October 27, 1928
P R E S T O-T I M E S
MEETING OF BOARD OF CONTROL
Important Matters Relating to Annual Convention in June Decided or
Discussed at Representative Gathering at the Drake
Hotel, Chicago, This Week
The mooting of the Board of Control of the Na-
tional Association of Musical Merchants was opened
by C. J. Roberts, president of the association, at the
Drake Hotel, Chicago, on Monday afternoon, with
a quick-step into the business that had called the
men together.
Mr. Roberts said it had been thought best to hold
one general music convention, so a general commit-
tee was found to be necessary. Most of the members
of the committee were present in the room, Mr. Rob-
erts said. Some of the radio people had asked for a
joint convention, but the music merchants had deemed
it better to go on alone. The radio people had then
decided to hold their national convention at the
Stevens Hotel, Chicago, on June 3 and continuing
one week.
Same Week as Rad.o Exhibit
Mr. Roberts asked the members in attendance if
they wanted their convention to precede the radio
convention by one week or to hold it on the same
week. Objection was made by some to the week
before the radio men's meeting, as Memorial Day
fell then. That objection was talked away but after
much discussion, pro and con, it was voted to hold
the music merchants' convention concurrent with
the radio men's meetings (or rather the radio exhibit,
for they do not call theirs a convention); that is,
hold it the week of June 3 also, but only lasting
four days. It was plentifully adduced and argued
that friendliness should be extended to the radio men
and that their presence in Chicago would bring a
larger attendance at the music merchants' conven-
tion.
Choose the Drake.
A vote was taken which decided that the Drake
Hotel, Chicago, would be the place of meeting for the
music men's convention next June, as the offers from
other hotels proved a little less attractive.
It was proposed to invite one or two good speakers
from among the radio men to address the music mer-
chants at the time of the convention. At least, radio
men were to be approached in a friendly spirit and
their cooperation sought in making for better trade.
Among persons who were on the floor taking part
in various discussions and considerations, and whose
suggestions bore weight were Frank Bayley of De-
troit; C. D. Bond of the Weaver Piano Company,
York, Pa.; Parham Werlein, of New Orleans, La.;
Otto B. Heaton, of Columbus, Ohio; Alexander Mc-
Donald, of the Sohmer Piano Company, New York;
Henry Weisert, of Bissell-Weisert Piano Company,
Chicago; Roy J. Cook, of The Cable Piano Company,
Chicago; and Alfred Smith, of New York.
Friendliness Toward Radio Men.
Henry Weisert said of the radio men, "We can't
really get along without them. They're usually in-
clined to work with us. You'll double your attend-
ance by having your convention at radio time. Theirs
is all week; ours is only four days."
Chairman Roberts said he would like to have the
Board of Control confer with the radio men and
"tell them what we've done and ask for their co-
operation in every way."
Roger O'Connor said that as general chairman he
would do all in his power to make a success of this
one general meeting.
Mr. Roberts said that Carl Weber, of Meyer &
Weber, Chicago, as chairman of the banquet com-
mittee, has a big job on his hands. Mr. Roberts said
that, ''We want the banquet to be as brilliant as pos-
sible. Great actors or artists are d—d hard to get;
they want a fortune for one night's work; they're
d—d hard to handle. But we must get the best talent
available. We want to spend all our money. This is
not a money-making institution; we don't want any
surplus left in the entertainment fund. People who
come frotn a distance and pay a big price for a din-
ner and entertainment want something for their
money and they're entitled to it. So let us make this
the most brilliant banquet the trade has ever seen or
heard of. "
Effects of Contests.
Herman H. Fleer, president of the Illinois Music
Merchants' Association, spoke on the impetus the
trade in Chicago had been given by children's contests
at piano playing and the benefits of group instruction
along that line. He was followed by Eugene Whalen.
of Kimball's, who related that at the Stevens Hotel
last year, of 3,000 people in the audiences, 2,500 had
waited until midnight "just to hear those kiddies play
the pieces once more."
