Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1928 2171

March 10, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
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 trie* these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W, Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
E. Leins Piano Co.
Makers of Pianos and
Player Pianos That Are
Established L e a d e r s
Correspondence from Reliable
Dealers Invited
Factory and Offices, 304 W. 42nd St
NEW YORK
The Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules Piano
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented in the United States, Great Britain,
Prance, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only.
Main Office. 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
The LEADING LINE
WEAVER PIANOS
Qrand*, Uprights and Pleyen
Finest and most artistic
piano in design, tone and
construction that can be
made.
YORK PIANOS
Uprlfhta ard Player Pianos
A high grade piano of great
value and with charming tone quality.
Livingston PUnos— Uprifhts and Playar Planoi
A popular r»iauo at a popular price.
Ovor 70.00b instruments made by thu company are line-
ing their own praises in all parts of the civilised world.
Write 1 oi catalogues and state on what terms you would
like to deal, and we will make you a proposition it yon are
located in open territory.
WEAVER PIANO CO.. Inc.
Faetery: TORK. » V
Established 1870
CHRISTMAN
UPRIGHTS, GRANDS, PLAYERS
AND REPRODUCING PIANOS
THE FAMOUS "STUDIO GRAND"
"The First Touch Tells"
(Rog. U. S. Pat Off.)
The Original Horr.e of Studio Pianos,
Upright, Players and Grands.
CHRISTMAN PIANO CO., Inc.
597 East 137th Street,
NEW YORK
Urquhart, president of the American Piano Company,
in discussing the new policy said in part:
Discusses Policy.
'The plan has been decided upon after careful
consideration and exhaustive examination of the dealer
structure throughout the country. It has been ap-
with complete confidence that the measure
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago Are proached
is one which will greatly advance our business,
Cities Particularly Affected by the
through the larger opportunity it provides for greater
and more profitable sales volume for our dealers. The
Working Out of Represen-
lively enthusiasm for the new project shown by rep-
tation Plans.
resentatives from many widely separated sections of
Three cities in particular, Los Angeles, San Fran- the country, who have been here for consultation, in-
cisco and Chicago stand out prominently as topics creases our own conviction that the plan provides for
for a wide range of comment on the changes and the most successful merchandising of our products.
"In almost every instance the dealers chosen to
transfers of agencies of the American Piano Com-
pany's line of pianos. Three of the pianos manufac- market our instruments are those who have repre-
tured and controlled hy this great concern, the Chick- sented us for many years in larger cities. There are a
ering, the, Knabe and the Mason & Hamlin are the few, however, for which the dealer has not yet been
agencies most involved: the Haines Bros., the J. & C. determined and there are several in the smaller com-
Fischer, Foster-Armstrong, Marshall & Wendell, do munities yet to be appointed."
From New York.
not count to any great extent, but the loss of the
Knabe to the Fitzgerald Music Co. and of the Mason
Further particulars concerning the "Workings" of
& Hamlin to the Wiley B. Allen Co. in Los Angeles the American Piano Co. is contained in a telegram
will, we would suppose, be keenly felt by them.
from Xew York to the Los Angeles daily press which,
in part, is as follows:
Los Angeles Changes.
"Inauguration of a national sales policy is designed
The Southern California Music House, Los Ange- to simplify handling of the piano products, cut costs
les, which has had the Chickering for many years in three of the major makes and drop more than a
and during that time spent hundreds of thou- thousand dealers throughout the United States is
sands of dollars in advertising and general publicity announced by officials of the American Piano Com-
promotion of that instrument throughout Southern pany, Fifth avenue and 52nd street, Xew York city.
California, now.has control of the Baldwin piano, and
"Under the new policy, inaugurated by the con-
with the entire Baldwin line in its territory, a fact
which easily minimizes any loss the company may solidation of the agencies for the Knabe, the Chick-
feel by reason of the passing of the Chickering from ering and the Mason & Hamlin pianos under the ex-
clusive handling by the Platt Music Company of Los
its hands.
