Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1933 2270-B

July-August, 1933
PRESTO-TIMES
tion banquet several years ago will recall the talk
given by Dr. Albert on that occasion, or, to be more
accurate, at the annual meeting of the association
in 1927. Those days were about the beginning of
preparation for this Chicago World's Fair. It was
the period of inception of the exposition and Dr.
Albert related some things at that gathering which
then seemed to be a good deal like fancy sketches,
even if not visionary. He pictured the crowd at the
exposition-to-be then six years off, passing through
the grounds, listening, as they passed along, to mili-
tary bands, orchestras, choruses and choral societies
from Boston, Philadelphia, New York and even
Pacific Coast points. "Aye, yes," he said in a
prophetic tone of voice, "you will hear kings and
potentates of the old world speaking as you pass
along the corridors of the great exposition." And,
now behold how this has all come to pass; and more.
Multitudes of people have heard the voice of the king
of England, the speeches of the premier of Great
Britain, and other distinguished personages in and
VIKW OK THK MAIN* BUILDING BALDWIN
these buildings are a veritable mechanic's fair of
varied processes and operations. Special machinery
and equipment are found in each of the many depart-
ments. As one of the items of interest the great
variety of knives used is worth special mention;
knives or cutters of wood, knives for leather, knives
for felt. Intricate automatic machines and skillful
men and girls are seen working on the amazing unit
parts that go to the making of the piano, the universal
musical instrument, the cultural background of every
home.
Concerning the capacity of the Baldwin factory at
Cincinnati, the plant covers a floor space of over 11
acres in eight interconnected buildings. In the main
building, facing Gilbert Avenue, are 20,592 separate
panes of window glass. If all this glass were in a
single piece it would measure about 537 feet each way,
enough to cover more than 6 J /> acres.
Tiie page advertisement of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany in this issue of Presto-Times which bears the
caption: "And now in 1933 Baldwin is appointed the
PIANO FACTOR IKS. CINCINNATI.
out of royalty. Dr. Albert then went on to tell of
the developments that had been started in sound
amplification and which have since materialized to
such a wonderful degree.
Incidentally the system of radio loud speakers
at the exposition is one of the largest ever put into
operation. There are about 125 loud speakers dis-
tributed over the 424 acres of exposition grounds.
The music and Fair announcements can be hooked
directly to the loud speaker system to pick up en-
tertainments everywhere. Five different programs
may be given simultaneously in different parts of
the exposition. The three control rooms of the broad-
casting station employ seven announcers and twenty-
live operators, said to be the largest staff of any single
radio station in the world. The main purpose of the
system is to furnish entertainment and news service
in the grounds and the entertainment furnished is
music exclusively. The Baldwin piano, as already
mentioned, is the instrument used at the exposition
broadcasting station.
OHIO.
up by the National Lumber Manufacturers Associa-
tion, have attracted a great deal of attention, not only
from the general public visiting these interesting
building exhibits, but several dealers have gone there
especially to see the instruments and the unique finish
and design of their construction. In fact the place
lias been something of a rendezvous for mu.^icales.
The Bechstein electrically equipped piano shown
in the Hall of Science building has brought crowds
of listeners and these quite large assemblages give
evidence of the interest taken in pianos and piano
playing.
The I'. A. Starck Company have added their con-
tribution to "pianos at the exposition" by placing a
grand in the Rostone house of the Home Develop-
ment section.
The organ recitals given on the M. P. Moeller or-
gan which is installed in the chapel of the Hall of
Religion have attracted much attention and proved
THE PIANO AT THE EXPOSITION IS A MUCH USED INSTRUMENT AND
USED AT ALL KINDS OF ENTERTAINMENT GATHERINGS
Official Piano of the Century of Progress Exposition"
is an interesting announcement. It states notable
episodes in the progress of a great piano manufactur-
ing concern. Please refer to that page on back out-
side cover.
