Presto

Issue: 1928 2204

PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music 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. DAN I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
- - - - -
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
sliould 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
should 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, OCTOBER 27, 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
'han Wednesday noon of each week.
From tentative plans of intending exhibitors,
disclosed at the meeting, their exhibits will be
chiefly characterized by the quality of novelty.
PIANOS IN MEXICAN SCHOOL
Frequent reminders of the extent of musical
culture and the popular desire for musical ex-
pression in our neighboring republic, Mexico,
come to the people of the United States in
reports of the activities of progressive piano
merchants printed in Mexican newspapers.
Naturally the evidences of the influences of
music in events there disclose the co-operation
of the active music dealers therein. In band
contests, symphony concerts, piano contests
and piano recitals are demonstrated the mu-
sical urge of the people and the high musical
value of the performances proves the degree
of culture and the high artistic sense of the
Mexican people.
The keen desire of the people of Mexico for
musical expression is expressed in an unmis-
takable way by the musical enthusiasms of the
the children. An opportunity to secure pianos
for a school evokes the most ardent ambition
in every pupil. Every classroom wants an in-
strument so that in the boys and girls is de-
veloped a class pride to attain that object.
In this issue of Presto-Times, in type and
interesting pictures, is told the stirring events
in a school contest in which the winning of
Jesse French & Sons pianos were the highly
desirable objects. At the same time the story
impresses the widely known trade fact of the
unflagging activities in the field of music of
the great Mexican firm of J. F. Valezquez
y Hno.
A CHAMBER PROTEST
October 27, 1928
THIRTY YEARS AGO
(From Presto October 27, 1898)
Mr. Van Wagoner, of the Detroit Music Company,
made a fine display of pianos at the Pontiac, Mich.,
fair.
The J. E. Yarborough Music Co., Norfolk, Va., are
closing out their stock preparatory to opening up an
agency for the Cable Piano Co.
The mayor of Cincinnati offered Mr. Lucien Wul-
sin, of D. H. Baldwin & Co., a place on the board
of park commissioners, but he declined on account of
his business activities.
The removal of the remainder of the Lyon & Pot-
ter stock of pianos commenced last Monday and con-
tinued until Saturday. The warerooms will be vacated
November 1.
The Cornwall & Patterson Co., at Bridgeport,
Conn., say good times are surely here. The Corn-
wall & Patterson Company have a fine establishment
in their new factory.
The marriage is announced of Mr. John L. Riehm
and Miss Minnie Phelan, two of Seymour, Indiana's,
prominent young people. Mr. Riehm was for more
than six years bookkeeper for S. V. Harding, and
won the confidence of his employer by his strict in-
tegrity and honesty.
The Baldwin Piano Company, of Cincinnati, noti-
fied the secretary of state of an increase of capital
from $50,000 to $60,000. Also the Ellington Piano
Company of Cincinnati made the same increase of
capital from $50,000 to $60,000.
In the death of Chas, Reinwarth, which occurred at
his home in New York city on Friday of last week,
the music industry lost an honorable member and one
highly skilled in his department—that of piano string
manufacture.
The last shot in the terrible war of two Chicago
music trade papers was fired yesterday. The libel
suit of the "Times" against the "Indicator" closed
ignominously for the former paper, the judge decid-
ing that it was a case of non-suit.
Should the war cloud which just now hangs over
the English channel, threatening France, break away,
the Paris Exposition of 1900 will surpass anything
and everything the world has yet seen.
A prominent dealer who is in the wholesale piano
business with headquarters at Buenos Aires, Argen-
tina, has made a trip to Oregon, 111., and made
arrangements with the Schiller Piano factory to han-
dle their instruments in several countries of South
America.
The plan of the eastern railroads to double
the freight rates on phonographs electrically
THB PBCSTO
equipped has been met with strong opposition
LOOK AHEAD TO CONVENTION
by
the
Music
Industries
Chamber
of
Commerce
The Board of Control meeting at the Drake
Hotel, Chicago, this week made some impor- and thereby that body has given the trade an-
tant decisions governing the annual conven- other evidence of vigilance and energy.
In the large number of interests represented
tion of the mtisic trade, to be held in Chicago
coMPAinr.
PIANOS "and ORGANS.
the week of June 3. The selection of the week, the scope of the Chamber's activities are seen.
for instance, was an agreement in part to the As many as ten national associations covering
proposition of the Radio Manufacturers' As- the various branches of the music industry
sociation, which had already selected the were included in the action and their interests
Stevens Hotel as its meeting place. For im- were ably covered by the Chamber's brief.
