Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1932 2265

Page 9 Text:

March, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
Washington's birthday as a special piano sales day
does not seem to be particularly in vogue with music
dealers. Only two newspaper display advertisements
with this caption have come to the attention of Presto-
Times^—one the Wissner store at 565 Broad street,
Newark, N. J., the other Griffith's at 605 Broad street,
Newark, N. J. Griffith's announcement reads: "An
event that will long be remembered! Griffith's Wash-
ington's Birthday Sale," and the Wissner heading is
"Special for Washington's Birthday."
-aw
/
In a newspaper column list of used and out of date
radios advertised in a Chicago paper in which prices
ranging from five to sixty dollars are given the Sil-
ver-Marshall set is listed at about the highest of any
of the seventy named and only one Silver-Marshall
appears in the long list given. Evidently the Silver-
Marshall radio receiving sets are not to be classed
with the ordinary bargain counter and special sale
offerings.
Mr. Otto Link of the important drum manufac-
turing house of Johs. Link, Markneukirchen, Ger-
many, who visited the United States a few months
ago, writes his friends and former patrons in the
United States that it is almost impossible to ship
any goods to merchants in this country because of
the enormous duty imposed. At the same time Amer-
ican competition is very keen.
And they continue to croon. Though the criti-
cisms and pleadings for mercy ring from the council
of Podunk to the Senate at Washington, they con-
tinue to croon. And while a discontented public is
beginning to wonder if music is ever coming back,
the air is rent with the jazzmaniaized themes of the
masters which crack-brained composers and their
aides distort almost beyond recognition, forced, as
they say, by public opinion of the majority of the
radio public—said majority consisting of a doubtful
five per cent.
Chicago Piano and Organ Association meetings are
always exceedingly interesting and should continue to
attract a large attendance. They are usually held at
the last of the month and anyone interested in the
music trades will do well to attend these meetings
for they will not only learn much that is of interest
to them but will be attracted by the feeling of fellow-
ship that pervades the social part of the meetings,
as well.
A man not connected with the music trade who ar-
rived in Chicago a few days ago from the East by
way of Cincinnati, where business took him to many
parts of that city, said that in passing the Baldwin
piano factories along Gilbert avenue, he noticed great
activity and observed, too, that the factories were con-
siderably more active than they were in December
when he formerly was in Cincinnati on a similar trip.
* * *
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
A friend of Presto-Times sends this brief and per-
haps timely item with the request that it be published
and which, certainly, Presto-Times is glad to do:
"The unmusical American public rejected the player
piano—surely the greatest gift ever offered to the
music lover. Why? Just plain ignorance and indif-
ference to the creative side of music—and the piano
trade folded up and took its licking without a
murmur."
* * *
REST T R I P FOR GEORGE L. CHENEY
Word comes to Presto-Times that Mr. George L.
Cheney, who recently relinquished active duties with
the house of Pratt Read & Co., Deep River, Conn.,
is planning a pleasure or, as he puts it, a rest trip to
Europe this year, which Mr. Cheney certainly de-
serves, for he has been for many years past and
always is an indefatigable worker.
* * *
"E. & O."
Presto-Times is reminded that in the list of piano
manufacturers which appeared in this paper some
time ago under the heading, "Pianos and Manufac-
turers Today—Yesterday," the Sterling Company,
formerly manufacturing at Derby, Conn., was omitted
from the list bearing the caption, "Gone Out of Busi-
ness, Discontinued Manufacturing," and also the
Miessner Piano Company was left out of this list.
The Miessner Company should have been included
aS they were making pianos up to the summer of
1929. The Sterling Company discontinued piano mak-
ing at Derby some ten years ago and moved their
headquarters to Brooklyn, N. Y., from where the
Sterling Company's line of instruments was marketed.
Advertised Pianos Meet a Demand Which Has
Already Been Created—Sell Advertised Pianos Be-
cause They Are Prejudice Proof.
"Stock about all gone," and the composite reply of the other three was, "We need more stock
ourselves ; no rare bargains, and not many instruments to offer."
