Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1929 2216

Page 7 Text:

P R E S T 0-T I M E S
January 19, 1929
CHRISTMAN
STUDIO PIANOS
appeal to exacting and appreciative buy-
ers because of their fine musical qualities.
A great leader is the
CHRISTMAN
STUDIO
GRAND
"THE KIUST T O l f H
TKIXS"
An instrument of marked tonal power
and beauty.
Three generations of Christmans have
put their life work into the Christman
piano and the result is a dependable
instrument.
Christman Piano Co., Inc.
597 East 137th Street
NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A.
The Name
STRICH & ZEIDLER
on a piano
is a guarantee of
QUALITY
Expert piano makers of distinction
strive to preserve the reputation for
thoroughness achieved by the Up-
rights and Grands bearing the
STRICH & ZEIDLER NAME
The Homer Piano, also made by
Strieh & Zeidler, Inc.. has the guar-
antee of dependability which dis-
tinguishes all the products of the
STRICH & ZEIDLER, INC.
740-742 East 136th Street,
NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A.
SATISFACTION FOR OWNER
and
Good Profits for Dealer
are assured by the
BECKER BROS.
HIGH GRADE PIANOS
PLAYER - PIANOS AND
REPRODUCING PIANOS.
RELIABILITY
in Construction and Tone is the assur-
ance applying to the Becker Bros. Piano.
BECKER BROS.
767 - 769 TENTH AVENUE
NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A.
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Piano* Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
nothing was further from the truth. Business in the
piano line is gradually getting better and Mehlin &
Sons will keep right on making their fine products.
Decker Buys Piano Mountain.
Prince & Ripley, Inc., sold for Arthur Scripture
the Williams farm on Barger street, Yorktown, 50
acres with farm house, outbuilding and orchard and
Good Sales of Fine Instruments Since Janu- a lake. The property includes part of Piano Moun-
ary 1 Add Strength to the Hopeful Feel-
tain, which received its name in 1852, when the entire
mountain was sold by the former owners of the Wil-
ing of Men of the Trade Over the
liams farm for a piano. The purchaser is Walter
Months to Come.
Decker.
Shailer Visits Boston Trade.
By HENRY MAC MULLAN.
William
H.
Shailer, general traveler for Philip W.
Piano men in general express great encouragement
over the sales possibilities for 1929 and they cite Oetting & Son, Inc., sole agents for Weickert ham-
many cogent reasons to support their expectations. mer and clamper felts, 213 East 19th street New York,
One source of the optimistic feeling is the spread of was in Boston on Monday of this week when Presto-
piano classes in schools and stores which denote a Times correspondent called on President Oetting at
growing interest in piano music among the young the main office. January trade has been good, Mr.
people, a fact which suggests the assurances of per- Oetting said, and he is convinced that piano business
manent interest in the piano. That, of course, would is on the upward slope and going to continue climb-
be tantamount to a continuity of piano sales. The ing upward right along for several years. Orders
action of many national bodies in aiding the move- from piano manufacturers in January have been grat-
ment for an increase of interest in the piano and in ifyingly larger. Mr. Shailer will leave almost imme-
piano classes, naturally strengthens the hopes of piano diately after his return from Boston for a trip into
men for a certain renewal of piano interest tending the Central West, calling on the trade in Chicago
and other manufacturing cities.
to increase piano sales and preserve the position of
the piano as a leading instrument in music organiza-
Business Good at Hammacher's.
tions and in the home.
Business with the houses of Hammacher, Schlem-
Christman Believes Radio Helps the Piano.
mer & Co., and the American Piano Supply Co., 104
(Continued on page 12)
Henry Christman. president of the Christman Piano
Company, 597-601 East 137th street, New York city,
said to Presto-Times representative that a large part
of their business is now done in the metropolitan
district of New York. He believes that the piano
business is gradually getting better, although the
slope upward will not be very steep during 1929.
