Presto

November 15, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
YEARS AGO IN THE PRESTO
PIANO CLUB EATS HAM,
ALSO HONORS HARRY BIBB
having marked success for the Winter & Co. inter-
est s.
Sherman, Clay & Co., of San Francisco, Cal., have
(From The Presto Nov. 22, 1894.)
been making good sales of Steinway pianos and very
We understand that F. A. North & Co., of Phila- recently sold a Steinway grand to the State of Cali-
delphia, Pa., have resolved to push forward the fornia for the use of the family ot" Governor Pardee.
enlarging of their piano works at Essington.
Leonard Georges, manager of the piano department,
It is a question just how far the "special edition" reports that business continues to be of the very best.
business can fairly go with the trade papers. One Sherman, Clay & Co. are making special efforts to
can readily see the fitness of a special "Holiday dispose of all their square pianos.
Number" and admit the reasonableness of a special
Employees of the George P. Bent Co.'s downtown
"Anniversary Number," provided the paper has at-
tained to the age of usefulness and discretion. But headquarters in Chicago were put on the qui vive
the rpecial Eastern ed.'tion, the special Southern, at noon last Saturday over a fire which turned out
Western and Northern editions seem to be carrying to be noth'ng more serious than the burning of some
rubbifh in the alley back of 213 Wabash avenue. An
the matter too far.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co., are having a real, alarm was turned in from the Illinois Theater box
veritable boom in business now-a-days. They have cffice.
a contract with the New England Piano Co. for A fire which originated in the packing room of the
2,000 pianos this year, which come on at the rate Adler Organ Co. at Twenty-ninth and Chestnut
streets Louisville, Ky., last Thursday morning, caused
of 160 to 170 per month.
At the annual meeting of the Chicago Piano & damage which will probably amount to $15,000.
S. A. Legg, recently in business in Kansas City,
Organ Association last week Messrs. W. S. B.
Matthews and F. Wight Neumann made felicitous is now on the road for the Haddorff Piano Co., of
remarks, and Mr. A. H. Reed deprecated any feeling Rockford, 111. Mr. Legg is an active salesman of
of sectionalism as to the East against the West and wide experience and he is already doing good work
vice versa. He acknowledged the efforts of the East for the Haddorff piano.
Genial George M. Slawson, road man with The
to build up the West and said that our development
was due in a great part to Eastern capital and energy. Cable Company, was met hobbling along Wabash
There should be no East, no West, but all for avenue. "What's the matter, George?" asked The
America. Ex-Governor Fuller of Massachusetts re- Presto man, "paying an election bet?" "No, siree!"
turned his thanks for the kind reception that had been was the reply, "In hurrying to make a train, my foot
given him and promised to convey to his friends in slipped, turned on a loose cobblestone, and the result
the East the assurances of regard of the Chicago as- was, I badly sprained my ankle." Moral: Don't
sociation. Mr. W. H. Sherwood in his usual happy hurry.
vein asked the members of the trade not to forget
President Van Matre of the Schumann Piano Co.,
the American musician, and Platt P. Gibbs was as mourns the loss of his favorite hunting companion, his
funny as he knows how to be. Mr. Conway said that rabbit dog, "Bob," said to have been unquestionably
the time had come when they would have to look the greatest rabbit dog in this country. Poor "Bob"
after the finances of the association in a little differ- got so busy on the trail of a rabbit one day at
ent way and he proposed that two banquets a year Orangeville, 111., that he forgot to take care of himself
be given instead of four. This proposition will be and a railway train ran over and killed him.
voted upon at the next meeting.
Last Saturday night at an enthusiastic conclave of
It has been a very long time since the piano trade M : ssourians at the Casino in the World's Fair, St.
has known of an innovation so startling in many re- Louis, where several renowned pianists, actors, and
spects as finds illustration in the now famous "Plec- other artists took part and a spirit of fun prevailed,
traphone" of the Everett piano.
some one in authority happened to hear that William
L. Bush of Chicago, was in the building. After the
regular program Mr. Bush was dragged upon the
stage. He warmed up to the task and gave the audi-
ence all that was coming to them in the way of fun.
(From The Presto, Nov. 17, 1904.)
His amus'ng monologue of "Professor Katzenjam-
The New System Conover pianos are winning a mer" was received with enthusiasm, and the audience
place among the artistic class of modern instruments. would not let the gentleman depart, but, Oliver
Conover has long been a name in which there is Twkt-like, insisted upon "more." Thereupon he gave
magic; the New System Conover piano presents the them "Maggie at the Fair," his latest original mono-
ripest and best results of Mr. Conover's skill and logue.
experience.
"Everything is in fine shape at our Rockford fac-
Artist O'Ryan has taken Mr. Eilers at his word tory," sa'd W. N. Van Matre, president of the Schu-
and in this issue of The Presto presents a snapshot mann Piano Co., at his Chicago office Tuesday after-
of the enterprising western dealer's plan for selling noon. "In one day—week before last—we had orders
pianos by automobile.
for ten carloads of pianos; all had to be gotten out
The remarkable record of the Hobart M. Cable as fast as consistent with first-class work—all for
:
p ano is constantly emphasized by the equally re- immediate shipment when finished."
markable advertising of the dealers that handle the
piano. In Hartford, Conn., Ludlow, Barker & Co.
present a fine example of enthusiasm, staking their
reputation by which "the public trust us" upon the
Hobart M. Cable piano.
The W. W. Kimball Co. use the daily papers with
constant care. Their display advertisements gener-
ally call attention to some special clearance sale; The Smallest cf All Grand Pianos Continues
they have, however, a permanent small display ad,
to Meet with Increasing Favor from
and ignore the classified advertisement entirely.
the Buying Public.
