Presto

Nov.-Dec. 1933
GULBRANSEN
Following the sale by the Gulbransen Company of its
entire radio business ; manufacturing, merchandising and
all units of radio production, back to Messrs. Wells,
Gardner & Co., from whom the purchase was made in
the earlier days of radio development; the heyday, so
to speak, of radio manufacture, the new officers elected
by the Board of Directors of the Gulbransen Co.. are as
already announced: President, A. G. Gulbransen; Vice-
President and General Manager, G. A. MacDermott;
Secretary and Treasurer, S. E. Zack: H. A. Stewart,
Sales Manager.
The Wells and Gardner radio business, which was a
successful radio manufacturing industry, was purchased
by the Gulbransen Company at the time when piano
manufacturers were looking for something to take the
p!ace of the falling off in their factories and the radio
manufacturers were seeking facilities for greater radio
output; locations to produce and carry on successfully
a rapidly growing business. So, Messrs. Wells and Gard-
ner made a deal with Mr. Gulbransen and his associates
whereby Wells, Gardner & Co., business was turned over,
outright purchase by the Gulbransen interests, where
space in the great Gulbransen factory plant was awaiting
them. Wells, Gardner & Co. was one of the leading
radio businesses of the country. The combination, the
adding of radio to the Gulbransen factories worked finely
and profitably. It was of especial advantage to the radio
division of the combination to which many new accounts
of the piano trade were added; and the piano division
did not suffer by the deal. The goods were high grade
and today every Gulbransen receiving set is guaranteed
by Gulbransen as well as by Wells & Gardner as now
carrying on. Both concerns stand back of the product
as sponsors and guarantors.
Wells & Gardner are carrying on their business at the
Gulbransen plant and will remain there until the close
of this year or until such time as they will be able to
move to their new location.
The Gulbransen Company, now giving entire attention
to the production of pianos and their woodworking de-
partment finds an increasing demand for its goods that
is keeping their factory a beehive of activity and assuring
a certainty that when Wells, Gardner & Co. have en-
tirely removed between now and the end of the year
every inch of the space which they vacate will be re-
quired by Gulbransen.
A happy condition prevails as between Messrs. Wells
and Gardner and the Gulbransen officials. President
Gulbransen is happy and optimistic in state of mind, see-
ing as he does, a growing Gulbransen piano business.
And Sales Manager Hugh Stewart, they say, is "work-
ing as he never worked before." Thus a splendid Gul-
bransen piano business follows in the wake of the united
efforts of the Gulbransen Company.
Many friends in the trade and numerous others not
directly connected with music have written congratula-
tory letters to Mr. Gulbransen on these recent events
and some of them in the supply trade have expressed
a deep and lasting friendship for him and his work in
piano industrial development.
Remarkable Activity
At this moment the great Gulbransen factories, at
West Chicago avenue and North Kedzie, are very
active; very busy in every department. The wood-
working and cabinet making division is, indeed,
crowded for space and the moment the Wells-Gard-
ner radio chassis plant is moved the space thus va-
cated will be immediately occupied in extending this
branch of the Gulbransen Company. It is safe to say
that probably no factory now functioning in the music
industries is more alive with work in hand nor one
employing more workmen and more crowded for
space than is the condition at the Gulbransen Com-
pany industries.
Piano shipments are going forward actively and in
several styles of both grands and uprights orders
have been delayed in shipment by reason of increas-
ing demand for these models.
All in all the Gulbransen plant, woodworking, cab-
inet making and piano divisions, is a bright spot in
the musical instrument manufacturing industry of the
country.
By the way, Mr. H. A. Stewart, general sales man-
ager of the piano division, has recently issued a va-
riety of Gulbransen publicity literature which Gul-
bransen dealers in particular will find interesting and
helpful.
A CAPABLE BROOK MAYS & CO.
MANAGER
W. D. Albin, the manager of Brook Ma.vs & Com-
pany's Fort Worth, Texas, branch store, has a novel
plan to promote interest in pianos and the ones they
sell.
The BMPC radio station, controlled by the Brook
Mays house, is very popular in that vicinity and Mr.
Albin has established studios and proper transmitters
in the Brook Mays store where a regular program
features the different pianos handled. The five leading
piano agencies represented by Brook Mavs & Co.
P R E S T O-T I M E S
are given their appropriate announcements and broad-
rast each day. Thus the public actually hears the
individual instrument offered for sale for each par-
ticular broadcast feature.