And further, he believes that radio is one of the
greatest aids in the cause of music in general and Admirable Samples of Magazine and News-
the piano in particular, that has ever been introduced
paper Layouts for New Campaign
in the musical world. His own little daughter, 13
Mailed This Week.
years old, will listen to a piece from the radio and
immediately declare she wants to play that piece on
The National Piano Manufacturers' Association,
the piano; and so she goes to the piano and repro- Edward C. Boykin, executive secretary, with offices
duces the air. He says his child is not exceptional— at 247 Park avenue, New York city, has prepared an
that undoubtedly there are hundreds of thousands exhibit of some of its 1929 plans. In a portfolio to
of children in the United States that are being in- hand are shown:
spired likewise. And he thinks the efforts of the
Reproductions of magazine advertising speak for
piano men to put piano playing into the curriculum of themselves; a series of advertisements for dealers to
the public and parochial schools of America is one use in tying up with Class Piano Instruction in those
of the most effective plans of promoting the inter- cities where it is in practice in the public schools;
ests of the piano. He has no fears of the piano a series of employment advertisements to lie released
losing its hold upon the public.
about March 1; the first three of a series of editorial
publicity articles by Dr. James Francis Cooke. All
Edward P. Mason's Trade Improves.
of this material will be announced through broad-
Edward P. Mason, president of Edward P. Mason sides to piano merchants all over the country.
Piano Co., Inc., 161 West 57th street, New York,
The proofs submitted are evidences of plans for
feels greatly encouraged over the return of trade in
efficient promotion of the piano and an increase of
1929. When I called on him on the afternoon of
January 10, he said he had sold two pianos "yester- piano sales. The advertising designs, layouts and
day." He has a considerable trade in the grands text are all in accordance with forceful but dignified
produced in the plant at 115 Cypress avenue, New methods of interesting the public in the piano and
and every ad is filled with the strongest suggestions
York.
to buy.
Mehlin & Sons Sell Building.
The sale of a piano factory building does not neces-
sarily mean that that firm is going out of business.
In the instance which I report here about the sale of
a going concern's plant—it may not mean that the
firm is quitting business; it means that it got a good
price for the building and sold it. It was announced
on January 11 that J. I. Kislak, Inc., Jersey City and Fine Tonal and Constructive Qualities of the
Hoboken realtors, has sold for the Paul G. Mehlin
Piano Qualifies It as Leader in Many
& Sons Piano Manufacturing Co. to the Reiss Pre-
Representative Houses.
mier Pipe Company its factory covering the block
front on Broadway between 20th and 21st streets,
To the music lover who has studied the musical
West New York, N. J., and embracing a floor area standing of pianos, the claims of the Strieh & Zeidler
of 100,000 square feet. The building is a four story piano to artistic merits are admitted. Everywhere
brick and concrete structure, covering a plot 200 by well informed piano buyers continue to choose the
250 feet. Since July, 1927, the Reiss Premier Pipe Strieh & Zeidler and continuously add to the circle
Company has occupied that part of the plant fronting of satisfied owners. The high artistic character of
on Twentieth street under lease. The Reiss concern the piano makes it desirable as a leader in many
since its absorption of Bondy, Kaufmann & Bondy, prominent and representative music stores through-
Brooklyn, employs about 300 operators. While the out the country. Among professional musicians
selling price was not disclosed, the property had Strieh & Zeidler tone is a highly appreciated quality
been held at $400,000. It is presumed they got about and the scientific methods of its construction assures
$300,000 for it.
the desirable quality of endurance.
The plant is one of the finest piano factories in
The policy established by the founders of the Strieh
America. It was much larger than the business of & Zeidler piano, to maintain a high artistic character
the company required, for if it had been fully used in the instrument has been followed through the
it could have produced 25,000 pianos a year.
succeeding years, and today it is natural for discrimi-
Mehlin Trade Increasing.
nating piano buyers and the alert piano dealer to
During a call on Charles Mehlin at his factory expect something- distinctly good in the Strieh &
office in West New York, N. J., this week Mr. Meh- Zeidler piano. And in this anticipation there is no
lin explained the meaning of the sale of their big disappointment for the piano continues to do credit
building. He said that the pipe company which to its name. Every detail in the manufacture of the
bought it had occupied a part of their former build- pianos receives the careful attention of expert work-
ing for some years—even since Mehlin & Sons moved men and perfection in every instrument that leaves
their piano case factory from this plant out into the the factory is a matter of care and pride to the com-
country. Mehlin & Sons can now pay rent to the pany. Strieh & Zeidler pianos are marked by dis-
new owner of the building, who gets title to it on tinct originality of case design in addition to their
April 1. He laughed as he said that some of their charms of beautiful tone. They are pianos of a char-
rivals might now take occasion to spread a story acter to attract the favor of people of good taste,
that they were quitting piano manufacturing, yet both musically and artistically.
