September, 1931
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
MUSIC MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION CAMPAIGN
FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING
Circular Letter On Plans Proposed
Carrying out one of the important items listed in
the work plan for the present fiscal year by the
Executive Secretary of the National Association of
Music Merchants at the last convention in Chicago,
in June, the Executive Office has prepared the first
in a series of daily paper advertisements and this is
to be mailed in mat form to members of the associa-
tion with the September bulletin.
The advertisement is institutional in character, at-
tractively illustrated with a cut of a child seated
before a piano keyboard and bearing the heading,
"Your Little Daughter—Now Is the Time to Start
Her Musical Education, Too!" This first advertise-
ment is devoted entirely to a presentation in the text
of the value of a musical education for the child and
draws special attention to the fact that never before
was there a time when it was possible for the public
to buy so much in piano value. The mat carries the
usual space for the dealer's name and the proof sug-
gests a line which can be added, calling attention to
a completely stocked sheet music department of par-
ticular interest to music teachers and pupils, to be
added to the advertisement by those dealers who
carry sheet music departments.
In the bulletin which accompanies the advertise-
ment, members are requested to indicate their reac-
tion to the size and general design of the advertise-
ment. Future advertisements will be based upon the
replies received. It is possible that some of the
series of advertisements will be sent in proof form
without mats, making it possible for the dealer to
vary the size of the space to be used for the adver-
tisements as his requirements may indicate.
The plan for giving this special dealer service was
heartily approved by the Executive Committee of
the Association at its closing meeting during conven-
tion week when President Weeks brought the sub-
ject before the committee, following the presentation
of the plan at one of the open convention sessions.
The carrying on of this department will depend
entirely upon the wishes of the membership as ex-
pressed by them in answer to the inquiries made in
the September bulletin.
While the preparation of this advertising material
will be fairly expensive, the cost will be covered by
funds derived from the sale of the Merchants Pro-
motion Piano Stamps and will in turn depend upon
the extent of cooperation of the dealers in this con-
nection.
USED PIANO ADVERTISING
Strenuous advertising of used pianos prevails all
through the music trade, by piano dealers everywhere,
and many of these advertisements are devoted solely
to the sale of used, so-called second-hand pianos.
Many of the announcements do not give a line or a
word to the new pianos which the advertisers carry.
This shows a tremendous effort being put forward
for the disposal of used stock, even to the neglect
and, perhaps, detriment of the new piano business.
If ever second-hand piano stock is disposed of the
piano business—the sale and purchase of new pianos—
ought to improve very materially.
Among some of this second-hand piano advertising
newspaper displays, copies of which have been sent
to Presto-Times, are noticed several announcements
such as—
The May Company, of Los Angeles, which gives a
two-column by 12-inch announcement to a list of
second-hand pianos and no mention of their new in-
struments and stock.
Another, from J. S. Reed Piano Co., 29 West North
avenue, Baltimore, announcing a clearance sale of
pianos placed in three groups comprising grand, up-
right and second-hand pianos.
Wanamaker's, at Ninth street and Broadway, New
York, announce a "clearaway" sale of upright used
pianos.
The W. W. Kimball Co. branch store at 20 South
Eighth street, Minneapolis, has a special announce-
ment of used uprights, players and grands, but they
do add to the second-hand announcement a new
paragraph calling attention to the "new" Kimball
baby grand at $320. "Easy terms—free lessons."
Wissner's, at 27 West 50th street, New York, ad-
vertise second-hand pianos under an arrangement to
"loan" to reliable families.
Any method or any decent way of disposing of
second-hand pianos will be gratefully accepted by
piano dealers.
Along this line of piano sales a letter from a promi-
nent music dealer in the Middle West says: "We are
selling, we are pleased to say, some new pianos and
a fair number altogether of new and second-hand, but
about three used to one new, and often when a new
piano is sold the price is cut to about what a good
used piano will bring."
The carrying in stock of fresh new models and
designs and clean, up-to-date instruments will over-
come much of this forced second-hand business.
AUTHORITY
and general manager.
to review the newly
pany and to give out
ing of Sherman Clay
excess of liabilities.
COMPLICATIONS IN BANKRUPTCY
The assignment in bankruptcy proceedings of the
Bensberg Music Co., of Little Rock, Ark., has
brought about more or less litigation concerning the
ownership and distribution of piano sales contracts
put in as assets of the bankrupt firm. The ruling of
the referee in this case was in line with previous
denials of similar petitions made by the Dealers
Finance Co., of Kansas City, Houck Piano Co., of
Little Rock, and S. W. Victor Distributing Co., of
Dallas. A continuance was taken in the case of the
Gunn Distributing Co., of Little Rock, on a similar
petition.
R. S. Gibson of Little Rock, attorney for the peti-
tioners, announced that he would appeal the decisions
of Referee Cox to Judge F. A. Youmans of the United
States District court.
It developed from the evidence that the bankrupt
company had hypothecated the contracts, given with
retention titles on radios, pianos and other musical
instruments, as fast as the merchandise was sold.
The finance companies purchasing the contracts
have in turn put them up for collateral for loans at
banks in many cases. It developed that a number of
the original contracts were not accepted for either
sale or discount on the original form. According to
the arguments of attorneys in the case made in court,
no payment on a contract should be made unless the
original contract is produced for the identification of
his signature by the customer.
