Presto

Issue: 1931 2263

13
PRESTO-TIMES
November, 1931
CLIPPINGS FROM THE BEST ADS
NEW INCORPORATIONS, FIRMS,
CHANGES, REORGANIZATIONS
The former home of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co.,
of Wheeling, W. Va., located at 1416 Market street,
that city, has been sold by the Frederick Company,
who are the owners. The purchasers, the Zee-Rad
Company, are manufacturers and dealers in radios.
A list of second-hand pianos advertised by W. J.
Dyer & Bro., St. Paul, includes quite a number of
rather old and "dilapidated" piano names.
Kranich & Bach in their metropolitan paper adver-
tising refer to their grand as the "World's Finest
Salon Piano."
The R. E. Winsett Music Co., Dayton, Ohio, has
filed articles of incorporation with the Secretary of
State. The incorporators are R. E. Winsett, Ruth
Winsett and William Winsett. Capital stock, $5,000.
The Northside Piano Exchange, 112 E. Ohio
street, Pittsburgh, Pa., is now in its twentieth year
of business and has occupied the same location all
these years. In fact, for several years it w r as the
only north side music store.
The Levis Music Store, 412 E. Main street, Roches-
ter, N. Y., broadcasts Sunday evenings over Station
WHAM. The Levis is the Steimvay House of
Rochester and handles also the Aeolian line and the
Kohler & Campbell line of pianos.
Kane's Music & Radio Shop was opened last month
at Pueblo, Colo., the location being at 106 W. Third
street. The proprietor, Mr. O. R. Kane, has been
well known in the music business in and about Pueblo
for more than fifteen years.
Mayo Williams, proprietor of the Music Shop at
112 E. Main street, Ottumwa, la., has established an
excellent trade in its repair department and has work
coming in from various towns around about Ottumwa.
On the eve of his debut in New York, Harry
Braun. 22-year-old violinist, dropped his $25,000
viol'n in front of a truck, totally destroying it. Made
in 1691, the violin was the gift of August Heckscher.
Although in tears at the loss of his treasure. Braun
refused to sue the truck driver, and sought to borrow
another violin.
The Saltville Music Co., at Allison's Gap, Va., has
moved to larger and more commodious quarters in
the Brown building. J. W. Kestner is the proprietor.
The old-time piano manufacturing concern, Gib-
bons & Stone, Rochester, N. Y.. the factory of which
was at 11-15 Industrial street, has entirely discon-
tinued piano making. Notwithstanding the business
was bought up by the Levis Music House some fin-
ishing up was done at the factory, but now the busi-
ness is entirely discontinued, so far as operations at
the factory are concerned.
SELF-LIFTING PIANO TRUCK CO. BUSY
A correspondent of Presto-Times writes that he
recently visited the plant of the Self-Lifting Piano
Truck Co. at Findlay, Ohio, and found it a very busy
place. He states that the company has many orders
for delivery between now and the first of the year
and more are coming in right along. Of course the
trade are familiar with the piano truck made by them.
The new refrigerator truck, along the same lines and
designed to meet requirements in transporting the
new model refrigerators to the home, has been mak-
ing additional demands upon the factory's facilities,
for they are going fast. It is the old story—a good,
practical article made to meet a certain demand and
doing so perfectly.
MR. SOLBERG LOANS FAMOUS WASHING-
TON PAINTING
Members of the Chicago piano trade will readily
recognize the picture of Marshall Solberg, assistant
State's attorney and Piano club member, in the view
given in the Chicago Tribune a few days ago, show-
ing the presentation of a famous Gilbert Stuart por-
trait of George Washington for exhibition during the
Washington bicentennial celebration. The presenta-
tion is to William G. Thon, chairman of the com-
mission.
The Starr Piano Co. has recently had a piano sale
in the Dearborn Bank Building at llawrenceburg, Ind.
Dependable
LESTER
Small Grand
MORE NONDELIVERIES
The list of names of firms and individuals that have
recently changed location or discontinued business, as
Here is a new Steinway commendation. It heads published in recent issues of Presto-Times, has been
a column advertisement of Mellor's Music House, 604 found to be an interesting feature so, accordingly,
Wood street, Pittsburgh, and reads: "It will pay for another row of names that have been marked "moved,
itself many, many times over." Continuing, the ad- left no address," "discontinued business," or "unable
vertisement reads: "The first short years that you
to locate," is herewith given of non-deliveries, of
own a Steinway are but a promise of the delight and
Presto-Times:
pleasure that will come. The Steinway is built to
Grim Music Co., Beatrice, Neb., "gone, no order."
last. Thirty, forty, or even fifty years will not see
Thos. Aguilar, Temple, Tex.
the end of its service."