As this form of Presto-Times goes to press the
exposition has been going on two full months. The
Baldwin exhibit has been an intensely interesting
spot in the General Exhibits building. Many pianos
have been ordered for immediate delivery, others for
some weeks in advance and thousands of "prospects"
secured. From the opening day which started out
auspiciously with an order for Iowa delivery, and fol-
lowed the next day by a good Chicago sale, as already
noted in these columns, many interesting and suc-
cessful days have followed. The Baldwin exposition
book, well worth glancing through, contains quite
a remarkable list of names of persons interested in
music, and scattered through its pages after the
signatures may be seen in the "Remarks" column
such salutations as, "Hello," "Bon Jour," "Guten
Tag," "Buenos Dias,'' "Buenos Tardes," etc.. etc. One
of the Balbo flyers simply said, "Adios."
THE BALDWIN HEADQUARTERS AT THE
EXPOSITION
The center of these Baldwin activities at the ex-
OTHER INSTRUMENTS
position, all under the management of Mr. L. C. Wag-
ner of the Chicago branch of the Baldwin Piano
AT THE EXPOSITION
Company, is in the General Exhibits Building, booth
Pianos of several prominent manufacturers which
9, building number 3, where is also the offices and
headquarters of Mr. Wagner. Immediately in charge are not shown in any special exhibit may be seen on
of the exhibit is Howard A. Brown of the Artists' the grounds of the exposition. Among these are:
A special model Steinway grand in the Electrical
Department of the Chicago Baldwin store, 323-27
Building described as a STEINWAY MODERNE;
South Wabash Avenue, who has an able corps of
assistants and attendants at t!ie booth in General an instrument built of macassar ebony. This instru-
ment is illustrated on another page of this issue in
Exhibits Building No. 3'.
an article bearing the caption "Steinway Historical
The Baldwin exhibit at this location is more than
Exhibit," which constitutes an interesting Steinway
a mere showing of piano styles and models. It is display at the Lyon & Healy store, Wabash avenue
an educational exhibit as well, an exhibit showing and Jackson boulevard, Chicago.
the progressive work of piano building and where is
This ultra modern designed instrument is in keep-
demonstrated active construction and the vital work-
ing parts of the piano; an exceedingly interesting and ing with the rest of the furniture and was built
especially for the linn that furnished the furniture
educational exhibit.
for the display and according to their design. The
Accompanying the visual exhibit the Baldwin Com- instrument is, in fact, a part of the exhibit of the
pany gives out much literature and information in furniture house exhibiting their line of manufactured
general about pianos and piano construction; piano goods.
construction in general and the Baldwin piano in
I* or the performances of the Marionette stage ex-
particular. One of these pieces of literature entitled hibition and the orchestra performing at the A. & P.
"Baldwin Factory Facts" is a story about the house attractions four Steinway grands are in use supplied
of Baldwin from the time it was founded over seventy by Lyon & Healy, Tnc. Chicago Steinway representa-
years ago on to the present day. The introduction tives.
to this folder reads as follows:
The Baldwin factory buildings at Cincinnati are
The two pianos displayed by the Wurlitzer Com-
situated in an inspiring location with convenient ac- pany, an Apollo grand and a Wurlitzer grand; one at
cess for employees from all the many suburbs and the Masonite House, the other in the model house put
very interesting. The recitals have been given by
various organists invited by the M. P. Moeller Com-
pany to furnish the program.
MR. STEIN AND HIS OUTBOARD
MOTORBOAT
Charles Frederick Stein, eminent piano manufac-
turer and lover of piscatorial sports, finds the little
outboard motorboat made at one of the supplemental
shops of the Wurlitzer factories at North Tonawanda
just right for his use. He hitches the little craft on
the rear of his automobile and headed for some good
fishing or hunting spot up North, he is in his glory.
He says that "the combined row'boat and outboard
angle of the Wurlitzer industries at North Tonawan-
da is just all right."
MR. UHL'S CROSS COUNTRY TRIP TO
THE COAST
When Mr. E. H. Uhl, president of the Southern
California Music Company, visited the East he had
an exceedingly interesting trip back to Los Angeles,
for after visiting his home-town, Chicago, and taking
in the things that interested him at the Century of
Progress Exposition, a trip to the Baldwin factories
at Cincinnati, where he went after the Chicago Piano
and Radio Convention, Mr. Uhl proceeded on to
Detroit where he purchased an automobile that per-
fectly met his requirements of a satisfactory car. He
at once started back across the sands and over the
hills and mountains to California.
