Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1929 2227

Page 8 Text:

May 15, 1929
P R E S T O-T I M E S
ISSUED THE FIRST AND THIRD
SATURDAY IN EACH
MONTH
F R A N K D. A B B O T T - - - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. F E R G U S O ' R Y A N
- - - - -
Managing
The American Music Trade Journal
Editor
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, $1.25 a year; 10 months, $1.00; 6 months,
75c; foreign, $3.00. 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 pest 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 preceding date of
publication. Latest news matter and telegraphic com-
munications should be in not later than 11 o'clock on
that day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
Tuesday, 5 p. m., before publication day to insure pre-
ferred position. Full page display copy should be in hand
by Tuesday noon preceding publication day. Want ad-
vertisements 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.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press at 11 a. m.
Thursday preceding publication day. Any news trans-
piring after that hour cannot be expected in the current
issue. Nothing received at the office that is not strictly
news of importance can have attention after 9 a. m. of
Thursday. If they concern the interests of manufactur-
ers or dealers such items will appear the issue following.
CHICAGO, MAY 15, 1929
THE WALDORF PASSES
The passing of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at Fifth avenue and
34th street, New York, brings many twinges of regret to many of
the older piano men who were familiar with its hospitality, its fine
cuisine, its glamor and its gallantry. Piano men for generations
past had made it their New York headquarters, some piano conven-
tions had been held there, and it was there that the weary traveler
had lain down to rest. It was in that old hostelry that many a big
deal in pianos had been closed; it was there that piano men had
married and some, perhaps, had died in the great building. The
merry dance and great feasts have gone the way of all history, so
now thev are alive only in the chambers of memory.
BETTER BUSINESS AHEAD
Better piano business, which started in California earlier in the
season, seems to have spread southeastward into Texas and Okla-
homa, according to reports given out by traveling piano salesmen.
"Westward the star of empire takes its way," is a reversed maxim
in this development.
And what could be more natural than that the Far West and
the Far South should be now approaching an era of wealth, culture
and power? The old South, the slave-holding states, recovered
slowly under a changed system of producing and marketing, while
the vast country beyond the Rockies was so remote from the great
financial centers, by both land and the old water routes before the
Panama Canal was constructed, that it ran its race for power and
for recognition under this handicap.
A different set of ideas govern a financial center, from the gov-
erning principle of developing vast areas in cattle-raising, railroad
building, exploring for minerals and the starting of mines, agri-
culture or lumbering. But these opposite ideas have a strong attrac-
tion for each other, as the one cannot do without the other, and when
brought together produce most wonderful results. The child of
AN ARTISTIC FAMILY.
J. C. Henderson, eastern wholesale representative
of Wurlitzer's, New York, can look with justifiable
pride on the accomplishments of his children, all pos-
sessing artistic, tendencies.
His eldest son, James, is noted as cartoonist for
the Providence Journal. His daughter, a harpist,
studied in Rome; and is now studying in New York
under Marcel Grandjany of Paris. Another son
George, a skillful draughtsman, is an architectural
student at Columbia University. Garry, chief trum-
peter of the 58th field artillery during the war and
an accomplished performer on that instrument, is
now studying sculpture, in which art he is said to
show equal proficiency.
SETTERGREN CO. PAYS DIVIDEND.
The B. K. Settergren Company has mailed to stock-
holders the semi-annual dividend for the second stock-
dividend for 1928. The Settergren Company, Bluff-
ton, Ind., manufacturers of baby grand pianos, had
a nice business in 1928 and has continued steady
operations during the current year.
VICTOR SYMPHONIC CONTEST NEARS END.
As the $25,000 contest of the Victor Talking Ma-
chine Company for the best unpublished symphonic
work by an American composer draws to a close, the
distinguished musicians composing the board of judges
who will award the prize are delighted by the wide-
finance and vast territory has now reached maturity with an entirely
new set of ambitions, regardless of what the older generation of
men and women may wish, or say or do.
