Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1928 2170

PRESTO-TIMES
as laid down by the Packard Piano Co. cannot fail
to make good.
"By a unanimous vote of every salesman in our
retail department it was thus summed up: 'The sales-
man who cannot sell pianos under this plan is in the
wrong business," said Mr. Moores, who continued,
"The successful application of a group piano instruc-
pects must wrench himself loose from them and make
himself adaptable to the exigencies of a new day."
The Packard Piano Co. pins its faith in the poten-
tialities of the group piano classes in schools and
dealers' stores to create piano prospects. The classes
have been installed by the company in a number of
schools in Fort Wayne and elsewhere in Indiana, with
March 1 1928
CHANGES IN THE
LOS ANGELES TRADE
Rumors of Several Weeks Have Been Verified
by Announcement Affecting Prominent
Music Houses Which Either Lose
or Gain Representative Lines.
GET NEW LOCATIONS
The News of Changes in Piano Representation Also
Coming from San Francisco Is of Equally
Surprising Character.
By GILBERT BRETON.
Just before going to press Thursday forenoon the
following telegram came to Presto-Times from its
Los Angeles correspondent, dated Los Angeles,
March 1, 1928:
''Platt Music Co. is to take over the Mason &
Hamlin, Chickering, Knabe and practically entire
American Piano Co. line for Los Angeles and South-
LEFT TO RIGHT: MISS MTLDRED L.. BALOW. GROUP PIANO TEACHING DEPARTMENT. PACKARD
PIANO CO.; H. L. McKENNEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS; A. S. BOND, PRESIDENT, PACKARD PIANO
ern California. George J. Dowling, of Cable Piano
CO.; W. H. WIEBKE, TREASURER, PACKARD PIANO CO.; RALPH SPERRY, FACTORY SUPERINTENDENT,
Co. here and may give Cable agencies this week.
PACKARD PIANO CO., AND SUPERINTENDENT MUSTARD OF THE AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS.
Baldwin goes to Southern California Music Co. It is
tion plan creates problems—the inability to supply the satisfactory results in piano sales. Mr. Moores cites said Wiley B. Allen Co. of Los Angeles are nego-
demand for group plan instructors and the scarcity
an illustration at the recital at Auburn, where at the tiating and may turn over their present lease. Fuller
of piano salesmen equipped to take advantage of the close of the concert three separate bids were made for particulars in a few days.
opportunities occasioned by the interest in piano in- the purchase of the grand shown in the accompanying
"At San Francisco Kohler & Chase take the Amer-
struction in any community. The scarcity of instruc-
ican Piano Co. line, including the Chickering and
picture.
Mr.
Moores
will
be
glad
to
furnish
dealers
tors may be quickly overcome but that of piano sales-
Mason & Hamlin. Other changes pending. The
men is a graver problem. The piano salesman who information about the operation of the group piano Wiley B. Allen Closing Out Sale is still going on
has practiced the old mehods of appealing to pros- classes and the results in piano inquiries and sales.
at San Francisco.
(Signed)
BRETON."
Successive rumors of changes and possibilities of
changes in the representation of pianos continue to
excite the trade of Los Angeles. And actual facts of
well-known pianos in new associations are as sur-
prising as the suppositions. New locations for the
Mason & Hamlin, Chickering, Knabe, Baldwin, the
Cabbie Company's line and others are said to be
High Quality in Product of the Schiller Piano
possibilities or even may be actual facts at this writ-
ing. In fact, some things are possible that will
Company, Accountable for Continuous
change the entire piano map of Los Angeles.
Loyalty of Representatives.
The anticipations are strengthened by the presence
The Schiller Piano Company, Oregon, 111., started
in the city of a number of wholesale representatives,
r
1928 with a sw ing that promises to bring it in the
many of whom, while loth to freely talk, seem to
largest year's business it has ever had. Its trade last
imply that they are aware of important things to hap-
year was its largest so far, and that was due, the
pen. The rumors include mergers, consolidations and
company dec'ares, to two things—the high quality
new alignments.