WILLIAM SCHMOLLER OPTIMISTIC
At a meeting and gathering of the officers and em-
ployees of the Sioux City, Iowa, branch of the
Schmoller & Mueller Music Company, William
Schmoller. the president who came up from head-
quarters at Omaha to attend this gathering said to
his boys that the next few months would witness
one of the largest revivals of retail sales that he has
seen in his 50 years of merchandising. Concerning
piano prices and piano values Mr. Schmoller re-
marked that good pianos were lower today than he
had ever seen them, and that he believed some in-
creases in manufacturers' prices were bound to follow
shortly.
The Arnold Jewelry and Music House, Ottumwa,
Iowa, which was established by C. L. Arnold in 1900,
has been under the management and personal direc-
tion of Carl Dalin since 1909. The business has con-
tinued to grow and today is one of the best known
establishments of Southern Iowa.
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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July-August, 1933
P R E S T O-TI M ES
ISSUED THE
FIFTEENTH OF
PUBLICATION MONTH
FRANK D. ABBOTT
PRESTOTIME
Editor
Telephones, Local ana 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, 3932, at the
Post Office at Chicago, 111., under act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $1.C0 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-
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
lication day to insure preferred position. Pull 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 alt 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, JULY-AUGUST, 1933
The great broadcasting interests of this country are
taking a step to circumvent in a way the requirements
of the American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers, to levy tax on publications for broadcast-
ing. This society has compelled American broad-
casters to sign licenses requiring them to pay what
the broadcasters consider an arbitrary percentage on
their gross receipts regardless of the amount or the
source of the music used. What the broadcasters
have done has been to acquire the American "air
right" of the G. Ricordi & Company catalog of
Milan, Italy. This catalog comprises something like
123,000 compositions and it is a world famous library.
In its remembrance and token of regard to Mr.
MacNab, Western representative of the New York
Music Trades, when his body was taken from Chicago
back to Canada, the land of his nativity, the Chicago
Piano & Organ Association justly recognized the
many courtesies, the many tributes, the many worth-
while things which that kindly gentleman had, on
many occasions, extended to the association and its
associate society, the former Chicago Piano Club.
Mac was a delightful personality; a splendid con-
temporary; generous, patriotic, faithful; and his
friends in the trade were very dear to him.
Philip Wyman, vice-president of The Baldwin Piano
Company, when asked for how many "hours in the
air" could he claim credit, replied: "Oh, a score will
be enough for a trade paper story." Mr. Wyman
is modest, at least not given to bragging for his trips
between New York and Cincinnati, to say nothing
of Pittsburgh to Cleveland; Cleveland to Chicago;
Chicago to Cincinnati made the week of the Chicago
Mvsic Trade Convention, will run away on past
twenty hours in the air.
State features and State gatherings take place from
time to time at the Century of Progress Exposition.
On one of these occasions Governor McNutt of Indi-
ana after speaking of famous Men of Letters, poets,
dramatists, statesmen and other celebrities hailing
frcm his State referred to various industries but,
strangely enough, forgot or neglected to mention the
piano industry which is one of the prominent manu-
facturing industries of the Hoosier State. Some years
ago the Indiana output of pianos from LaPorte, Ham-
mond, Bluffton, Richmond, and New Castle, not to
mention one or two minor establishments, produced
something like a third of the total annual piano out-
put of the country.
Speaking of good times, bad times and all kinds of
"times" and conditions, Mr. Lucien Wulsin, president
of the National Piano Manufacturers Association as
well as the head of the house of Baldwin, Cincinnati,
insists today, as he did in the height of depression
that piano sales can always be made. "Failure to
produce," he says, "cannot be attributed to economic
conditions but to a salesman's own lack of ability."
Well, well and now, after some considerable delay,
the present regime at Washington, along with numer-
ous manifestations toward increasing business and
business activity has caught up with the thought of
fostering and cultivating American trade abroad, par-
ticularly with the colonial countries. It seems that
especially there is a good Spanish Colonial business in
sight. The United States has neglected South Amer-
ican opportunities which loss has undoubtedly helped
to reduce our foreign trade balance.