When Mr. Gordon Laughead. sales manager of the
Wurlitzer Grand Piano Company, was in that vicinity
recently he was entertained by Manager Albin and
w r as given a "send-off" over the wire at station
BMPC. Incidentally, Mr. Albin is enjoying an ex-
cellent Wurlitzer trade. He is having a remarkably
good business with the Schaff Bros, grand and has
recently sold several of the style "B" Julius Bauer
grand, one to a prominent music teacher at Fort
Worth.
Mr. Albin has been associated with Brook Mays &
Co. many years. His intrinsic value as a piano man
and his enthusiasm in pushing business gained him
the appointment of manager of the Fort Worth ter-
ritory. He has made a splendid sales record since
going there and has surrounded himself with an agres-
sive. intelligent and capable selling organization.
What's Going On In the Trade
The new Levis Music Store building has just been
started at 412-414 East Main street, Rochester, N. Y.
This will be a three-story building, first-class in con-
struction and equipment and ready for occupancy
early in 1934.
The Wurlitzer Music Store branch at 250 Stockton
street, San Francisco, is specializing in an attractive
"real money-saving sale" in which it emphasizes this
statement: "Don't let the low prices quoted mislead
you as to the quality of these well-known, high-grade
instruments."
The J. E. Yuncker Music Company, 1626 West
Seventh street, Los Angeles, Calif., advertises itself
as "The Bechstein House," the Bechstein being
Yuncker's leader.
The death of Frederick S. Baumer, age 32, vice-
president of the Baumer Piano Company, New
Rochelle, N. Y., is announced. Mr. Baumer was a
graduate of the Lawrenceville school in 1918 and of
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1922.
Two or three weeks ago the Jenkins Music House
was advertising at the different Jenkins branch stores
that the Steinvvay allotment of pianos at former prices
was "half over." At this writing the entire allotment
may have been disposed of. Steinway dealers all over
the country are saying and advertising: "Steinway
prices are going up. Buy now and save."
In the Fowler Brothers' (Chattanooga, Tenn.) news-
paper display advertisements that house offers the
"Hubbard," the '"Wood & Son" and the "Jacobs &
Son" reconditioned pianos: quite strange names of
pianos.
R. E. Mooney of Butler, Missouri, is opening a
branch store at Appleton City, Missouri, under the
title of Appleton City Music House, and the place of
business is in the Bever building, near the post office.
Mr. Mooney has long been identified with music and
music trade matters in that section of the state and
is still the leader of the Butler Concert Band. A line
of pianos has been put in stock in addition to radios,
general musical instruments and sheet music.
M. M. Fischer, recently of Olivia, Minn., has opened
a music store at Redwood Falls, Minn. This is an
exclusive music store and is located in the Fox build-
ing. Mr. Fischer had been in the music business in
Olivia for fourteen years and was leader of the
Olivia brass band for several years.
The store and basement at 969 Broad street, New-
ark, N. J., has been leased to O. R. Harrison Com-
pany, "piano distributors."
The newly organized piano and organ department
of the Lansing branch of the Michigan State Institute
of Music and Allied Arts, located at 326 West Grand
avenue, Lansing. Mich., has secured W. J. Hildie as
manager. Mr. Hildie recently returned from Univer-
sity Park, Iowa, where he was engaged in the piano
business.
Hardman. Peck & Company, New York, have se-
cured a lease on the building at 61 Flatbush avenue,
Brooklyn, extending through to Rockwell place.
In announcing the opening of a new phonograph
record department the Rudolph Wurlitzer branch
store at Dayton, Ohio, says concerning the manager
of that department, Mr. Ernest Heberlein, that he
is a talented musician and one who has had broad
experience in the music business. Phonograph records
is a hobby of Mr. Heberlein and his knowledge of
this department is very extensive.
The music business which had been successfully
conducted by W. A. Orm at Burlington, Iowa, up to
the time of his death a few months ago, is now carried
on by Mrs. Orm at the old location, 112 North Main
street. The Kimball piano agency is still conducted
by Mrs. Orm.
A new business has been formed at Norvvalk, Ohio,
by the consolidation of the two principal music houses
of that city, H, C. Stentz and Joe Fisher. Mr. Stentz
has been in the music business in Norwalk for eight
years. The new firm is located at the original loca-
tion of the Fisher Music House.
In a special Lyon & Healy (Chicago) Chickering
display advertisement in the daily papers appears a
photograph of a sweet little child about seven years
of age and across this photograph this sentence:
"Select your piano with her in mind." A splendid ad-
vertisement and one that must attract attention.
The business of the Jesse French Corporation, which
succeeded the Jesse French & Sons Piano Company,
New Castle, Ind., is moving along in conservative
lines under the management of H. Edgar French, the
elder son of the late Jesse French. Mr. French is
occupying the great Jesse French building under
lease and finishing up the old stock that was taken
over by the new corporation and is gradually getting
m a position for regular piano production under con-
servative lines.