Grand
Models
and
Wurlitzer
Treasure
Chest
of
of instruments and energetic salesmanship. In a
Ben Platt Back.
Music
Sell
Amazingly
Well
in
Many
Cities.
recent talk with a Presto-Times man Edgar B. Jones,
Ben Platt, of the Platt Music Co., is expected back
president of the company, said:
Cyril Farny, vice-president and general manager
from the east this week and may verify the report
"We strive to make every number in our line a
of the Wurlitzer Grand Piano Company of DeKalb, that the agency for the Mason & Hamlin, Knabe and
strong one and certain of tilling some requirement of
111., reports an increased demand for Wurlitzer
Chickering will go to his house. The assertion is
dealers. That the requirements are fulfilled by the Grand Pianos and the Wurlitzer Treasure Chest of
that
Mr. Platt is extending his line in a notable way.
instruments is a fact freely acknowledged by many Music, the sensational selling electric reproducing
The
Baldwin Piano Co.'s line goes to the southern
representative piano houses."
grand which is priced retail at $595.
California Music Co., and new instruments are to
Schiller pianos are noted for their exclusive fea-
Dealer orders came with a rush the last week in
be secured by the Fitzgerald Music House, accord-
tures which represent the progressive spirit of the
February. Much activity on the Treasure Chest of
company. They have qualities possible only in a fac- Music is reported by dealers at Salt Lake City, Utah; ing to the rumors. The presence in Los Ange'es last
week of Geo. J. Dowling, president of The Cable
tory where the highest ability in the craftsman is a
Freeport, 111.; Hartford, Conn.; and Akron, Ohio.
necessity and where every worker is loyal and puts At Akron, O., the A. B. Smith Piano Company has Company, Chicago, may result in a new representa-
his best efforts into every task. Every Schiller piano averaged the sale of one electric grand per week since tive for the Cable line in Los Angeles. The Wiley
B. Allen Co. handled the Cable line in that city and
is most carefully and individually built.
January first. The cplendid results at Akron are due San Diego for many years.
Trained and experienced workmen have the most largely to the efforts of Alden B. Smith, Jr., and
Is Rumor Yet.
modern factory equipment to aid their efforts in pro- Hugh Ketteman, manager of the grand piano depart-
ducing the best. Every facility for making superior ment.
Rumor even has it that Sherman, Clay & Co. may
pianos is provided in the Schiller factory. The plant
add the old Wiley B. Allen line and that rumor is
is large and every department roomy. It owns per-
accompanied with another—consolidation of Geo. J.
petual water power, an asset that accounts for some
Birkel Co. interests and those of the Sherman, Clay
of the pecuniary advantages of buying Schiller instru-
& Co. The Geo. J. Birkel Co. has been the Stein-
ments. Factory management by men of experience
way representative in Los Angeles for a good many
are other reasons accountable for the economical oper-
years.
ation which results in desirable prices to the music
merchant and his customer. These are decided ad- President Roberts Appoints Strong Group
A telegram received on Wednesday from our cor-
vantages apart from the high character of tone and
respondent at Los Angeles is as follows:
Whose
Duty
It
Is
to
Prepare
Plans
construction of Schiller pianos. TKe present day re-
There are changes and rumors of more to follow
for Business Sessions.
quirements in small grands are provided in the Schil-
in piano agencies here affecting Mason & Hamlin,
ler line in a way that makes- the instruments of par-
Chickering and Knabe, which will change the piano
President Roberts of the National Association of
ticular interest to dealers. Grands-' of the company
map of Los Angeles mater-ally and apply to the
Music
Merchants
has
appointed
the
following
as
mem-
have maintained a high plaO8 in the music world as
houses of Wiley B. Allen Co. of Los Angeles, Fitz-
bers
of
the
Convention
Committee
of
the
National
high quality instruments. '••
gerald, Southern California and Platt Music Co. Evi-
Association of Music Merchants:
The Schiller Piano Company has a record in sales
Louis Schoenewald, chairman, president New York dently Platt Company will have the Knabe, Chick-
to be proud of, and for its future the plans are very Piano Merchants' Association; Alex McDonald; ering and Mason & Hamlin and the Southern Cali-
ambitious. It has a splendid line of instruments Frank J. Bayley, president Michigan Music Mer- fornia Music Co. the Baldwin line.
