October 22, 1927
PRESTO-TIMES
instrument. This offer of the National Piano Com-
pany, it is believed, will be productive of renewed
interest in the piano.
H. R. Eisenbrandt Sons, Inc., the oldest music
store in the United States, is now located in its new
and larger quarters at 216 West Franklin street,
which it has formally taken over. The formal open-
ing in the new location is but another mark of the
progressiveness of the company, which was founded
in 1811. The company now has the largest and most
varied stock of musical instruments it has ever car-
ried and includes band instruments of all kinds, or-
chestra instruments and many others.
Con Conrad, one of America's most popular com-
posers, will play the role of host to entrants in the
Greater Baltimore Piano Playing Contest at an un-
usual event in the Stanley Theatre, Baltimore's new-
est playhouse, Saturday, October 8. Mr. Conrad has
written many of Broadway's successes, including
"Memory Lane," "Margie," "Palesteena," "Lonesome
and Sorry," "Barney Google," the musical score for
the "Greenwich Village Follies," etc.
C. ALFRED WAGNER HOST AT DINNER
STEINWAY FOREIGN
TRADE INCREASES
William Richard Steinway on Visit to Chicago
This Week Tells Presto-Times of
Conditions Abroad.
It is not often that Wm. R. Steinway visits the
United States of late years, but he was in Chicago
on Thursday of this week and took luncheon with
some of the officials of the Lyon & Healy house,
Steinway representatives for many years past. At
the Blackstone Hotel, where he was a guest, he
granted an interview to a Presto-Times represen-
tative.
Mr. Steinway is one of the seven living Steinway
members of that famous piano manufacturing and
marketing family. He has been foreign representa-
tive for Steinway & Sons for the last twenty years,
and his headquarters are in London, England. His
territory has expanded from time to time until now
it embraces all lands outside of the United States,
including Canada and Mexico. The business under
his efficient generalship has spread over the face of
the earth so that now Asia has Steinway agencies
in many cities and ports of entry, while the Steinway
instruments are as well known throughout Europe as
in America.
The intricacies of this vast field of promotion
would be Greek to a tyro, but to the well-trained
mind of Mr. Steinway it is not doubly worrisome
to transact business in ten languages and in- forty
or more different countries with as many different
customs, methods of financing and banking, ex-
change, duties, shipping rules, governmental red tape
and credit systems.
Steinway & Sons have their own factories in Lon-
don, Hamburg and Berlin which serve their eastern
output well.
"The wholesale business is very good with us,
considering conditions in Europe," said Mr. Stein-
way. "You people in America seldom turn a thought
towards Europe. You have your own great country
to supply, and you enjoy advantages as to lighter
taxation on incomes that are not known over there.
For example, I notice that your government is cut-
ting down taxation to the extent of $300,000,000
while in England the talk is of raising income taxes
about 20 per cent or more. Of course, it has not
passed, but anticipating a raise has its effect upon
trade. On the whole, business is improving in the
fifty wholesale agencies of our house."
This closed the interview, as the next caller was
Roman de Majewski, of the concert and artist de-
partment of Steinway & Sons, New York, who was
introduced to the Presto-Times man by Mr. Stein-
way as "a real go-getter."
AMERICAN PIANO COMPANY DEPARTMENT HEADS AT C. ALFRED WAGNER'S DINNER.
To signalize the completion of his new organization
and to bring together the heads of all departments,
C. Alfred Wagner was host at a dinner on Monday,
October 3, at the Union League Club in New York.
The accompanying cut was made from a photograph
taken on the occasion. Among those present were:
E. R. Dibrill, G. C. Kavanagh, F. R. Gilfoil, P.
Quattlander, Boyd Dudley, Jr., C. P. Vogt, B. C.
Edmands, R. A. Hill, L. D. Jones, Paul H. Taylor,
W. P. Marsh, H. M. Matteson, M. D. Williams,
Geo. G. Foster, R. K. Paynter, H. L. Mason, C. S.
Onderdonk, H. C. Spain, J. M. Delcamp, B. Neuer,
C. F. Stoddard, C. W. Hall, C. J. Cunningham, L.
Schoenwald, L. C. Wagner, Lionel Tompkins.
Following the dinner G. G. Foster, chairman of the
Board of Directors of the American Piano Company,
gave an informal address and Mr. Wagner followed
with a brief talk which served both as an inspiring
message to those present and as an introduction to
E. R. Dibrill, executive vice-president and director
of publicity of R. H. Macy & Co. who talked on the
new importance of style in merchandise.
decided to hold it in Chicago. Chas. Adams, of
Peoria, was chosen chairman of the committee that
will fix the date of the convention.