And to watch it exercise power, to watch it at play and at work,
is a fascinating experience. It believes in radio; it insists on the
best and costliest pianos and other musical instruments. That piano
man is blind to his chances who does not see these things and take
advantage of them.
In short, there never was a better time to sell good pianos there,
or anywhere else in the United States, than now. Presto-Times will
go farther and say there never was an opportunity that offered half
the advantages of the present selling chances.
RADIO CULTIVATES THE MUSICAL EAR
Radio is dispelling the uncertainty existing in the average Amer-
ican mind as to what constitutes good or even passable music.
The general use of radio as a means of transmitting music is
a very rapid and effective means of cultivating the musical ear. Until
broadcasting got into full swing the diet of the American public was
limited to the rendition of the latest hits from Tin-Pan Alley, played,
for the most part, in a rather amateurish fashion. Appreciation of
the classics was limited to that small circle which patronizes the
Sunday afternoon concert. But today, in every home, the enjoyment
of the masterly interpretation of Bach, Chopin, Rimsky, Korsakov and
them all, can be participated in by every American household.
For this opportunity, we are indebted in a large measure to the
Baldwin Piano Co. for their "At the Baldwin" hour, to the activities
of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, and to the others
who are helping in this great work of developing the cultural side
of our people.
Unless the ear of the prospect has been cultivated, it is difficult
to interest him in a piano; but now all preliminaries may be stepped
over in one stride, and the salesman may proceed at once to talk
of the instrument and the terms of sale and payment.
spread interest which the competition has arou-sed.
Manuscripts to be considered must be received by
May 28, 1929. Only American citizens are eligible to
compete, the verdict of the judges to be announced
at a dinner to be given by the officials of the Victor
Talking Machine Company in New York on October
3 next.
BAND CONTEST IN 1930
The Committee on Instrumental Affairs of the Mu-
sic Supervisors' National Conference met April 13 to
adopt plans affecting contests to be held in 1930. For
the most part these plans concerned the standardiza-
tion of instrumentation for bands, and involved prob-
lems whose solution required the cooperation of the
publishers. Publishers present were: Charles J.
Roberts and Gustave Saenger, of Carl Fischer, Inc.,
of New York; R. Bannier, of Irving Berlin Standard
Music Corporation, New York; Clifford Page and
William Arms Fischer, of Oliver Ditson Co.
HELPFUL SUMMER PIANO OFFER.
The music teachers of Chicago are alert to the
opportunity offered them by The Baldwin Piano Com-
pany to obtain the use of used pianos for pupils
whose parents cannot afford to buy a piano at this
time, and for which the company makes only a nom-
inal rental charge and the delivery charge. The Bald-
win Company assures full cooperation with the teach-
ers and their pupils in availing themselves of this
offer which is good for two summer months.
GERMAN PIANO SALES DROP.
Growing popularity of radio sets and phonographs
all over the world is having a disastrous effect upon
the sales of pianos, German Commerce Reports show.
Production amounted to about 135,000 pianos yearly
before the World War as compared with 80,000 at
present. Sales have declined at about the same rate
in both domestic and foreign markets, about 50 per
cent of the piano output being shipped abroad. In
1928, 34,351 pianos were exported to foreign markets
as compared with 40,100 in 1927 and 76,400 in 1913.
There are between 250 and 300 manufacturers of
pianos in Germany, of whom sixty are of importance
and control 70 per cent of the production. Larger
firms are planning to merge in order more effectively
to manufacture and market their products.
GLOBE PIANO CO. RUNS CONTEST
By conducting a prize puzzle contest lasting sev-
eral weeks, the Globe Piano Co., Flint, Michigan,
aroused community interest in its services. Interest
became so keen that several hundred turned out for
the drawing of prizes. The first prize was a piano;
the second, a phonograph.
