Presto

PRESTO-TI MES
March-April, 1935
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEREST- HUGH STEWART, VICE-PRESI-
DENT OF GULBRANSEN
ING BUSINESS
Importance of Piano Accordion Trade
Profits in Piano Accordion
Selling
One of the numerous important music houses
through the country that have more recently started
special campaigns for piano accordion selling, is the
Joosten Piano Company, Peoria, 111., a concern that
is having remarkable success with the Wurlitzer line
in which instruments they are specializing. Special
performances have been given and an unusual interest
lias been created in and round about Peoria in the
accordion. So much interested is Mr. Joosten in the
Wurlitzer instruments that he says he considers his
house fortunate in securing the Wurlitzer agency for,
as he says, his firm considers the Wurlitzer accordion
superior to any other at the prices they can be sold
for. The accordion expert of the Joosten Music
House in a recent interview with a Presto-Times rep-
resentative referred to the several advantageous im-
provements found in the Wurlitzer accordions many
of them superior to anything in the imported line.
These advantages together with the cooperation which
dealers are sure to receive from the manufacturers
are conditions not to be lost sight of. It is interest-
ing to note the methods employed by the Joosten
Piano Company in selling accordions, such as, (1)
giving free lessons (eight) and letting pupils use ac-
cordions in the store, the instruments not to leave the
store; (2) furnishing an accordion with a course of
lessons at $1.50 per lesson; (3) giving a term of les-
sons with each instrument as an inducement to buy.
The Joosten Company is pleased with its accordion
business and anticipates continued larger business.
THAT INTERESTING STEINERT-STEINWAY
EVENT IN BOSTON
The Steinert-Steinway celebration in honor of the
Diamond Jubilee of the house of Steinert & Sons, at
Boston, was an interesting event. Steinert was es-
tablished in Boston in 1860, seventy-five years ago, to
deal in pianos and especially to represent the Stein-
way in the Boston territory. To commemorate the
founding of this business, an exhibition depicting the
evolution of the Steinway piano was shown at the
first floor show-rooms in Boylston street. There was
shown at this exhibition the first Steinway (made in
Europe) ever made; the piano that was used by
Beethoven in 1803 when he was composing his "Eroica
Symphony." Other antique and celebrated models
were exhibited and all in all the display was exceed-
ingly interesting and attracted Boston's musical elite,
students and musical people generally. It will be
remembered that the late Morris Steinert gathered
a rare collection of musical instruments of the key-
board class; harpsichords, clavichords, pianos, which
collection was later presented to Yale University.
ASHEVILLE'S LATEST
The new music house at Asheville, N. C. known
as "Melville's for Music," which is owned and con-
trolled by Mrs. Corinna Melville, is moving along
in a remarkably encouraging manner. A grand open-
ing took place in their store, 6 Biltmore avenue,
and the motto placed around the rooms, "Everything
in Music," was well verified by the splendid stocks of
small goods, stringed instruments of all kinds and
an especially attractive line of "brass." The main
line of pianos at present represented is the Baldwin.
An interesting adjunct is the Carolina Music Pub-
lishing Company's display of musical publications,
with offers to composers to publish attractive popu-
lar songs, especially mountain songs and ballads.
H. C. (Larry) Spear Starts With the
Kimball Line at Alton, III.
H. C. Spear, who recently established a piano busi-
ness at 322 State street, Alton. Illinois, finds an en-
couraging condition in that territory. Mr. Spear ar-
ranged to handle the Kimball line in the Alton ter-
ritory and came to Chicago to select his stock and
has started out in quite a satisfactory manner. He
therefore anticipates splendid results in Kimball piano
trade in Alton.
Mr. Spear, a comparatively young man, has en-
gaged in an extended field of activities in the piano
business. For several years he held positions with
Wurlitzer branch houses: Columbus, Dayton, Pitts-
burgh and St. Louis. Mr. Spear's friends will be
glad to hear of Larry's latest and in some ways most
interesting opportunity for continued hustling.
George A. McFetters, Frank M. Hood and John K.