whose merits make the work, of salesmen easier.
chants' Association., Detroit, Mich.; C. B. Amorous;
A GOOD SLOGAN.
Shirley Walker, president Music Trades Association
HONOR FOR AL. L. SMITH.
of Northern California, San Francisco; E. Paul
What sounds like a really good slogan is "The
Alfred L. Smith, general manager of the Music In- Hamilton.
House of Quality," on letterheads of the Bach Music
dustries Chamber of Commerce, was recently ap-
The special function of this committee will be to House, Rochester, Minn. The house is one of the
pointed to a place on the board of managers of the discuss and prepare plans for the business sessions liveliest in that section and no doubt is constantly
National School for Commercial and Trade Organi- of the Merchants' Association to be held during con- increasing business as the result of stimulation by
zation Executives. This branch of study in the vention week beginning June 4, 1928, at the Hotel the phrase on its letterheads.
Northwestern University in Chicago has become in- Commodore, New York city, and to cooperate in
creasingly well known to the trade association execu- any way which may be possible with the general
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company has opened a
tive as well as to the Chamber of Commerce secre- convention committee taking in all branches of the branch store in Lawrenceville, 111. The store is in
tary, who thus have placed at their disposal a wealth industry.
charge of G. P. Sutcliffe.
SCHILLER PIANOS
INTEREST FINE TRADE
of experience and theory in these important profes-
sions. Each year during July or August many asso-
ciation executives and their assistants travel to th:s
quiet spot on Lake Michigan where for two weeks
they are drilled in organization, administration, legis-
lation, publicity, industrial research and other matters
of vital interest to the well-equipped secretary. The
school is directed and managed by the board of
managers.
BIG WURLITZER SALES
OF GRAND PIANOS
SPECIAL CONVENTION
COMMITTEES NAMED
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/
PRESTO-TIMES
March 3, 1928
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianos Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wia.
Factory: Marinette, Wia.
E. Leins Piano Co.
Makers of Pianos and
Player Pianos That Are
Established L e a d e r s .
Correspondence from Reliable
Dealers Incited
Factory and Offices, 304 W. 42nd St.
NEW YORK
The Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Julea Piano
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos in the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented in the United States. Oreat Britain,
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agentH only.
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Qrand«, Upright* and Player*
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Upright* ard Player Planoi
A high grade piano of great
value and with charming tone quality.
Livingston PUnoS— Uprlchta an<1 Player Piano*
A popular piano at a popular price.
Over 70,000 instruments made by thit company are sing-
ing their own praises in all parts of the civilised world.
Write toz catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition ii you are
located in open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO., Inc.
Factory: TORK. PA.
Established 1870
CHRISTMAN
UPRIGHTS, GRANDS, PLAYERS
AND REPRODUCING PIANOS
THE FAMOUS "STUDIO GRAND"
"The First Touch Tells"
(Reg. U. S. Pat. OH.)
The Original Home of Studio Pianos,
Upright, Players and Grands.
CHRISTMAN PIANO CO., Inc.
597 East 137th Street,
NEW YORK
SIGNS OF SPRING
IN NEWY0RK CITY
Preparations of Retail Stores Include New
Settings for the Period Instruments
Whose Vogue Seems to Increase
with Advance of the Season.
GOOD FACTORY REPORTS
February Shipments and Orders Showed Increase
Over That of First Month of 1928 and Antici-
pations for March Are Good.