OPTIMISM OF NEW
YORK PIANO MEN
N. P. M. A. SUBMITS 1929
ADVERTISING PLANS
ENDURING MERITS OF
STRICH & ZEIDLER
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/

Page 8 Text:

January 19, 1929
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.
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N 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 ar"e sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
along as a steady, conservative business, in
which inventions were mere improvements in
methods of manufacture; contrivances in-
creasing the output while reducing cost. One
day a man invented a time-saving machine.
The next week or year maybe another im-
proved a piano part. But the efforts of the
inventors resulted in no consternation in the
trade. The inventions were mere improve-
ments, some of them simple enough and others
potent in results. There was readjustment in
other piano factories all along the line and
everything went along smoothly.
But lo! one day a piano appeared that dif-
fered materially from all the pianos that had
gone before. The piano was a "sure enough"
piano but it was something more. By the aid
of a strip of paper stamped full of holes, this
piano played itself. It was a revolution.
MUSIC A NECESSITY
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
(From January 18, 1894.)
Mr. Napoleon J. Haines will accompany Madame
Patti on her visit to Chicago.
Mr. Fred Lohr, of Hardman, Peck & Co., is in
Chicago this week. He says his business is forging
ahead rapidly again and the indications are all for a
return of prosperity.
Mr. William H. Sherwood, the distinguished pian-
ist, is playing the Mason & Hamlin piano with great
success in the East. He plays this week in Utica and
West Chester, Pa.
Mr. Nahum Stetson, of Steinway & Sons, who
was in Chicago attending the funeral of Geo. W.
Lyon, was to return to New York last night. The
annual meeting of Lyon, Potter & Co. will be held
the first Monday in February.
Mr. H. D. Cable, President of the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., had arranged to leave last night for Flor-
ida, and a trip to Cuba. He was compelled, however,
to postpone it until later. He will leave some day
this week for Jacksonville and will go from there to
Tampa, from which place he will proceed to Havana.
He will have a pleasure trip that no one would de-
spise.
The Starr Piano Co. is busy at work for the con-
struction of a new factory. Work will be pushed
as rapidly as possible and all who know the energy
of the leading spirits of the company will understand
what that means.
Mr. E. H. Story, of the Story & Clark Organ Co.,
left England for home on Saturday last by the S. S.
New York.
There is joy in the house of J. M. Hawxhurst.
Times are dull but an addition to his family was
eagerly welcomed.
Although not unexpected, the announcement of the
death of Geo. W. Lyon, on Friday afternoon, at
Jacksonville, Fla., came as a shock to the Chicago
music trade.
The music dealer should realize that music
is not a luxury but a necessity in the daily
lives of the people. The attitude of the public
is that music is something it must have. The
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
automobile industry is selling transportation,
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 6 p. m.,
the radio industry is selling entertainment
to insure preferred position. Pull page display copy
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
and
the music industry is selling the cultural
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
enjoyment that makes living more worth
Address all communications for the editorial or business
while. That is the basic thought on which all
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
the slogans are founded.
The more forceful attitude of the music
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1929.
goods advertiser shows that an old fallacy
which permeated the music industry is no
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press longer an influence. The music industry no
(From Presto, January 19, 1899)
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
Mr.
J.
M.
Hawxhurst, manager of the Bradbury
longer
considers
itself
a
purveyor
of
luxuries
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
warerooms, is in St. Louis and Kansas City this
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that appreciable by a comparatively few. Today week on business in connection with the Bradbury
is not strictly news of importance can have everybody is the music dealer's prospect and houses in those cities.
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they the music goods advertiser's task is confined
Mr. Em:l E. Gabler, of the firm of Ernest Gabler
concern the interests of manufacturers or to talking for specific instruments.
& Bro. is receiving the congratulations of his friends
over his approaching marriage to a beautiful and
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the The musical instrument dealer in his adver- accomplished young lady of Brooklyn, N. Y. The
current issue must reach the office not later tising shows that there is a healthy demand on Presto adds its test wishes.