Myrick are the incorporators of the Hood Music
Company, Greensboro, N. C ; capital stock, $50,000.
The "opening" event took place at their new location,
119 S. Greene street.
COMPANY
The elevation of Hugh Stewart to the position of
Vice-President of the Gulbransen Company in Janu-
ary of this year brought more conspicuously to the
forefront one of the most interesting individuals in
the piano trade and one
who is as popular with
his associates in the
Gulbransen offices and
factory as he is with
the great number of
friends which he pos-
sesses throughout the
industry.
The editor of Presto-
Times first became ac-
quainted with Mr. Stew-
art when the latter en-
tered the employ of the
Price & Teeple Piano
Company some twenty-
five years
ago
as
stenographer and has
watched him progress
with methodical con-
Hugh Stewart, Vice-Presi-
sistency from one de-
dent, Gulbransen Company.
partment of piano activ-
ity to another until today it seems as though if there
is any division of the piano business in which Mr.
Stewart has not had actual experience, it must he
some department of which Hugh has not yet heard.
Through the position of stenographer he became a
capable correspondent; then entered into retail work;
supplemented this with wholesale travelling and then
became office manager in charge of dealer cor-
respondence and wholesale piano activities. Working
in the day time and attending school at night as cir-
cumstances permitted, he took up such courses as
advertising and selling, market analysis, business ad-
ministration, economics, psychology and philosophy.
While an ardent student at that time, he is apparently
the same type of student today for although main-
taining a large library of highly modern literature
covering merchandising and manufacturing practices,
nevertheless natural history and the philosophy of the
ancients such as Homer, Socrates, Plato and Epictetus
are so well familiar to him that he constantly bears a
fine, conservative balance between the old and the
new.
How to find time to pursue this reading and still
efficiently carry on a myriad of other duties might be
a problem to others, but not to Hugh Stewart. Al-
though living over thirty miles from the factory office
and driving each day when not travelling, he is usually
the first one on the job and not infrequently before
seven in the morning. He follows a calm, unhurried
procedure throughout the day. thanks to the efficiency
of the people with whom he has surrounded himself,
with plenty of time for the many callers who visit the
Gulbransen plant, and the writer is no exception to
this privilege, and a journey through the factory with
him is one of the most educational experiences that
any one interested in piano manufacture may antici-
pate.
Mr. Stewart joined the Gulbransen Company the
first of 1919 as Manager of the Advertising Depart-
ment and with the exception of the years 1927, 1928
and 1929, has been with them continuously since that
time. Not only the Gulbransen piano, but Gulbransen
principles so attached themselves that with him, the
Gulbransen System long since ceased to be a busi-
ness opportunity alone; it became a "hobby" and such
it is today, which accounts to a considerable degree
for the success he has had with it.
In 1921. Hugh became Assistant Sales Manager and
shortly thereafter. Sales Manager which position he
continues to hold in addition to his new title of Vice-
President. Some of the most successful wholesale
men in the piano field have been developed under the
direction of Mr. Stewart and likewise some of the
most extensive merchandising campaigns. He pos-
sesses in a high degree not alone the ability to inspire
and encourage others, but l a s demonstrated excep-
tional talent in organization building. The strategic
points at which Gulbransen dealers are located, the
prominence of the dealers themselves and the con-
tinuously large volume of trade which Gulbransen en-
joys is a further indication of this peculiar ability to
organize.
Ask any Gulbransen dealer about the Gulbransen
piano or about Hugh Stewart and he will tell you that
the one reflects the other; both highly qualified,
thoroughly substantial and entitled to your confidence.
And this, by the way. is the same answer that will
be received from any of Mr. Stewart's associates in
the Gulbransen offices or factory.
When the writer visited the Gulbransen factory a
few days ago. two cars of pianos, 30 instruments in
each, were being arranged for loading and it was
an inspiring sight to see the vast factory activity go-
ing on. Every instrument seen in the plant had the
name "Gulbransen" cast in the plate and such an
array of beautiful grand and upright pianos as the
writer saw there was a sight to behold. Piano dealers
making a trip to Chicago should pay a visit to the
Gulbransen factory and to Hugh Stewart, the eminent
and esteemed piano man, fine gentleman bon homme,
always, the new Vice-President of the Gulbransen
Company.