Apparently a shortage in pianos now exists or is anticipated, especially in up-to-date
models of both grands and uprights. We continued to investigate further and found that many
piano manufacturers are well nigh depleted of saleable models.
*
*
*
*
The re-establishing of our exports of musical instruments to somewhere near the pro-
portion they had reached a few years ago would go a long way toward helping conditions in
the music trade industry. Even back in 1929 our exports were almost nineteen million dol-
lars ; in 1930 they fell to $9,189,302.00, and in 1931 to $7,905,598.00. Nineteen thirty-two does
not promise much improvement but it is estimated they will not fall below 1931.
*
*
*
*
Similituding the Latin phrase "Veni, Vidi, Vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered"), the Wurlitzer Musics
House at Columbus, Ohio, introduced in a recent display advertisement the Farny grand piano with a
paraphrase on the ancient phrase of their own conception, which read: "They came, They saw, They
bought."
* * * *
The Federal Trade Commission at Washington publishes weekly lists and monthly statements of
business concerns which have come under its scrutiny on account of irregularities of conducting business.
The statement for February, comprising some eighteen pages, presents the names of business houses in
nearly all lines of commerce which have been investigated for irregularities, but in this list of concerns
embracing, as we say, many lines of trades not one music establishment is named as having carried on or
attempted to carry on misrepresentation in business.
In past years music houses have been listed as over-stepping the law in various ways—misrepresen-
tation of goods, misrepresentation in advertising and other forms of false pretense, but during the current
year Presto-Times has not noticed in the Federal Trade Commission's reports any statements of unfair
competition or misrepresentation as connected with the music trades or industries.
* * * *
No less than three chain letters, chain letters destined for a trip around the world, have reached mem-
bers of the Presto-Times within the past two weeks, but if any more arrive we will not promise to keep
the chain unbroken, notwithstanding the ill omen that is prophesied in one of these communications which
says: "Do not break the chain as it will bring misfortune," Another letter says: "The chain will bring
you luck which you will experience within nine days after mailing. Mrs. Archo won $20,000 within nine
days after mailing. Mrs. Frank Farili won $60,000 in in international lottery. A Mrs. Frank broke the chain
and lost a fine grand piano which had cost $2,000." If any readers of Presto-Times are interested they
can be put in touch with these music trade chain letter distributors by addressing Chain Letter, care of
Presto-Times.
* * * *
Not only in our own country, here at home, has a diminution in the music business been going during
the last year or two, but Canada, as well as America, Germany, England, has experienced a shrinkage of mil-
lions in dollars and cents. In 1931 the musical instrument industry of Canada produced about eight and
one-quarter millions worth of instruments, which was a decline of thirteen and one-half millions from the
previous year. There were thirty-two establishments manufacturing and producing musical instruments,
eight less than the previous year.
* * * *
A recent report of the Federal Trade Commission under the heading of Stipulation 843 mentions a
piano manufacturing concern which has agreed to stop the use of the word "walnut" in any way that would
imply that its products are derived from, the walnut tree family, when such is not the fact.
*
*
*
*
Everyone likes to window shop. It is supposed to be a feminine characteristic, and surely it is true
that women find window displays intriguing. So do men if the exhibits are interesting enough. And the
window's value in trade advertising can not be disputed.
Just how much good is accrued to a music store by showing a piano in the window is a question that
probably the most skillful advertising manager would answer offhand. But when a piano is shown in
relation to human sentiment people stop to look at it. The sentiment or the piano? Both.
*
*
*
Mr. Stevens, general representative of Pratt, Read & Co., Deep River, Conn., recently made an extensive
Western trip. It is a well-known fact that wherever pianos are made the Pratt, Read & Co. product is a
unit of their construction.
• * *
Information is given out that William Betz, who for many years has been superintendent of the Straube
piano factory at Hammond, Ind., is the inventor of a new grand action said to be not only less expensive
to construct but one which overcomes certain problems and is a general improvement in grand piano action
construction, and our informant says, "Bill knows his stuff."