Angeles, one dealer in each of the important music
In the Wiley B. Allen Co. of Los Angeles perhaps centers of the United States will handle all three of
important changes may take place soon: in fact, it these makes of pianos.
has been said that the Sherman, Clay & Co. deal for
"Tt was estimated by Berthold Neuer, vice-president
the.Wiley B, Allen stores in San Francisco and other of the American Piano Company, that there are now
Northern California points may finally include the more than 1,500 individual dealers handling these
absorption of the Los Angeles house, or possibly a makes of pianos, and that there will be approximately
combination of two Los Angeles houses with the 500 dealers handling them when the proposed
great Pacific Coast house of Sherman, Clay & Co. changes have been completed."
Dispatches to Presto-Times have also intimated as
In this telegram Mr. Neuer is reported to have said:
much.
"We are sure that when this plan has been completed
The Wiley B. Allen Co. at Los Angeles is the rep- and the consolidation of the agencies effected, there
resentative of The Cable Co.'s line there which in- will be such a material cut in the costs of handling
cludes the Conover and thus gives the house a re- our products that these three major grades of pianos
markable instrument standing in the front rank of can each be sold at a cost below that which at present
pianos.
obtains.
"This change in policy also affects the Ampico
The Fitzgerald Company has the Mehlin and the
reproducing piano, heretofore handled in the same
Behr Bros, on which it has had a very good trade.
threefold manner. By this means we hope to increase
In San Francisco.
our own profit, and at the same time make more pos-
With the American Piano Co. line in the hands of
sible national enjoyment of works by such composers
Kohler & Chase at San Francisco, as formally an- as Rachmaninoff, Rosenthal, Godowsky and Orloff,
nounced last week, there does not seem to be so much all of whom are Ampico artists.
interest in agency changes as in Southern California.
"As an example of the speed and celerity with
which the changes are being made, we have already
In Chicago.
In Chicago rumor has followed rumor as to the closed the contract with the Platt Music Company of
probable opening of a western branch of the Ameri- Los Angeles, and have several others ready for imme-
can Piano Co. in that city. These rumors have had it diate confirmation."
that a building had already been secured in "Piano
BUYS OUT HIS PARTNER.
Row" on Wabash avenue. Two buildings now occu-
pied by piano houses are among the "already selected"
Eugene Shalk, partner of Ralph Eliaser in the
locations.
Modern Music House and School of Music, at 34
The Bissell-Weisert Co. has on its floors at 26 South Golden Gate avenue, San Francisco, has bought out
Michigan avenue a great array of Chickering pianos, the interests of Mr. Eliaser. who is now devoting his
which instrument has been its leader practically entire time to teaching. Mr. Shalk was formerly
from the start of the business of the firm. Probably with Barbee's Music Emporium, and is a salesman of
no other house in the west has a more complete stock experience in musical merchandise. The Modern
of Chickerings than is found at the Bissell-Weisert
Music House is essentially a string-fretted instrument
Co. Henry Weisert returned this week from Florida house, and carries a number of lines of banjos, gui-
and (Jeorge J. Dowling. president of The Cable Piano tars, ukuleles and other stringed instruments. The
Co., is expected to reach Chicago today (Saturday)
store also has a sheet music section.
from a three weeks' trip to the Pacific Coast.
Facts From Headquarters.
CHANGE EFFECTS ECONOMY.
Presto-Times correspondent in New York inter-
viewed an official of the American Piano Co. on Ben Platt, as well as George Eppstein, vice-presi-
Wednesday, who said that there was not, at that dent of the Platt Music Co., told the Presto-Times
time, "anything to be announced or given out about correspondent in Los Angeles that the concentration
Chicago, as the matter of Chicago representation is of the Chickering, Knabe and Mason & Hamlin under
under consideration but not ready to be announced." one roof will not cause a "corner" in the music busi-
At this same interview the Presto-Times correspond- ness or in these particular instruments, but will
ent secured the following statement by President effect economy and consequently better service.
George Urquhart, the new distributing and merchan-
dising policy which the American Piano Co.'s Board
INTERESTS BALDWIN DEALERS.
of Directors has recently adopted and which is now
Notwithstanding the arrangements for Baldwin
being put in effect throughout the country:
representation by the Southern California Music Co..
