PRESTO-TIMES
FIFTY YEARS WITH
WM. KNABE & CO.
That Is One of the Admirable Facts Resulting
in the Dinner Given in His Honor by
Groups of Friends of Charles
P. Vogt.
Half a century with the same employers is the rec-
ord of Charles P. Vogt, general superintendent of
Wm. Knabe & Co., Baltimore, Md. Mr. Vogt is 63
years young, is married, and lives at 1005 Poplar
Grove street, Baltimore. He has the appearance of
a man of middle age, is tall and straight and is of
cheery disposition. On September 21 he celebrated
the fiftieth anniversary of his connection with Knabe
at a dinner given in his honor by his friends and
business associates.
Mr. Vogt is in charge of the Wm. Knabe & Co.
plant, which employs over 400 men and women.
Among them are 94 men whose total length of service
with Knabe amounts to 3,066 years, or an average
of ZlYi years per man. The length of services of
CHARLES P. VOGT.
the various supervisors in the plant working under
Mr. Vogt's direction runs from 12 to 56 years. Here
are some of the men and the number of years of
service:
A Remarkable List.
George Hemke, 48; Henry Birx, 24; Frank Kahline,
45; George Becker, 52; John Slitzer, 27; George Fort-
man, 29; Henry Sandlas, 40; Charles Lamana, 27;
August Palle, 27; Robert Nuffer, 28; George Fred-
erick, .25; John P. Woerner, 42; Joseph Hudert, 40;
Frank Linsenmeyer, 29; John Schneider, 29; Henry
Konradi, 20; Emil Griffner, 28; William Vollbracht,
30; Fred Tober, 25; U. Eckenrode, 12; Harry C. Geb-
hard, 24; Herbert Glenn, 24; John Hensel, 56; Louis
Haas, 50.
All of these supervisors, together with many other
guests, were present at the dinner given to Mr. Vogt.
Has Seen Plant Increase.
The manufacture of some of the world's finest
pianos and the control of 400 master craftsmen in
musical production are under Mr. Vogt's supervision,
lie has seen the Knabe plant's production increase
100 per cent and more, while there are twice as many
employes today as when he went with the firm.
Looking back over the vista of time, Mr. Vogt
said:
"1 don't see anything remarkable in being with a
good firm for 50 years. I came with the firm as an
apprentice at the age of 13. I had to go out to
make my living. Yes, today I am the superintendent,
but you can't run a business unless you have able,
faithful workmen.
"And that is what we have here. Every man is
trained to do the acme of perfection in his work
exactly along the lines laid down by William Knabe,
the founder of the business. I worked up through
various jobs in the factory, tried to master all the
details of piano manufacture and in 1909 I was made
superintendent.
"The radio has not interfered with the piano busi-
ness. As a matter of fact it is instilling a greater love
for music into the minds of the people, thereby cre-
ating the desire for the pian.
"The reproducing piano today is one of the world's
finest musical instruments. It is absolutely necessary
that workmen in a piano factory be interested in their
work to the highest degree. It is through this attain-
ment that perfection of work is accomplished."
C. R. M00RES ORGANIZES
GROUP PIANO CLASSES
October 6, 1928
VARIED PRICES
IN PIANO LINES
Piano Manufacturer Can Satisfactorily Pro-
duce Low Priced and High Priced Instru-
ments in One Plant and Many Con-
vincing Reasons Are Cited.
By A. G. GULRRANSEN,
President Gulbransen Company.
The doubt is often expressed—and probably many
more times is left unexpressed—as to whether or
it is possible to satisfactorily manufacture low-
Offices Opened at 4108 Tacoma Avenue, Fort not
priced and higher-priced products in the same plant.
Wayne, Ind., for Service to Dealers in
We might as well face the fact that this question is
with us, and it is one that I am glad to answer.
Which Mrs. Moores Assists.
It has been my observation over a period of years
C. R. Moores, special organizer of group piano in- that the concerns that have done outstanding jobs
struction, with offices at 4108 Tacoma avenue, F"ort from the quality standpoint and that have been helped
Wayne, Ind., has sent circulars to one thousand music by volume on a lower-priced commodity.
dealers in the following states: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Expense of Development Work.
Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma,
To
do
research
work, to constantly test and im-
Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
This letter explains how he was for several years prove and devise new methods, to make new dies, new
in charge of The Packard Music House retail store at patterns and to install new equipment brings about
Fort Wayne, where for the past two years he has a very heavy drain on the financial resources of any
been "concentrating my time and attention on the company. If the sales of high-priced products were
Group Lessons, and how that now I am not with to take care of these financial needs, many of the
them any longer, but am soliciting the merchants finest developments would never progress beyond the
to do this work for them without regard as to what point of being merely an ideal. Realization would
never come about.
pianos they may represent."
