PRESTO-TIMES
January 12, 1929
broadcasting and talking pictures as further
fields of expression.
The Camden plant and organization of the
( From Presto, January 4, 1894.)
The American Music Trade Weekly
Victor Talking Machine Company, the famous
Gecrge Jacobs has been in the piano business in
trade marks, "Victor," "Victrola," and "His Fort Wayne, Ind., since 1890. He handles a general
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
of musical merchandise, sheet music, etc., and the
Master's Voice," will be retained under the line
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Weber, Kranich & Bach, Wheelock and Crown
unification plan, and the Victrolas, combina- pianos, as well as a nice line of organs.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
H. M. Cable of the Chicago Cottage Organ Co.
tions and records will continue to maintain
gone to Walton, N. Y., to spend the holidays with
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - -
their strong position in the trade. From the has
relatives. Mr. Cable will return shortly after New
(C. A. DANIELL—1904-1927.)
purely industrial aspect it is clear that both Year's day.
Managing Editor
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
Mr. W. W. Griggs, the energetic and wide-awake
radio and the phonograph have much to gain
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
"road" man for the Chicago Cottage Organ
from the unification of activities, which will Iowa
Private Phones to all Departments- Cable Address (Com-
Co., arrived in Chicago today. Mr. Griggs is a very
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
permit every laboratory achievement in the successful representative of the above company and
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the radio art to be translated into Victor produc- controls a splendid trade in Iowa.
Post Office, Chicago, III., under Act of March 3, 1879.
The Thompson Music Co. have added the follow-
tion, which will give to radio the recording
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4. and acoustical experience of the phonograph ing salesmen to their retail force: J. S. Kirk, for-
merly with Estey & Camp; J. S. Phelps, formerly with
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on industry as well as great cabinet manufac- Cable Piano Co., and Mr. Robert Rich.
application.
Mr. A. T. Barellie & Son, 323 Florida street, Buenos
turing" facilities, and which will permit sub-
Ayres, Argentine Republic, South America, write to
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at stantial economies to be effected through uni- The Presto soliciting from publishers their catalogues
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and fied production, administration and sales of sacred music, particularly music designed for the
tlieir assistance is invited.
Catholic Church service.
direction.
THIRTY-FIVEJYEARS AGO
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.
GROUP PIANO CLASSES
It is expected that nearly every piano dealer
in the country now is aware of the active
movement for group piano teaching. Talks
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad- on it and discussions about it have been fea-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 6 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy tures of every convention, national and state
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure within the past year. Trade papers have ex-
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
plained it and propaganda has urged its ex-
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South tension. Some of the brightest minds in both
Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
the professional and industrial phases of music
are devoting their time, money and genius to
SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1929.
arouse interest in what is really a movement
that eventually must create a vastly greater
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
demand
for pianos.
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
It is a rule accepted by every piano dealer
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that that the desire to buy a piano is equal to the
is not strictly news of importance can have prospect's interest in piano music. It is ad-
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they mitted that without an understanding of piano
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow- music there can be no inspiration to buy
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the pianos. In the condition in which the piano
current issue must reach the office not later trade has found itself a year or two ago a
drastic cure was needed. It was provided in
the movement for group piano instruction, a
systematic means by which the young and old
VICTOR AND R C A COMBINE
could acquire at least the fundamentals of a
A plan calling for the unification of the Vic- piano education.
tor Talking Machine Company with the Radio
Piano instruction by the plan selected is a
Corporation of America, printed in Presto-
feature
of a great number of stores and the
Times, was approved last week at meetings
movement
continues to grow. Everywhere are
of the boards of the two companies. The uni-
bright
young
music teachers who would wel-
fication includes the holdings of Victor Talk-
come
the
opportunity
to co-operate with the
ing Machine Company in subsidiary and asso-
music
dealer
in
developing
piano pupils into
ciated companies throughout the world. The
piano
customers.
With
the
aid
of piano play-
agreement marks the alliance of two great in-
ing
contests
and
the
group
instruction
classes
dustries to the greater service of a single art.
in
the
stores
a
healthy
enthusiasm
is
being
in-
In the reproduction of music for the home
fused
into
the
trade.
It
is
a
spreading
move-
the phonograph has contributed in an impor-
tant way by means of its service by permanent ment which means the recreation of buying
recording. Radio, on the other hand, must interest in the piano.