By HENRY-MAC MULLAN.
•
. . .
"Our trade in January was very satisfactory, and '.
February, while not quite as large as that of the
January business,- is going to make a fair showing,"'
said Walter C. Hepperla, president of the Premier
Grand Piano Corporation, 6 East 39th street, New
York, to; Presto-Times eastern correspondent on
Tuesday of this week.
"The decided tendency of the trade is the favor
shown for artistic instruments—beautiful designs and
highly artistic decorations in finishes, regardless of
price. The exterior, the appearance of the piano, as
well as its most pleasing and delighting music, count
for so much now in closing a sale. This is the change
in the piano business which any dealer must recog-
nize if he is to remain a piano man; he must sell
the beautiful piano, one that delights the eye and
suits the customer with plenty of money, either to
pay for his instrument in cash or put down a large
initial payment."
Mr. Hepperla Views.
Mr. Hepperla intimated that no cost is being
spared by piano manufacturers to cater to this
almost universal demand for greater beauty in the
piano from the customers of today—men and women
whose tastes differ very much from the customers
of ten or twenty years ago—a demand that is voiced
with the determination of knowing what they want,
insisting on nothing else, and backing up that in-
sistence with hard cash. Their education, he believes,
came not so much through the aipno manufacturers
themselves as through the period furniture design-
ers, who have managed to put American furniture
far to the front among the decorated utilities and
comforts of the home, the hotel, the boat, the theater
and the ten thousand and one other uses to which
furniture is put.
Piano Men, Get Some of This.
In a debate at South Orange, N. J., Monday night
of this week. Prof. Irving Fisher, Yale University
economist, said that the United States had gained
six billion dollars through the transfer and increaase
of energy effected by the Volstead Act. His opponent
was Capt. W. H. Stayton, president of the Asso-
ciation Against the Eighteenth Amendment. Now,
your correspondent suggests that even if one-sixth
of that money has been gained, isn't it about time
that piano men were rounding up their share of it?
Ludwig & Co. Trade Good.
"Our trade is good," said W. T. Brinkerhoff, gen-
eral manager of Ludwig & Company, East 135th
street and Southern boulevard, New York, this week.
"We are busy in the factory, and the prospects grow
brighter for trade every day. In this respect we are
probably more fortunate than some, and we are duly
thankful." Mr. Brinkerhoff is going to Chicago,
where he intends to spend two weeks.
F. E. Edgar's Successful Trip.
Frank E. Edgar has just returned from a most suc-
cessful trip for Ludwig & Co. He made an extensive
trip into the West, and was given many orders for
pianos. He said he found conditions much better
than he had anticipated he would find them before
starting, and this was true not in a few localities but
in many states through which his journeyings took
him on this trip.
Charles Stanley Likes Place.
Charles Stanley, superintendent of Ludwig & Com-
pany's factory, the Bronx, New York, was encoun-
tered by the Presto-Times man this week when he
called there. Mr. Stanley is looking well, and declares
he enjoys putting his skill into the production of the
fine line of instruments that the factories he is in
charge of are producing.
Increase of 5 Per Cent.
"The trouble with some of our manufacturers of
pianos and retail men, too, is that they set their pro-
posed increase for the year too high; they do that
every year; you know, and then they are disappointed
if they do not reach their goal," said C. D. Pease,
manager of the Pease Piano Co.'s store at 128 W'est
42nd street, New York, one day this week. "This
year they set it at an expected increase of ten per
cent; they didn't get it, but they got 5 per cent, low,
what have they to kick about? There is always some
piano business to be had by going after it."
Doll Trade Good.
"Our trade has been good since January 1," said
Frederick Doll, of Jacob Doll & Sons, Southern
boulevard and Cypress avenue, New York, this week.
"We keep right on manufacturing and selling, and as
you know all of our goods are well made, and there-
fore reliable."