Many of the great inventions of the day, much of
SPECIAL SALES DO THE WORK. . the progress in the piano business and in the music
The movement of pianos off the floors of the big- industry, would never have taken place were it not
for the financial channels opened up by a moderate
gest stores in America is being greatly aided by
means of special sales and the urge put in vogue by priced list of instruments.
The Varied Line.
large display ads. Arthur Bissell, of the Bissell-
Weisert Piano Company, 26 South Michigan avenue,
Taking the Gulbransen line, for exam pie, because
Chicago, said to a Presto-Times representative on
I know it best, there are the two extremes of the
Thursday of this week that "sales are about the only
Minuet Model upright piano at $295 and the Triano
method of making pianos more lively these days." Period Model grand in walnut at $2,400.
Of course, the Bissell-Weisert organization is working
The latted instrument represents very marked im-
with a regular sales staff, but what Mr. Bissell meant provements and developments in the field of roll
was that no live piano house can afford to discount played instruments. Through this piano the world
the advantages that come in the drawing power of
has been given an instrument that can be played with
an announced sale in good, clear type—an honest personal expression through the ordinary piano pedals
advertisement that may create a wish to own a beau- instead of the player treadles. The roll box has been
tiful and musical instrument.
moved from under the keyboard to back of the music
rack, which represents many advantages. A mechan-
ism is incorporated in this instrument, which enables
H. H. FLEER ON VACATION.
Herman II. Fleer, piano department manager at it to be used for strictly electric reproducing playing,
Lyon & Healy's, Chicago, who has been sticking to or for playing by foot pedals.
These things represent mighty progress in the
his work through thick and thin and was hard at it
while others were on vacation in midsummer, has at playing of the piano. Back of them are years and
yars of study and experimentation. Hundreds of
last struck out for a brief vacation for himself, ujst
where he went does not matter; he is probably enjoy- devices and ideas had to be brought into being and
ing himself with hook and rod, or mayhap on the discarded again for improvements before the finally
golf links. But anyway, he is rusticating and he is perfected instrument has been brought about.
Dependent on its own output, these results could
expected back in a few days bouyant with energy and
ready to commandeer more sales of pianos than ever. never have been attained. It would not be finan-
cially possible.
GORDON LAUGHEAD ON TRIP.
Gordon Laughead, sales manager of the Wurlitzer
Grand Piano Company, De Kalb, 111., is leaving for
a two weeks' trip to New York city and Eastern
points to call upon Wurlitzer dealers, in company
with J. C. Henderson, general Eastern representative
for the Wurlitzer factories. While in New York Mr.
Laughead will make his headquarters with Mr. Hen-
derson in the Wurlitzer Building, 120 West 42nd
street.
PIANO CLUB AT LUNCHEON
HEAR CREDIT MENS' ADVICE
Frederick L. Davies Explains City-Wide Movement
for Conserving Resources—Joseph Wheeler Speaks.
At the luncheon of the Piano Club of Chicago this
week Frederick L. Davies, president, Chicago Credit
Bureau, gave the industries notice of a concerted
LOCATING LOUIS DEDERICK.
city-wide movement towards the conservation of our
Louis Dederick, one of the most widely known resources. Mr. Davies is an excellent speaker and
men in the piano trade, who was with the S. Roberts, gave an impressive presentation of the city's neces-
Inc., in San Francisco until that company was dis- sities.
Joseph Wheeler, formerly export manager of the
continued about July 1, is now manager of the credit
department of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., in San General Motors Acceptance Corporation, also was a
Francisco. Mr. Dederick has his residence in pic- guest. Being of broad experience both of these men
turesque San Bruno, where many San Francisco are thoroughly familiar with credit requirements in
the Musical Instrument field and therefore have an
business men reside.
accurate knowledge of music trade problems.
A Board of Governors meeting followed the meet-
STEINWAY TRAVELER IN WEST.
ing and several important matters were disposed of.
Roman de Majewski, wholesale traveling represen-
tative of Steinway & Sons, New York, arrived in
Los Angeles this week, from which point he will
NEW BUSH & LANE MANAGER.
go to San Diego. From San Diego he will go to San
E. C. Stephan of the Bush & Lane Piano Company,
Francisco, and from there will travel north. He will Holland, Mich., announced last week that the com-
then spend about six weeks calling on the principal pany has engaged James Depree, Holland, as sales
Steinway dealers in cities along the West Coast.
manager. The firm will display a complete line of
furniture at the November show and Mr. Depree
will be in charge. Previous engagement as sales
G. L. DANNER BACK FROM EAST.
George L. Danner, general manager of the P. A. manager of the Ottawa Furniture Company will
Starck Piano Company, 228-230 South Wabash ave- qualify the new manager for his position. He has
nue, Chicago, has returned from a two-weeks' trip to also been active in the Depree Chemical Company
for some years. Since the reorganization of the Bush
Philadelphia, Boston and New York. He also visited
other branches of the Starck business while in the & Lane Company a year ago the firm has produced
both pianos and household furniture.
East.
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/