Presto

MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1884
Established
1881
II
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1928
that factory maintains its own separate identity as in
the past. The same applies to the Haddorff Sales
Organization, which remains in charge of P. E.
Mason as before.
''So far as Haddorff Piano Company is concerned,
the only effect will be to increase its strength and
opportunity for service in its own particular field, the
Formation of the Consolidated Industries, Inc., creating, building and marketing of fine artistic
pianos, and to hasten the success of its ambitious pro-
in Rockford, 111., Increases Financial
gram for placing and keeping the Haddorff in the
Strength, Stability and Potency of
front rank of piano manufacturing institutions."
Haddorff Piano Company.
Those in the trade who are particularly interested
in the fortunes of Haddorff will be quick to see that
this development insures the maintenance of Had-
dorff's own particular standards and ideals by elimi-
nating the chance of amalgamation or affiliation with
One Effect of Corporation Will Be to Present other pianos. Better service can be given the public
through greatly increased warehouse and shipping
Greater Opportunities for Haddorff Service
facilities. Loading platforms are situated on tracks
to Piano Dealers.
of three railroads which assures a minimum of delay
The piano trade is particularly interested in the in loading and routing cars.
All the companies included in the merger will con-
formation recently of the Consolidated Industries,
Inc., of Rockford, 111., because, among the interests tinue to operate under their own name as a division
in the consolidation is the Haddorff Piano Company of the Consolidated Industries, Inc.
The Free Sewing Machine Company was incor-
of that city. It is an interesting development, not by
reason of its size, but for the character of the corpo- porated May 14, 1895, being one of Rockford's pio-
ration, in which is vested the ownership of three neer industries. During the thirty-two years of its
prominent Rockford industries, the Haddorff Piano business it has grown to be one of the leading sew-
Company, the Rockford Cabinet Company and the ing machine manufacturers in the country, manufac-
Free Sewing Machine Company, with various sub- turing the Free-Westinghouse Electric machine as
well as treadle styles of all kinds for family use.
sidiaries of the three companies.
Landstrom Furniture corporation, known as the
Not a Merger.
Rockford
Cabinet Co., was originally organized in
The new corporation does not constitute a "merger"
in the common acceptance of the term. Nor is there 1891 as the Rockford Mantel & Furniture Co., at
anything new about it except the name. Common that time manufacturing mantels for the home. About
ownership of the three companies has existed for 1897 they began the manufacture of bedroom furni-
ture and in 1916 was taken over by Oscar Landstrom.
Haddorff Piano Co.
The Haddorff Piano Co., 1900 Harrison avenue, has
been an eminent success both for the quality of its
productions and from the business standpoint.
As a manufacturing enterprise the most outstand-
ing feature of the development of the company has
been its rapid growth in an industry where growth is
slow.
The Haddorff Piano Co. was organized in 1901, and
inside of ten years had reached such proportions that
it ranked close to the top among the largest producers
of pianos in the world. The company has always
VIEW OF HADDORFF FACTORY.
kept its highest standard and it is upon the merit of
its
product that it bases its accomplishment.
some years past, a fact commonly known in Rockford
and elsewhere. And so far as the Haddorff Piano
Company is concerned it will bear the same relation
to the piano trade that it has in the past; unchanged
in the two important functions with which it comes
in contact with the trade—that of manufacturing and
selling Haddorff pianos.
"Fact and Fiction About Steinway Piano" Useful Bit
Haddorff Identity.
of Literature for Dealers.
The same course applies to each of the other com-
"Fact and Fiction About the Steinway Piano" is
panies, which, like the Haddorff, will maintain its the title of a new booklet just issued by Steinway &
own identity in its own particular trade, continue Sons, New York, which has for its object the correc-
under its old corporate name and will maintain its old tion "of the fiction that troubles some of the prospec-
sales and manufacturing personnel. Certain executive tive buyers of Steinway pianos." While the exclusive
functions, however, including finance and purchasing, musical qualities, exterior beauty, durability under
will be unified. Each of the three represents assets the hardest usage and its fairness of price recommend
oi about two million dollars. A result, therefore, the Steinway to discriminating piano buyers, the un-
of the formation of the new corporation naturally will ethical salesman too often tries to offset Steinway
be to increase the financial strength, stability and gen- claims by fables and misinterpreted phrases detri-
eral effectiveness of the Haddorff Piano Company.
mental to Steinway fame.
The booklet is interesting in the number of Stein-
President Johnson Speaks.