REPAIRMAN CONCERT ARTIST
Giulio di Capua, who appeared in song recital May
5th, at the Studebaker Theater, Chicago, has been em-
ployed for the last 4 years in the piano repair divi-
sion of Lyon & Healy's. He studied music during his
leisure.
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 9 Text:

May 15, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
THIRTY=FIVE YEARS AGO
(From The Presto May 10, 1894.)
This paper has had occasion more than once to
refer to Mr. Curtis Kimball, a nephew of Mr. W. W.
Kimball, who has been with the W. W. Kimball Co.
for the past four or five years. He has, in the time
he has acted for the house as traveling representative,
proved himself a very valuable man, and one of whom
his uncle may well be proud. We feel sure that some
of these days Curtis Kimball will play a very im-
portant part in the affairs of the W. W. Kimball Co.,
and his training now going on will enable him to play
that part successfully.
Mr. Melville Clark, of the Story & Clark Organ
Co., will sail for England the first of next month.
We called up the Story & Clark Organ Co. yes-
terday and asked "What's new?" Mr. E. H. Story
said it looked like rain and supplemented it with the
words "and we are very busy." That was all we
could get, no news, for everybody knows that the
Story & Clark Organ Co. is always busy.
At last purchasers who are able to carry out their
contracts have been found for the remaining World's
Fair buidlings. They have been re-sold for $80,000.
We have an idea that the recently organized Bur-
dett Organ Co., at Freeport, 111., will have a rather
difficult time of it when its products come in compe-
tition with the other organs made in Chicago and
vicinity. No matter how good the product may be,
it will have to enter the field aaginst the Story &
Clark, Kimball, Chicago Cottage, Newman Bros.,
and a number of others that are so well known and
so firmly established that their position is practically
unassailable.
Mr. Edward Lyman Bill, editor of the Music Trade
Review and Mr. Graff, of the American Art Journal,
are among Chicago's visitors this week. Mr. Bill
has visited many of the most important piano manu-
facturing cities between New York and Chicago.
The proposed tax on pianos in Germany is meeting
with strenuous opposition there by people and press,
the musical and trade papers, particularly, presenting
exhaustive articles against the scheme.
FOR THE MONEY,
THE BEST IN THE U. S.
SeHILLER «
it
PIANOS.
Such expressions come from numerous dealers all over the
country who are acquainted with the merits of the
SCHILLER.'
It is estimated that 70,000 pianos are manufactured
yearly in Germany, about one-half for export.
It is well known that the New York warerooms
of Sohmer & Co., are as successful as any retail ware-
rooms in the country—perhaps more so—and that the
Sohmer piano has a hold on public favor that is very
gratifying to the house. Not alone in New York,
however, is the Sohmer in great demand. Sohmer
agents the country over have the same story of suc-
cess to tell and the instrument ranks as one of the
most popular in the country.
Mr. I. N. Rice was in the city the first of this
week making preparations for another trip in the in-
terest of the Hallet & Davis Co.
Several weeks ago, the firm of William Knabe &
Co. addressed a communication to President Gilman,
of Johns Hopkins University, in which they said:
"In view of the fact that McCoy Hall is approaching
completion, it occurred to us that it might be a use-
ful addition to the equipment of your new building
if we placed one of our best Concert Grands at your
disposal, and that we hereby beg to do that free
of charge."
It was a trade paper men's day at the Wellington
on Monday, when the local contingent was reinforced
by three of New York's shining lights. For the most
part there was friendliness and the boys fraternized
as though there had never been any hard feelings.
This was as it should be.
The statement that the amount paid by Lyon &
Healy for the cartage in their recent removal ap-
proximated $1,000 will not surprise many members
of the trade, but the moving of such an immense
stock without doing any damage, even to breaking
glass, is a matter for surprise. The moving was ac-
complished almost entirely outside of active business
hours, and although some sales were doubtless lost,
business was not interfered with. It is understood
that the total expense connected with the Lyon &
Healy removal foots up pretty closely to $25,000.