William Plaisted, representing the B. Shoninger
Co., New York and New Haven, was in Chicago
Again this issue of Presto-Times lias the honor
Saturday on his return from a trip through the Pacific
of presenting on its title page an illustration of the
Coast states.
Mr. Sherman, of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Fran- Schulz Marionette, the smallest of all grand pianos.
cisco, Calif., was in Chicago Saturday on his way A month ago a full-page reproduction of that instru-
was presented on the back outside cover of
west from New York City.
Mr. Sherman had not ment
Presto-Times.
been home for over a month and said he was unpre-
The vision that prompted the M. Schulz Company
pared to speak of business conditions on the coast
at present. He had a good rest in the East and to develop an instrument meeting so closely the re-
quirements of the American piano-buying public, is
enjoyed it greatly.
Fred J. Lowell, of Benjamin's Temple of Music, being rewarded with exceptional sales results.
Danville, 111., was in Chicago this week attending the
This evidence of popular approval of a piano style
Masonic conclave.
should appeal to many dealers whether or not they
Frank Sohmer returned to New York this week are now representing the Schulz line, as a very im-
after a short western trip. Mr. Sohmer reports greatly pelling reason for looking further into this unusual
renewed activity since the election. He says it looks opportunity to satisfy the modern taste in piano sizes.
as though the feeling of confidence with which dealers
If diminutive size alone were the only strong point
are entering into the pre-holiday trade is bound to of this instrument, it could never have attained its
maintain a lively piano demand for an indefinite present popularity; but this smallest grand offers
period.
more—a 73-note scale, amazing depth of tonal power
H. J. Raymore has engaged for road work for and a skillfully proportioned case. Considering all
Winter & Co. He entered upon his duties on Mon- these features, it is not surprising that the popular
day of this week. Mr. Raymore will divide terri- acceptance of the instrument should have been so
tory with R. C. Rogers, who is now on the road widespread.
Mr. Bibb Is Leaving Chicago—Geo. P. Bent Reports
Serious Illness of I. N. Rice.
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
TWENTY=F1VE YEARS AGO
POPULARITY OF
M. SCHULZ MARIONETTE
G. S. McLaughlin, secretary of the Piano Club of
Chicago, spices his invitations to attend the weekly
meetings of the club with wit. In the invitation for
last week's luncheon he wrote: "The new adminis-
tration stands for more and better ham and spinach,
also for a greater variety in entertainment." This by
way of introduction of Axel Christensen as the enter-
tainer, Mr. McLaughlin adding: "We are indeed
fortunate in having this hcadliner as our guest of
honor."
At the club this week the program was given over
largely to farewell honors to Harry Bibb. G. R.
Rrownell told of Harry Bibb's arrival in Chicago in
1905, and said that he early affiliated himself with the
Piano Club, and had served it as secretary, treasurer,
vice-president and finally as president.
The many friends of Harry Bibb will be pleased to
learn of his appointment as general manager of the
Koerber Brenner Company, Victor distributor located
at St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Bibb begins his duties on No-
vember 15.
In this central western territory there is no one in
the industry better known or with more real friends.
For some eleven years he was with the Brunswick-
Balke-Collender Company, and was responsible for
much of the growth of their talking machine business
in this territory. He left that organization to become
mid-western manager of the Sonora Phonograph
Company, making his headquarters in Chicago. He
is an ex-president of The Piano Club of Chicago and
the esteem in which he is held by his fellow mem-
bers is best demonstrated in the fact that on almost
no advance notice he was presented with a beautiful
g-'ft from The Piano Club of Chicago a few days
before his leaving for St. Louis. This was a pig-skin
traveling bag.
The entire Chicago trade feels a great loss in his
departure, but he leaves with the well wishes for his
future success.
At Monday's meeting, Adam Schneider read a letter
from George P. Bent telling of the very serious illness
of I. N. Rice at his home in Los Angeles. The
speaker of the day, Dr. William Clyde Howard,
pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, was intro-
duced by E. F. Lapham.
The Piano Club has announced a stag party at the
Illinois Athletic Club for the night of November 20.
I. N. Rice had a second stroke about November 1,
and his daughter, Mrs. Lena M. Fahrney, has been
doing all in her power for him. Two nurses and
medical men have been in attendance. At last report
IT'S condition was critical.
Among those at the club meeting on Monday of
this week were President Mennie of the Auto Pneu-
matic Action Company, New York, and Dewey M.
Dixon, general manager of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
BY THOMAS A. EDISON, INC.
Reasons Why Company Has Discontinued Commer-
cial Record Manufacture.
Because of the many rumors and certain incorrect
quotations which have been given publicity as a re-
sult of the decision of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., to
discontinue commercial record manufacture, the fol-
lowing statement from Arthur L Walsh, vice-presi-
dent of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Orange, N. J., is of
particular interest:
"Thomas A. Edison, Inc., has discontinued the
manufacture of commercial phonograph records (in-
cluding both diamond disc and needle types) in order
to make available additional factories for the manu-
facture of radio and radio-phonograph combinations
on a greatly augmented scale.
"This decision is the outgrowth of the unprece-
dented volume of orders for Edison Light-O-Matic
radios, which is more than three times our present
radio manufacturing facilities.
"Mechanical phonographs, of the portable type, will
continue to be manufactured and sold as heretofore.
"Naturally our withdrawal from t'.ie commercial
record field is due in a large measure to the definite
trend toward radio as the home entertainer. In de-
voting our energies to augmented radio manufacture
we call attention to the fact that the record buyer will
be well served by other competent manufacturers."
Miss Margaret Shotwell, of New York, concert
pianist, had her $900,000 inheritance wiped out by the
stock market crash. She is the famous "Cigarette
Heiress."
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