*
*
*
*
During a social chat at a recent Chicago music trade gathering, several members of the piano trade
were discussing the matter of piano sales prospects. The manager of a large Chicago music publishing house
remarked that he had that same morning obtained visual evidence that there were still many undiscovered
piano prospects. While looking over a six apartment building that he had thought of buying, he noticed
that there were no pianos in two of the apartments and one of the other four tenants remarked that they
wanted to turn in their upright on a grand. These three families are but one illustration of the many thou-
sands of piano prospects that can be drawn from the average American community anywhere.
*
*
*
*
The late John Philip Sousa was greatly beloved by those who were recipients of his friendship. He
was not a mixer in the ordinary sense of the term, but he was jovial, kind and democratic toward acquaint-
ances who were able to get in fairly close contact with him.. He would do great things for those he re-
ceived and liked and was at all times appreciative of kindness and favors.
Once upon a time, years ago, the writer of these lines found himself stranded, in a way, having lost a
through ticket on a limited train from Erie, Pa., to New York. At that same time the Sousa Band, run-
ning a special car, was leaving Erie bound to Washington by way of New York. A slight acquaintance
with Sousa's manager enabled him to appeal to Mr. Sousa with the result that the "stranded writer" was
taken into the Sousa special car as a member of the party and transported safely to New York. It is
needless to say that the recipient of this favor has ever had a regard bordering on affection for the great
Sousa.
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 10 Text:

10
March, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
ACTIVITIES IN RETAIL TRADE
KANSAS CITY NEWSPAPERS ILLUSTRATE
PROGRESS OF NEW JENKINS MUSIC
COMPANY BUILDING
Leading newspapers of Kansas City and other
newspaper in that section have shown illustrations
of the new Jenkins Music Company building just
about being completed and which is located at 1217-23
Walnut street, Kansas City, Mo., for the general
offices and downtown store of the big central west-
ern music house.
AN ACTIVE NEW TEXAS MUSIC HOUSE
George Walton and A. L. Gossett have formed a
music business at McAllen, Tex., under the firm name
of Walton-Gossett Music Co. A formal opening took
place recently at which an interesting display of the
Baldwin line of pianos was on exhibition.
Mr. Walton was former county treasurer and Mr.
Gossett operated the Empire Music Company of Edin-
burg, Tex, where both gentlemen formerly resided.
It is proposed to install the new practice booths for
students and teachers and provide space in the rear
of the store for the rehearsal of orchestras.
Mr. Gossett will be contact man for the business,
while Mr. Walton will manage the store. Mrs. Paul
Jones of McAllan will be in charge of the sheet
music department, it was announced.
A CHARACTERISTIC STEINWAY APPEAL
Under the heading "An Active Influence in Chil-
dren's Development," a special Steinway advertise-
ment used by Lyon & Healy and undoubtedly by
other Steinway agencies throughout the country, has
this interesting story about children, music and piano
cultivation:
"Children at play are wild, turbulent creatures.
. . . Their games, colorful and clamorous, tend to
shape them into young barbarians. Tt remains for
parents, even more than teachers, to balance this
strenuous part of their lives . . . to instill an appre-
ciation of the cultural side of life. . . . Offering to
children an intellectual and spiritual stimulus, the
Steinway holds an important place in any complete
educational program. For over seventy-five years
it has graced the homes of two continents . . . an
instrument of great beauty and power, the product
of craftsmen who have devoted their lives to its mak-
ing. . . . With a piano so responsive as the Steinway,
your children learn quickly the elements of music.
And if endowed with talent, they may develop it un-
hampered by the limitations of an inferior instru-
ment."
