MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1927
IN AND AROUND
LOS ANGELES, CAL
Harry L. Nolder, Secretary and General Man-
ager of the Starr Piano Co., Los Angeles,
Expects Record Holiday in Music
Goods.
IN OTHER PLACES
New Firms Open with Strong Piano Lines; Re-
movals and Store Enlargements Interesting
Items of Trade Activity.
Harry L. Nolder, secretary and general manager of
the Pacific Division of the Starr Piano Company, Los
Angeles, in an exclusive interview with Presto-Times'
Southern California representative, said: "The out-
look for the piano business on the Pacific Coast is
exceptionally bright. A record holiday business is
being prepared for generally. We have every reason
to believe the year 1928, fast approaching, should be
a prosperous one." Mr. Nolder makes this forecast
after a survey of the entire coast.
Business in Long Beach.
Henry Williams, of the Williams Music Company
of Long Beach, reports the piano business fair in
that city, but entertains the belief that Long Beach
and the Los Angeles harbor vicinity is in line for
exceptional growth and expansion as the result of
the Ford motor plant locating there. Rumor has it
that the General Motors corporation is looking over
the ground in and around Long Beach. Factories,
distributors such as these, and relative industries
bring with them payrolls. As a consequence all lines
of business profit.
C. J. Houlette, formerly salesmanager of the Long
Beach Wurlitzer, branch store, has opened an attrac-
tive piano and phonograph store in the six hundred
block on Pine Avenue. Long Beach. Houlette is
featuring Stienway, Kurtzmann and several other
well-known lines.
The Harbor Music Company of San Pedro, Cali-
fornia, is doing a healthy business in phonographs
and radios. Pianos are not moving as fast as they
should in this locality.
Moves in Brawley.
Nerbovig Music Company of Brawley, California,
located in the heart of the Imperial Valley, has just
moved into a fine new home three doors west from
their old location. It will be interesting to note that
this company, which handles the Starr line exclu-
sively, receives its shipments from Los Angeles, a
distance of 220 miles, by truck. A considerable sav-
ings in freight charges is being made in addition to
those two well-known items, "delivery to and from
the depots."
Urner & Jones of Bakersfield, California, has re-
cently been enjoying a substant : al business in Bruns-
wick panatropes. On top of this they are real
optimistic concerning the piano business in Kern
County.
Piano Carload Arrives.
''There is no better indication that business is good
than a call for more goods." Such was the comment
heard at the Graber Music Company in Visalia,
Tulare County, Calif., where a carload of Kimballs
has just arrived. Business is not only promising, it is
good right now."
The Morris Music Company of Taft, Calif., moved
into a new home recently and is doing a splendid
small goods business. Taft is distinctly an oil town
and has a large and steady payroll. Reports, how-
ever, would indicate that pianos are not moving very
rapidly.
Up Santa Barbara way it was learned that Mr. Bol-
ton is back with the old firm of Bolton & Jones.
This house is featuring the Steinway and Starr lines
quite extensively these days.
Harry Moore, of -Ventura, popped up in Los An-
geles the other day and from the smiles he spread
about it was gathered that pianos haven't gone out
of vogue up in the bean country.
Chanler Music Company of Santa Ana, California,
has converted the basement of its building into a
beautiful sales room. This house is doing quite a
business in grands. Incidentally, the Chanler Music
Company's store is one of the finest in Southern Cali-
fornia and the opening of this new show-room puts
it on a par with the better stores of Los Angeles.
Fred Colber, well-known composer, pianist and lec-
turer, is a visitor in Los Angeles, having been
brought here through the efforts of Birkel Music
Company of Los Angeles.
LATE NEWS NOTES FROM
THE WISCONSIN FIELD
New Store at Markesan Has Representative Line of
Pianos—Other Items of Interest.
The A. F. Hein Music Company is a new concern
at Markesan, Wis., which handles the Adam Schaaf,
the Straube, and Waltham pianos. The store also
maintains a complete stock of sheet music, records,
rolls, phonographs, radios, and string and band in-
struments.
The Milwaukee Piano Company, Milwaukee, Wis.,
has a very attractive window display featuring the
new Cameo grand. This instrument, diminutive in
size, can fit nicely into almost any room. The win-
dow is arranged to represent a living room, attrac-
tively decorated and enhanced by the piano.
The Badger Music Store, Fond du Lac, will soon
move into its new location at 15 East Second street.
The new building is two stories, and of brick and stone
construction. It was erected at a cost of $25,000,
and is modern throughout.
The Irving Zuelke Music Company at Appleton,
Wis., has purchased radio station WJBR which has
been operated at Omro, Wis., since February, 1926.
Work on installation has already begun and the
studio will be located at Appleton.
Charles Haines, of the Baldwin Piano Company,
was so successful in selling the pianos that the com-
pany had at Reedsburg, Wis., that he was obliged to
buy the pianos that the store at Baraboo had. With
Mr. Haines' success the Baldwin company has de-
cided to establish a store at Reedsburg with Mr.
