Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
September 8, 1928
geneous character anyway; lacked harmony in
the units, so I decided to buy new things with
(From Presto of Sept. 8, 1898.)
a view to a certain scheme in design and color-
A burning question, and one which still seems to
ing."
trouble certain of the able editors, is What will
Alfred Dolge do? But this, not even Mr. Dolge him-
"I see," said Mr. McClellan with grim Scotch self can answer satisfactorily. He is waiting for the
humor. "And the piano of the period of clouds to partially roll by. Then he will prove that
(irover Cleveland the First, has the quality of there's plenty of life and energy in him still.
If such a house as Wm. Knabe & Co. finds a
invisibility that conceals its inconsistency."
willing market for their fine nianos in other countries
"Why, that piano was given to me at my why do others think the export trade an illusion?
If Farrand & Votey easily develop a good trade
marriage thirty years ago and according to abroad
why can not other high-grade makers do the
the dealer was good for my lifetime even if I same? Both Wm. Knabe & Co., and Farrand &
Votey tell of their export triumphs in other columns
live to a ripe old age."
of Presto this week.
"Thus do the sins of vain assertions come
There threatens to be a trade paper fight the com-
ing season before which all previous records sink into
home to roost," thought Mr. McClellan.
insignificance. No one in the piano industry will
The circumstance was a significant one with longer deny that the music trade papers are objects
which piano tuners are familiar. For mam- of great interest, or that the trade editors are both
years the piano buyers have been impressed entertaining and useful. Some of them, it is true, best
fill the role designated by A. Ward, Esq., as "amoosin'
with the belief that pianos have a never-wear cusses," but as a lot the trade papers and their
quality. The chairs and tables and carpets editors serve to keep things lively and by their activi-
wear out. automobiles show the effects of ties generate much genuine good. They can be tol-
erated.
mileage, the architecture of the home becomes
In Mr. J. P. Byrne's essay on the "Credit Man,"
obsolete but the assurances of the fatuous that gentleman advocates the coaxing process in
piano dealer voiced years ago keeps the piano preference to crowding for collecting accounts.
Next week The Presto will put forth a paper of
perpetually serviceable and desirable in the peculiar
interest and value. It will be the first ambi-
minds of owners.
tious effort of any American Music Trade publication
to cover the field of exports in a thorough and com-
The retail piano trade has to undo a lot of prehensive
manner.
harm caused by ridiculous claims about the
If the "special edition" of a serious and ambitious
piano's resistance to use and the natural in- trade paper could be as valuable in its results to the
industries to which it is devoted as it is sure to be
fluences of time and weather on its materials. instructive
to its compilers and editors, then the end
Piano propaganda should be largely comprised attained would far more than compensate for the
of facts and arguments to refute the silly im- labor and expense of the costly publication. It need
not be stated here that The Presto has little faith in
pressions. That pianos naturally deteriorate the
average "special edition." We have little patience
like other commodities should be made a part with the publication the sole purpose of which seems
selfish to the publisher or whose real reason for being
of the piano trade declarations.
at all is not plain to the casual observer.
There are a great many new qualities in
Since the death of Mr. John Lumsden, president of
pianos to aid the efforts to interest the habit- the Starr Piano Co., the weight of the responsibility
ually satisfied owners of instruments pur- resting upon the vice-president, Henry Gennett, has
doubled. But he is equal to it; and the Starr Piano
chased years ago over which the dealers cast Co. has moved forward unceasingly.
their eloquent spells. There are potent in-
The formal opening of A. H. Miles' new music
ducements for replacing the old piano where store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, occurred last Friday
evening. The opera bouse orchestra was present and
old furniture is discarded for the new artistic played throughout the evening. The room was
models. All the Period styles in furniture are brilliantly lighted and presented an attractive appear-
produced in pianos and nearly every piano ance.
The Piano Makers' Union was out in Monday's
manufacturer can, if desired, finish his instru- labor
day parade for the first time. It had a hand-
ments to suit any color scheme in a room. But some new banner and the men looked the intelligent
it is clearly the duty of the piano dealers to mechanics that they are.