Certain it is that the aggregate of this trade would
he a good handful. Sombody is picking up business
IT IS NATURAL TO BE INQUISITIVE
Among letters received of late at Presto-Times office inquiring; about various phases of
conditions in this industry brought about by t h e depression which we have been experiencing
the last two years, several correspondents ask in particular as to "what's doing" at the piano
factories these days. The inquiry is persistent as to whether this factory, that one or the
other establishment is, as one correspondent puts it. "open or closed; sold out or turned over
to some other kind of manufacture?" We ar e asked whether such-and-such concern is now
carrying on at all or is it shut down and shipments being made only from old stock; from the
"remains of the past." If shut down, is the closing temporary or permanent?
The sum and substance of what these correspondents want to know seems to be to learn
more as to the ability of manufacturers to supply product of today; new instruments in
model, style and finish.
One correspondent says. "I have been buying left-over instruments at cut prices for three
years and am now ready to launch out with a new slogan to read something like this: 'We spe-
cialize in new, present-day models." We might hang a banner in our store to read: 'Our new
stock is 1933 models only.'" Another inquiry is: "Will the
Company start up again?
If they do I will stick to them: if they do not, I must accept another line." And another writes:
"We have sold the
pianos for many years, but we cannot continue longer with them
selling their 1929. '30 and '31 product; we mint have something different; what are they go-
ing to do?"
A visitor called at Presto-Times office to inquire about a certain piano—a most elegant
instrument, made in the Chicago piano-making circuit. He said he had been just about ready
to close this deal for this piano when he was told that the manufacturers had decided to dis-
continue business; to stop manufacturing. Although he knew the piano to be one of superior
grade, he said he would prefer to buy some other make if the report of liquidation were true.
Presto-Times' correspondence with these manufacturers brought this reply: "Tell the partv we
are manufacturing and intend to remain in business. We feel that as times in general become
better, piano business will come back into its own." Another inquiry suggested by a corre-
spondent brought word from the factory that they were "waiting developments," that their
factory is capable of great things and is "in readiness to start up on short notice." There
was a suggestion in this letter, however, that if things did not improve, the factory might
remain shut down. And perhaps it will.
The last letter was also the shortest and "pointedest," asking "will as many as a half-
dozen piano factories discontinue between now and January first next, and which ones?" to
which inquiry Presto-Times can only say: "Perhaps ; wait and see."
The import of these letters, and of correspondence like this that takes place these days
between the manufacturer and his trade and between jobber, wholesaler and big dealer in the
large cities and their customers and friends in more remote sections, indicates that some-
thing like a clean-up in the music business, and particularly in the piano part of it. is going
on. Ft seems to presage a getting into readiness for better times; perhaps getting back to a
general revival. Certain it is that many people are feeling a deuced sight better today than
they did six months ago. We are reminded of a certain gentleman in this trade who a few-
weeks ago wanted to sell his fifty shares of Mid-Continent Petroleum stock at the then mar-
ket price of $4.00 a share which was $1.00 a share above its lowest a few weeks before. His
wife had misplaced the certificate and he thought it was lost, but now that it has been recov-
ered and the shares have since sold up to $16.00 a share, ten dollars higher than when he was
wanting to sell, he is happy and in a buying stite of mind. And many others are becoming
able to get back to that "buying state of mind."
Evidently a revival is started and happy is the dealer who can carry on and the manu-
tacturer who can supply.
* * * *
Tn an announcement recently published Steinway & Sons suggest to the trade the advance
in cost of piano making by the question: "How much longer can you buy a Steinway at the
present prices?" And how apt and pertinent is this inquiry. The issue is vital and fortunate
is the manufacturer who has ready at hand a supply of well seasoned lumber and of material
for carrying on production and fortunate, too, will be the dealer who can stock up on short
notice with goods made today. Still more fortunate will be those able to get the goods they
will require. Yes, pianos are to cost much more in the near future. The suggestion offered
by Steinway & Sons was followed a little later by their announcement of increase in prices
to Steinway representatives and correspondingly advanced retail prices.
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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