The Platt Music Company, Los Angeles, is mak-
ing a run on the Heller baby grands of Winter & Co.
at $289.00, which seems to stir up a lively trade.
The Will A. Watkin Company, Dallas, Tex., now in
its fiftieth year of business, has enlarged its studio
section and the place will become a real headquar-
ters for music teaching. New studios have been added
and a well fitted out recital hall to meet the require-
ments of the amateur and professional of Dallas and
vicinity.
E. F. Nickerson succeeds H. E. Raines as general
manager of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company store at
Pittsburgh. Mr. Raines having been transferred to
Cincinnati. The new manager of the piano r depart-
ment at the Pittsburgh store is I. J. Mattlin w ho was
formerly connected with the Knabe piano warerooms,
Ampico Hall, at Cleveland, Ohio, and, by the way, a
brother of I. J. Mattlin has taken charge of a Wur-
litzer store recently started at Akron, Ohio, which is
under the direction of the Cleveland branch of Wur-
litzer. Thus the two "Mattlin boys" are now Wur-
iitzer boys.
Under the heading, "Music Master," a community
paper contains a sketch of Alfred Witzel, head of
the Witzel Music Company, 3050 Lincoln avenue,
Chicago. Mr. Witzel is described in this story as the
"modern master of musical instruments of this com-
munity."
The Dolgin Jewelry & Music Company, 707 Adams
street, Toledo, Ohio, had a grand opening and celebra-
tion in honor of its enlarged music department. Aaron
Dolgin is the general manager of the house and Don
Lawrence is in charge of the music department.
M. F. Malarkey's Music House, 107 North Center
street, Pottsville, Pa., and a branch store at 47 South
Lehigh avenue, Frackville. says in their display ad-
vertising: "A small grand piano is the pride of every
home," and that this "longed-for possession of every
woman is within the reach of the most modest in-
come."
The Steve Broadus Co., Inc., has recently been in-
corporated for carrying on business at 1595 Broad-
way, New York. Radios, pianos and other musical
instruments will be carried in stock.
Douglas Jacquith has put in a line of pianos at
Lake Preston, S. Dak. Mr. Jacquith has been con-
ducting a piano repair shop for some time past and is
also a leader of the Lake Preston High School Band
and is now branching out into a general music busi-
ness and with excellent prospects of success.
The E. B. Guild Music Company, Topeka, Kansas,
has started its free music course for school pupils,
including band and orchestral instruments as well as
piano classes.
The Primrose Music Company, located in the Brill
building at 49th street and Broadway, New York,
has started in the music publishing business headed
by George Olsen, the orchestra leader.
With Crosley making 2,500 radios a day, as reported
in the daily papers, it looks as though the radio busi-
ness was booming along all right.
The J. W. Jenkins Music Company, Kansas City,
Missouri, is opening a branch store at Carrollton,
Missouri.
The Interstate Piano Service Corp. has been in-
corporated for carrying on business at 1855 66th street,
Brooklyn. New York. Capital stock, $2,000.
The piano department of The Outlet Company,
Providence, R. I., which handles several of the Lester
Piano Company units, makes a special run on the
Emerson at a notable cut price.
The Halle Bros. Piano Department, Cleveland, in
their Steinway advertisements, say: "Steinway prices
are the lowest they have been in years. We are now
informed that Steinway prices will advance soon."
The Cable Piano Company's line of pianos is ad-
vertised in the Chicago papers in this order: Mason
& Flamlin, Conover, and Cable Midget Grand.
MR. HEPPERLA AND JAMES &
HOLMSTROM
Renewed activity or, perhaps, better, a particularly
aggressive campaign for James & Holmstrom activities,
has come about through the association of Walter
C. Hepperla with that distinguished piano manufac-
turing industry (Leominster division). The James &
Hoimstrom grand pianos are now made at the com-
modious factory located at Leominster, Mass., and
one of the exclusive features of their construction is
the "automatic top support" which enables one to
raise or lower the top without effort. The factory
for upright pianos will be continued at Alexander
avenue and 132nd street. New York. The Leominster
factory for grand pianos will specialize in building
baby grands of superlative quality, tonally correct and
of design having an unusual eye appeal. The Leo-
minster factory is moderuly equipped and is a beau-
tiful daylight plant.
Mr. Hepperla knows the piano business very com-
pletely and his piano manufacturing career has been
largely in production of small grands, in fact he is
one of the pioneers of the small or "baby" grand piano
production. The general offices of the James & Holm-
strom Piano Company remain at 14 East 39th street,
New York, with factories at Leominster, Mass., and
Alexander avenue and 132nd street. New York.
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