The new plan brings the complete line of the com- Mr. Griffith of the wholesale department of the Bald-
pany's instruments under the control of a single win Piano Co. states that country dealers in many
dealer in a territory, who will feature the Mason & parts of Southern California can be supplied from
Hamlin, the Knabe, and the Chickering, together with headquarters with pianos.
the J. & C. Fischer and pianos of the Foster-Arm-
strong line completely covering the whole range of
PIANO FOR MRS. FORD.
prices and marketable styles. The Franchise, of
The T. L. Hudson Music Store, Detroit, Mich., re-
course, includes the Ampico.
ports the sale of two of the small Kohler & Camp-
Arrangements in pursuance of the new plan have bell " B " scale pianos to Mrs. Henry Ford, wife of
already been concluded in several cities, the first being the motor magnate. So compact and co'orful are
the appointment of Kohler & Chase as sole distribu- these tiny instruments that they may be carried easily
tor for San Francisco, announced last week. George
in one of the new Ford models.
AGENCY CHANGES OF
AMERICAN PIANO CO.
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).
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PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
Editor
(C. A. DAN I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
_ _ _ _ _ Managing Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if-of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Pull page display copy
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1928.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later
i ban Wednesday noon of each week.
ness, invariably there are one or more who
inactively await the spontaneous coming of
the piano customers. They live in a past day
when it was comparatively easy to find piano
prospects and convert them into customers.
It is a kind of injustice that most of their in-
frequent sales are due to the advertising and
stimulation generally of the dealers who re-
alize that this is a new day and one demanding-
extremely spirited action in the pursuit of
sales.
The fact is that the fatuous piano dealer is
a foremost problem in the trade. He may be
proud of the piano and consider it a distinc-
tion to sell such a commodity. But analyzed,
his attitude is one of self-complacency which
invites futility. He is unmoved by the promo-
tional spirit that actuates his competitors,
ignores the suggestions towards achieving
sales contributed by the manufacturers, while,
at the same time leaving- their effective ad-
vertising aids unused.
The problem may be solved in one way for
the manufacturers by simply dropping the
inert dealer from their scheme of piano dis-
tribution. Or it may be solved in a more de-
sirable way for the manufacturers, and so
for the trade generally, by making special ef-
forts to make the inactive dealer realize the
exigencies of the piano situation and to con-
form to the necessitous activities of piano sales
success today. The prospects are there. Find-
ing them and selling them means the salva-
tion of the piano business.
March 10, 192&
throughout the country. He considers that in
the pedagogical side of music there is no phase
so important, at the present time, as to pro-
vide much more extensive instruction in all
branches of music in high schools.
The election of Dr. Erskine as president of
the Juilliard School of Music showed keen
discernment by the directors. Dr. Erskine is
a real personage. Last year while professor
of English in Columbia University, he wrote
"The Private Life of Helen of Troy" and "Gal-
ahad," the two best sellers in fiction. But his
triumphs were not limited to one field. He
recently appeared as a piano soloist of the first
rank with the New York Symphony Orchestra.
Recently, too, he has taken an active part in
the affairs of the Juilliard Foundation, the
Juilliard Graduate School and the Institute of
Musical Art. It will be remembered that Pro-
fessor Erskine, in company with Ernest Urchs
and Olin Downes, gave some extraordinarily
interesting recitals for three pianos last season
in Steinway Hall, New York.
In commenting on Prof. Erskine's with-
drawal from Columbia University, to take the
Juilliard School presidency, President Nicholas
Murray Butler said: "The Juilliard Founda-
tion offers perhaps the most notable oppor-
tunity that has yet developed in the United
States for the study, the appreciation, and the
• wide understanding of music. Professor Er-
skine's rare combination of intellectual gifts
and accomplishments make him the ideal ex-
ecutive to set so important an undertaking on
the right path."