The last evening of the convention—Thursday—•
was devoted to the banquet. The feasters were
treated to a fine program, including music. And
"Miss America," of Joliet, the young lady who was
first choice of the judges at the Atlantic City beauty
show in 1927, was present and gracefully acknowl-
edged the honors accorded her by the diners.
MUSIC TRADE NEWS FROM
SOUTHERN INDIANA POINTS
Interesting Items Tell of Activity in Music Houses in
Evansville and Elsewhere.
Thomas Grimwood, who with his brother, Oscar
Grimwood, formerly was engaged in the manufacture
of the Latonia talking machine at Evansville, Ind.,
now is with the Harding & Miller Music Company in
that city and has recently returned from a trip to
several southern Indiana towns, and reports he found
business conditions quite promising at this time.
Mr. Grimwood is well and favorably known to the
trade in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky.
His brother, Thomas Grimwood, is now engaged in
buying walnut logs and stumps in southern Indiana.
The Kesselman-O'Driscoll Co. Holds "Intro- He reports that black walnut is becoming scarcer in
ductory Week" When Spacious Quarters
Indiana year by year, and the price is getting higher
right along. Veneer manufacturers in Evansville re-
Are Occupied in New Building.
port their trade some better than it was a month or
two ago. Logs are coming in freely and the prices
From October 10 to IS was set aside by the
Kesselman-O'Driscoll Co, Milwaukee, Wis., as an are rather high. With the improvement of trade with
the furniture manufacturers at Evansville, the veneer
introductory week for the opening of their new home
men say their trade ought to get a whole lot better.
in the Music Arts building on Broadway and Mason
Henry Hudson, of the Hudson Music House at
streets which is owned by the Music Arts Corpora-
Boonville, Ind., was in a large delegation from the
tion, Kesselman-O'Driscoll being a subsidiary of that
Boonville Business Men's Association that went to
company.
Cynthiana, Ind., this week, to attend a banquet that
The firm, established less than 15 years ago in a
small shop on Fond du Lac avenue, now occupies its was given by the business men of that town.
Art Willem, who for many years was associated
new spacious rooms in its own seven-story building,
with W. F. Schwentker, music dealer at Evansville,
where are gathered the leading musical interests of
Ind., recently accepted the position of manager of the
the city into a concentrated music center.
Stahlschinidt Piano Company in that city to take the
L. M. Kesselman, president of the Kesselman- place of Harry Voss, who resigned some time ago to
O'Driscoll Co., has his whole heart and soul in the go to Toledo, Ohio, to become the manager of the
interest of music because he believes that everyone Association of Credit Men in that city.
should be able to enjoy the pleasures of music.
Mrs. Harriett Wilder, who for a number of years
Toward this end the Kesselman-O'Driscoll Co. offers
owned and operated music stores at Petersburg,
every
possible
service
that
will
encourage
people
Other Officers of Illinois Music Merchants' interested in music.
Boonville and other towns in southern Indiana, has
returned to her home in Indianapolis from Boonville,
Association Chosen at Final Session at
where she spent several weeks as the guest of rela-
Palmer House—Chicago Next Year.
tives and friends. Mrs. Wilder was one of the first
R. K. MAYNARD RETURNS HOME.
About the last official act of the convention of
R. K. Mayuard, Pacific coast representative of the women in Indiana to own and operate music stores.
For a number of years she has made her home with
Illinois Music Merchants' Association at the Palmer
M. Schulz Company, who has been at the Chicago
her daughter, Mrs. Pearl Scott, at Indianapolis.
House, Chicago, last week was the election of officers, headquarters and incidentally in attendance part of
which resulted as follows:
the time at the conventions, leaves this week after
Herman H. Fleer, of Chicago, president; Geo. Wis- his 10 days' stay to resume work in his territory.
W. P. MANNING HAS NEW OPENING.
well, of Joliet, secretary; Lloyd Parker, of Harris- Mr. Maynard spent Saturday and Sunday at his old
The W. P. Manning Music Company has recently
burg, treasurer; Chas. W. Weiler, of Quincy, first home town, Waukegan, 111., from which city he came moved from 311 Eighth street, Augusta, Ga., to 3'15
vice-president; A. L. Brunner, of Rock Island, second to Chicago some 50 years ago and got his first job
Eighth street, where they have a much larger and
vice-president.
with Story & Camp, continuing with it for some years
better room. This house is handling all kinds of
Chicago Gets Next Convention.
after it had become the Estey & Camp house. In all musical merchandise. It will celebrate its sixteenth
anniversary on October 25 with an opening of the
Three cities were candidates for the next state those years Mr. Maynard has been a piano man, and
new store, at which time many visitors are expected.
convention—Joliet, Springfield and Chicago. It was he is acquainted in the trade from ocean to ocean.
PROGRESSIVE MILWAUKEE
FIRM IN NEW STORE
HERMAN H. FLEER IS
ELECTED PRESIDENT
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