THE NEW WEIDELMAN MUSIC COMPANY
LOCATION
The Weidelman Music Company, formerly located
at 315 Fifth street, Houghton, Mich., is now well
settled in its new location in the Murphy building,
located at Fifth and Oak streets. Both floors of this
building are occupied by the Weidelman Music House,
where in addition to the stock of pianos on the sec-
ond floor sheet music and record departments on the
first floor have been combined, with a complete stock
in both departments. More space has been devoted
to the radio department, with complete stocks of
all lines handled by the company. The second floor is
attractively arranged for piano displays. Mr. Charles
Weidelman says that with all the improvements com-
pleted, the Weidelman store will be one of the most
modern and completely equipped in the peninsula.
There will be special music rooms for the use of
music teachers, music clubs, and musical gatherings,
and plans are being made for a television demonstra-
tion room.
NEW INCORPORATION AT SPOKANE
The Ramp Music Store has been incorporated at
Spokane, Wash., with a capital stock of $15,000. The
incorporators are Geo. L. and Ruby Allen, and J. P.
Steele. The business takes its name from being lo-
cated in the Ramp Automobile Garage at Sprague
and Stevens streets.
WURLITZER CHANGES AT SYRACUSE
The new manager of the Syracuse, N. V., Wur-
litzer store is Howard R. Dickinson, formerly of the
Pittsburgh branch of the Wurlitzer Music Company.
John C. Schaffer, who took over the management of
the Syracuse store a year and a half ago, has been
made head of the Philadelphia organization. Milo
Stehlick, a member of the personnel of the Syracuse
store, has been transferred with Mr. SchafTer to
Philadelphia.
The Syracuse management say that business done
in the Syracuse store during the month of February
this year exceeds the January business about 50 per
cent and is double the business of January a year ago.
A THRIVING WURLITZER BRANCH STORE
In an interview with a local paper Mr. W. McK.
Poole, manager of the Youngstown, Ohio, branch
of the Wurlitzer Music House, speaking of the in-
crease of the business in the Youngstown store since
the first of the year, says that during January this year,
the amount of business was approximately two and a
half times as great as the business in January, 1931.
During the two weeks of February, passed and
checked, the company's business has increased over
75 per cent over the same month a year ago.
"AS UNBLEMISHED AS THE
ESTEY"
The Jenkins Music Company, from its Kansas City
store has recently brought to the attention of its cus-
tomers through the daily papers its representation of
the Estey piano. In a recent announcement under the
heading "Value! Value! Value!" they say:
"A price cut means something when made on a
piano with a record as unblemished as the Estev."
CONGRATULATION ON A PIANO SALE
On the occasion of dedication of a new Gulbransen
piano sold to the Villard movie theater at Villa Park,
suburb of Chicago, Mr. Weiser's friends forming the
famous Elmhurst Mannerchor motored to Villa Park
and gave a concert in honor of their fellow member,
the successful piano man who made the sale, and dis-
tinguished citizen. In this way Mr. Weiser, noted
as one of the most successful piano draftsmen of the
country, carries on and "keeps the wolf from the
door" these days.
A PUT=0VER PROPOSITION
VERIFIED
THE BALDWIN PIANO COMPANY IN-
CREASE IN OUTPUT
The Baldwin Piano Company have given to their
popular piano, the Sargent, the sobriquet "Chevro-
let," it being what might be called the very popular
and medium priced piano of the Baldwin constella-
tion. The trade publication, "Sales Management,"
prints an interview with Lucien Wulsin, president of
the Baldwin Piano Company in which, answering an
inquiry as to how a certain low price for this piano
could be maintained, said that to sell the piano profit-
ably at the price determined upon, $395, would re-
quire a sales increase of 350 per cent, whereupon Mr.
Wulsin said, "All right, for it is certain that we can-
not take it out of the price of the piano. We'll have
to get it in volume. We'll work out a sales plan
that will put it over."
And since those words were uttered the "sales
plan" has been "put over," and put over good and
strong. Sales have increased week by week, and
this month will see a large percentage in the Baldwin
line over the month of February.
MEHLIN CLOSING OUT SALE AN-
NOUNCEMENTS
Paul G. Mehlin & Sons, at 509 Fifth avenue, New
York, are advertising in the daily papers in that vicin-
ity a closing out sale under the caption: "Completely
closing out our Fifth avenue retail stock; reduction of
50 per cent and more."