Planning for Big Tournaments.
Frank J. Bayley. of Detroit, said that 21,000 chil-
dren had participated in contests of piano playing
last year in twenty-one towns. Contests excited the
kids and the public and unquestionably this would sell
pianos to the rising generation. The plan was popular
in New South Wales, in England and Canada, as Mr.
Bayley's correspondence had shown. Mr. Bayley
moved for a plan to hold an international contest in
connection with the convention next June. His mo-
tion was not put, the discussion trending from then on
to plans for a national tournament at convention time.
Roy J. Cook, of Chicago, said that "We could be
working nationally while thinking internationally."
The Publicity Means
The question of getting hold of a national means of
publication took up considerable time.
Hearst's
publications were suggested; one man suggested the
Christian Science Monitor; another the Saturday
Evening Post; C. Alfred Wagner of New York said
in England the work was being done by the London
Times, but we had no nationally-circulated daily
papers in this country like the London Times.
Alfred L. Smith, of New York, said that 300,000
children played in those school contests last year.
The public had put possibly $300,000 into those con-
tests. He suggested that a committee be appointed
to confer with the twenty-one cities of which Mr.
Bayley had spoken to get them interested in a na-
tional contest. Such a committee will be appointed.
Frank J. Bayley, of Detroit, just back from a moose
hunt in a remote region of Canada, reached Chicago
in time for the assembling of piano trade leaders at
the Drake Hotel. He attended the session on Mon-
day and hurried homeward to participate in a moose
dinner as one of the hosts of his club and their busi-
ness associates. Mr. Bayley's moose meat, some 300
pounds, sent back from the moose country by him,
was to be served on the occasion.
Sociable Interlude.
Social joviality, with quip and reminiscence, made
the afternoon luncheon "an occasion," as writers of
the Mme. Qui Vive style would phrase it. A jolly
bunch at one table were dubbed the "regulars," and
its personnel included Mark P. Campbell, president of
the Brambach Piano Company, New York; Frank W-
Kirk, manager of the western division of the Music
Trade Review; Delbert L. Loomis, executive secre-
tary of the National Association of Music Merchants;
Lloyd L. Parker, of Harrisburg, 111., and a Presto-
Times man. The men were dubbed "regulars" be-
cause those who sat there had not missed a conven-
tion in many years.
The Evening Dinner Monday.
The fun Monday evening at the Drake was styled
in advance the "Piano Club Frolic," but in oratory
and helpful talks it proved to be the most serious
session of all. Of course, there was plenty of wit,
hits that brought out jolly laughs that many an actor
on the legitimate stage would be only too glad to get
but cannot. It was a sort of a home-coming session,
for almost everybody knew everybody else in at-
tendance.
Hermann Irion Talks.
After a substantial dinner with dainty dessert and
good cigars, Chairman O'Connor called upon Her-
man Irion, president of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce, as loading speaker of the evening. Mr.
Irion said he wanted to talk of something nearest
his heart, and as he talked on, this proved to be a
wish for unanimity of effort and a pull all together
for the common purpose of getting every manufac-
turer not now in the manufacturers' association to
join it, so that by a 100 per cent unity, conditions
might be made better for the entire trade.
He referred to his recent visit to the music men's
big dinner in London where he made an address. He
said he found that the British were thoroughly or-
ganized and doing the very things that we were
doing here in this country. They have ten different
associations. Tn days gone by we always had asso-
ciations in our industry, but they seemed to exist
chiefly to settle dissensions; when the evil was re-
moved we went back into our dormant state again.
The Chamber's Effectiveness.
If we hadn't been organized at the time of the
world's war our industry would have gone to the
devil, for without the chamber of commerce organiza-
tion we could not have shown Congress that we were
really a necessary war industry, a great industry, a
necessity in time of either peace or war.