Haines in charge.
$2 The Year
THE BALTIMORE, MD.
SCHOOL PIANO CONTRACT
Peabody Pisno Co. Files Bill of Complaint in
Circuit Court Against Mayor Broening
and School Board—Other News.
Upon a bill of complaint filed in the Circuit Court
of Baltimore city by the Peabody Piano Company
of Baltimore against Mayor William F. Broening of
Baltimore, the Mayor and City Council and William
L. Rawls, president of the School Board of Baltimore,
an order was signed requiring the defendants to show
cause by December 1, why they should not be re-
quired to execute a contract with the complainant for
furnishing twelve upright pianos at price given by
them.
It was stated in the bill that on November 9, the
Board of Awards unanimously awarded the contract
to the complainant for the pianos wanted by the
School Board. Following a protest from Charles
M. Stieff, Inc., the bill continued, Mayor Broening
called a special meeting of the Board of Awards on
November 10 and the board attempted to rescind its
previous action. The board, it was stated, at an
executive meeting on November 17,' confirmed its
action of November 10 and attempted to rescind the
award of the contract to the complainant.
The bill of complaint was filed by Charles W.
Heuisler and J. Stanislaus Cook, attorneys.
The Baltimore Opera Club, Inc., makes a new and
d:'stinctive addition to the musical circle of Baltimore.
Frederick R. Huber, who originated the club, one of
Baltimore's foremost musical composers and pro-
moters, explained that the objects' of the d u b . as
outlined in the incorporation papers, were to encour-
age the understanding and appreciation of music. He
will remain as the Baltimore representative of the
Metropolitan Opera Company and the Chicago Civic
Opera Company. Dr. Hugh H. Young was elected
president.
Frederick H. Gottlieb, well known in local music
circles, will be chairman of the finals in the Greater
Baltimore Piano Playing Contest, to 'be held at the
Lyric under auspices of the Music Tr'ades Associa-
tion of Baltimore.
Joseph Eventoff has opened a musical instrument
store at 1313 East Baltimore under the name of the
Century Music Shop.
GULBRANSEN ADVERTISING AIDS.
The following new material for Gulbransen Co.
dealers has recently been issued: Three Christmas
ads complete, two columns by eight and nine inches
deep. Broadside showing Christmas cuts available.
Broadside with ten window display suggestions. Gen-
eral catalog with four-page center spread show-
ing twenty-three models. Series of three one-column
ads, measuring six to eight inches deep in depth. Two
color window card for Combination Registering and
Reproducing Piano. Letter and invitation to see
Combination Registering and Reproducing Piano.
Proof of Combination national advertisement on
heavy cardboard with easel back. Announcement for
Contest to name Combination instrument. Rotograv-
ure Broadside No. 2—The Christmas edition. Art
Model Minuet window card.
NEW TRADE JOURNAL.
Number I of Volume I of the Music Seller and
Small Goods Dealer, of London, Eng., has come to
hand and the advertising in the new trade journal
shows the British manufacturers and jobbers are de-
sirous of interesting the dealers. There is a strong
representation of music publishing houses in the
advertising pages and a fair showing of musical mer-
chandise manufacturers and jobbers. It is cleverly
edited and contains several special articles by promi-
nent men in the sheet music trade. Presto-Times
wishes the Music Seller a successful career.
MEETINGS FOR CHICAGO TRADE.
The Chicago Piano & Organ Association, through
its president, Roger O'Connor, announces that the
annual banquet will be held on the last Thursday
in January. The next monthly meeting will be held
on the 15th of December.
HUNDREDS OF CARLOADS
OF PIANOS IN MOTION
Kohler & Chase of San Francisco Reported to Have
100 Carloads Moving Alone.
The cheerful note in piano trading has been
sounded. Freight Manager Ed. A. Laveille of Chi-
cago, says that he understands that freight agents are
busy; that many roads are carrying cars loaded with
pianos; that Kohler & Chase of San Francisco have
100 cars loaded with instruments going out there
from the various factories.
There must be at least a hundred or two hundred
carloads traveling in the same direction for the vari-
ous other music houses.
Good news travels as fast as bad news, and Old
Santa Claus must now take heart, for he will have
plenty of styles and makes to pick out a nice piano
from, to suit the customer.
LOUIS DEDERICK MARRIES.
Friends of Louis Dederick will be interested to
know that that gentleman was married to Mrs. Lillian'
Cole McKnight on November 23 at San • Francisco,
Calif. The couple will be at home to their friends in ;
a few days at La Casita, 278 Linden avenue,"San
Bruno, Calif. Mr. Dederick is now associated with
Lee S. Roberts, Inc., San Francisco. For many years
Mr. Dederick served in different capacities with the
American Piano Company, and at present he is still
associated with the Chickering pianos that he .likes
so well. He is known from coast to coast; In Chi-
cago years ago he was secretary and treasurer of a
prominent music house, later, going to New York
to assume a new place in the piano business.
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