Presto

Issue: 1931 2257

April, 1931
13
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
TRADE_P1CKUPS
New Firms, Changes, Incorporations, Personal News, Removals,
Piano Sales, Excerpts from Dealers' Advertisements,
and Other Bits of News
Oliver Ditson, Inc., Boston, music store, has been
incorporated. Capital, 5,000 shares no par stock. In-
corporators, Grace L. Phillips, Boston; Ralph G.
Boyd, Cambridge, and Charles B. Newhall, Lynn,
Mass.
Bronwin Karraker, manager of the Evanston, 111.,
store of Lyon & Healy, says the stock of sheet music
titles listed at the store totals 250,000. The depart-
ment "was opened by Elmer Blennerhasset, from the,
main store, Chicago.
Lucien Wulsin, president of the Baldwin Piano Co.,
Cincinnati, was one of the honorary pallbearers at the
funeral of Speaker Nicholas Longworth on Saturday,
April 11.
The W. L. Pace Piano Co., Houston, Tex., is mov-
ing its store No. 2 from its old location, 4719 Wash-
ington avenue, to 1707 Main street and is holding a
sale of Sohmer, Schiller, Story & Clark, Ivers & Pond,
Haddorff, Brinkerhoff, Starr, Kohler & Campbell,
Cable, Richmond and other makes of good pianos.
Edgar Reynolds of the Chillicothe Music Co., Chil-
licothe, Mo., has leased a building at 512 Washington
street, that city, and will move his stock soon from
his present location, 620 Washington street, into the
new place.
The Wright Transfer & Storage Co., which has
just been incorporated at Marion, Ohio, maintains a
complete piano display room in that city, where the
latest models in grand, upright and player-pianos are
on sale.
The Apollo Reproducing Grand Demonstrator is
being sold as a leader in an annual sale by the Wur-
litzer house at 658 South Fourth avenue, Louisville,
Ky., and the store is kept open evenings during the
sale.
O. M. Combest is opening a new music store in the
Metz brick block on West Virginia street, McKin-
ney, Tex. J. B. Stevenson, of Dallas, will be asso-
ciated with Mr. Combest in the business.
The Weidelman Music Co. of Houghton, Mich., an-
nounces the addition of Arthur Koljonen to its sales
force as another step in the addition of a line of Kel-
vinator electric refrigerators.
The Wurlitzer Co. announces the purchase of the
entire $5,000 violin collection of John Hornsteiner,
and a sale of these instruments began on the
sixth floor of 207 South Wabash avenue, Chicago, on
April 13.
The Peterson Piano & Floral Co., formerly the
Peterson Piano Co., has opened for business in its
newly remodeled headquarters at 8 North Third
street. Grand Forks, N. D., G. J. Peterson, manager.
Flowers and plants will be displayed in one-half of
the building and the musical instruments in the other
half.
Ed. G. Vogel and Walter J. Mueller, of the Vogel-
Mueller Co., Springfield, Minn., have taken the agency
for Brown county, Minnesota, for a well-known make
of concertina.
The Thomas Music Stores, Inc., says: "Baldwin
is the choice of Jose Iturbe, Josef Lhevinne, Harold
Bauer and Walter Gieseking. Choose your piano with
the same discrimination these and other world famous
artists chose the incomparable Baldwin."
Carl Oldberg, son of Arne Oldberg, head of piano
department of Northwestern University, has joined
the sales forces of the North Shore Talking Machine
Co. at Winnetka, 111.
The Meils Piano Co., Streator, 111., has taken the
agency for Copeland refrigerators in addition to its
regular piano trade.
E. G. Zivick of Cincinnati succeeds Chas. Argus as
manager of the Ashland, Ky., Wurlitzer Music House.
Mr. Zivick has been identified with the Wurlitzer
concern for several years.
The Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co., of Omaha,,
has established a branch store at Fremont, Neb. Mr.
and Mrs. Victor Schneider are managers of the store
which is located at 239 East Fifth street.