The lively manner in which the group piano
remain a universal service devoted to current
musical, educational and news events. The class school scheme is advancing is exempli-
unification of the Victor company and Radio fied in a news story in this issue. The able
Corporation of America will greatly improve work of the National Bureau for the Advance-
both services by making the inventions and ment of Music is now to be aided by the Na-
developments of both industries interchange- tional Music Teachers' Association, which
collectively and individually expresses a keen
able.
Insofar as radio has extended its activities interest in the piano classes.
to broadcasting, to the new art of talking mo-
It is certain that the trade isn't getting all it
tion pictures, and to the theater, the high artis-
tic achievements of the Victor Talking Ma- could out of automatic pianos. The possibilities
chine Company and its associations for many of the instruments are undeniably great, as
years with the leading artists of the world will every keenly observant man of the music trade
enable it, through the present unification, to must see. As now constructed, and consider-
make distinct contributions to the develop- ing the almost limitless field it affords, the
ment of the highest type of entertainment automatic and electrically operated piano
effort. At the same time it opens a new vista should be a source of large profits to the deal-
for the artist who will have the phonograph, ers almost everywhere.
Ottumwa, Iowa, is to have a new music house.
James A. Guest, the well-known piano dealer of Bur-
lington, has decided to establish a branch store in
Ottumwa.
In reviewing the causes that have operated in mak-
ing Fort Wayne the important commercial center
she now is and that have placed her in the proud posi-
tion of a leading city, we can accord the Fort Wayne
Organ Co. high honors, says the "Gazette" of that
city.
E. H. Reynolds, music dealer of Rochelle, 111., was
making holiday purchases in Chicago last week.
Everything is running nicely in regard to the Rus-
sel-Lane piano manufactory. W. H. Ogan, who is
trying to locate it in Huntington, Ind., stated that
they were having very little trouble in selling the rest
of the lots necessary to the location of the factory
there.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
(From Presto of January 12, 1899.)
One of the pictorial features of this Year Book
issue is a page of the leading stars of the operatic
season. The triumphs of beautiful Emma Eames
and Sembrich have been complete, and Bispham,
Henri Albers and Andreas Dipple have left an im-
pression that will be lasting.
The prophet who at the threshold of 1898 should
have cast a horoscope of the year, must have later
seen the fallacy of his foretellings in the momentous
but unexpected events that followed.. For the year
1898 has teen one of the epoch-making periods in the
world's history. Perhaps in a greater degree than
common the music trades have felt the effects of the
strain and shock and recovery, And yet out of the
attritions of a nation at war, out of the commercial
chaos necessary in times of national turbulence, the
most peaceful of the industries has come with serene
energy and almost marvellous elasticity and an un-
forseen certainty of progressiveness. No one a year
ago could have foretold that war with an old nation
would come and go with scarcely more than a shock
to the American musical industries. Much less could
it have been prophesied that, instead of disaster to
the young and growing industries, the end would so
quickly prove an increased activity to all depart-
ments, and so rapid a settling back into the channels
of progress and prosperity as to leave it all more a
dream than reality.
South American trade should be diligently studied
by American manufacturers. They are the markets
of the future, as well as those of the far east, and the
far-seeing manufacturer should have sight enough to
look beyond the confines of Asr'a, Africa and Austra-
lia, and discern amongst the industrious and growing
populations of the great South American continent
highly profitable customers in the future.
Suggestions concerning the forthcoming "Buyers'
Guide" to the piano, organ and kindred trades are
solicited. We want to make it a record and of such
character as to effectively and, once for all, over-
throw a certain evil influence which seems just now
to be confronting the musical industries.
A printed postal card replying in a general way
to the mass of inquiries which come in every mail
concerning the "Buyers' Guide," announced last
week, has been prepared and sent out. The interest
in the work is so great as to make it impracticable
to make individual replies to all who write concern-
ing it. We shall, howover, be glad to receive sug-
gestions, and any inquiries from manufacturers will
receive special attention and separate replies.
At the last official meeting of the Starr Piano Co.,
Mr. Henry Gennett was made president of the com-
pany and his son vice-president. Mr. Benjamin Starr
continues in his old place of secretary and treasurer.
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