A. N. Grimes, 214 W. Adams street, Sandusky,
Gene's Music Shop has been opened at Plymouth,
Ind., by Eugene Mogle, and the location is at the Ohio, "moved, left no address."
W. W. Sunn, 1961 Grand River W., Detroit, Mich.,
corner of La Porte and Michigan streets.
The Cunningham Piano Co., Philadelphia, adver- "changed, no new address."
tise that they carry in stock the largest assortment
Lopez Music Organization, 3922 Garrison avenue,
of Reproducing, Upright and Grand Pianos of any and J. A. Lopez, 5200 Harrison avenue, Baltimore,
one store in America.
Maryland.
Ferron & Kroeplin, Kimball Hall, Chicago, 111.,
Harvey E. Albright, tuner, 1531 Montcalm street,
dealers in fine violins, say in a circular letter recently
Indianapolis, Ind., left this location.
sent out: "A violin from the hands of Stradivari,
Grandt Piano Co., 4106 W. North avenue, Chicago;
Guarneri and other Italian masters is as fine a work
business discontinued several months ago.
of art as a canvas of Angelo, a portrait of Rembrandt
Smith Music Co., Richlands, Va., moved to Bris-
or a piece of sculpture of Donatello. Within the last
few decades they have so greatly increased in value tol, Va.
that they are not within the reach of one of ordinary
W. H. Baldwin, tuner, 2125 Spencer street, Omaha,
means. There are, however, many fine makers, less Neb., moved to 935 Redick-Toner building, Omaha,
celebrated, whose violins are much sought after by Nebraska.
connoisseurs and collectors."
Claypool-Lacey Music Co., Crawfordsville, Ind.,
now out of business.
R. P. Curtis Co., Lincoln, Neb., not delivered.
East Texas Phonograph Co., Tyler, Tex.
MUSIC FOOD FOR THE SOUL
The address is requested of E. E. Blake, formerly
Seated in a 42nd street restaurant, New York, one
day recently, one a Presto-Times correspondent, the with the Rauworth Piano Co., at Bellevue, Iowa.
other Edwin Jarrett, now connected with Mehlin &
Clark Orchestra Roll Co. Give Names
Sons, piano manufacturers, that gentleman's atten-
The
Clark Orchestra Roll Co., De Kalb., 111., re-
tion was called to a Sohmer advertisement in a cur-
rent issue of the New York Times, and reading the ferring to the Presto-Times non-delivery matter,
first paragraph, "They have a phonograph and a radio write stating that their list of comebacks may be
but listening isn't enough. They long to have their interesting to add to the names Presto-Times is pub-
child learn something they never learned—to make lishing. Among this list we take the following as
music for herself," remarked:
"Apparently our being particularly identified, one way or another, with
Sohmer friends must be added to the small number the music business:
Edward A. Baker, Peshtigo, Wis.
who have discovered that 'man cannot live by bread
alone,' and that music (the expression of it) is an
J. E. Black, 305 E. 40th street, Savanna, Ga.
emotional outlet, and that it has a distinct relation to
Silas Croutch, Wauzeka. Wis.
the piano industry."
L. C. Dewees, 309 Washington street, Houston, Tex.
Dudley Music Store, Fremont, Nebr.
Then Mr. Jarrett read another paragraph fully sub-
Henry's Music Store, Blairsville, Pa.
stantiating the reference he had made to the great
John Lupaz, 145 High street, Newark, N. J.
and conservative house of Sohmer, which paragraph
H. L. Pennington, Eldon, Mo.
reads as follows: "If you can play the piano even
C. Quadt, 249 Main street, Tottenville. N. Y.
haltingly, you have discovered the most marvelous
Sherman, Clay & Co.. Fresno, Calif.
release for your emotions. You speak in music; you
West Texas Piano Co., Midland, Tex.
create your mood. And in the piano you have the
Stahlschmidt Piano Co., Evansville, Ind.
basic instrument for musical culture."
N. C. Miller, Muskogee, Okla.
Mr. Jarrett informed the Presto-Times correspond-
T. J. Rees Music Store, 142 W. Main street,
ent that he has just visited William Strich, w 7 ho was
convalescing from two successful eye operations. Girardville, Pa.
The Clark Orchestra Roll Co. give us many other
"Praise be," said Mr. Jarrett, and so say a multi-
names that are not directly identified with the music
tude of persons in the trade who have known for
many years Mr. Strich, one of the founders of the business.
Strich & Zeidler piano; a man loved and honored in
Cable Piano Co., Saginaw, Mich., mail now goes to
the music trades and industries. "A lovable charac- Cable Piano Co., Detroit.
ter," adds Mr. Jarrett.
J. M. Crawford, Mesa, Ariz., mail not now deliv-
ered.