And now Mr. Healy can keep his notebook more
Heard Without a
Trace of Static
POLITEST MAN IS DISCOVERED
One day a few weeks ago Frank M. Hood, traveler
for the Schiller Piano Co., Oregon, 111., dropped into
the store of Lehman & Sons, St. Louis, to pass the
social greetings with Al Lehman and a group of
salesmen and the conversation took the inevitable
anecdotal turn.
The ability to tell a good story well seems to be
combined with the gift of salesmanship with the suc-
cessful piano traveler. A whole lot of people can file
good—even if old—stories in the yarn cells of the
brain and unloose them at the proper cue. A whole
lot of others can just as systematically file the gath-
ered yarns but, unfortunately, do not know the proper
gag sluice to open on occasions. That is why you
bear so many inappropriate stories; so many really
good ones that don't seem to fit in with the con-
versation.
It is the genius among raconteurs who can give
a new setting to an old story and do it in such a
way that it has the freshness of a new one. Frank
Hood is like that. He can take a medieval bromide
and give it a short-skirt up-to-dateness. The original
version may be pre-Victorian or even archaic, but
when it issues from his lips the narration has 1929
in evidence than ever before, and indulge his passion
for comparisons to his heart's content.
The new Jacob Doll Boudoir Grand has a number
of talking points that have attracted the attention
of all who have seen it. It has an excellent tone and
handsome appearance, and is built with the thorough-
ness that characterizes work coming from the Doll
factory.
At the annual meeting of the Briggs Piano Co.,
Boston, Mr. C. C. Briggs was elected president; Mr.
E. W. Furbush, vice-president; Mr. C. C. Briggs, Jr.,
secretary, and Mr. F. D. Irish, treasurer. The re-
ports presented were highly satisfactory.
On Tuesday morning of last week Mr. John C.
Freund, editor of the Music Trades, New York, was
arrested at the suit of the Sebastian Sommer Piano
Co. for criminal libel. Mr. Freund was within a short
time released on bail furnished by Mr. Hugo Sohmer,
and the examination was set for 2 p. m. Thursday last.
(From The Presto May 17, 1894.)
The Wonderful Weber.
The wonderful Weber tone, 'tis known
Is found in the Weber alone, all own,
And it ever appears
To most critical years,
No other can ever be shown, so prone,
To cure one of grief, or of groan, by tone,
The exquisite Weber,
The effluent Weber,
The mellow, mellifluent, musical tone.
C. C. DeZouche,
Waco, Texas.
Mr. J. D. Pease, of the Pease Piano, has been in
Chicago the past week. Mr. Pease is much gratified
at the success of the Chicago house which, under the
management of Vice-President Charles H. Mac-
Donald is making a record to be proud of.
A telegram received as we go to press informs us
that the report that S. Hamilton, of Pittsburgh, had
in contemplation the purchase of the Behr Bros'
plant, and that a number of 1 others were interested
in the scheme is altogether incorrect, and that such
a plan has not even been under consideration. This
denial may be accepted as entirely correct.
Mr. F. S. Cable, secretary of the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., has engaged accommodations on the
Steamer Etruria of the Cunard line, which sails
from New York for Liverpool, Saturday, June 23rd.
The new Boston warerooms of the Mason & Ham-
lin Co., at 146 and 148 Boylston St., will, when com-
pleted, be as handsome as the most fastidious could
wish. The decorations, in particular, are superb, and
the external appearance will be fully in keeping with
the internal. The work is rapidly nearing comple-
tion.
World's Fair stockholders who have been pa-
tiently waiting for the long promised dividends with
some little fear that the dividends would be eaten up
before they could be paid, will get checks on June
9th for the amounts, representing 10% on the stock.