Among the attractions at the Elkhart, lnd., fair on
explain the possibilities of piano making that special
exhibitions will be a group of sculpture work
conform to the desires of piano owners and in common wall plaster, but executed with consum-
mate skill by an ordinary jack knife, and yet leaving
prospective piano buyers.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
The American Miuic Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
Editor
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O ' R Y A N
_ _ _ _ _ Managing Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy
phould be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1928.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later
than Wednesday noon of each week.
NEVER=WEAR PIANOS
A number of circumstances over which piano
men have no control conspire to minimize the
favor for pianos in this country and to a
greater or lesser extent in other parts of the
world. But observant men in all phases of the
trade admit that piano men themselves are, in
some degree, to blame for a decrease in piano
buying desire. Extravagant claims of piano
endurance, of an element of perpetuity in the
instrument, have been accountable for a too
flattering estimate of the piano's ability to
withstand constant use and abuse and fulfill
its purposes for all time. And occasionally
dealers and salesmen have presented pianos as
possessing the amazing- quality of improving
with use. It would be amusing to consider if
the results were not so depressing.
Secretary William F. McClellan of the Na-
tional Association of Piano Tuners this week
related an incident that illustrates the condi-
tion described. He was called by a piano
owner in a Chicago suburb to give expert at-
tention to an instrument presumably with
claims to appreciation. When he reached the
house a couple of vans from a furniture house
were delivering new outfits for the various
rooms in the handsome residence. On being
shown to the living room, from which all the
old furniture had been removed, he noted that
the old upright piano still retained its place on
the iloor.
"Looks like you are replacing your old par-
lor furniture with a new set," observed Mr.
McClellan to the owner when she appeared.
"Yes. The pieces had been in use so long
they showed wear. The set was of a hetero-
the life-like expression. There is a block of plaster
in the rough with the knife stuck in it to give an
idea of starting and finish. One bust is of Admiral
MR. OREENLEAF'S ADDRESS
Dewey and one of C. G. Conn, the well known
"Wonder'' instrument manufacturer. M. A. Martin-
One of the most interesting incidents of the dale
is the name of the artist executing the wcrk.
annual convention of Conn dealers at the fac-
Messrs. R. B. Gregory, Geo. A. Baker and B. H.
tory in Elkhart, lnd.. last week, was the ad- Jefferson went to Davenport, Iowa, last week to wit-
the dedication of the new Lyon & Healy pipe
dress of President C. P. Greenleaf at the open- ness
organ in the Episcopal Church in that city.
ing of the business session. It was a lucid re-
The "Weser" is one of the New York pianos that
view of conditions and a frank estimate of feels the impetus of the new prosperity. Weser Bros,
caw the improvement coming and prepared for it.
music trade possibilities.
The new pipe organ for the Presbyterian Church,
Mr. Greenleaf would discourage foolish op- at Green Bay, Wis., has been purchased from the
timism in favor of a courageous realization of W. W. Kimball Company of Chicago. The new organ
will be finished and in position by November 1.
conditions: "I do not believe in failing to see In this day of automatic attachments nothing seems
the faults as they exist and we have a situation very surprising. Nevertheless in last Sunday's "Trib-
that needs consideration." He pointed out the une" there appeared an advertisement suggestive of
something unusual. It reads as follows:
necessity for practical steps to create pros-
"WANTED: Violinist to assist in manufacturing
pects. Selling the idea of music to the parent, and marketing new automatic piano attachments for
customer and child is only one phase of the violins; see it. F 272 ; Tribune."
PRESTO has received an invitation of which
activity. "We must see that the child or other the THE
following is a copy:
customer learns to play the instrument bought.
You are cordially invited to
We must see that if facilities are not available
attend the
Grand Annual Picnic
thev will be provided."' was the course set
of Jacob Doll's Employees,
forth.
to be held at
Kiepe's Astoria Schutzen Park,
The problems of the band instrument busi-
Astoria, L. I., September 17th, 1E98,
ness are not to be ignored but faced in the in-
at 2 o'clock p. m.
telligent way, he said. Any plans for expand-
Hoping to have the pleasure to see you and your
ing business must include the factors for that friends on this occasion,
I remain,
purpose.
ERNEST FRIEDLANDER,
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