MAKE ONLY THE KURTZMANN
Melion & Bilbeu, 70 Dacey street, Newark, N. J.,
Some time ago an inquiry was received by Presto- left this location; no new address given.
Powell & McFetridge, 218 North College avenue,
Times about a certain piano which was on the mar-
ket years ago and, he understood, was now being Salem, HI., left this location; no new address.
Sherman. Clay & Co. branch at Reno, Nev., has been
made by C. Kurtzmann & Co. of Buffalo. N. Y. This
impression is a wrong one, for the Kurtzmann con- discontinued and mail is to be forwarded to Sacra-
cern has never turned out any other piano than the mento, Calif.
one bearing its own name, all the facilities of its
QRS Music Co., 9-15 Third street, Cincinnati, Ohio,
plant being devoted exclusively to the production of
moved to 2457 Hudson avenue, that city.
the C. Kurtzmann & Co. piano.
J. M. HOFFMAN
The death is announced of Julius Hoffman, presi-
dent of the J. M. Hoffman Music Co., Pittsburgh,
Pa., who passed away at his home, 3463 Forbes street,
Pittsburgh. At the age of eighteen he joined his
father in the Hoffman Music Co. and had been con-
nected with the business up to the time of his death.
A considerable string of assignments, liquidations,
failures and discontinuances in the music business
is reported within the past thirty days. Among
these are: Chubb & Steinberg Music Shop. 17 East
Sixth street. Cincinnati, Ohio, J. W. Hueber, receiver;
Tuggle Radio & Music Shop, Mamaroneck, N. Y.,
filed voluntary petition for bankruptcy; Stahlschmidt
Piano Co.. 15 S. E. Fourth street. Evansville, Ind.;
Bean Brothers Music Co., 219 W. Capitol avenue,
Little Rock, Ark., O. K. Houck Piano Co. was one
of the petitioners for bankruptcy; The Hiltbrand Mu-
sic Co., Colorado Springs, Colo., has given up its
charter of incorporation.
The report that Ricca & Son, New York, had pur-
chased the stock, material and name of the defunct
Premier Grand Piano Co. was an erroneous report,
according to advices by Ricca & Son.
America's greatest
page 6.
Refrigerator
Truck.
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/
See adv.
14
PRESTO-TIMES
A NEW STORY ON Q. R. S.
November, 1931
H O W ONE GOOD SALE BROUGHT
ABOUT FOUR MORE
The Wyman Piano Co.. Chicago, representatives
and distributors of the Schiller piano, made a sale
A Chicago newspaper, in referring to the business business was debated and as no decision could be not long ago to that famous Chicago-North Shore
and present activities of the (JRS-DeYry Corpora- arrived at for a name to give the music roll enterprise club, the Onwentsia, which sale became the nucleus
tion, Chicago, noted that practically all of the in- it was suggested, as the story goes, by Mr. Charles of four other sales to distinguished members of the
dividuals recently connected with this business am! Burton, Melville Clark's patent attorney, that the hap- fashionable Onwentsia. The first sale attributed to
who were connected with the house in the early days, hazard letters "QRS" from the alphabet instead of, the Club was to an aristocratic family of Chicago's
have severed their connection with the business, with
for instance, "ABC," be taken temporarily until such north side, which was purchased largely on the rec-
the single exception of Mr. E. A. Kieselhorst of St. a time when a better name might be proposed. And ommendation of the pianist of the club's orchestra,
Louis, who for many years has been a stockholder
so, as time went on and many inquiries came in re- and the recommendation of this purchase led to an-
and on the board of control. This means that
garding the meaning of "QRS,'' what the letters other sale to their close friends. Then co/ne another
Thomas Fletcher, Earl Holland, Carl Sundberg, stood for, what it all meant, etc., no change was made sale recommended by a prominent amateur pianist
A. N. Page and Mr. Ames are no longer asso- and about this time Tom Fletcher came out with his who had taken great pleasure in using the club's new
ciated with the QRS. The origin of this busi-
flaming advertisement using "QRS" as his slogan Schiller. After this a sale was made to a college at
ness is an interesting story and is linked up with
and giving the meaning of the letters to be ''Quality Klmhurst on the recommendation of an Ontwentsia
the former Melville Clark Piano Co. which orig- and Real Service," which seemed to settle the per- club woman; four good sales as the result of one good
inated when the Story & Clark Organ Co. made
manency of the name. Thus "QRS" became a fixture starter.
and the legal and corporate title of the business.
