Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1928 2183

June 2, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
QULBRANSEN DEALERS
IN REGIONAL MEETING
Series of Gatheringss of Piano Merchants Rep-
resenting the Gulbransen Co. Come to
Close with Meeting at Portland.
THINGS SAID O R SUGGESTED
OFF FOR CONVENTION
The hot June day was waning fast,
When thro' the warerooms dim there past,
A youth who wore a badge of blue
With words that swift attention drew:
"New York."
His smile was pleasant and his eye,
Gladly beamed, when his gay good-bye
Rung out, as he turned where purpose led,
Waving the badge with words which said:
"New York."
"Where to in haste?"' the old man piped.
"Why those glad rags and hatband striped,
And socks which shriek—your answer lisp,
Wherefore the badge with legend crisp?"
"New York."
"Me for the Broadway light so bright
Where wheels of life both day and night
Are oiled with lubricants of joy
And gladness knows no grim alloy.
So long!"
"Rut what of the meeting which convenes,"
The vet'ran asked, "the serious scenes;
Talks to make the Commodore ring,
Shame to the err.'ng dealer bring?
How 'bout it?
'"When gavel tap resounds thro' hall
Will you evade the duty call,
Or vigilantly stay to note
When uplift measure needs yotr vote?
Answer!"
"knowest thou, old top," the youngster tipped,
I'm Big Chief in the great uplift
Right at home on the speaker's forum,
Who d'ye think put Q in quorum?
I'm the guy.
"But allee samee. it's little me
To sample Broadway's revelry,
Watch me listen when thrillers call,
You should worry! I'll taste 'em all.
I'm off."
* * *
NOT SO GOOD!
"Some of us will be unavoidably prevented from
attending the convention and not a few perhaps might
wish to say a few long-distance words on some topic
under discussion," writes J. S. Parmenter, Pueblo,
Colo., who adds: "Why cannot the officials invite
short speeches made on phonograph records from the
absent ones?"
When members would be in a companionable mood
the canned greeting of the absent brother would be
very cheering. But the home-made record is not
dependable and accidents are liable to happen to
records made with the best intention. Something
like this might occur:
"We will now listen to a few phonograph remarks
by our absent brother, Col. Cash-Price of Oskalooloo,
la.," is the introduction of the chairman as the secre-
tary inserts the record in the machine.
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen," bravely begins the
big funnel on the rostrum. "I regret that I am rob-
crick-robbed of the crick, crickucket-o-o pleas-ooah,
ooah, crick, crick, wee-eeeee of attending-ding, wee-
ee-br-r-r-r tarra-oo-oo-be-ee-beebow-wow-crick quack-
crick-crick," and so on. You know T how those home
made records behave.
* * *
THE TIPSTER'S LESSON
"I saw a man w r ho was loud in his objections to
the tipping system get a jolt in a San Francisco hotel
a little while ago," said Arthur O'Leary, sales man-
ager for M. Steinert & Sons, Boston.
'"He was English and Englishmen especially ac-
cept the custom here because they were bred to
it at home. The Englishman, though, has a perfectly
graded system for his tips.
"This man traveled out of Buffalo and was new to
the observances of the road. We sat in the hotel
lobby while he held forth on the iniquities of the tip
system and the rapacity of tipees.
"He stood up to go with me to the train, and was
struggling into his overcoat when a young man, who
looked like an employe, in passing volunteered to
help him, and with a polite 'allow me,' gave the Buf-
falo man's coat the helpful boost.
"The latter murmured his thanks and despite pre-
vious denunciations proffered a dime for the service.
But the helpful one declined it and passed on with a
pleasant smile."
"Certainly that was a surprise," commented Mr.
O'Leary's listener.
"Sure," agreed the M. Steinert & Son's traveler,
"but 'twas only a slap on the wrist compared to the
slam that came later. When we were seated in our
train, Mr. Buffalo reached to his inside overcoat
pocket for his gold-mounted, monogrammed, real seal
cigar case, and found vacancy.
"Swiped?"
"Yea, frisked to a fare-you-well. His mileage book
was gone, too."
"Was he mad?" innocently asked the interlocutor.
"Oh, no; he only threw a fit in a gentlemanly
way," was the retort of Mr. O'Leary.
* * *
The mule is one inhabitant of Missouri that won't
be shown. While pounding a pair of the long-eared
animals in-an effort to get the wagon close to the
curb, a piano mover for Martin Bros. Piano Co.,
Sedalia, last week got a sideways kick that knocked
him aroun' the corner.