The unfairness of the freight increase is ob-
portant reasons, disclosed in the discussion, the
Drake Hotel was made the choice of the Board vious when the protest is read. If the pro-
posed increase went into effect the increase
of Control.
li. lioltzman & Sons Jtoml $rgat factory,
Whether or not the radio interests will be would be levied on shipments from jobbers to
invited to have exhibits during convention retailers, an addition to a previous charge on
week at the Drake Hotel is to be decided by a shipments from the manufacturers to jobbers.
committee named by President Roberts of the
Prominent concerns in the music trade and
National Association of Music Merchants. The
H. HOLTZMAN & SONS,
Pianos and Organ*.
position of radio and the various attitudes of active individuals have endorsed the slogan
piano men towards it were facts disclosed in contest launched by the Music Industries
itiason&l^mlin
"Clough &
the discussions. The general opinion of those Chamber of Commerce and two houses have
Warren"
attending the meeting seemed to favor a piano presented monetary inducements of their own
and music goods display held separate from to interest contestants, in addition to the big
JHason&ljamltndk
prize of $1,000 provided by the Chamber.
New Style Organ.
radio.
Ctaugli 4 Wmma Co..
A most important course of action of the C. D. Bond, president of the National Associa-
Board of Control was that relating to the na- tion of Piano Manufacturers, in a notable
Pag-e of ads reproduced in miniature from Presto
of Oct. 27, 1898.
tional piano playing contest which would be letter, says the contest is valuable in'making
the
public
piano-conscious.
the closing event in a nation-wide series of
Attention of T H E PRESTO has been called to two
* * *
more of the representative American musical instru-
state and city contests. The finals in the na-
In the adjoining column is a miniature re- ment manufacturers whose names should have found
tional piano playing contest are proposed as a
place in our list of the contemporaries of Mr. P. J.
feature of the annual convention of the music production of a page of Presto ads printed Healy when that gentleman entered the trade in 1854.
thirty years ago. Any page of a trade paper One of these veterans is Mr. Paul G. Mehlin, of New
trade in Chicago.
printed
at such a comparatively remote period York. The other is Mr. H. K. White, of Meriden,
As the convention at the Drake is to be one
Conn.
for all phases of the trade, it was considered is historic and like all history suggests com-
During the past week the Southern Music Com-
suitable to appoint a committee in accordance parisons between activities of then and now. pany of Birmingham, Ala., received two handsome
pianos ordered for use at the Birmingham
with that object. The music goods display Among other things, this particular page of Everett
Conservatory of Music.
ads
impresses
the
permanent
character
of
some
at the Drake during the week of the conven-
Williamsport, Pa., has a new piano and organ
business known as Shade, Beach, & Co.
tion will cover the entire field of music goods. of the names appearing therein.
HE who buys
-What, p«y
No, fio< ex*
organ or piano,
through a half
century has been a gua mtw against dissatisfaction, whertwr it
has been found on a mi ical uwtrumoit. Send for Catalogue
ESTEY PIANO CO-
ESTEY ORGAN CO,
Merry-go-Round Organs.
Military Band Organs.
Sclf-Adlng Orchestrions
2112 I. 2122 E. Kaln St..
Ctlimbn, Obi., li. S. A.
SroJ /.+ Catoitpui •odelt EmprtM model.
INSTRUMENTS
AND GET TOICE O f OU>
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/
October 27, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
cess is much less mysterious when once the reasons
are understood. The story starts with a slim, yellow-
haired Norwegian boy in Oslo. His father was a
master cabinet maker, owning his own shop, and the
boy's early memories were associated with skillful
working. The shop failed and the family came to the
United States to make a fresh start in Mendota, Illi-
Writer in Chicago Daily News Finds Wealth nois.
"Young Axel Gulbransen went to work at the age
of Material for Interesting History in
of thirteen, sandpapering pieces of wood in an organ
Events in Life of Successful Chi-
factory. Under his father's tutelage, he became a
cago Piano Man.
good all-around cabinet maker. At the same time he
was learning his trade, he studied music in his leisure
The Chicago Daily News, on October 10, published
the life story of A. G. Gulbransen, president of the hours. Every instrument attracted him, but the violin
most of all. At 19 he went to business college and
Gulbransen Company. Under his picture appeared
stayed there as long as his money lasted, using up all
his savings in making up defects in his early edu-
cation.
His Ambitions.
"Gradually he worked up in the piano business, first
to foreman and finally to factory superintendent. By
this time he was forty years old. With an interest
in the business and complete charge of manufacturing,
he still was not satisfied with the way affairs were
being handled. Yet when he started for himself many
friends expected him to fail. But looking back, it is
obvious that he had every needed quality. He had
woodworking skill, fair education, determination, and
a love for the business.
"The quiet, white-haired head of the company is so
enthusiastic about music that he has sponsored Christ-
mas Carol singing and has tried to promote opera in
English. He believes that good music is a wonderful
help to children, stabilizing their emotions, giving
them poise and culture, preventing nervousness and
improving their work in their other studies.
" 'Shouldn't every man who hopes to succeed be so
enthusiastic that his business seems to be the most
important in the world?" he was asked.