McClure & Dorwaldt, 64 North Pearl srteet, Al-
bany, N. Y., are using the "7" puzzle as a means of
attracting piano customers, the first prize to the
champion guesser to be an upright, grand or player-
piano.
The Mayfield Music Co., 10 North Main street,
Hutchinson, Kan., publishes a picture of a hand with
a pointer in it giving a magic touch. The wording
is: "Presto! A house becomes a home. You have
always wanted a baby grand for your home," and so
the house suggests an Ivers & Pond, an A. B. Chase,
a Schiller, a Cable or a Gulbransen.
J. BRECKWOLDT, President
The Otto Grau Piano Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, says:
"In the Otto Grau salons are shown Steinway pianos
of the latest conventional type as well as period
models of the strictest authenticity."
An announcement by Thos. Goggan & Bros., of
San Antonio, Texas, and their other various stores,
is that of a quick sale of 34 pianos, the explanation
being that "as a result of bankruptcy proceedings, a
large financial institution was forced to foreclose on
a number of pianos" and had placed them with Gog-
gan's "with instructions to convert the entire stock
into cash."
The Stranburg Music Co., 6 West Third street.
Jamestown, N. Y., which is conducting a piano sale,
declares itself to be the "largest and oldest music
store in Jamestown."
Removal of the Mesaba Music Shop from 105
Second avenue. South, to 230 Chestnut street, Vir-
ginia, Minn., and change of name to the Berent
Music Shop has been announced by Carl Berent,
proprietor and veteran musician of Virginia. As a
member of the Imperial Guard Military Band of
Berlin, Germany, Mr. Berent came to America with
the band and played for six months in 1893 at the
Columbia Exposition at Chicago.
Percy H. Congdon, manager of Lyon & Healy's
music store at River Forest, 111., furnished an excel-
lent musical program before the Borrowed Time Club
in that Chicago suburb last month.
The J. S. Reed Piano Co., 29 West North avenue,
Baltimore, Md., is featuring the Haines Bros, baby
grand pianos.
Galperin's, 17 Capitol street, Charleston, W. Va., is
featuring Haines Bros, baby grands in all the ad-
vertising done by the house.
' .
The Knight-Campbell Piano Co., 1625 California
street, Denver, Colo., is offering awards for slogans
that will help the company sell player-pianos. A
player-piano is the first prize.
The C. A. House Co., 1141 Market street, Wheeling,
W. Va., has been conducting a puzzle-guessing con-
etst as a means of interesting new customers. It is
the nine square puzzle, with a figure 5 in the center.
In co-operation with the Boy Scout division of
the Catholic Youth organization, Lyon & Healy, Chi-
cago, has arranged a special series of classes for
drummers, buglers and drum majors.
The C. A. House Co., 1141 Market street, Wheel-
ing, W. Va., is holding a "manufacturers' co-opera-
tive sale" in which they list Mason & Hamlin,
Fischer, Chickering, Knabe, Apollo, Brambach, Am-
pico reproducing pianos, Stultz & Bauer and other
famous makes.
The Schmidt Music Co., 113 West Third street,
Davenport, Iowa, announces the "arrival of the new
1931 Everett grand pianos—dainty and massive period
models and smaller styles."
,*! In a fire at High Point, N. C, last month the R. R.
Bland Piano Co., 215 North Main street, suffered a
..loss of $5,000.
W. A. BRECKWOLDT, Sec'y and Treas.
JULIUS BRECKWOLDT & SON, Inc.
DOLGEVILLE, N. Y.
Make a Specialty of Manufacturing
PIANO BACKS,
SOUNDING BOARDS,
BARS, BRIDGES,
TRAP LEVERS AND
HAMMER MOULDINGS
Main Factory and Office
DOLGEVILLE,
NEW YORK
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/
14
PRESTO-TIMES
participate in the programs and meetings of "radio
week."