The Gulbransen Company, Chicago, finished its
1928 program of regional dealers' meetings with an
unparalleled record of attendance at the meeting last
week in Portland, Ore. One hundred per cent of the
Gulbransen dealers in the state of Washington were
in attendance and all but one of the dealers in Oregon.
Others present were from Utah, Montana and Tdaho.
This was the seventh of the regional meetings.
Gulbransen merchants in all parts of the United States
have had the opportunity of meeting with the com-
pany and with the other Gulbransen dealers in the
territory, to map out plans for improving the piano
business in the future, from the retail angle.
Presenting the Thought.
John S. Gorman, vice-president and sales manager
of the Gulbransen Company, put before the men the
thought and presented the evidence that the public,
properly approached, will buy pianos. He also em-
phasized the hope that the piano business will recog-
nize that its true competition is from the outside,
not from within, and that a policy of live and let live
should be established.
Mr. Gorman emphasized the progressive step taken
by the National Piano Manufacturers' Association in
organizing the promotion committee, which has been
in successful operation long enough to have gained
momentum and to have started to get results for the
piano business that will eventually help every one
in it.
Window Advertising Dominates
From the standpoint of advertising the dominant
interest on the part of the men was in store window
display. The window service was taken hold of by
the merchants in a very unusual way, particularly
display features, modern store electric signs and
proper setting of pianos in the store window. Other
angles of the advertising end of the modern music
store presented by Walter Kiehn, advertising mana-
ger, where newspaper advertising, outdoor advertising
and proper equipment of salesmen with literature,
that assures efficient selling.
Tn connection with the meetings the Gulbransen
Company was host Monday and Tuesday noons to
the dealers at luncheon served in the club room. On
both days the assembled merchants and ladies sang
community songs in a way that reflected credit on
them. On Tuesday Irene Euster was at the luncheon
through courtesy of H. H. Princehouse, manager of
the piano department of Tull & Gibbs of Spokane,
Washington.
R. E. McClelland of Rumbaugh's Department Store,
Everett, Wash., played the Gulbransen piano, accom-
panying Mrs. Euster and the group singing.
The Georgian Room of the Heathman Hotel was a
wonderful setting for the Gulbransen Salon of Pianos.
Outstanding were the Spanish grands, four-foot six-
inch Art Grand, Art Model Minuets in ivory, Japanese
red and walnut; Autograph Triano in beautiful wal-
nut, Semi-Period Triano grand in mahogany, foor-
foot six-inch reproducing grand and other special
instruments.
G. E. Corson, representing the Gulbransen Com-
pany in the Pacific Northwest, was on hand to greet
the dealers.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER HELPS SALESMEN
Outside Salesmen must be equipped so as to "show the goods." The season for country piano selling is approaching. Help your sales-
men by furnishing them with the New Bowen Piano Loader, which serves as a wareroom far from the store. It is the only safe
delivery system for dealers, either in city or country. It costs little. Write for particulars.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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/
10
June 2, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
DISPLAYS AT COMMODORE
(.Continued from page 7.)
Rudolph Wurlitzer Mfg. Co.
Rudolph Wurlitzer Mfg. Co., suite 704, 706, Com-
modore ; upright and player pianos. Farny R. Wur-
litzer, E. R. Petering, Stephen Battner.
Ludwig & Co.
Ludvvig & Co., piano manufacturers, with extensive
factories in the Bronx, New York, will have a splen-
did exhibit of their pianos in Rooms 1800, 1801, 1802
and 1803 in the Commodore Hotel during the coming
national conventions in New York. These rooms
will be in charge of W r . T. Brinkerhoff, F. E. Edgar,
Charles Stanley and L. D. Perry. They will show
beautiful styles of Ludwig & Co. and Strich & Zeid-
ler makes.
"Our business is gaining," said Will T. Brinkerhoff,
general manager of Ludwig & Co., to Presto-Times
correspondent on Thursday. "Mr. Edgar has just
footed up the figures, which show that May so far
(and today only the 17th) has been our biggest
month this year. And our business has been good
since January 1."
M. Schulz Co.
The M. Schulz Co., Chicago, will have something
new in its convention exhibit, at the Hotel Commo-
dore, New York, during convention week. The Mari-
onette Aria Divina Grand, and the Marionette straight
grand will be featured.
These diminutive instruments, measuring only 3 feet
8 inches by 46 inches, although but recently an-
nounced to the trade, have already created a sensa-
Lion among Schulz dealers.
In addition, the M. Schulz Co. has arranged to
exhibit some of the most recent creations in upright
pianos, player pianos, grands and Aria Divina Grands
in new and special finishes.
Other features will be the hand carved "Old
World" grands with a new Italian Art model to make
its debut.
