Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
PIANO CONTESTS
FOR THE NATION
August 18, 1928
DEALERS' STOCKS LOW
SUSPENDED CONSTRUCTION
DECLARES TRAVELER
GIVES WIDE TONE=RANGE
Gordon Laughead of Wurlitzer's, Makes Observations Frank M. Hood, Artist and Salesman, Demonstrates
New Schiller Piano in Republic Bldg., Chicago.
on Extensive Trip to the Pacific Coast.
One of the finest of grand pianos, capable of pro-
At Meeting in Chicago Last Week Steps
Gordon Laughead, sales manager of the Wurlitzer ducing any music required by the most critical listen-
Were Taken to Bring About a National
Grand Piano Co., DeKalb, III., returned this week ers, can be heard any day by calling at the Chicago
from a trip to the Pacific Coast and Inter-Mountain headquarters of the Schiller Piano Company, ninth
Piano Playing Tournament
states. This trip lasted over six w r eeks. Mr. floor of the Republic Building, Chicago, and asking
Early Next Year.
Laughead called upon Wurlitzer dealers in ten states Sales Manager Frank M. Hood to demonstrate it.
and British Columbia.
This is the new make of Schiller that created a
"The piano business is on a sound basis—I doubt furore of favorable comment when it was exhibited
if manufacturers of moderate priced small grands at the June convention in New York. It must be
Conference Attended by E. H. Uhl of the Pacific and uprights can manufacture and ship all of the heard and seen, for no mere descriptive language
orders they receive up to November 1," said Mr. of a reporter can do it justice.
Coast and by Delbert L. Loomis
Laughead. "Pianos cannot be made in quantities
Its plan includes suspended construction and its
of New York.
over night. Dealers' stocks are low—many good range from loud to soft, from grave to gay, from
Further steps were taken to bring a National Piano retail sales will be lost by dealers who expect man-
the love-cooing of a dove to the song-burst of an
Playing Tournament to a realization next year, at a ufacturers to magically supply them with merchan- opera star, as touched up in the demonstration by
meeting of the Chicago Piano Playing Tournament dise at the eleventh hour."
Mr. Hood on Thursday showed an instrument of re-
Many good orders for grand pianos were received by markable tonal qualities, full, rich, resonant, pleasing,
committee, held Friday noon at the Great Northern
Mr. Laughead who, upon his return, found the fac- satisfying all expectations.
Hotel.
Plans were discussed as to the avenues through tory at DeKalb running to full capacity. The Wur-
"Our business is improving," said Mr. Hood.
which the details of a national tournament might litzer factories enjoy a large friendly dealer following "There is no question but that there is going to be
on
the
Pacific
Coast
and
Mr.
Laughead
was
most
best be handled, and for the probable linking up of
good piano business this fall. I think it will start
it with the music trade conventions to be held in cordially greeted by every Wurlitzer dealer. The a little earlier than usual. We are now prepared to
Pacific Coast trip concludes a personal survey of the have visitors call at our Chicago warerooms to hear
Chicago in June of next year.
United States for the W'urlitzer factories by Mr. our new grand Schiller."
D. L. Loomis Attends.
Laughead for 1928.
Three letters in one mail this week—one of them
The extent to which the news of the proposed na-
reaching
over into Canada—were received at the
tional tournament has aroused the interest of the
E. H. STORY IS IN ITALY.
Schiller headquarters, whose text was all in the high-
trade was indicated by the presence at the meeting
A telegram was received at the Story & Clark head- est praise of the new Schiller grand and its suspended
of Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary of the
National Association of Music Merchants, who came quarters, 173 North Michigan avenue, Chicago, on construction of the sounding board. Although Cana-
to pledge the active support of his organization in Tuesday of this week from the president of the com- dian duty is 30 per cent, an order was repeated from
pany, E. H. Story, dated at Nipoli, Italy. Mr. Story Canada for another Schiller grand right away, as the
the movement.
intends to travel to Florence, Venice and other Italian one the retailer had was sold in less than 24 hours
"Wherever I have traveled in connection with my cities before leaving that sunny land. R. A. Burke is after its arrival to a man of wealth that the dealer
duties," said Mr. Loomis, "I have found the National in charge at Chicago; he has just returned from the had been trying to land for more than four years. In
Piano Playing Tournament a subject of discussion Ozarks in Missouri. Mr. Burke drove down, testing our own country this piano takes well and stands
with piano men. The news of the step taken by the out his brand-new auto. On Saturday an order came climate well in the many varieties of weather that the
Chicago committee has spread throughout the trade, in from one dealer for 105 Story & Clark playerpianos. different states is able to produce or inflict.
and the national tournament will have widespread Who says playerpianos are not in demand? F. F.
support.
Story is at his summer home at Green Lake, Wis.;
EXPANDING FAME OF "BILL" HAY.
Did an Outstanding Job.
E. M. Love is at his summer home at Tawas Beach,
"Imitates Bill Hay" is a subhead in an article in
"It seems to be recognized that the Chicago com- Mich., and Treasurer L. P. Bull is at Cleveland, Ohio. the Chicago Tribune, written by Ellis Prentice Cole
mittee has done an outstanding job in putting on
at Lake O'Hara, Yoho Park, Alberta, in the Canadian
its local tournament in two successive years. A na-
DEATH OF ARTHUR J. LAMB.
Rockies. Mr. Cole says: "I spoke at several of the
tional tournament is the next logical undertaking.
