Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1932 2268

Nov.-Dec, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
ISSUED THE
FIFTEENTH OF
PUBLICATION MONTH
F R A N K D. ABBOTT
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PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, I1L
The American Music Trade Journal
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Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1932, at the
Post Office at Chicago, 111., under act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $1.00 a year; 6 months, 60 cents; foreign,
$2.00. Payable in advance. No extra charge in United
States possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for adver-
tising on application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and If of
general Interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen In the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment Is not accepted for matter printed In the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication It is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
Forms close at noon three days preceding date of pub-
lication. Latest news matter and telegraphic communica-
tions should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day.
Advertising copy should be in hand four days before pub-
lication day to insure preferred position. Full page dis-
play copy should be in hand three days preceding publi-
cation day. Want advertisements for current issue, to
insure classification, should be in three days in advance
of publication.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press at 11 a. m
three days preceding publication day. Any news trans-
piring after that hour cannot be expected in the current
issue. Nothing received at the office that is not strictly
news of importance can have attention after 9 a. m. of
that date. If they concern the interests of manufactur-
ers or dealers such Items will appear the Issue following.
CHICAGO, NOV.-DEC, 1932
&uv Jfrtentos
Cfjrigtmag anb & Happp JSeto fJear
May you have a
is the wish of Presto=Times through its publishers and editors.
FRANK D. ABBOTT, President,
Presto Publishing Company
Concerning some of the recent notable newspaper
advertising by the Birkel Music Company, Los An-
geles, Mr. George Birkel, president of that corpora-
tion, says that, "Considering present trade conditions,
not only with the music trade proper but with the
profession as well, any effort on our part to stimulate
interest that will develop pupils for teachers will in
time assist us. We think the results obtained by our
advertising and our efforts toward interesting people
in the study of music will in time be to our advantage.
Hence we believe that the results obtained more than
justify the effort and expense."
The statutory laws of some of our states and recent
enactments in others are more or less prohibitive of
successful carrying on of business by foreign cor-
porations, that is corporations foreign to the common-
wealth. The result of this is that under present eco-
nomic conditions coupled with drastic regulations and
unreasonable requirements on outside corporations
operating in the state that many branch houses in the
music industries are relinquishing business, selling out
or turning their business over to local dealers.
This decade of jazz and its complement of jazz
music is chargeable with many disasters similar to the
charge made by a well known conservatory of music
founded forty-five years ago, that its troubles were due
to a decrease in enrollment, due to the depression and
the trend toward jazz music.
Will there be a revival of the reed organ—of the
small reed organ for homes which was so popular
and represented so much of the American music
industries of three decades ago? Mr. Gulbransen, of
the Gulbransen Company, is evidently trying to try
out this proposition. Certainly there are many homes
where the little reed organ will fit in admirably and
better than any other keyboard instrument.
December: last month of the year and especially
the end of 1932; twelve months, the exact like of
which most people who have lived through them hope
will not return, as they say, in parting: sleep, be it in
peace or in agony.
Nineteen hundred and thirty-two, the seventy-fifth
anniversary of the establishment of the W. W. Kim-
ball Company, has been the object of hundreds of
felicitations of friends of the house, while various
publications directly or closely allied to music, art and
the music industries have commented upon the occa-
sion with special and appropriate articles. The pro-
fessional music and music trade publications, espe-
cially, have presented noteworthy articles and editorial
expressions of their sentiments and the regard of the
public toward the house of Kimball.
It is of interest to record that there have been fewer failures in the piano and general music
trades in 1932 than are reported in numerous other industries and their number, in music, is less
in 1932 than the year previous. Still further, that the number of failures in 1932 is considerably
less than two years ago regardless of whether there has been an increase in activity or not. Evi-
dently the trade has been holding its own and there is a fair exhibit, considering conditions, of piano
factory operations during the year now closing.
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Piano factory purchases of material have been from "hand to mouth" with the result that few
factories have any great amount of ready-to-ship instruments in stock. In fact where anything like
a large supply of goods is found ready to/ ship the instruments are often of ancient "vintage." Re-
ports from traveling men confirm statistics and both indicate distinct shortages of new goods. In
fact it is stated on good authority that'hardly a piano factory could make an immediate shipment
of a carload of newly made pianos and while carload orders are almost entirely a thing of the past,
nevertheless a good many factories would not be able to ship a score or even ten instruments with-
out requiring a good deal of time to geiLthem ready. All this verified "shortage" would indicate
that musical instrument manufacturing is getting down to bedrock as well as "hardpan" and an
upturn in better conditions most come about.
* * * *
The piano trade as a whole, however, is considerably better off than its younger associate, the
radio, which industry has suffered tremendous inroads into its capitalization by reason of decreased
output. These deficits range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars and even
up to the million dollar mark, but belief and confidence in the future seem to have been an inspira-
tion and have helped to overcome the sensation of the great losses that have fallen to the radio
industry.
* * * *
That there are numerous indications of renewed activity in the music trades—in pianos, small
musical instruments, musical merchandise and radios, is attested by the many marked copies of local
publications and clippings that come to the Presto-Times office giving particulars of new firms; some
of them entirely new organizations and others reorganizations and continuations of business which
had been suspended. There has been a marked decrease in the list of failures and assignments in
the music trades and industries.