Rooms 900, 901 and 902 have been reserved by the
company at the Commodore, with F. P. Bassett,
secretary and treasurer; Otto M. Heinzman, eastern
representative, and H. D. Hewiti, salesmanager, in
attendance.
Mathushek Piano Co.
The Mathushek Piano Co., New York, will be pre-
pared to show the dealers attending the annual con-
vention at the Hotel Commodore, New York, the
week of June 4, its great line of pianos. A complete
display will be made in Room 1004 of the headquar-
ters hotel.
Those who will meet dealers during the week will
be J. Albert Jacob, John H. Gettell and many of the
travelers of the company.
C. Kurtzmann & Co.
C. Kurtzman & Co., suite 2000, 2001, 2002; pianos,
including a new 5-foot 3-inch William and Mary Art
grand, introducing new features in design and finish.
Howard C. Rice, president; Ralph E. Becker, sales
manager; Wm. L. Longacre, eastern representative;
Geo. P. Shaffer, mid-west representative.
Werner Piano Co.
Werner Piano Co. will welcome convention visitors
in Suite 900-901-902 at the Commodore during con-
vention week, where will be displayed an assortment
of new models in upright pianos and player pianos,
together with a five-foot grand, and a reproducing
grand, all in modern finishes. A 3 foot 8 inch upright
will be featured. Also an upright Aria Divina repro-
ducing piano.
H. D. Hewitt, salesmanager; F. P. Bassett, secre-
tary and treasurer, and Otto M. Heinzman, eastern
representative, will be in charge of the displays.
Krakauer Bros.
The comprehensive display of Krakauer Bros., New
York, at the Hotel Commodore during convention
week will be in Rooms 908, 910, 912, 914 and 972.
Everett Piano Co.
Everett Piano Co., suite 600, 601, 602; Everett
grands and Period model grand pianos. First show-
ing of the new Everett Artists" grand, 6 feet 2 inches
John H. Parnham, president; James L. Barron and
Geo. E. Mansfield, vice-presidents; O. C. Stone, sales
manager: A. Dalrymple, New York representative;
W. W. Radcliffe, New England representative.
Straube Piano Co.
The Straube Piano Company, Hammond, Ind., will
have an exhibit of its extensive line of pianos, players
and reproducing pianos in Suite 652-654, Hotel Com-
modore, during the week of the convention. Among
those who will be present to greet dealers will be
E. R. Jacobson, president of the company, and H. A.
Stewart, sales manager. A tine range of period
models will be shown, including the Florentine, Span-
ish, Dominion, Queen Anne, Louis XVI and Italian.
A special invitation to visit the convention display
has been mailed to the trade.
Premier Grand Piano Co.
The Premier Grand Piano Co. will have two ex-
hibits during the week of the convention, one at the
Hotel Commodore and a bigger one at the spacious
warerooms at 6 East 39th street, corner of Fifth
avenue.
"Our place of business is so close to the convention
that it takes only a few steps to reach us, and our
warerooms are so expansive that we can show the
entire line and all our styles," said Walter C. Hep-
perla, president of the company.
Western Electric Piano Co.
The Western Electric Piano Co., 840-852 Black-
hawk street, Chicago, makes the announcement that
it will exhibit four of its leading styles at the Com-
modore Hotel, June 4-7.
The instruments to be seen by convention visitors
are the style B-selector, Derby, the straight Auto-
phone and the amplified Autophone. The company
is looking forward to much success with the Auto-
phone, which has attracted attention throughout the
trade. Dealers have been notified that a surprise,
something new, awaits them at Room 907, Hotel
Commodore.
B. C. Waters and James E. Johnson will be on
hand to greet the trade visitors and explain the fea-
tures of the wide line of instruments produced by the
active Chicago industry.
Ivers & Pond Piano Co.
The Ivers & Pond Piano Co., New York, will have
Rooms 2152 and 2154 at the Hotel Commodore for
its display of pianos during the national convention.
Clarence H. Pond, president; Shepard Pond, Alexis
A. Mahan, Ralph Henry Day, A. Evan Stone and W.
Harcourt Evans will attend.
The Ivers & Pond line will be on exhibition at the
warerooms of the Manhattan dealers representing the
line, C. H. Ditson & Co., 8 East 34th street.
Kellogg Switchboard Works.
The latest firm to take space for an exhibit in the
Commodore Hotel at convention time was the Kel-
logg Switchboard Works of Chicago, whose repre-
sentative signed up for display rooms at the hotel on
Monday of this week. Kellogg's will display radio
and attachments of their own manufacture.
Steinway & Sons.