ORGANIZATION HIS THEME
The supreme value of organization in the
music trade was impressed upon his auditors
at the meeting at the Hotel Breslin, New
York, last week by Hermann Irion, president
(if the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce. Organization in the piano factory, for
FAITH IN THE PIANO BUSINESS instance, is made effective when there follows
It is a fact that too many piano dealers fail organization in distribution and in the meth-
to recognize the necessity of the present time ods of ultimate sales. Organization, he said,
in the piano business—an unremittingly active was the expression of the vital force in any in-
presentation of their pianos. They seem in- dustry.
"It is by organization the optimist makes
different, too, to the requirements in such a
his
progressive visions come to pass. Optimism,
case.
at
its best, is the ability to observe keenly,
The things the piano dealer should do to
to
look
ahead with the judgment gained In-
bring attention to his pianos and effect sales
experience.
That the music industry is capable
naturally occur to the live man. They involve
of
growing
is
plain to all of us who note the
a tasteful store providing suitable surround-
causes
that
influence
the public in the favor
ings for the instruments, a sales force ade-
of
music.
Organization
is developing the
quate to the possibilities, persistent advertis-
movement
for
more
music
study in schools.
ing of a strong and dignified kind and an
optimistic attitude concerning the piano busi- What its effect will be on the music trade of
ness in his conversations with those he comes the future is an optimistic thought."
Mr. Irion's presence at the meeting and din-
in contact with in the community.
ner
of the New York Piano Merchants' As-
The hope of the piano trade is in the live
sociation
naturally suggested the spirit of or-
men who clearly understand the circumstances
ganization
in the Chamber of which he is the
in the piano business and also what is required
active
president.
Not only has the Music In-
by the duty to themselves and the pianos they
dustries
Chamber
of
Commerce given evidence
represent. They are the energetic men who
of
organized
methods
for the good of the va-
co-operate with the piano promotional schemes
rious
phases
of
the
music
trade, but it also
and who make consistent uses of the adver-
has
been
an
incentive
to
individuals
in the
tising and other selling aids provided by pro-
music
field
to
value
organization.
gressive piano manufacturers. In short, the
hope of the piano business is in the men who
strive for results and get them.
HELPS MUSIC CAUSE
But clogs to the progress of the piano busi-
"The piano is the basis of all music educa-
ness are the dealers whose days are unpro- tion and should be taught generally in the
ductive and whose future is one of hope in the public schools of the country," said Prof. John
spontaneous return of the old days of numer- Erskine, who retired from Columbia Uni-
ous unsolicited sales ; the fatuity of expecting versity to become president of the Juilliard
profit returns without advertising and can- School of Music. The purpose of the Juilliard
vassing effort.
School will be to very largely increase its
In every city, while the dealers for the most activities in the direction of .preparing music
part may be active in the creation of busi- teachers to fill positions in the high schools
Leaders of community life, school boards
and other influences in Canada are actively
promoting piano classes in schools as a help-
ful means for promoting culture among the
school children. Of course, they are aided by
the music merchants. Instruction in music
along these lines has been proceeding in the
schools of Toronto for about a year. Mon-
treal fell into line some six months later, and
under the aegis of its famous McGill Uni-
versity's Conservatoire of Music, two half-
hour lessons per w r eek were arranged for all
that city's elementary and secondary schools.
To this end, education boards everywhere, of
course, had to relax their rule against even a
nominal charge for public instruction. A
course of ten Saturday lectures per term for
training teachers in piano group-instruction is
another feature of a movement, the success
of which is causing great encouragement to
all concerned with the advance of music
throughout the Dominion.
* * *
A fear in the British music trade is that
Chancellor Churchill is considering a tax on
gramophone records for his next budget. A
tax of three-pence per disc on the sixty mil-
lion or so records annually consumed in that
country would mean three-quarters of a mil-
lion of money for the exchequer. The rumor
has brought indignant protests from various
heads of the gramophone trade, who see,
among other evils, a sixpenny rise in the price
of records, and a transference of record fac-
tories abroad, with consequent increased un-
employment at home.
* * *
The Federation of British Music Industries
is sponsoring the movement to change the
pitch of British military band instruments and
the matter is one that interests band instru-
ment exporters in this country.
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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