Over in England, he said, they tax the working
man so much that he hasn't the purchasing power of
the white collar man in this country, so the British
trade has this unfortunate condition against it. But
the members of the association, embracing 100 per
(Continued on page 12)
HEARD IN TRADE
OF INDIANAPOLIS
Weather of Unseasonable Character Affects
Music Business There, According to Deal-
ers—Jesse French Styles to Soldiers'
Home and Leading Church—
Other News.
The warm weather in Indianapolis, has had its effect
on the music merchant during the past week and in
some instances there is complaint about business con-
ditions, while, on the other hand, several merchants
report a very satisfactory volume.
Frank Carlin of the Carlin Music Company, Indian-
apolis, has returned to his post again after being
absent from the store for a week, having had a minor
operation at the Methodist Hospital. The small goods
section at the Carlin Music Store is flourishing and
business is reported very satisfactory, but the warm
spell has somewhat put a kink in the piano business.
Prospects look very good, but it appears that the
majority of people are interested in the coming pres-
idential election to such an extent that all other mat-
ters have been temporarily postponed.
Featuring Schumann.
The Marion Music Company recently opened at 208
North Delaware street, selling the Schumann line
exclusviely, report their first sale one of the Style E
Schumann grands, to a very high class furniture
dealer in the city. Erla radios sold by the new com-
pany are going very good is the report.
Geo. Mansfield, representing the Everett Piano Co.,
of South Haven, Mich., was in the city during the
week and held a special meeting with the Pearson
Piano Co.'s sales force demonstrating the construction
of the Everett piano by the use of moving picture
films. Every detail of construction was thoroughly
explained and proved very interesting to all of the
company's sales force.
Sell Jesse French Styles
The third Jesse French & Sons Style AA piano was
sold to the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans'
Home at Knightstown, Ind., and the College Avenue
Baptist Church bought their third Jesse French &
Sons piano, a studio style, from the Wilking Music
Company. E. W. Stockdale, manager of the company,
reports a phenomenal business with the Wurlitzer
grand piano. "Our sales on Wurlitzer grands have
been way beyond expectations," was the way Mr.
Stockdale put it. Frank Davis, who has been asso-
ciated with the House of Baldwin, recently joined the
Wilking Music Co.'s sales force.
Starr Business Good
H. G. Hook, manager of the Starr Piano Company,
reports business equal to that of a year ago. Mr.
Hook is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new
style 40 Starr grand and is somewhat disappointed
at the delay. The new style 40 is a knock-out, ac-
cording to Mr. Hook, and he expects to sell his share
in Indianapolis. The radio section, in charge of Mr.
Goodnite, is very active. Prospects for a good coming
season are excellent.
George Pearson has returned from California, where
he spent the entire summer.
Ted Perkins of the Gulbransen Company, and
George Shaffer, representing the Kurtzmann Piano
Company, Buffalo, N. Y., visited the city last week.
Paul Fink of the Aeolian Company spent Saturday
in Indianapolis at the Pearson Piano Co.
NEWS OF MUSIC TRADE
IN PORTLAND, ORE., FIELD
B. R. Brassfield States Piano Business Is Now Better
Than It Was for a Couple of Years.
A fifteen-day sale of approximately 200 pianos
from finance companies and bankrupt stocks was
held in Portland. Ore., beginning the first week in
October by the Pacific Piano Sales Promotion Com-
pany. The sale was staged at 388 Washington street
and great reductions in prices were made. Frank
Reed, who had charge of the sale, reported that the
greatest demand was for small grands and small
upright pianos, but he had none of these on the floor.
The piano department of the Seiberling, Lucas
Music Company at 151 Fourth street, has been
taken over by B. R. brassfield, formerly manager of
the Portland branch of the Wiley B. Allen Company,
which has for the past year operated in the Powers
Furniture Store. Mr. Brassfield says that business is
better than it has been for the past couple of years.
He has taken on as his assistant Walter White, who
was with him as piano salesman and Ampico tech-
nician when he was manager of the Wiley B. Allen
Portland branch.
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