Radio legislation was reported at the Buffalo meet-
ing of the RMA directors last month to be increasing,
but no unfavorable legislation, either federal or state,
has been enacted to date.
Increased service for RMA members in developing
Every prominent radio manufacturer has reserved
their export trade through the foreign trade commit-
exhibit space for the Fifth Annual Trade Show of the
tee, headed by Arthur Moss of New York, chairman,
Radio Manufacturers Association at Chicago next
also was approved by the board of directors.
June. Several new companies also will make their
A further reduction of freight rates on loud speak-
debut with exhibits, according to an announcement by
Major H. H. Frost of New York, chairman of the ers has been secured by the RMA, according to a
report from Clarke Coit of Chicago, chairman of the
RMA Show Committee.
association's traffic committee, and W. J. M. Lahl,
There will be more new circuits, new tubes, new
speakers, new cabinet designs, and new radio products, traffic director. The new loud speaker rates are re-
including home talkies, television, and other radio duced from one and one-half times first-class rate, to
first-class rate.
devices than were ever before presented in one year
Another meeting of the RMA board of directors to
at the big annual industry gathering of the RMA.
complete arrangements for the annual convention and
There will be other exhibits in the trade show and
manufacturers' demonstration rooms in the Stevens trade show at Chicago, June 8-12, will be held early
Hotel of non-radio products which are made by the in May.
Special Convention Railroad Rates
manufacturers and distributed to the tradesmen who
will attend the Chicago events in June. Exhibit space
Reduced railroad fares on basis of one and one-half
for the trade show in the Stevens Hotel for the week fares for the round trip upon the "certificate plan,"
ot June 8 will be assigned soon, and invitations, with will apply for all members attending the Radio Manu-
credentials, will be sent to radio dealers, jobbers and facturers Association, Inc., National Federation of
others about May 1.
Radio Associations, and Radio Wholesalers Associa-
The trade show space of 30,000 square feet in the tion meetings to be held at the Stevens Hotel, Chi-
cago, June 8 to 12, 1931, and also meeting of the
Stevens Hotel is already largely sold out.
Plans of the convention and entertainment commit- Institute of Radio Engineers at the Hotel Sherman,
tee, headed by Leslie F. Muter of Chicago, chairman, Chicago, June 4 to 6, 1931, provided 150 certificates
for the thousands of radio tradesmen expected at are presented showing the purchase of one-way
Chicago, were approved by the RMA board. Instead tickets from points from which the one-way fare is
of the annual banquet there will be a "stag party" 67 cents or more.
Wednesday evening, June 10, in the Eighth Street
Theater, immediately adjoming the Stevens Hotel. TO RESTORE BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
Business confidence might be re-established by a
An entertainment program of high-class vaudeville
and other amusement for the "stag party" is being frank declaration of intention on the part of central
banking authorities to use the monetary factor as a
arranged.
Resolutions have been adopted by the RMA board means of stabilizing the commodity price level, was
inviting the National Federation of Radio Associa- the opinion of Dr. Lionel D. Edie, economist of the
tions, the Radio Wholesalers Association, the Institute American Capital Corporation, voiced at the meeting
of the Institute of Finance of Occidental College in
of Radio Engineers and the National Association of
Broadcasters to join with the RMA' at Chicago and Los Angeles last month.
MANY NEW RADIO PRODUCTS
AND EXHIBITORS IN THE
JUNE RMA TRADE SHOW
April, 1931
CHARLES FREDERICK STEIN
CREATES A CLASSY NEW
SMALL UPRIGHT PIANO
A representative of Presto-Times visited a piano
factory this month where he found a condition of
unusual activity. This visit was to the factory of
Charles Frederick Stein, 3047 Carroll avenue, Chi-
cago, a plant noted for turning out a decidedly su-
perior grade of grand pianos ever since the organi-
zation of the company. But today (almost literally
speaking) a new piano, a wonderful little upright to
be known as Style I, is just going on the market from
this factory. The new piano is away past the devel-
oping stage and is being made as rapidly as the pol-
icy of Mr. Stein—a deliberate, careful and sure policy
—will permit.