When it was announced that Mr. Stewart had been
made Vice-President of the Gulbransen Company,
many letters of congratulations came to the Company
and to Mr. Stewart personally. These letters form a
group of affectionate and intimate correspondence
highly prized by the recipient. It has been the writer's
good fortune to scan over many of these communica-
tions and the kind, cheerful, lovely expressions and
words of good will show stronger and more forcibly
the high regard in which Mr. Stewart is held by his
dealer friends than can be penned in this story or by
this write-up.
FRANK WEISER HEADS WEISER
& SONS CO.
Frank Weiser, piano maker, technician, draftsman
and expert in piano construction, who has taken over
the Weiser & Sons business, Chicago, goes back to
the scenes of his early piano factory days at the lo-
cation where the Weiser & Sons Piano manufactur-
ing business started soon after the elder Weiser who
had for years been a factory superintendent at the
Kimball plant, started his own piano manufacturing
business. Here he built the factory at 21st street
and Kedzie avenue and his two sons. Frank and Wal-
ter, joined him. Then additional factory premises
were erected to occupy the lots up to the corner of
21st street. After the passing of Mr. Weiser, Sr.,
Frank withdrew from the concern to carry on other
lines of piano activity, including wholesaling pianos
on the road.
Now Frank goes back and takes the factory and
store, and entire business by purchasing from the
widow of the late Walter Weiser. Mr. Weiser's plans
are not yet fully developed as to future enlargement
and operations but for the present he is retailing the
stock at his disposal.
The many friends of Mr. Weiser wish him success
and are certain that where standard work and excel-
lence of product is concerned, his success is certain
and sure.
REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF A NEW MODEL
The new Harrington grand piano placed on the
market only a few weeks ago has met with splendid
reception in the trade and has made many friends in
the music profession and with the general musical
public. Tn fact there have been days at a time, and
a week or two, really, when the factory could not sup-
ply the particular model Harrington on which there
has been what might be termed a "run." Hardman,
Peck & Company know perfectly well not only how
to build pianos of finest quality but instruments of
beautv. attractiveness and selling characteristics as
well.
STACKLEY MUSIC HOUSE PERMANENTLY
LOCATED
The Stackley Piano House, Winston-Salcm, North
Carolina, are now well located in their new place of
business. 516 N. Liberty street, that city. They have
added band instruments, musical merchandise and
string instruments and are much encouraged in the
general outlook. As already announced the Stackley
concern has acquired the Mathushek for its leading
instrument. Mr. Stackley says that the Mathushek-
Spinet itself has brought about several sales of regular
stock pianos aside from a handsome and profitable
Spinet business.
The Carlson Music Company, Great Falls, Montana,
has recently added the agency for the Wick piano
in addition to the Wurlitzer line which it has been
representing for some time past. The Carlson Com-
pany also carries a line of Wurlitzer piano accordions.
Wewoka. Oklahoma is about to have a newly fur-
nished and decorated music house by the Lignon
Music and Furniture House. The new location is
113 S. Wewoka avenue, where extensive floor space
devoted to display rooms has been secured. This will
make the Lignon Music House one of the most mod-
ern and up-to-date stores in Oklahoma and equal in
general appearance to the stores of Tulsa and Okla-
homa cities.
The little inaccuracy printed in an Atlanta, Georgia
paper, associating the name, "Lester's, Incorporated,"
the business of which had been liquidating, with the
Lester Piano Company, was immediately corrected by
the newspaper in question. The Lester Piano Com-
pany, a well established piano house located at 94
Alabama street, S. W., Atlanta, is carrying on a very
satisfactory business while the other concern referred
to has been liquidating under the direction of a Mr.
W. A. Home who handled the disposition of the
bankrupt stock of Lester's, Inc.
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