NEW MANAGER AT JESSE FRENCH
MOBILE STORE
H. C. Reinhard, formerly stationed at Montgomery,
Ala., has taken charge of the Mobile store of Jesse
French & Sons, Inc. Mr. Reinhard is treasurer of the
Jesse French corporation, and has been credit manager
of the Montgomery store for the past one and one-
half years.
Michael Grodsky, formerly manager of the Lyor.
& Healy store at 4710 Lincoln avenue, Chicago, has
purchased the Schueler store at 4703 Lincoln avenue
for a new music business. Mr. Grodsky formerly
owned the North Town radio shop at 4710 Lincoln
avenue, which he sold three years ago. He is a past
president of Ravenswood Kiwanis Club.
Under the caption "Fifty-eight Years of Service,"
A. Hospe Company, Omaha, Neb., is placing some
attractive advertising in the Omaha papers. "Thou-
sands of homes," the advertisement reads, "enjoy
good music today because of Hospe's low prices and
liberal terms." Twenty reasons are given why "you
owe your child a piano."
The Wurlitzer houses are now advertising their
product, the Melville Clark piano, as "a most excep-
tional grand piano value."
Green & White, music publishers, 745 Seventh ave-
nue, New York, N. Y., has been incorporated.
The C. A. House Music Company of Wheeling,
W. Va., has closed its Steubenville branch and is hav-
ing a special sale of the Steubenville stock at the
Wheeling store.
A Grinnell Bros. Steinway advertisement reads:
"The piano chosen by Wagner, Rubinstein and Liszt
over half a century ago—today the instrument pre-
ferred by the most famous masters of the piano-
forte."
The Schmoller & Mueller Piano Company, in the
Omaha, Neb., Bee, carry an advertisement that will
certainly attract attention. The advertisement is
headed "When Omaha Was Four Years Old Schmol-
ler & Mueller Opened Their Doors for the First
Time." Then appears an illustration of a street scene
seventy-five years ago and another photographic view
of the present Schmoller & Mueller store at 1514-
16-18 Dodge street.
P. L. Parker of Dallas, Tex., has opened a music
store at 114 East Wall street, Fort Scott, Kan.
The Knight-Campbell Music Company branch at
Casper, Wyo., of which Mr. Earl Bowman is man-
ager, has changed location, being now located at 154
South Center street, Casper.
J. J. Thomas has inoved his musical establishment
from the Cool building, Red Oak, Iowa, to the Grif-
fith building on Fifth street.
O. Garrison has purchased the music business for-
merly conducted by O. C. Potts at Unionville, Mo.
The Larrew Store at Knox, Ind., which deals also
in musical instruments, has moved to North Main
street, that city.
The Morris Music Shop at 203 High street, Ports-
mouth, Va., is making quite a success with electrical
refrigerators and other additional lines of goods of
this nature which have been added to the regular
music stores of late. Mr. John A. Morris, proprietor
of the Morris Music Shop, says that these additional
goods have brought a good deal of business to the
piano department of the store.
The Famous Company, music publishers, New
York, N. Y., brought suit against the proprietor of
the Riviera Theater, that city, for infringement of
copyright covering one of the Famous Company's
publications. The court was asked to enjoin further
infringement and for judgment for $250 as damages
plus attorney fees and costs.
Mr. Raymond H. Lammers of the Lammers Music
Shop, East Sixth street, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been
out on a visit of inspection and buying during the
past month. He also attended a business conference
of some piano dealers. He visited music houses in
Chicago, Elkhart and other cities and was accom-
panied by Mrs. Lammers.
Speaking of the Bigelow Music House at 121 South
Front street, Dowagiac, Mich., a local paper pays this
compliment to Mr. Bigelow and his business: "Mr.
Bigelow operates an institution that adds much to
the community as a trading center and in this edition
we are pleased to point with pride to the great success
they have made in their chosen profession and assure
our readers that at the Bigelow Music Store they will
always receive a square deal. May this edition com-
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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