William Strich Sticks to It,
VViKiam Strich, of Strich & Zeidler, Southern boule-
vard and Cypress avenue, has become more of a desk
man lately that was his wont in his earlier career,
when he was known as a. long-distance traveler. "I
like traveling very much," he said to Presto-Times
correspondent on Thursday, "but it is very hard
work and tiresome. You are aware, I have no doubt,
that it takes more work to sel pianos now than it
did even in the days when I was on the .road so
much. They can.be sold, but if requires, more per-
sistent work to accomplish the sales than it Used to."
Mr. Strick is now sound and we!l aga'n. His friends
will be glad to read this, for Mr. Strick had a bad
ace'dent and was "laid up," to use his own words, for
thirteen months.
A. L. Bretzfelder, president of Krakauer Bros.,
136th street and Cypress avenue, said last week that
trade was improving, seemed to be getting better
gradually right along, and he thought that with the
nominations of candidates for president of the Linked
States out of the way, it would grow still more
brisk.
Arthur Halm, treasurer of Krakauer Bros., was out
of New York for a brief trip when a Presto-Times
representative called at the factory last week.
Speakers for New England Dinner.
Invitations to speak at the dinner and annual meet-
ing of the New England Music Trades Association,
which is to be held at the Hotel Statler, Boston, on
the night of March 6, has been received by C. J.
Roberts, of Baltimore, president of the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants, and by Hermann Irion,
president of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce and a member of Steinway & Sons, New York.
Preparing for June Convention.
Activepreparations for the June conventions in New
York are afoot already. President Roberts has ap-
pointed the committee of arrangements and Al Behn-
ing has appointed the banquet committee. A larger
attendance than usual is expected, as New York has
many new attractions to offer that were not in exist-
ence at the time of the last meeting in the metropolis.
Schmidt-Dauber Activities.
"Our trade is increasing," said Morris Dauber,
head of the Schmidt-Dauber Company, makers of
pianos and playerpianos at 406 West Fourteenth
street, to the Presto-Times man this week. Our crafts-
men are skilled—many of them have spent their en-
tire lives building line instruments. As you know, we
also manufacture the Newby & Evans pianos, an
instrument that comes down the line many years, the"
company having been established in 1884, nearly a
half-century ago."
A Call on an Importer.
A call was made this week on B. Hovenstein &
Sons, importers and distributors of small goods, 42
West 18th street, when B. Hovenstein said to the
Presto-Times man: Trade is picking up some during
the last three weeks. We handle mostly goods that
we import ourselves—harps, violins, band instruments,
etc.. and it is a line that steadily improves as spring
approaches.'
Schleicher & Sons Keep Busy.
Everybody was found busy at the factory, store
and offices of George Schleicher, manufacturer of
Schleicher & Sons grand, upright and playerpianos,
37 West 14th streets, when a Presto-Times man
called. Julius Kallman, the manager, who has been
there for twenty-seven years, said: "W r e notice that
our trade has been getting a little better of late. This
company has been manufacturing pianos since 1864;
it started manufacturing in Mount Vernon, N. Y.,
sixty-four years ago, and has been at it ever since.
We make nothing but high-grade instruments, and
our customers include people of the very best classes."
Mr. Schleicher did not happen to be in. He has a
beautiful home with spacious grounds at Stamford,
Conn., and he makes the round trip daily between
Stamford and his factory at store at 37 West 14th
street.
A Long Distance Commuter.
Charles Jacob, head of the Jacob Bros. Co., was
leaving New York for Baltimore, Md., on Tuesday
afternoon last week to spend Washington's birthday
in the Maryland metropolis. After his departure one
of his lieutenants remarked to Presto-Times corre-
spondent: "The chief cal!s that commuting. He
thinks no more of taking regular trips to Baltimore
than we lesser lights do of our regular commutation
rides in the rapid shuttles of transit between New
York and our homes in New Jersey, Long Island,
(Continued on page 17)
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/

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