Mr. Dawson Blackmore, Sr., one of Cincinnati's
than Wednesday noon of each week.
the part of the public for musical instruments
best known business men and father of Mr. Dawson
and his attitude expresses the conviction that Blackmore, secretary-treasurer of the Krell Piano
musical instruments have no competition with Co., died at his home, No. 3132 Woodburn Avenue,
ALERT MANUFACTURERS
Hills, recently. Death was due to acute
automobiles, radios, clothing or any other line Walnut
dropsy.
The alert attitude of radio manufacturers
or commodity, because the desire for music
The Whitney & Currier Co. has purchased the en-
in looking out for new inventions and im-
exists evervwhere.
tire interest of the Toledo branch of the Kimball
provements in radio sets and parts recalls a
Piano Co., located at 311 Superior street.
similar feeling in piano manufacturers, fol-
Frield Miller, Danville, 111., will quit the piano busi-
lowing' the adoption of the playerpiano as a As a rule the piano customer today is keenly ness. He has been offered a position in New York
his brother-in-law that he will likely accept.
regular production. Then it was the unknown interested in the outward form of his piano with
M. L. Andrews, whose music store is one of the
inventors who kept the piano manufacturers purchase, as well as its merits of construction. ornaments of Bangor, Maine, says that he sold more
guessing. Even the playerpiano manufac- The name of the manufacturer assures him of pianos in 1898 than in any previous year.
Win, Knabe & Co. have recently secured a large
turers who were going along steadily making the desired tonal qualities and the character contract
to supply the New York public schools with
good things that commanded sale on their un- for endurance in the piano he considers most pianos. This is the third similar contract obtained
deniable merits had an ever ready ear and eye desirable, but it depends upon himself to add by this company.
for something that "goes the best one better." to these his ideal of case beauty. And never
THE FIRST BUYERS' GUIDE AD.
Today the.radio factory may be considered before have the refinements and elegancies of
;V The Buyers' Guide yc
well equipped with the latest machinery mak- art entered so much into the construction of
pianos.
ing the most up-to-date sample of receiving
* * *
set or accessory; orders are good and the
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Simplified
practice
cuts out waste. Less
whole factory is running economically.
We have in course of preparation, For publication early to the present year,
waste
means
lower
cost.
Lower
costs
mean
Tomorrow an impecunious looking party
a work to be known as
lower
selling
prices.
Lower
prices
mean
larger
T h o R i i i u r c ' r i n i H o TO THB PIANO, ORGAN AND
with a gaze of concentration walks into the
As its title indicates, this new work will present, in unequivocal terms and
office and unfolds from an old newspaper sales. Larger sales mean more work for the
with the utmost fairness, the claims of the various instruments to which it will
wrapping a model of something that makes factory, continuous operation, continuous em-
be devoted.
ployment,
steady
earnings,
continued
buying,
It will not be an Advertising fledium.
the manufacturer feel dizzy with dismay. Then
No provision will be made for special advertising and there will be no cl,.,. ,.
again, it may only evoke a smile of pity. The and therefore more sales!
for the fair and impartial estimates placed upon the industries enumerated.
thing in the newspaper may be a valuable im-
Copies Free to Dealers.
One copy of the BUYERS' GUIDE will be supplied gratis to piano, organ and
Nearly every piano manufacturer now in-
provement or even a "sure enough new way,"
music dealers. SEND IN YOUR ADDRESS NOW, WITH STAMPS < 4c > FOR POST-
or it may be the worthless dream of some cludes period designs in his line. Some of the
AGE, AND IT WILL BE ENTERED FOR FREE COPY. Later copies will be sup-
plied for 15 cents per copy, or $1.50 per dozen by express. The hook will be ot
mere crank. Anyway, the unknown irrepres- makers are distinguished by the extent of
inestimable value in closing sales and in strengthening your pianos, if they are
reputable ones. Address:
sible inventing geniuses keep the known in- their period models and truth to types is
THE PRESTO COMPANY
pointed out as a feature to be proud of. The
ventors of the radio trade guessing.
324 Dearborn St.,
GMIGrtGO. ILLINOIS.
The piano man sees in the radio industry's selection of the forms involved keen study
trepidation an analogy to the circumstances of the furniture of the various periods, the
of the piano manufacturer not so very many services of the best designers and the most
J2T The Buyers' Guide JZ
years ago. The piano business was going expert carvers.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
i ne B u y e r s
u u i a e
GEM*AL MUSIC TRADK. X
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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