CAPEHART
EXECUTIVE MAKES
SIVE TRADE TOUR
EXTEN-
W. H. Hutter, chief electrical engineer for the
Capehart Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., has within
the past few weeks made extensive tours among
mu'sic dealers and other concerns handling auto-
matic musical instruments, calling upon a large per-
centage of representatives and distributors for the
Capehart line of automatic phono-radio instruments.
Mr. Hutter gives interesting accounts of his visits
to dealers in different parts of the country and speaks
particularly of the ready response of dealers to the
profitable merchandising opportunities presented by
the automatic phonograph-radio combination.
Quoting Mr. Hutter, he says:
"Dealers are most receptive to the idea that they
must sell something else besides $39 midgets if they
are to continue the businesses they have built up.
The far-sighted dealers are those who sell midgets
only where absolutely necessary. They are contin-
ually educating their sales organizations to "trade-
up" to the higher priced units. They likewise realize
the place the automatic phonograph-radio combina-
tion holds in this merchandising program and report
greatly increased public interest in automatic com-
binations in general."
It is in the interest of acquainting dealers w T ith the
unusual features of the new Capehart "400 Series"
that Mr. Hutter is spending a great amount of time
in the field.
Those dealers who have seen and heard the dem-
onstrations of the "400 Series" pronounce the instru-
ment the most advanced and outstanding musical
instrument ever presented to the merchandisers of
"quality" products.
USE FOR FACTORY SPACE
ENDORSES SCHOOL PIANO
INSTRUCTION
The following clipping is an extract from a com-
munication appearing in the Daily Register, Gales-
burg, 111., written by William A. Bentley, director
of the Knox Conservatory of Music, a position that
he has held for over forty years. Professor Bentley
is an authority in things musical and educational.
He has been slow to endorse class piano instruction.
Concerning the piano, Mr. Bentley says:
"The piano is one instrument which everybody
should learn for through its study a clearer and bet-
ter understanding of music is conceived, and a really
better foundation is obtained. If a young person
arriving at the age of maturity finds that he possesses
a voice of beauty and power, the road is easy pro-
viding he has the piano foundation, and the career
as concert artist or opera singer is not only hastened
but greatly facilitated. The new methods of piano
class instruction in the schools is a move in the right
direction, showing that educators throughout the
country have become fully aware of the importance
of this studv."
The official statement goes on
elected directorate of the com-
a record of the financial stand-
& Co., showing assets much in
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
A brilliant member of the piano industry, a man
who is a genius for work and combines competent
ability with action—a go-after and a go-getter—and
yet he is not often paraded in the music papers. Such
a man is our good friend, H. A. Stewart, general sales
manager of the Gulbransen Company, piano division.
Notwithstanding the fact that he works hard at the
factory almost every week finds Mr. Stewart spend-
ing three or four days in the field, calling on old
friends of the house, making new contacts and put-
ting in good "licks" for the firm that he represents.
Yes, Mr. Stewart's activities indicate a good recipe for
success.
GOOD APOLLO SHOWING
THE NEW OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF
SHERMAN CLAY & CO.
Sherman Clay & Co. have issued an official state-
ment coming from the board of directors of that
corporation. This statement announces the retire-
ment of P. T. Clay. F. R. Sherman and F. W. Steven-
son as officers and from active participation in the
operation of the business, but remaining on the board
of directors, and the election of C. H. De Acres,
formerly of Lyon & Healy, Chicago, as president
The Apollo Piano Co. of DeKalb, 111., reports a
marked increase in the number of pianos sold for
the past six months of 1931 as compared with the
similar period in 1930. This remarkable showing has
been made largely due to the many thousands of
satisfied owners of Apollo pianos who have urged
their friends to follow their example in buying an
Apollo for their homes. Unusually beautiful new
period styles together with the justly famous Apollo
tone have contributed to the surprisingly good
showing.
Attention is called to the classified advertisement
on page 18 of Presto-Times, "Installing a Line of
Manufacture Adopted to Piano Factories."
Presto-Times has looked into the proposition which
this advertiser proposes and it is found that the goods
that can be produced and which are so applicable
to manufacture in a piano factory, consist of a line of
specialties and novelties largely of wood material that
are marketable in all parts of the country and in
every town and city of the country. The advertiser
has studied the business thoroughly and is able to
inaugurate work in any fairly well equipped factory
within a very short time. Patterns, samples, and
much equipment are ready at hand so that work could
begin on short notice and a product produced ready
for market in a comparatively short space of time.
Letters addressed to Presto-Times for this adver-
tiser keyed, Factory 21, will have most careful atten-
tion.
THAT SEEBURG STOCKHOLM
REPORT
FACTORY
A report came from what is supposed to be a relia-
ble source, and was quietly circulated in Chicago, to
the effect that Mr. J. P. Seeburg, when dining in
Paris some weeks ago with Chicago friends, gave out
an intimation that he might establish a factory in
Stockholm for the manufacture of pianos and the
Seeburg line of instruments. A telephone call to the
J. P. Seeburg Co., Dayton street, Chicago, does not
bring either a denial or confirmation of this report.
The death of Jack Bjorklund of Scholz, Erickson
& Company, music printers of San Francisco, is an-
nounced. His demise occurred in the early part of
August.
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