Steinway factory executives will be in charge of a
display of the structural parts of Steinway instru-
ments, including specimens of the company's own
foundry castings, a cross-section of a grand piano,
and a completed instrument in room 906, Hotel
Commodore.
M. Steinert & Sons.
M. Steinert & Sons, Boston, will exhibit the Stein-
ert grands in rooms 1909 and 1911, Hotel Commo-
dore, during the convention. Those in attendance
will be Robert S. Steinert, president; Jerome F.
Murphy, assistant treasurer, and Arthur C. O'Leary,
wholesale manager.
J. P. Seeburg Co.
The J. P. Seeburg Piano Co., Chicago, will be
represented in a display at the Hotel Commodore
during convention week. The following instruments
will be shown: Style K, Special Orchestrion; Style
C, small piano with orchestrion; Greyhound Auto-
phone (automatic phonograph); New Style H. O.
House pipe organ; regular M. O. combination organ
and piano.
The following will be in attendance: J. P. See-
burg, N. M. Seeburg, R. N. Malmquist, C. A. Stan-
ley, Jr., M. Lemonoff and Robt. McCabe.
Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
C. D. Bond, factory superintendent of the Weaver
Piano Co., Inc., York, Pa., will make his headquar-
ters at the Hotel Commodore for the purpose of con-
ferring with such of the company's dealers as attend
the convention.
Schumann Piano Co.
The Schumann Piano Co., Rockford, 111., will have
a comprehensive exhibit at the Hotel Commodore.
The feature of the display will be two grand pianos,
including the new Elfin model. The company will
also feature its "Get the Kids to Work for You" prize
contest. Chas. B. Mclntosh and other members of
the company's staff will be in attendance.
C. G. Conn, Ltd.
C. G. Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., will have an ex-
tensive exhibit of its band and orchestra instruments
in room 741 of the Hotel Commodore. Those in
attendance will include C. D. Greenleaf, president,
and James F. Boyer, secretary and sales manager.
Brunswick Exhibit.
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., Chicago, 111.,
will have as usual a comprehensive display of Pana-
tropes, Brunswick phonographs, radio combinations
and records in room 1725 of the Hotel Commodore.
Various members of the local and traveling sales
staffs of the company will be in atendance.
Paragon Mfg. Co.
The Paragon Mfg. Co., Inc.. Oregon, 111., will have
a complete exhibit of musical instrument cases at the
Hotel Commodore. Robert Floess, president of the
company, will be in charge.
Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co.
The Fred Gretseh Mfg. Co., Brooklyn, N. Y.. will
have a display of Gretsch American saxophones,
band instruments, drums, banjos, ukuleles, etc., in
rooms 735 and 737, Hotel Commodore.
Philip Nash, vice-president, and Fred Gretsch, Jr.,
will be in charge.
The Baldwin Exhibit.
The Baldwin Piano Co., Cincinnati, will have a dis-
play of its line in Rooms 1900 and 1901, the Commo-
dore Hotel, also 20 East 54th street, New York City,
during the week of the convention. The Baldwin,
Ellington, Hamilton, Howard and Monarch pianos
will be exhibited. A special feature will be a display
of new small Howard grands—only 4 feet 7 inches in
length—in Modern and Period Designs.
Krakauer Bros.' Fine Display.
Rooms 908, 910, 912 and 914, Commodore Hotel,
have been rented by Krakauer Bros.' Piano Co. for
a beautiful display of their fine instruments. Those
in charge of these rooms will be Arthur Hahn, treas-
urer of the company; Maurice Krakauer Bretzfelder
and Al S. Zeisler, all known to the trade from coast
to coast. T hestyles will include a complete line of
Krakauers, featuring the Serenade grand, the com-
pany's new piano, a 4-foot 8-inch instrument. Be-
sides, there will be the Period models in other styles,
also the Krakauer upright.
P. & 0 . ASSOCIATION MEETS
The Chicago Piano & Organ Association held a
general meeting and luncheon for all members on
Friday, June 1, at the Great Northern Hotel.
"The Chicago Daily News has made as ubstantial
contribution toward solving one of our biggest mer-
chandising problems. They are doing something of
real bread-and-butter value to the piano trade," said
the notice.
"Our president, Roger O'Connor, has appointed a
committee of our members to work with the Daily
News staff, but neither the newspaper nor the com-
mittee can accomplish much without the support of
our entire membership." The meeting was for pre-
senting the detai's of this interesting and valuable
plan, which it was stated "has splendid possibilities
and is worthv of our most careful consideration.
PHILIP CLAY,
Who will deliver address at business session.
Louis W. Smith, Aurora, Ind., has purchased the
Aurora Music Shop from William Pateman. The
business will be managed by his son, Raymond Smith.
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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