" 'Not only seems,' he answered seriously, 'in the
case of music, when you realize what it can mean in
the way of true culture, it IS the most important."
Then he smiled."
ROMANCE IN LIFE OF
A. Q. QULBRANSEN
A. G. GULBRANSEN.
the following caption: "Axel G. Gulbransen, Heads
World's Largest Piano Factory." Following is the
article as it appeared in the News, written by Royal
F. Munger, who has been doing a very wonderful
series of human interest stories for the Daily News:
"If the average man were told that an investment
of $1 would yield him $1,000 a few years later, he
would think that the day of miracles had arrived.
Yet that is just what has been done during the career
of Axel Gustaf Gulbransen. quiet-mannered maker of
fine pianos, in building up, on the west side of Chi-
cago, the largest piano factory in the entire world.
Early Successes.
"At 45 years of age Mr. Gulbransen was making
$4,000 a year, had a marvelous background of training
in the making of pianos, and had saved $5,000 out of
his salary. With his savings, and with additional
funds from a partner and from friends, he went into
the playerpiano business. Today the Gulbransen
Company has a net worth of around $5,000,000.
"Like a sleight-of-hand trick, the Gulbransen suc-
ARMSTRONG HARPSICHORD
GRAND FOR COLLEGE
Letter from Director of Music Department to
Snyder Music Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.,
Appreciates Its Fine Qualities.
The Snyder Music Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., repre-
senting the lines of the American Piano Co. in that
city and surrounding territory, recently sold an Arm-
strong Harpsichord grand piano to the State Teach-
ers' College of Bloomsbury, Pa. The director of the
department of music in the college, who is a noted
musician and a teacher of acknowledged ability, re-
cently wrote the following letter to the Snyder
Music Co.:
"STATE TEACHERS' COLLEGE,
"Bloomsburg, Pa.
"September 12, 1928.
"Department of Music,
"Mrs. John K. Miller, Director.
"My Dear Mr. Snyder: Just a word of apprecia-
M. SCHULZ FOLDERS
BIG SALES WINNERS
Effective Aids to Sales Provided by M. Schulz
Co., Chicago, for Use of Dealers
and Salesmen.
"Period Styles," "Keep Youth at Your Home,"
"Music and Her Happiness," and "Now, Dad Plays
the Piano" are four booklets of great potency in
stimulating the piano sales desire in the public, just
issued by the M. Schulz Co.
"Period Styles" is an artistic bit of printing and
as appropriate in design as in its response to a
national demand for the handsome styles. Lombardo,
the Jardine and the Louis XIV grands are shown in
halftones. This is said: "From the famous artistry
of the ages came the inspiration for these new Period
Casements in Grand Pianos purposely created by the
M. Schulz Company to impart a new distinction to
your home."
"Keep Youth at Home," is a clever booklet that
has obvious relation to a condition of society today.
"Keep Youth at Home That Character May Be
Moulded," is the full title of this clever booklet. The
booklet says:
"Many are the inducements that constantly attract
modern youth from the fireside. Unless the home
provides sufficient entertainment to satisfy youth's
quest for amusement, it cannot expect to successfully
compete against the outside attractions.
"The solution to this problem is to give youth what
it seeks; to provide youth with those things that it is
often forced to seek elsewhere; to make home life
more interesting and entertaining. The sensible way
to do this is to provide your children with a Schulz
Piano and a musical education."
"Dad Plays the Piano Now," is the suggestive title
of an M. Schulz folder that appeals to a large class
of prospects.
Dad experiences no difficulty in playing the Schulz
Playerpiano. Through the controls and pedals he
can give his individual interpretation of each selection.
"Music and Her Happiness" is illustrated with a
picture of fond mother and baby on the cover and
halftones of three M. Schulz small style on the
inside. Style 10, upright, Marionette Grand, and style
30, upright, are shown.
The Fuller Musical House, Defiance, Ohio, moved
to larger quarters this week.
tion of the Armstrong Harpsichord grand piano. We
like it very much as to tone and action. The case is
very attractive. Thank you! Very truly yours,
"MARION E. A. 'MILLER."
The Armstrong piano has always been noted for
refinement in case design, great durability and beau-
tiful tone quality. The quality of the instrument is
best described by the slogan applied to the piano:
"Sound in body and musical in soul." Armstrong
pianos have been used in Rochester, N. Y., public
schools with practical exclusiveness for the past
eighteen years, and are appreciated for their merits
of tone and endurance in many schools elsewhere.
QUICK WAY TO PIANO SALES
The best method of reaching the piano prospects in order to show and demonstrate the
pianos is the BOWEN PIANO LOADER way. A Bowen One-Man Loader and Carrier at-
tached to a Ford roadster enables the dealer to bring the store to the customer. The combina-
tion also provides the quickest, safest and best delivery system for music dealers in city or
country. Write for particulars to
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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/

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