•
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Quality today is essential to anything like permanent success. A poor piano will not hold out
long with the standard trade and is wholly without decent compensation. Cut prices nowadays do
not mean poor quality for the buyer demands a standard of quality in the instrument he buys which
the dealer must guarantee. Downright low-grade instruments are pretty well eliminated.
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Some time ago Presto-Times advertised in a five line request, for copies of the 1931 issue of
the Presto Buyers' Guide which edition is entirely sold out. A few copies were received in reply
to this request, the first two coming from Charles Stanley, of Grand Haven, Michigan, who kindly
gave them up to help the publishers fulfill requests from parties who, to quote one correspondent,
"need them badly." Then came a copy from Mr. J. Helfrath, Philadelphia, and two more from an
occasional correspondent who writes that he requested these from a dealer friend who said the
1930 edition would meet his requirements. However, less than a score of copies all together were
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).
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Nov.-Dec, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
received but these have enabled us to supply the Southern California Music Company, Los An-
geles, California, John D. Hamilton of the Clark Music Company, Syracuse, New York, The Com-
munity Store, Lexington, Ky., Pearson Piano Co., Indianapolis, Ind., and two or three other urgent
requests for latest copies available.
* * * *
A correspondent in New York sends Presto-Times a copy of the New York Sun of December
6th marking a Steinway page advertisement in that paper bearing the heading, "Give them a NEW
WORLD this Christmas." This of itself, the page display advertisement, is so beautifully characteristic
of the sphere of music and of the piano in the home that this correspondent makes the following nota-
tion on a blank space of this advertisement:
"Steinway advertising; what a golden example they have always given to the industry; always
the thought: MUSIC AND T H E PIANO."
In another space on this Steinway page this correspondent make another observation, propheti-
cal in thought: "A voice crying aloud in the wilderness of the piano men (?) who could only see
the commercial side. Where are they now?"
MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN
grand used in Acts I and I I I is a creation with regu-
lar grand piano action made by Mathushek, New
York." This was in the play "The Anatomist," the
scene of which is laid in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the
year 1828.
Mr. Ben Strub of Chicago, general western repre-
sentative of Mathushek, has been doing a great deal
of road work of late and has met with marked suc-
cess not only in orders given by established Mathu-
shek customers, but in making new contacts. Mr.
Strub anticipates and has reasons to believe in the
certainty of continued improvement in the piano busi-
ness generally, as he is sure of continued Mathushek
increased sales.
P. & O. ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
FOR 1933
At the 1932 annual meeting of the Chicago Piano
& Organ Association held at the Auditorium Hotel,
the following officers were elected for the ensuing
year—the year end-
ing November, 1933,
as brought in by the
nominating commit-
tee and read off by
Eugene
Whelan,
chairman of t h a t
committee:
['resident, L. C.
Wagner of the Bald-
win Piano Company,
succeeding W. P.
Hall of the Cable
1'KIIIO Company.
First Vice - Presi-
dent, David W. Kim-
ball of W. W. Kim-
ball Company, suc-
ceeding L. C. Wag-
ner,
Second Vice-Pres-
ident, Mr. Richard
O'Connor of Lyon &
H e a 1 y, succeeding
Mr. Henry D. Hew-
itt.
Secretary, F. L.
Ryder of the Cable
Piano Company, suc-
Wagner,
_. . L. C. _,.
„ _ President,
ceeding David W.
A ,
Chicago Piano & Organ Ass n, v - , i,
JS.imDd.ll.
In the days of playerpiano activity, not such a long
time ago at that, the accompanying Kris-Kringle
picture again placed on a Presto-Times page was
apropos and timely in expressing the sentiment of the
trade and the trend of the piano.
Again, then, Presto-Times greets its readers through
good old Kris-K who so proudly offers that one-time
favorite instrument of many homes, the playerpiano.
THEME SONGS
Quite a number of songs of the day, more or less
widely known, have been adopted by radio "spon-
sors" and advertising promoters; that is to say,
houses that contract for and sell "air space" in
their advertising campaigns as theme songs. For
instance, the Maxwell House Coffee hour uses as
its theme song the old piece known as "Down
South"; Three Little Maids takes the song "How
Soon We Forget"; Little Jack Little uses "Glow
Worm"; the Goodall program uses the popular
song "In the Good Old Summer Time"; the
Street Singer adopted Edward B. Marks Music Co.'s
publication "Marta"; Eastman Kodak used "Out
West Where the North Begins"; Coral Islanders takes
"The Song of the Islands." Other songs used are
"Day Dreams," "Ida," "Sweet as Apple Cider," "La
Camparsita," "Little Gad-About," "Loves Old Sweet
Song," "Madrigal of May," "Parade of the Wooden
Soldiers," "The Old Gypsy," and many others. Lee
Roberts' famous "Smiles" has been used in many
ways and by many sponsors.
