PRESTO-TIMES
along this line should be taken.—Ed.
president of Schaff Piano String Co.
January 7, 1928
Johnson,
mercial integrity have become traditional. The
background zvhich they give to our industry is the
foundation
upon which the piano business of the
The contents of my book are not aimed to
country
rests.—Clarence
H. Pond, president,
fascinate or arouse merriment, but rather to be
Ivers
&
Pond
Piano
Co.,
Boston,
Mass.
instructive and possibly a guidance to some in
matters
of
business
and
to
others
in
their
daily
Additional Interesting Expressions by Prom-
My advice to the music merchant is to sell more
zvalk in private life.—William Tonk, President of
inent Men in the Trade, Regretably
Music; sell Quality; sell Service; sell Satisfac-
William Tonk & Bro., New York.
Omitted in Making Up Last
tion and at the end of the year he zvill receive
satisfaction
in Satisfied Customers.—H. Edgar
Week's Presto-Times.
If you arc paying men for outside work, see
that they make ten or fifteen calls a day. If you French, Nezv Castle, hid.
Quality succeeds; a good action means a good
have men on the inside see that they canvass ten
piano; a good piano means success to the mer-
In a broad sense the competition for business
persons over the 'phone each day. if you do this
chant; satisfaction to the purchaser.—Fernando
is
not betzveen business institutions in the same
the lazv of averages zvill bring you business. You
Wesscll, New York.
can't escape it.—Gordon Longhead, Chicago., line, but it is rather competition betzveen indus-
tries as a zvhole. With, the coining of keener busi-
Prcs., Piano Travelers National Association.
ness conditions, zvc suddenly found other things
Any manufacturer or dealer who produces or
too numerous to mention were being sold on the
sells a high-grade product in a dignified, forceful
General business in 1927 zvas sub-normal. I "easy payment plan,'' attracting many of the dol-
manner zvill find that his business will constantly
think the decline is scraping bottom and that 1928 lars zvhich should go into the coffers of our trade.
prosper.—P. E. Mason, general sales manager of
will be a normal year, not only in the piano busi- —E. R. Jacobson, President of Straube Piano
the Haddorff Piano Co.,'Rockford, 111.
Company.
ness but in all other lines.
We have to deal today zvith a luxurious age and
My advice to the dealers is to concentrate their
I believe ninety per cent of piano purchasers
a modernized woman—with a woman who has efforts on fewer lines and in that zmy give better
rolled fifteen to twenty years from her shoulders service to the customers by a larger choice of in- want and expect good quality in the instruments
they buy. We zvill not allow the Adam Schaaf
by shortening her skirts and bobbing her hair.
We insult her intelligence by trying to sell her an struments on their floors. Grand pianos cannot piano to depreciate in quality.—Harry Schaaf,
-upright or grand that is practically the same as be sold from catalog.—Carl E. Peck, president. of Adam Schaaf, Inc., Chicago.
her grandmother bought.—John H. Parnham T Hard-man, Peck & Co.
Convention address.
The outlook for 1928 is viewed by us with con-
In our store in New York zvc find that as soon siderable optimism. We feel that the American
as zver elax for a moment zvc feel a change in the public zvas never so musically minded as at the
business. I believe that the American public can
be sold pianos, and we can sell them.—Alexander present time. Many nczv musicians are forging E. J. Jordan, Western Manager for the Com-
to the front, and the public of this country are
McDonald, of Sohmer & Co.
pany, Found Trade Good on
follozving things musical zvith great interest. With
Recent Trip West.
I have been a subscriber of
PRESTO-TIMES the improvements in the talking machines and the
E. J. Jordan, just back at his office, 2030 Straus
for I don't know hozv many years and zvill con- radio, musical culture is being zvidely dissemi-
Building, 310 South Michigan boulevard, Chicago,
tinue as long as I live, zvhich shozvs zvhat I think
nated to all corners of the United States.
from a two months' trip through the Rocky Moun-
of it.—P. E. Conroy, president of the Conroy
tain and Pacific Coast states, was called upon by a
These influences zvill undoubtedly express them- Presto representative on Saturday, December 31.
Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo.
selves in terms of good business for those dis- Mr. Jordan is wholesale manager for all territory
The piano man has a good future business if
tributing musical merchandise, so that given the from the east line of Illinois to the Pacific Coast
he zvill keep everlastingly after the people of his proper economic conditions, the coming year and also has Georgia and Florida for the American
Piano Company, his traveling men covering it all.
respective community to have their children
taught to play the piano. If he doesn't do that, should prove most successful.—Alexander Stein-
Mr. Jordan said he went out by the southern route,
he zvill likely find his sales of pianos "pretty slim <-rt, president, M. Steinert & Sons, Boston, Mass. making calls at Denver and Los Angeles. He found
business good in Texas and at Los Angeles. At
picking."—\V. B. Price.
Our fall trade has been excellent and the year Spokane it was good, at Seattle fair. His itinerary
The solution of the manufacturer's problem
lies mainly in making his product coincide with sold zvcll zvith players and grands in the majority The records of the company show many cities at
there was a considerable increase in piano
the demands and wants of the public.—Curtis N. but a noticeable improvement in the demand on which
sales in 1927 over 1926, particularly in grands, and
Kimball, Pres. IV. W. Kimball Co.
us for uprights as compared zvith 1926. Partic- Mr. Jordan is hopeful for 1928, saying he believes it
ularly is this true of our Period styles in high- will exceed 1927 in sales.
At the close of a year zvhen piano manufactur- lighted finish, zvhich have met zvith instant and
On Monday of this week, January 2, Mr. Jordan
ing has lost as against other years both in the continued favor among the trade.
left for New York to be present at the annual sales
number of instruments made and the profits on
We are satisfied that 1928 is going to shozv con- conference of the company. On next Monday, Jan-
wholesale prices, thereby affecting orders to us tinued improvement and are making our plans uary 9, the American Piano Company's travelers will
who arc accessory to the industry, I zvould advo- for the coming year zvith this in viezv.—F. F. assemble at New York for their instructions.
cate a combining, a unity of all men interested to Story, Vice President and Treasurer Story &
determine ways and means for bettering the piano Clark Piano Co.
NEW CALIFORNIA BRANCH
business. It is high time that concentrated efforts
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company has established
In the production of many of the finer art prod- a branch at 207 East A street in Hotel Ontario build-
ucts, other nations than our ozvn occupy the lead- ing, Ontario, Calif. H. T. Newman, resident manager
for the company, announced this week that the store
ing position. Ever since the piano reached its will
be open evenings until 9 o'clock during the week
full development, however, it has been to the before Christmas. As their formal opening in On-
United States that one must turn to secure the tario, the management announced an inviting opening
best, and today despite the tendency to "mass pro- sale.
Manufacturer a ot
duction" into zvhich competitive conditions are
ALBERT M. STEINERT DIES.
forcing our manufacturers, the old time spirit of
Albert M. Steinert, aged sixty years, head of the
fine craftsmanship survives in American piano Providence, R. I., house of M. Steinert & Sons Co.,
building as in hardly any other leading industry. is dead. He was noted for promoting many con-
Factory and Warerormk
The nation takes a just pride in the continu- certs and recitals in Providence and made large col-
lections of antique harpsichords and other rare old
767-769 Tenth Avenue, New York
ance and up-building of those representative musical instruments. Prominent members of the
houses zvhose idealism and high standards of com- New York trade attended his funeral.
MORE WISDOM IN
SHORT SENTENCES
AMERICAN PIANO CO.
HAD GOOD SALES YEAR
Becker Bros.
HIGH GRADE PIANOS
and PLAYER PIANOS
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
GOLDSMITH
Price 50 Cents
Players and Pianos
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Have Every Advantage in Quality and Results
to the Dealers
An Investigation Will Prove It
CHICAGO
GOLDSMITH PIANO COMPANY
i
•
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/