When interviewed regarding the new corporation way fictions which it presents as well as the counter-
A. E. Johnson, president of the Haddorff Piano Com- acting facts printed on opposite pages. And while
the necessity for such a booklet is regrettable, the
pany, said:
"There is nothing revolutionary about the forma- manner in which the fictions have been compiled and
tion of Consolidated Industries, Inc. It involves no their statements refuted, is a matter of trade satis-
change of established policies and no change in the faction.
ownership of Haddorff Piano Company. It merely
gives a corporate status and recognition to a condi- TUNERS' ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES.
tion which has existed for some years, and has been
Charles Deutschmann, president of the National
generally known: namely, a common ownership of Piano Tuners' Association, and W. F. McClellan,
the control of all of the companies involved. I have secretary of the same organization, returned to Chi-
felt for some time, along with the others who are cago on Friday morning of last week from a trip to
chiefly interested, that increased efficiency and a num- Detroit, where they attended a session of executive
ber of important economies could be secured by giv- officers. On the way back Mr. McClellan organized
ing this common control of the three companies the a division at Kalamazoo, Mich. Preparations are
form of a separate corporation. Bankers and busi- going ahead for the forthcoming tri-state meeting at
ness counsellors to whom the matter was presented Toledo, when Ohio, Michigan and Indiana will be
agreed that the plan was a sound one and so the represented. The Chicago division has planned for
corporation was formed. Charles A. Haddorff and its annual banquet some evening in February, the
his sons remain in charge of the Haddorff factory and date to be announced soon.
AIDS HADDORFF
EFFECTIVENESS
A. E. JOHNSON SPEAKS
NEW STEINWAY BOOKLET
EQUAL TO ITS PURPOSES
$2 The Year
PROMOTING PIANO
SALES IN ANN ARBOR
Newspaper in University Town Aids Piano
Playing Tournament in Effective Way
and Other Forces Strive for Suc-
cess of Great Undertaking.
MUSIC STORES ACTIVE
Prcgressiveness of College Town Is Well Marked
by the Efficiency and Activity of Its
Music Retailers.
The Ann Arbor Daily News of Ann Arbor, Mich.,
prints a section devoted to music generally and the
Junior Piano Playing Tournament in particular which
is being sponsored by the paper.
Over two hundred young people are practicing for
the tournament for which the first test trials will be
begun February 17.
More than $1,000 in prizes is being offered to win-
ners of the Junior Piano Playing Tournament, which
is being sponsored by The Daily News, and for which
203 youngsters from six to seventeen years of age
and who reside in Washtenaw county will begin
competing on the date named.
Nineteen prizes in all have been offered by Uni-
versity School of Music, Schaeberle & Son music
store, the local branch of Grinnell Bros., Allmen-
dinger Music Shop, University Music House, Fed-
erated Council of Parent Teacher Association, State
Federation of Music Clubs, Ann Arbor Music Trade
Association, William Wade Hinshaw and The Daily
News. In addition to this, a theater engagement for
the grand champion of the tournament has been
offered by James S. Helsdon, manager of Majestic
Theater, and plans are in the offing for having the
champions of the individual tournament events play
over the radio. Thus children throughout the state
will be able to hear of what the youngsters in Wash-
tenaw county have accomplished.
Senator Charles A. Sink, president of the Uni-
versity Musical society, in offering a $100 scholarship
in the school of music, to be effective next year, for
first prize in the piano playing section of the third
age division.
Mr. Pulfrey's Message.
"Previous to this special issue of The Daily News
we had already received over 1,200 inches of publicity
covering the piano and our playing tournament," said
H. G. Pulfrey, manager University Music House, and
an active promoter of the piano tournament. "I am
anxious to get this message to other dealers as it
clearly shows what can be done with organized effort
among music merchants when built around so popu-
lar a subject as a piano playing tournament. I be-
lieve the piano and its desirability as the real home
instrument needs publicity and feel that this can
easily be accomplished by the proper kind of effort.
"In this special edition we have had the complete
cooperation of manufacturers, teachers, and in fact,
anyone interested in music. I think the paper speaks
for itself and that no further comment is necessary
on my part, only that I can picture a different com-
plexion to piano popularity could this sort of propa-
ganda be carried out extensively, the expense being
divided among so many interested persons that it is
not a hardship."
The University Music House.
Established several years ago, the University Music
House, Ann Arbor, now is operated by William
Wade Hinshaw and his son, Thomas D. Hinshaw.
Mr. Hinshaw purchased the institution in 1923 and
at a later date his son was taken into partnership.
H. C. Pulfrey is general manager. The concern
occupies two stores located at 601-605 East William
street, near the campus.
William Wade Hinshaw's position in the musical
world as an American operatic impresario is well
known as are his activities in behalf of music in the
home.
The University Music House is publisher of a
monthly magazine entitled "Music in the Home,"
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