It is being produced at a rate that will almost guar-
antee a sufficient quantity of the new instruments to
fill orders at convention time in June.
The new piano is impressive in appearance and
tone, but it is the quality musically and materially
it possesses, due to care and skill exercised in its
construction, that impresses the visitor at the factory
who has called to inspect it and hear about it. To
quote the words of Mr. Stein "It's the only upright
I've ever dared to make, and there is nothing cheap
about it."
The height of this beautiful little upright is 3 feet
9 l / 2 inches.
IN THE SHAKE-UP AT MANAGUA
In the zone affected by the death-dealing and
property-destroying earthquake of the last week of
March there is at Managua one quite noted music
house which imports pianos, namely, Isidro de J.
Olivares, and two other book and music stores, J.
Andres Garcia and Carlos Heuberger, both of whom
sell music and occasionally some pianos. Mr. Heu-
berger conducts a German music store. At Rivas,
Nicaragua, there is one music dealer, F. Pasos.
OBITUARY
CRAWFORD G. CHENEY'S DEATH
MOURNED BY ENTIRE TRADE
Upon receipt of the news of his father's serious ill-
ness, W. S. Cheney, president of the Cheney Radio
Co., 23 East Jackson boulevard, Chicago, left Chicago
on Saturday, April 4, for Ivoryton and was present
when the elder gentleman passed away. Mr. Cheney
will remain in the East until about the first of May.
<4
GENE" RADLE KILLED BY TRAIN
Many will regret the sudden deah of Eugene J.
Radle, proprietor of F. Radle, Inc., whose factory at
Crawford G. Cheney, vice-president of Comstock,
609-611 West 36th street, New York, was one of the
Cheney & Co., Ivoryton, Conn., died this month of
landmarks of that section. Mr. Radle was killed
heart disease at his home in Essex, Conn., after an
when his automobile was struck by a train at a grade
illness of more than a year. "Crawf" Cheney, as his
crossing of the Long Island Railroad between Central
friends liked to call him, was practically all his life
EDWIN EARLE CONWAY
Park and Hicksville, Saturday night, March 28. In
identified with Comstock, Cheney & Co. He was an
officer of the company for half a century, besides being
Edwin Earle Conway, who for several years was addition to his factory and headquarters in New York
Mr. Radle also maintained retail establishments in
associated with several local enterprises. Mr. Cheney president of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co., died at
Huntington and Hicksville, Long Island, near his
was president and a director of the Essex National Boston, Mass., on March 31. Mr. Conway was a son
Bank, and was formerly president of the Essex Board of the late Col. E. S. Conway of the W. W. Kimball home. Surviving Mr. Radle are his widow, Mrs. Ger-
r
trude M. Foss Radle; two children and three sisters.
of Trade and of the Essex Light & Pow er Co. For Co. and a brother of Carl C. Conway, president of
Funeral services at the home on March 31 were fol-
years he was treasurer of the Essex Congregational the Continental Can Co. of New York. Surviving him
Church and was formerly chief of the local fire de- are his wife, Isabel, nee Salsich, and his daughters, Vir- lowed by Masonic services at a New York funeral
partment.
ginia and Janet, and his mother, Mrs. Sarah J. Con- parlor and interment was made at Woodlawu cem-
Comstock, Cheney & Co. was established by Mr. way. Funeral services were held on April 11 at Oak etery on April 2, after an inquest had been held by
Cheney's forebears—both paternal and maternal. In Park and at the family lot in Forest Home cemetery, Coroner Andrew Heberer at Hicksville, L. I. Mr.