Mr. E. H. Story, of the Story & Clark Organ Co.,
who was elected on the Board of Trustees of our
beautiful suburb, Riverside, at the last spring elec-
stamped all over it. But, of course, the rouge of wit
and powder of invention cannot completely conceal
the wrinkles of age.
Mr. Hood told a great one. It was one of the
artistic kind with a climax when the hearty laugh
follows as appropriately as the amen at the end of a
prayer. Everybody roared. That is everybody did
except one salesman, Tom Pringle. who just smiled.
"What's the matter, Tom?" asked Mr. Lehman in
an aside to the salesman. "Are you sick? That story
was a corker."
"He told it well, but I heard it fifteen years ago in
Schenectady." was the whispered reply of the sales-
man as he blushingly moved away.
Thinking that Mr. Hood might be sensitive about
Tom's failure to come on with the hearty ha, ha,
Mr. Lehman volunteered an explanation:
"Tom was tickled at the way you told that story,
Frank, but he says he heard it the year of the big
wind in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, or some place."
"What! Heard it before and refrained from blurt-
ing out the freezing fact! Didn't expose the marks
of the cannery! Pretty nice, I say. He even smiled."
"Yes, that's just like Tom," said Mr. Lehman.
"Tom is the politest fellow in the world."
tions, is serving with a fine lot of confreres. Of the
five other members of the board, one is a millionaire
two or three times over; another the most probable
candidate, today, for United States Senator from this
State, while a third is a prominent railroad man. Mr.
Story is the Chairman of the Finance Committee of
the Board and a member of the Committees on Ju-
diciary and on Roads and Parks.
Sohmer & Co. have taken steps toward an appeal
in their suit against the Sebastian Sommer Piano Co.
They announce their intention of carrying the case
to the Court of Appeals if necessary.
Nathan Ford of St. Paul came to the city yester-
day, and he came on a mission of "must." He says
he must have some Conover grands at once. His
customers are clamoring for instruments, and he
wants the goods to relieve them with.
The Blanchard-Fitzgerald Music Co., of Los An-
geles, Cal., has purchased the entire stock of the
Bishop-Boyd Piano Co., of the same city. The stock
foots up to over $20,000.
Messrs. Kops Bros., the well known dealers of
Grand Forks, Dakota, have taken a departure that
will be looked upon as a novelty. The business of
this house extends over a large portion of North
Dakota, and away out to Montana. This territory is
worked by traveling men and very few of the pianos
they sell are shipped from their store in Grand
Forks, but from Chicago. Mr. J. O. Kops, therefore,
will have an office in this city and remain here the
greater portion of the time.
Mr. E. A. Francis has a large number of beautiful
Steinway pianos on exhibition in his rooms in the
Iliad. He thinks nothing is too good for the people
of Des Moines, and therefore arranged to make -\
stay of three weeks in our city to give the people an
opportunity of seeing and hearing his splendid in-
struments. That all may have a good opportunity
of judging the quality of the instruments, Mr. Fran-
cis will give a chamber concert in the dining-room
of the Iliad next week, at which the following artists
will appear: Mrs. Nelson, graduate of the Musical
College, Leipzig; Mrs. Genery Westerman and Miss
Marie Chambers of the Ames-Des Moines "Saturday
Review."
Another honor for Mr. William Steinway. They
come so frequently that he will soon have to engage
a private secretary solely for the purpose of express-
ing his thanks.
Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co., of New York, have
issued their 1894 catalogue of piano and organ ma-
terials, hardware, tools, etc.
The "Indicator" is to be congratulated on its spe-
cial issue of last week. It is in every way a very
handsome and well gotten up paper, and the adver-
tisements show that it is a pretty lively corpse.
BACK FROM THE WEST INDIES.
R. A. Burke of Story & Clark Piano Company, 173'
North Michigan avenue, who recently returned from
a trip to the West Indies, is as optimistic as ever
about the piano business. Mr. Burke will be found
wherever there is an order in prospect, and after
booking one he takes the trail just as eager for
another and another.
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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