SUBSTANTIAL MATHUSHEK PROGRESS
'
The attention of the trade is called to the announce-
ment effecting reduced prices of the Mathushek piano
found in the Mathushek display advertisement on the
back outside cover page of this issue of Presto-Times,
In making the reduction of prices it must be dis-
tinctly understood, as the manufacturers assert, that
the price reduction does not represent in any way a
reduction in the standard of quality of the Mathushek
product, but is based on a forecast of future Mathu-
shek production and an accurate survey of commodity
price reductions. In commitments for the purchase
of supplies during the coming months the Mathushek
organization has been able to effect some savings
in cost and taking that into consideration with the
increased production anticipated they are enabled to
furnish Mathushek pianos at the new prices. This will
admit of the dealer quoting a substantially lower retail
price.
Dealers will appreciate this reduction not only be-
cause of the advantages of offering goods at a lower
price but the substantial reductions will enable some
dealers who have not been able to carry a sufficient
line of samples to place in stock a representative dis-
play for, as every dealer knows, it is a great advan-
tage to have on display models of each: the upright,
the grand and the Spinet grand.
The Mathushek retail trade in the New York Man-
hattan district has been exceptionally good for some
weeks past and among recent sales to persons of
prominence may be mentioned Mrs. J. S. Morgan,
Ir., and Mrs. Leslie Armour, who were recent pur-
chasers of Spinet grands, and only a few days ago the
Mathushek Plainfield (N. J.) store sold a Spinet grand
to Mrs. J. Seward Johnson, wife of the president of
Johnson & Johnson, well known manufacturers of
medical supplies.
An interesting incident comes to our attention in
connection with the Spinet grand, being the reading
of a notice which appears on a program of the Bijou
Theater, New York, which is as follows: "The Spinet
W. W. KIMBALL CO. BUILDING,
CHICAGO
Schneider, "Piano Man at Large,"
and succeeding
Treasurer,
Adam
himself.
This is an acknowledged strong ticket and is made
from representative houses in and adjacent to the
Chicago music trades center, a condition that will
be of advantage in the anticipated activities and re-
quirements devolving upon the association during the
coming Century of Progress Exposition, when all the
music industries and music profession will be called
upon to cooperate in carrying on the musical fea-
tures, industrial and otherwise, incident to the Expo-
sition.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED
The following are the standing committees ap-
pointed by President Wagner for the ensuing year
with their addresses and telephone numbers:
Ways and Means Committee—George L. Hall,
Chairman, The Cable Co., 301 S. Wabash, Har. 1644;
H. E. Weisert, 540 N. Michigan, Sup. 5426; R. J.
Cook, The Cable Co., 301 S. Wabash, Har. 1644;
H. C. Dickinson, Baldwin Piano Co., 323 S. Wabash.
Wab. 6900; James V. Sill, W. W. Kimball Co., 306
S. Wabash, Har. 4010.
Membership Committee—Adam Schneider, Chair-
man, 7521 Parkhurst, Bri. 9206; H. A. Stewart, Gul-
bransen Co., 816 N. Kedzie, V. B. 9000; Geo. W. Luf-
kin, W. W. Kimball Co., 306 S. Wabash, Har. 4010;
F. W. Kirk, Music Trade Review, 333 N. Michigan,
Sta. 1266; Roy Waite, Piano Trade Mag., 23 E. Jack-
son, Wab. 6625.
Entertainment and Reception—Frank Bennett,
Chairman, Baldwin Piano Co., 323 S. Wabash, Wab.
6900; S. D. Harris, Carl Fischer. 306 S. Wabash, Web.
7817; A. L. McNab, 122 S. Michigan, Ran. 0510; F. S.
Moffatt, W. W. Kimball Co., 306 S. Wabash, Har.
4010; F. D. Abbott, Presto-Times, 417 S. Dearborn,
Har. 0234.
Promotion of Music—Eugene Whelan, Chairman,
W. W. Kimball Co.. 306 S. Wabash, Har. 4010; G. R.
Brownell, Lyon & Healy. 870 E. 63rd, Pla. 3010;
Benj. F Duvall. W. W. Kimball Co., 306 S. Wabash,
Har. 4010; Percy Tonk. Tonk Mfg. Co., 1912 Lewis,
Lin. 7212.
Judiciary Committee—Adam Schneider, Chairman,
7521 Parkhurst. Bri. 9206; Frank Whitmore, W. W.
Kimball Co.. 306 S. Wabash, Har. 4010; W. E. Guylee.
The Cable Co., 301 S. Wabash, Har. 1644; Marshall
Solberg, 10 S. La Salle.
Executive Secretary—Adam Schneider.
PROBABLY ANOTHER P. & O. ASSOCIATION
LUNCHEON
Although at tin's hour Presto-Times cannot an-
nounce the date of another Chicago P. & O. Asso-
ciation dinner, one is expected some day between
Christmas and New Year, probably Thursday, De-
cember 29. Adam Schneider's answer to an inquiry
was, "There'll be another luncheon this year if the
boys can be taken away from selling pianos long
enough for a short eat."
The Macer Music Corporation has been organized
at Philadelphia to publish.ami to deal in sheet music
and other musical publications. Application is to be
made for a charter.
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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