Arthur J. Lamb, composer of "Asleep in the Deep"
President Roberts, of the Merchants' Association, has and other favorite songs, who died in Providence, camps and hotels. At one of the camps the carpenter
taken a very deep personal interest in the work done R. I., was saved from burial in the potter's field this and I constructed a megaphone out of packing-box
lumber and I gave a sample of an evening in the
and the proposed plans.
week by the American Society of Composers, Authors broadcasting station of WMAQ, imitating the an-
The Educational Sid*. ..
and Publishers, who had his body brought to New nouncer, Bill Hay, Amos and Andy, and other mem-
The Chicago committee decided at this meeting to York for burial. He had only $3.90 in his pockets at bers of the staff, winding up with a photologue.
ask the trade to stress the educational side of a the time of his death.
"Bill" Hay is now as famous as Tribune radio an-
National Piano Tournament and to that end the aid
nouncer as he was years ago in the piano business,
of the Bureau for the Advancement of Music, under
as secretary of the Brinkerhoff Piano Company, and
the direction of C. M. Tremaine will be sought. The
later with the Flanner-Hafsoos Company in Milwau-
bureau is in an ideal position to work out a plan of
ke and with the Gaston Music Company at Hastings,
local tournaments all operating on a sort of a stand-
Nebraska.
ardized basis, to promote the thought of a national
tournament, particularly in educational circles and to Instrument Meets with Hearty Approval of Teachers
CHARGED WITH SWINDLING.
be possibly a clearing house for national tourna-
and Pupils at Eastern Town.
Harold Oldham, 34 years old, was arrested at his
ment activities.
room, 914 Charlotte avenue, Detroit, last week,
The following letter is self-explanatory:
Looking Toward World's Fair.
charged with larceny by trick in having used an
Farrell Public Schools,
W. W. Irwin, Superintendent,
alleged fake piano sales contract. The. .complainant,
Since the Chicago committee issued its challenge
Farrell, Pa.
Mrs. Angelina Kolpa, 5650 Trenton avenue, said.that
to the pianistic winners of other cities to compete
July 16, 1928.
Oldham represented himself as salesman for. a down-
in a national tournament, pledges of interest and co-
Polangin's Music Shoppe,
town
piano company, and collected $18 from her and
operation have come from many points. Newspapers 917
Broadway,
promised to have the piano delivered. When the
everywhere have spread the news of the proposed
Farrell, Pa.
undertaking and of the International Piano Playing Gentlemen:
piano failed to materialize she called at the store and
Tournament to be held a few years hence in connec-
It affords me a great deal of pleasure to state that found that no record of the, sale could be located.
tion with Chicago's World's Fair.
the Bush & Lane grand piano which you delivered Frank M. Stabley, checking up with the police and
to the Farrell high school in May has met with the Mrs. Kolpa, identified Mr. Oldham as a former em-
E. H. Uhl in Attendance.
warm and hearty approval of pupils, teachers and ploye of the company.
E. H. Uhl of Los Angeles, and at one time in the members of the Board of Education.
retail piano business in Chicago, was at the meeting
It has frequently been remarked that this piano
and gave some valuable suggestions. The committee possesses the happy combination of sweetness of
took official notice of the gratifying news that the tone and ample volume for the auditorium in which
Chicago public schools will have class piano instruc- it is to be used. I wish to thank you for the personal
you took in this transaction and assure you
tion; also of the splendid editorial on The Piano by interest
it will be a real pleasure to recommend your Bush
Dr. Frank Crane in Hearst newspapers and the con- & Lane pianos as the opportunity offers itself.
Heppe Instrument Used for This Purpose in a Large
tinuance of publicity for the piano by the Chicago
We believe we are now in a position to give the
Hospital in Philadelphia.
Daily News.
children of the Farrell schools the music training
The
following
letter was received by C. J. Heppe
they should have and we expect to stress this feature
& Son from a large Philadelphia hospital which spe-
of the school work. Sincerely yours,
TESTIMONIAL DINNER TO G. P. BENT.
cializes in nervous and mental diseases:
W. W. IRWIN,
Before leaving for California last week, George P.
Superintendent of Schools.
Pennsylvania Hospital,
Bent was honored by a testimonial dinner at the
4401 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa..
Department for Mental and Nervous Diseases,
NEW LEEDY CATALOGUE OUT.
Palmer House. Chicago, at which hostelry he has
D., Physician in Chief and
been residing for several months past while preparing
A replete catalogue of the Leedy Mfg. Co., Inc., Earl D. Bond, M.
Administrator.
h's book for publication. The dinner was given in
Palmer street and Barth avenue, Indianapolis, Ind..
July 25, 1928.
commemoration of the completion of the work, which is now being circulated. For thirty-three years this
C. J. Heppe & Son,
is to be off the press early in September. The hosts company has been producing high-grade drums and Messrs.
1117 Chestnut St.,
were W. F. Frederick, of Uniontown and Pittsburgh. drummers' equipment generally. Its latest catalogue
Philadelphia, Pa.
Pa., and W. B. Price of Chicago. It was a real fes- is beautifully printed and decorated and contains a My Dear Sins:
tive occasion, such as these veteran business philoso- world of information for band men.
For the patients in this department I send thanks
for the two pianos given them by the Heppe Memo-
phers know how to make the most of—a real farewell
rial Fund. We are formally developing the use of
of good will to Mr. Bent, who is now back at his
H. G. Covert of Waterloo, la., has become con- music as a treatment for mental patients and your
home in southern California.
nected with the Cable Piano Company at Danville, generosity came at a time when it would count the
111., as a special field man. Mr. Covert has spent his most. With best regards, I am,
Very sincerely yours,
W. B. Word, Wurlitzer Southern traveler, is headed entire business life in the music business. He will
EARL D. BOND.
move his familv to Danville.
for Florida and Cuba.
LOGICAL UNDERTAKING
BUSH & LANE IN
FARRELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PIANO FOR PATIENTS
WITH NERVOUS AILMENTS
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