Radle was the son of F. Radle, founder of the busi-
fact, Comstock, Cheney & Co. was long known for its Chicago, where the interment was made.
ness, and he had scores of friends in the music trade
ivory imports and as ivory cutters. They sent repre-
to whom his passing will be felt as a distinct loss.
sentatives to Africa and Madagascar and it was on
DEATH OF WILLIAM E. BROWN
His specialty in sports was boating, and he always
one of these stays by his parents in Zanzibar, East
Will Brown, dean of the traveling staff of the Bald- maintained an outfit for use along the Sound. He
Africa, that Mr. Cheney was born 76 years ago, who,
by the way, was the second white child born in that win Piano Co., died at- his home in Delaware, Ohio, was also one of the first in the New York music trade
during the night of Wednesday, April 2, of complica- to drive his own automobile, figuring along with John
country.
His friends knew the charming character of the man— tions following an attack of malignant influenza. He Weser, of Weser Bros., as one of the original motor-
was in his 59th year. Mr. Brown, and his father ists in Manhattan pianodom.
somewhat slow to make warm friends of men he knew
before
him, were salesmen for Baldwin, the elder man
It was an unprotected crossing at which Mr. Radle
but slightly, but when he did become a friend he was
a true one and he never lost the friendship of those being a nephew of Dwight H. Baldwin, founder of the was killed. At that time, lie was driving a Nash
firm. Will Brown was first employed in 1891 in the coupe. The time was about 7 o'clock, and on that
who knew him well.
offices at Cincinnati, and in 1906 was sent to California evening, there was a terrific rainstorm raging. It is
Visitors years ago at the Ivoryton plant of Com- to organize a selling division for Baldwin to serve the
believed that because of the elements, Mr. Radle got
stock, Cheney & Co. can recall how, in the early days
Pacific Coast. This he accomplished with marked on the tracks without knowing a train was coming.
of the auto, Mr. Cheney, who was one of the first
success only to have his headquarters, his stock and
The Manufacturers' Trust Co., who were appointed
motorists in that locality, would meet them as they his books completely destroyed by the San Francisco
detrained at Essex, his home town, with his two- fire, a catastrophe which so affected his health that executors under Mr. Radle's will, not having qualified,
B. J. Foss, of 509 Ninth avenue. New York, is acting
cylinder Oldsmobile and drive them over to the fac- he was obliged to apply for an extended leave of
tory at Iyoryton, two miles away from the railroad. absence. Later, returning to Baldwin as their travel- unofficially in this matter until an administrator is
appointed.
After the visit to the factory he would frequently ing representative for northern Ohio, he was one of
drive the visitor over to New Haven or some nearer the best known and most effective salesmen in the
point in order to catch a train on the main line for trade.
ISAAC GIMBEL
New York or Boston. If it happened to be Saturday
Isaac Gimbel, aged 74 years, chairman of the board
and the trunk-line train was missed, the visitor then
of Gimbel Bros., Inc., with great department stores
David A. MacDonald, aged 73 years, veteran mu- in New York, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, died at
had the pleasure of being driven over to Mr. Cheney's
sician and organizer of bands and orchestras, who for his home in Greenwich, Conn., on April 11. Gimbel
summer home at New London on the Sound.
Interment services, private, were held at Woodlawn the last 25 years was with Lyon & Healy, d'ed on Bros, for many years have handled pianos as part of
April 6 at his home, 4076 Lake Park avenue, Chicago. their merchandising.
Cemetery, New York.
Mr. Cheney is survived by a wife, Harriet Stephen- The funeral was held at Columbus, Ohio.
son Cheney; a son, Wallace S. Cheney of Chicago; a
W. S. Moody, late head of the Chase & Moody
brother, George L. Cheney, president of Pratt Read
Maurice Abrahams, composer and music publisher, Piano House, Syracuse, N. Y., is dead at the age of
& Co. of Deep River, Conn., and several nieces and died suddenly at his home, 585 West End avenue, 74. Mr. Moody in his earlier days was a newspaper
nephews.
New York, on April 13.
man.
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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