Mav 5. 1928
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
A. a GULBRANSEN'S JUBILEE CELEBRATION
President and Founder of the Gulbransen Company, Chicago, Receives Felicitations of Admiring Friends at Home
and Abroad at Dinner This Week Given at Midwest Club by Board of Directors
Upwards of seventy-five guests attended tlie Golden was C. II. Wood, president of the Wood & Brooks
Jubilee Dinner at the Midwest Athletic Club, 6 North Company, Buffalo, one of the leading supply sources
llamlin avenue, given by the directors of the Gul- of the Gulbransen Company. Birger Oslund, a man
bransen Company, Chicago, to A. G. Gulbransen, to ranking high in financial, civic and Norwegian-Amer-
commemorate his fifty years of achievement in the ican circles, a close friend of Mr. Gulbransen, made
music industry. The guests represented the arts a wonderful talk based on what Mr. Gulbransen has
and sCcience, as well as numerous phases of industry achieved and emphasizing the qualities which are
and commerce, and an international character was required to carry a man to the top. J. H. Wibly and
given to the occasion by the presence of Olaf Bernts, Warren B. Thayer of the Thayer Action Company of
Norwegian consul in Chicago, who gave a felicitous Rockford, 111., made short addresses.
Another speaker was A. H. Smith, president of the
talk.
Madison and Kedzie State Bank and a man who has
A great many admirers of Mr. Gulbransen, who
intimated they were present in spirit, got in touch
with the assemblage by letter or by well-timed tele-
grams or cable messages. Sales Manager J. S. Gor-
man read about two hundred congratulatory messages
from dealers at home and abroad; from piano trav-
elers and from friends and acquaintances in the piano
and other industries. Mr. Gorman took the opportu-
nity of voicing his own felicitations and spoke im-
pressively of Mr. Gulbransen as an inspiring chief.
In his introductory Mr. Healy as toastmaster said.
"We may w r ell congratulate ourselves upon the
pleasure afforded us in being present at this Golden
Jubilee Dinner given in honor of A. G. Gu'bransen's
fifty years of achievement in the music industry.
Twenty years of close association with him has given
me the greatest pleasure, as w r ell as a clear vision
of his many virtues and a knowledge of the high
ideals which guide him in his relations with Irs fel-
low men. What are his personal qualities? He pos-
sesses the humor of an Irishman, the practicability
of a Norwegian, the efficiency of an American and
the soul of a true musician. These qualities among
others have no doubt enabled him to reach the high
position in the business world that he now enjoys.
To meet him is to like him."
W. E. Guylee, vice-president of The Cable Co.,
Chicago, in one of his incisive talks, conveyed his
own congratulations, those of his company, and also
of the National Piano Manufacturers' Association.
Max de Kochmont, speaking for the Piano Promo-
tion Committee of the National Piano Manufacturers'
Association, paid an eloquent tribute to Mr. Gulbran-
A. (3. Gl'LBHAN^EX.
sen's helpful and effective efforts for the e'evation worked closely with Mr. Gulbransen in affairs of the
of the piano business and the promotion of sales by a Chicago W r est Side Chamber of Commerce, the Mid-
sensible and businesslike method of piano presenta- west Athletic Club and other similar enterprises.
tion.
Mark Shanks, popularly known as the "Mayor of
Representatives of civic and commerc'al interests the West Side"—a man who has given liberally of
in the West Side of Chicago praised Mr. Gulbransen's his time to helpful civicc enterprises—told of his ac-
active part in all movements for the public good and
quaintance and admiration of Mr. Gulbransen.
the leading part he took in the creation of the new
E. V. Babcock, of the Babcock Lumber Company
Midwest Club, in which the dinner was being held.
of
Pittsburgh, Pa., and the former mayor of that city,
Others Who Spoke.
paid a delightful tribute to Mr. Gulbransen, which was
Mr. Healy called on A. H. Boettcher, a patent lightened considerably by the humorous way in which
attorney who has had a great deal to do with the he told it. This proved to be immensely interesting
Gulbransen patents and who is a director of the Gul- to all those present.
bransen Company. The next one to be introduced
A. E. G. \\ it::el, a Gulbransen dealer of Chicago,
was introduced as the first authorized Gulbransen
dealer on the company's books.
Other speakers were Arnold Trautvetter, of the
house of A. Wagner & Levien, the most prominent
music dealers of Mexicco City and the Republic of
Mexico; Mr. Wood, of Wood & Brooks, Buffalo;
W. B. Thayer, of the Thayer Piano Action Co.,
Rockford, 111.; Mr. Wickham of the Wickham Piano
Plate Fundry, Springfield, Ohio; Mr. Betcher of
Betcher, Brown & Co.; Raymond Bill of the Music
Trade Review; Michael Zimmer, superintendent of
the Cook County Hospital, and Harry E. Freund.
Mr. Gulbransen spoke feelingly in replying to the
expression of friendliness and admiration and said
that such a display was a pleasant reward for his
work in the music business and said he wished his
friends at- the table and those unable to be present
could fu 1 ly understand his feelings of appreciation.
Mr. Gorman presented from the directors of the
Gulbransen Company a handsome souvenir in the
shape of an album of autographic signatures of the
persons present at the banquet, and after that a
loving cup was presented to Mr. Gulbransen by
friends.
The dinner was brightened by appropriate and high
class music. Mrs. Lloyd Lear was the shining star of
the evening, appearing in two groups of numbers, the
first composed of music of fifty years ago, when Mr.
Gulbransen made his entry into the music business.
Mrs. Loar wore a costume fitting the occasion. She
sang "Nellie Gray," "Wait for the Wagon" and "Long,
Long Ago." In her second group she appeared in a
modern costume and sang "Come to the Fair" in
brilliant fashion. For her second number she did a
novel thing entitled "Hats," in the course of which
she made twenty or thirty changes of hats. Her
accompaniments were played on the Gulbransen
Spanish model grand by Mr. Loar.
Mr. Loar a'so appeared as a soloist, playing "Mock-
ing Bird Fantasie," "Silver Threads Among the
Gold," "When You and 1 Were Young, Maggie," the
piano accompaniment being played by George L.
Simonson, a Gulbransen dealer in Chicago. The
assembled men, music men for the most part, gave a
very good account of themselves when it came to
community singing. Special Golden Jubilee song
sheets had been prepared for the occcasion.
Following the presentation to Mr. Gulbransen, he
made a very gracious, short talk of acceptance, stat-
ing he considered it a privilege to have been able to
give fifty years of his life to the music business. He
also paid a tribute to his associates to his friends and
to the old-time employes of the company who have
worked with him for so many years.
The Testimony.
The following was engrossed in the book of testi-
mony presented to Mr. Gulbransen:
"Mr. Gulbransen, the world of music has already
bestowed upon you its two greatest gifts—success and
(Continued on page 12)
FROM PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT GULBRAN SEN JUBILEE DINNER.
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