Presto

June 30, 1928
P R E S T O-T I M E S
and C. H. Ditson re-elected secretary. The next
meeting will be held in Boston, June, 1891.
Julius Bauer & Co., Chicago, are just now com-
pleting a handsome piano for Mr. Burdett, of Bur-
dett, Smith & Co., the stove founders. The case,
which is finished in enamel, was made from special
designs furnished by Mr. Burdett.
Mr. J. H. Reardon, acting manager of Mason &
Hamlin warerooms, was out of the city two or three
days this week on special business.
P. P. Gibbs cannot say definitely as to the day he
will get into his new store, but thinks he will be
there by the 15th of July.
The Story & Clark organs are gaining a strong-
hold in England and Great Britain, as well as in
Continental Europe. Messrs. Hirsch & Co., the
London agents, have published a special catalogue
for their trade.
Adam Schaaf, Chicago, will occupy his new quar-
ters, the first floor of No. 276 Madison street, next
month.
Dealers and trade representatives visiting Chicago
within the past ten days: Mr. Holmstrom, of James
& Holmstrom, New York; Frank H. King, New
York; Elmer Furbush, Boston; Alexander Krell, of
the Krell Piano Company, Cincinnati; W. H. Poole,
with C. C. Briggs & Co.; R. M. Summers, with
A. B. Chase Company; Mr. Lawson, of Wm. E.
Wheelock & Co., New York; P. J. Gildemeester, of
Chickering & Sons, New York; H. A. Sherwood,
Wichita, Kan.; Mrs. Watts, Pasadena.. Cal.
Mr. Bracket, the veteran piano-maker of Boston,
has been in the city the past few days, and has re-
ceived considerable attention at the hands of mem-
bers of the trade here. Mr. W. W. Kimball has
entertained the gentleman and they have cracked
jokes and talked piano building anon.
The Chicago Organ Company is now located in
its new home, 215-221 Wabash avenue, though not
yet fully settled. The new store on the first floor
of this building is not surpassed as a salesroom and
the offices above are as light, roomy, convenient and
pleasant as we have ever stepped into.
Mr. Floyd Jones has never had a better week's
trade than the one just past. Friday his shipments
were six Haines pianos.
In the furnishing of President Harrison's newly
presented cottage at Cape May, we have not yet
noticed the name of the piano which is to grace the
summer home; but we may see the announcement
in question in due time.
The business of renting and selling pianos to
people leaving the cities for summer resorts, has
assumed immense proportions of late years in the
East.
Wm. Steinway, of New York, accompanied by
E. A. Potter, of Lyon, Potter & Co., Chicago, sur-
prised World's Fair Treasurer Seeberger in his office,
and after a pleasant conversation presented his
check for $4,000, or 20 per cent on his subscription
of $20,000. Then Mr. Potter fell in line with a check
for $900, being 18 per cent on his subscription of
$5,000.
FINE PIANO LINE.
Clever & Morse, Redford, Mich., announces that
its music store located at 17626 Lahser avenue, is
now carrying a complete line of musical merchan-
dise from the music store of the J. L. Hudson Co.,
Detroit. "Some of the wonderful pianos now on dis-
play in our store are the Chickering, Knabe, Mason-
Hamlin, Brambrach, Schumann and Ampico repro-
ducing grands," says the announcement.
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
ROPING A CASH
CUSTOMER
John B. Gigl, Jr., manager of the Stieff Piano
Store, at 142 North Washington avenue, Scranton,
Pa., contributed one of the good trade stories heard
during the convention. He entertained those close to
him at the banquet with an account of the sale of
a $1,400 grand for cash. He happened to see a Scran-
ton man of wealth driving leisurely in his big ma-
chine and hailed him. He had received a dependable
tip that the rich citizen was considering the purchase
of a piano. So he asked him to step into the store
to see a piano of suitable character and dignified price.
