June 16, 1928
PREST 0-T I M E S
SALES GOOD AT THE
WURLITZER EXHIBIT
Company, with Comprehensive Array of
Musical Instruments, Pleased with Re-
sults in Publicity and Actual Sales.
At the Wurlitzer display rooms in the Commodore
Hotel, New York, during the convention, Farny Wur-
litzer, head of the company, met the visiting dealers.
In that pleasant business he was assisted by Gordon
Laughead, sales manager at Chicago for the Wur-
Through his new pair of specs he saw the black and
litzer Grand Piano Company, of De Kalb, 111.;
white proposition to exchange the mighty dollar for William B. Word and M. R. Williams, Wurlitzer
fifty cents. He hobbled to the bank, where he had wholesale men. Also in the party was E. H. Petering,
a savings account, and drew out the balance of $45 head of the sales department of Wurlitzer's at the
in 90 half dollars. These he carried to the piano great factory in North Tonowanda, N. Y. "At the
store and demanded 90 mighty whole ones in ex- North Tonawanda factories," said Mr. Petering, "we
change as per invitation on sign.
manufacture pianos, player pianos, reproducing play-
The most difficult bit of talking that the special ers, organs, our production including harps and auto-
sales promoter ever had to do was in convincing the matic instruments of different descriptions."
literal interpreter of his sign that the words "The
The Rudolph Wurlitzer aggregation, Cincinnati,
Mighty Dollar for Fifty Cents," was qualified by the North Tonawanda, De Kalb and New York, feels
phrase that followed, which read: "All $500 Pianos amply repaid for its exhibit and attendance at the
Now $250."
New York convention. J. C. Henderson, New York
"Radts!" shouted the old inhabitant wrathfully. "I wholesale piano sales manager, says that they sold as
see a chance to make mein money double, und poof! many instruments as they had planned to dispose of,
it was someding else alretty. Mein Ungluck! Radts!" met on a pleasant footing many of their old cus-
tomers, and made several desirable new connections
* * *
Henry Ford did a little modest boosting for the during the period of the convention. "Selling goods
sales plans of the Ford Motor Co. in an unofficial is not the primary purpose of a convention," said Mr.
talk in London. Now let him officially prove his Henderson at his office in the Wurlitzer New York
headquarters, West 42nd street, on Saturday, "but to
claims by selling a flock of new lizzies in Venice.
get together, show our samples and advertise to the
* * *
people the progress we are making. In this sense
The man who analyzes piano tones has sound judg- the convention to us measured up to a greaT~S"irctess,
ment, of course.
and we were delighted to meet so many enthusiastic
* * •
friends of the great house of Wurlitzer from these
BAD COMPANY.
United States and other countries."
When prohibition officers raided the saloon at 25th
and Cambria streets, Philadelphia, last week they
failed to find anything with a kick to it in the bar-
room. It was only when they reached the second
floor in their sniffing quest that they sensed the
presence of the contraband stuff.
One of the officers, who claimed to be an ex-piano Mrs. Rosalie Barker Frye Purchases Instrument from
salesman, had made a wall-tapping circuit of the
Platt Music Co., Los Angeles.
room. Then after a keen appraisal of the floor for a
hiding place, paused, baffled, at the piano. He peeked
Mrs. Rosalie Barker Frye. who has been honored
behind the instrument and saw no hiding place in the as the only soloist to sing at the Los Angeles Music
wall or possible place of concealment in the back of
Festival, has just purchased a Knabe grand piano
the piano. Facing the instrument, he scooped from from the Platt Music Company of Los Angeles. Mrs.
the keyboard what should be good handfuls of har- Frye was selected by the Resident Artists' Audition
monious chords.
Board.
'"Aha," and then. "Hobo!" he exclaimed at the re-
Mrs. Frye "will sing August 31. She is a contralto
sultant sound. "This is where we do a job at piano and, although born in England, has lived in America
tuning and regulating," he added after a glance inside since her fourteenth year. All of her training has
the case. "No piano action can operate when inter-
been received in this country. Following her debut
fered with by a double row of quarts of booze."
at the Plaza Hotel in New York, she was successfully
* * *
received as a concert artist. She was soloist of the
Brick Presbyterian Church, Fifth avenue, New York,
Selling 'em has ceased to be a piano parlor gar'e.
Outdoor sales weather is here and the old buzz- and for the past three years has occupied a similar
wagon with the Bowen Loader attachment is in order. position with the First Presbyterian Church of Hol-
lvwood.
* * *
But you will find, if you are prone to investigation,
that the gay boy who leads a double life is never the
WISCONSIN DEALER IN EAST.
one who does double work in the store or office.
J. E. Meaghcr of the Forbes-Meagher Music Com-
* * *
pany of Madison, VVis., attended the annual conven-
Killing time is the easy way of becoming a dead tion of the National Association of Music Merchants
in New York City, June 4 to 8. Mr. Meagher also
one.
visited at Camden, N. J., on a tour of inspection of
* * *
the Victor Talking Machine Company.
Silence is the wisest argument for the poor piano.
THINGS SAID O R SUGGESTED
BUCK UP!
Say, why do you repine and spill
The briny tears of woe?
Why do you sobfully deplore,
That sales are few and slow?
Why do you chatter vain regrets,
Sad, doleful, wring your hands,
And urge to wet activity
Your lachrymosal glands?
Why do you weep when you should work?
Tush! Dry this tearful whine
And cease the vain regretful words
And thoughts that pump the brine.
Go forth where prospects wait for you
Luck follows those who dare!
While hookworm whiners wait inert.
Tear-marked with black despair.
Have faith in your endeavors while
The brave task you're about,
And swat the big black cloud and turn
The silver lining out.
You're master of your destiny;
Old Fate and you are pards.
Here, quit the measly game you play,
The weak tears blur your cards.
* * *
THE PROOF
"Is that a select neighborhood?" asked the flat
chaser, shrewdly.
"Select!" said the enthusiastic renting agent. "Well.
I should say so. Why, there are twenty-seven baby
grand pianos in the block."
* # .*.
TOO
LITERAL
A special piano sale promoter whose methods are
theatrical, makes frequent use of flaring signs with
phrases that compel attention. Whatever may be
the impression of his signs on the trade, influenced
by the ethical commandments, they at least produce
a thrill on the public.
Some time ago, in furtherance of a sale for a Wis-
consin house, he had a sign, "The Mighty Dollar for
Fifty Cents," painted on a strip of muslin that ob-
scured the show window.
It was a triumph in something-for-nothing come-
alongs and it worked to perfection in the manner
desired. It made talk and prompted inquiry, two
things the ballyhoo should do.
But one old fellow with an eye for a good chance,
took the wording in a literal sense. The special sale
artist with characteristic poetic license makes free
use of metaphor. The average reader allows gener-
ous discounts on ballyhoo statements. The real estate
man, the auctioneer and special piano sale promoter
are generally permitted the privileges of figurative
statement.
The thrifty old resident was unaware of the usages.
KNABE GRAND PIANO
BOUGHT BY SOLOIST
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