bankers'
Commercial Security Company, Inc., New York, re-
turned last week from a tour of European countries
in which he was accompanied by his wife, son and
daughter. They were abroad since June and visited
nine countries. In Rome they were received by
Pope Pius X to give them the papal benediction.
LATE NEWS OF THE
OHIO MUSIC TRADE
Incorporation Papers Being Prepared for the
Welte-Mignon Society to Function in
State—Other Trade News.
The Welte-Mignon dealers of Ohio are to be
invited to join a new organization that will be known
as the W r elte-Mignon Society of Ohio and which is
now in process of formation. Incorporation papers
are soon to be filed and the offices of the society
will be in Cleveland. W T illiam Heaton of New York
will be president of the society, and an extensive pub-
licity campaign will be waged to make the public
better acquainted with the Welte-Mignon. Libraries
are to be maintained at Cleveland, Cincinnati and
Columbus. The society is expected to be functioning
in about sixty days.
The Mintz Piano Co. has had an involuntary peti-
tion in bankruptcy filed against it in the Federal
Court, Cleveland, by the Nineteen Hundred Euclid
Corporation, which alleges that the piano concern is
insolvent and that it has a claim against it for
$5,979.82.
The entire three floors of a new building being
erected at 22nd and Euclid avenue will be occupied
by the Wolfe Music Co., now located in the Taylor
Arcade and Prospect avenue. The company has
taken a ten-year lease of the building.
Cleveland Music Week that is now an annual event
will be held this year from October 30 to November
5 and will be widely observed. There will be some
big musical event every day during the week and
the music trade will cooperate to make the event a
success.
$2 The Year
PROGRAM FOR THE
MILWAUKEE MEET
List of Speakers at Convention of the Wiscon-
sin Association of Music Merchants Prom-
ises Interesting Time at Noonday
Luncheon and Business Sessions.
IMPORTANT TOPICS
Themes for Addresses Assigned to Speakers Cover
Every Vital Phase of the Music Trade
Situation Today.
The second annual convention of the Wisconsin
Association of Music Merchants will he held at the
Hotel Wisconsin, Milwaukee, on Tuesday and
Wednesday, October 4 and 5. This association, or-
ganized in Milwaukee a year ago, includes in its
membership leading music and piano dealers of the
state. W. Otto Miessner, Milwaukee, is president of
the association. Other officials are Leslie C. Parker,
secretary and treasurer, and H. L. Ashworth, execu-
tive secretary.
All delegates to the music convention will be in-
vited on the tirst evening of the convention to attend
the Wisconsin Radio and Music Exposition being held
in Milwaukee the same week. The Radio Trades
Association, holding its convention in Milwaukee the
latter part of the week will exchange speakers with
the music association. Many music dealers of the
state are also radio dealers and the two organiza-
tions are cooperating and making the week a big one
for music in Milwaukee.
The business sessions of the convention will open
at the Hotel Wisconsin at 10 a. m. on October 4 and
will continue until noon on the following day, when
the music merchants will adjourn to the Blue Mound
Country Club for a luncheon and golf tournament. A
dinner dance and entertainment for delegates, their
wives and friends, will be held in the Gold Room of
the Hotel Wisconsin on the evening of October 5.
In addition to a discussion on numerous trade prob-
lems confronting the music industry, there will be
several addresses by people nationally known in the
music industry. Among them will be Tom Pletcher,
Chicago, president of the Q R S Music Roll Com-
pany, and noted as an authoritative speaker on music
merchandising; E. C. Boykin. secretary of the Na-
tional Piano Manufacturers' Association, who will
speak on "Piano Promotion"; Charles Maarkle of the
National Tuners' Association; Henry Weisert, C. L.
Dennis, Edward Herzog, and others.
Details of Program.
Following the address of W. Otto Miessner, presi-
dent of the association, which will open the first
business session at 1(3:30 a. m., October 5, reports
will be presented by Leslie C. Parker, secretary and
treasurer, and H. L. Ashworth, executive secretary
of the association. Other business to be taken up
at the morning session will be the appointment of
committees and the presentation of resolutions and
new business matters requiring committee consider-
ation. The principal speaker of the morning session
will be C. L. Dennis, executive secretary of the
national association.
The Luncheon.
At 12 :.-0 a luncheon will be held at the Hotel Wis-
consin, where all the business sessions of the con-
vention will be held. The speaker at this luncheon
will be E. C. Boykin of New York, secretary of the
National Piano Manufacturers' Association, who will
speak on the "Future of the Piano."
The principal speakers at the afternoon session,
which will start at 2 o'clock, is Charles Merkle of
the National Association of Piano Tuners, who will
speak on "The Care of the Piano." Among the sub-
jects to be discussed during the afternoon will be
fraudulent advertising, relationship of dealer and
teacher, music in the public schools, salesmen's com-
missions, and the effect of radios on the music indus-
try. Edward Herzog of the Edmund Gram Piano
Co., Milwaukee, will lead the discussion.
The same afternoon the report of the nominating
committee will be heard and the election of officers
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