The prospect said, "No," he "hadn't time to look at
it." But seeing Mr. Gigl about to counter with per-
suasions and arguments and knowing his eloquence
and staying powers he exclaimed, "I'll take your word
that it's O. K." He then surprised Mr. Gigl by
making out a check for the full amount in the ma-
chine, handing it over, and driving on. This hap-
pened only a few weeks ago and you'd have to knock
Mr. Gigl down now to make him believe that the
piano trade is dull.
* * *
Getting in collections promptly is mainly a matter
of educating the trade.
* * *
HE LET GEORGE DO IT.
George Free, an outside piano salesman in Jeffer-
son City, Mo., for the Martin Bros. Piano Co., Spring-
field and elsewhere in that state, closed a few sales
in Bagnall, in Miller county, one day recently, but
did so too late to catch the train on the branch line
that would take him to Olean where he had another
ripe prospect in the school board for a piano and the
equipment of a twelve-piece band. There was no
train for his purpose until forenoon next day, and
the idea of waiting over in the village without purpose
didn't appeal to his active temperament. So he de-
cided to ride to Tuscumbia, a point about four miles
down the Osage river, to do some canvassing.
There again he was thwarted. There wasn't an
automobile or a buggy to drive or a horse to ride
available. Mr. Free went down to the river bank and
found a negro sitting in a skiff.
"That your boat?" he asked the negro.
"Yassir."
"Want to rent it?''
"Yassir, 'deed I do, boss."
"I want to go down to Tuscumbia. How much?"
"Bout fo' bits, sah."
"Fair enough. Can you row?"
"Wha' za?"
"Can you row?"
"No, boss. 'Deed I can't do nuffin laik dat, sah."
"You can't, huh? Well, durn you, get in the stern
there. You certainly can do that?"
"I sho' -kin, yassir."
The piano salesman removed his coat, took the
oars and set out bravely for Tuscumbia. He pulled
strenuously. It was hard work. There was no cur-
BOWEN PIANO LOADER
rent in that part of the river to aid his efforts. After
he had rowed for about two miles he was tuckered
out. He threw down the oars and said:
"I'm all in. I couldn't pull this boat another inch
even if there was a carload sale ahead of me. You're
a fine boatman not to be able to row," he snarled
with a look of scorn at the big black man lolling and
smoking in the stern. The negro glanced up with
quickening intelligence.
"Does yo' all mean yo' wanted me to pull dem thar
oahs, boss?"
''Sure I do. I asked you if you could row and you
said you couldn't."
" 'Deed, boss," said the negro smiling through his
ivories, "I jest nachally thought yo' clone ast me could
I roah—roah laik a bull."
'Tis soothing to remember that your competitor
is losing just as much sleep over you as you over
him.
* * *
WHAT IS A PIANO
SALESMAN?
One of the easiest things in the world is to ask
a person to buy a piano. AU-yau've got to do is
walk briskly and with assurance to the front door,
place the index finger of your right hand on the
electric button and then come right out with your
proposition when the someone answers the merry
tinkle. Or you might walk up to your subject on
the street or sidle up to him or her on a street car,
being satisfied that he or she looks like a patient
listener, and say, "How about buying a piano today?"
Easy! Why, falling off a log is like a year in the
mines compared to it.
But it isn't so easy to cause him or her to buy.
Asking a person to buy is one thing and causing
that person to buy is something else already.
Definitions of the requirements of the piano sales-
man are as numerous as the leaves in Vallembrosa
wood and as ineffective as the lawyers' objections
in a piano trade suit. It is distracting to hear a suc-
cession of definitions. They are all different and
the more you hear talk the less you know what the
requirements are. After all, as good a definition as
any is that which Ben E. Neat of Buffalo voiced at the
recent convention of the New York Music Merchants'
Association in Syracuse:
"A piano salesman is one whose customers are good
until the last payment is made."
* * *
BIG STRING OE
NARRATIVES.
"Did Black Keyes have any luck on his fishing
trip?"
"Unfortunateily, yes. Enough to keen him in yarn
material for the balance of the summer."
* * *
Opportunity knocking at the door is none other
than responsibility looking for a master.
* * *
An honest piano is the noblest work of the man
who makes it.
PS 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.
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