Mr. Wyman has been very successful with the
As the trade generally knows, the Melville Clark Schiller agency and has received many testimonials
interests established their location at DeKalb, 111., from users of these instruments. Three extracts from
retaining a Chicago office which was in the old Van letters appear in a Schiller advertisement in this issue
Buren Street Theater building between Michigan of Presto-Times and to this list may be added the
boulevard and Wabash avenue. From there they following extract Iron a letter recently received by
moved to the Fine Arts building, then to the Kimball the Wyman Piano Co. from Geraldlne Seitz, a noted
building and finally to their last Chicago location, at pianist who writes Mr. Wyman as follows:
333 North Michigan avenue, after which the QRS "Words could never tell you how happy my
interests went on under the leadership of Mr. Tom Schiller grand has made me. I think it the finest
piano in the world. Every other musician who has
played it says it is perfect in every way."
JULIUS BLtJTHNER CO. OF AMERICA
Under the caption which heads this article a com-
pany has been formed with headquarters at 734 So.ith
Hill street, Los Angeles. Calif., for the distribut'on of
the Julius Bluthner piano, manufactured at Leipzig,
German}'. The concern is to take oxer the distribu-
tion of the Bluthner product in this country. The
officers and directors of this new organization are:
Louis Danz, Rudolf Schad. and Frederick W.
Schmidt, all well known piano men of the West.
Presto-Times' correspondent at Los Angeles says
that numerous inquiries have already been made by
dealers along the Pacific Coast and the Western
States concerning agencies and selling franchise. Our
correspondent also says that the first lot of pianos
that came from Leipzig to Los Angeles was soon
sold. Mr. Rudolf Schad, vice-president of the com-
pany, says that it is intended to establish headquar-
ters in New York soon after the first of the new
year and to have distribution centers at New York.
Chicago and Los Angeles. It is well known that the
Julius Bluthner piano is one of the leading instru-
ments of Germany and numbers a long list of artists,
composers, teachers, who give high praise to the
instrument.
KRNEST G. CLARK.
changes in its organization away back in 1899, when
it was located at Canal and 16th streets, Chicago
Mr. Clark had perfected the self-playing organ called
the Orpheus and for which instrument the music rolls
were supplied by the Aeolian Co.
Mr. E. G. Clark, now head of the Clark Orchestra
Roll Co., DeKalb, 111., and in those days one of the
important factors in the development of the self-
playing instruments which his brother Melville was
getting ready for the trade, became greatly interested
in the music roll proposition aside from his work in
the factory.
To make a long story short, Mr. Melville Clark
and E. G. Clark and others of their associates de-
termined to open up a music roll industry, which in-
dustry soon became well established, Melville Clark-
being in charge of the manufacturing in the Melville
Clark Piano Co. and E. G. Clark taking on the duties
of developing the music rolls.
In the year 1900 a small factory on West Madison
street was secured and the Melville Clark Piano Co.
became a growing concern, while Ernest G. went to
Waukegan, 111., where for six months in another
brother's scale factory he was perfecting the first
perforating music roll machine and during which time
he was the prime factor in developing a master
punching machine with which to complete the master
rolls. When this was done the music roll business
was moved to Chicago where it occupied space in
the piano factory, thus enabling the two interests to
work in closer cooperation with each other, and dur-
ing the five years' existence of this business, while
Melville Clark was developing his grand piano, and
the well known Apollo piano player, the music
roll department of Ernest G. Clark made much
progress.
The question of a name for the new music roll
THOS. M. I'LKTrilKU.
Fletcher who gathered around him a wonderfully fine
organization, now a matter of music trade history.
It may be added here that after severing his connec-
tion with QRS, Mr. E. G. Clark purchased the auto-
matic roll equipment and rights to manufacture from
QRS and thereupon located in DeKalb where many
of the former employees of the QRS Co. were still
residing. The story of Mr. Clark's success at DeKalb
is well known. He has one of the most complete and
in many ways the most thorough equipment for music
roll manufacture in this or any other land.
At the recent annual meeting of the stockholders of
the QRS-DeVry Corporation the new officers and
directors formed an entirely new set of officials, as
follows: J. B. Kleckner, president; M. J. Peary, vice-
president; Paul Gilchrist, treasurer; W. W. Kiesei-
horst (son of E. A. Kieselhorst), secretary.
The capital stock is to be increased from 400,000 to
500,000 shares, no par value.
/AUSIC PRINTERS
ENGRAVERS AND LITHOGRAPHERS
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ESTABLISHED 1876
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THE
OTTO
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KREITER
Pianos and Player-Pianos are
Produced in a New, Modern
and Well-Equipped Factory
Kreiter—Style 15
They are Standard Instruments of
High-Class Design, Noted for Admir-
able Tone Qualities, Affording Ample
Power and Expressive Effects. The
Results of Over Forty Years of Expe-
rience. They satisfy Both Dealer
and Customer.
KREITER MFG. CO., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
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).
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