June-July, 1935
PRESTO-TIMES
PIANO PROGRESS
Gulbransen Achievements
It is pretty generally understood that for months
past lively activity in piano production has been go-
ing on at the Gulbransen factory, Chicago.
This is an entirely correct estimate of what is go-
ing on at Gulbransen's these days; something thai
PRESTO-TIMES has already commented upon and
as many times verified. This week, the last days ot
June, a representative of this paper brings informa-
tion from S. E. Zack, president of Gulbransen that
more orders were booked for the month ending June
25, just past, than for any previous one-month period
during the past four years and more orders are being
booked for grands, extending over the past two
months, than ever before in the history of the Gul-
bransen business.
This remarkable record, and verified as it is by
Mr. Zack is manifested in a practical manner by the
various car load shipments that have been going out
from the factory of late; shipments to Pacific Coast
points, Texas, Arizona, the southwest and to the
north and the great northwest; these events, cardinal
demonstrations in the piano business today, are do-
ings that make this an interesting story of music trade
happenings just now and help to make yet more
readable the tetter from Gene Redewell which fol-
lows.
Here is Mr. Redewell's letter, written a few days
after a shipment to him in May had arrived at
Phoenix. The letter shows the delightful spirit of
cooperation that exists between factory and patron:
producer and distributor in the Gulbransen-dealer
circle of friends and co-workers. Mr. Redewell
writes:
"Herewith settlement for the carload of
Gulbransen pianos which was unloaded yes-
terday and I want to tell you how agreeably
surprised my entire force were and how de-
lighted, they are with these beautiful new
model Gulbransen pianos.
"The finish, tone and many details mark
these pianos; particularly the new Minuets
and the Aristocrat grands, as the best Gul-
bransens we have ever received and that is
saying a whole lot because Gulbransens were
always attractive in these respects."
Other letters on Gulbransen pianos from various
dealers are similar in tone and appreciation to Mr.
Redewell's, and what Mr. Redewell says can be put
down as proof positive that others think and estimate
as he does concerning quality, reliability and salabil-
ity of various pianos. When Mr. Redewell or any
other great piano man makes a statement on piano
qualifications other good judges generally have the
same opinion of that article. The Gulbransen Com-
pany has many letters of commendation.
Concerning various courtesies that Gulbransen is
extending to its dealers the mats and electrotypes
supplied their dealers are particularly appreciated.
These plates, of various sizes, captions and pictorial
designs are suitable for newspaper cards as well as
various other forms of advertising and publicity. This
service is taken advantage of by many Gulbransen
dealers.
This is one of several lines of service especially
valued by Gulbransen dealers and is a mark of the
mutuality now dominating in Gulbransen manage-
ment.
WINTER PIANO COMPANY FIFTY YEARS
AT ERIE
The Winter Piano Company, now located at 1015
State Street, Erie, Pa., has been in business at Erie
for upwards of fifty years and the good old town,
noted as a musical instrument producing center in
years gone by, gave a rousing celebration for the
event. It was a Winter Fifty-Year Jubilee Celebra-
tion. The Winter & Company business was really
established in 1882, but this year has been regarded
as a fiftieth anniversary of its business in Erie.
Speaking of the starting of the business by his
father, George J. Winter, who is present owner of
the Winter Piano Company, said: "The old square
piano, now as extinct as the do-do, was then in its
prime. Uprights were making their appearance, but
their lasting popularity was questioned. They weath-
ered the storm of public criticism, won their place
in the home, and were later supplemented by the
player piano."
Real Praise
The
Mat hush ek
Si EG. US PAT. OFF.
Trade Mark
Of the many newspaper advertisements and marked
copies that have come to PRESTO-TIMES of late
one in particular attracts attention. It is in the Bing-
hamton (N. Y.) Press and bears the caption "This
Letter Tells the Story." The letter, addressed to
Weeks & Dickinson, Inc.. prominent piano dealers of
Binghamton, and signed by Hardman, Peck & Co.,
reads as follows:
"Dear Sirs:
"We were very much interested to hear about your
recent musical census, which showed, among other
things, that there were more Hardman and Harring-
ton pianos in Binghamton homes than any other
make. As manufacturers of these pianos for so many
years, this information is indeed gratifying.
"At this time we also take pride in recalling that
your esteemed firm and its predecessors, Barrett
Brothers, have handled our pianos for more than a
half century. We shall do everything in our power
to justify your confidence in us and in our product,
always maintaining the high standards of quality
which have made the Hardman and Harrington pianos
the logical choice of so large a proportion of Bing-
hamton residents."
Further comment is unnecessary than to add the
statement of Weeks & Dickinson, who say: "We shall
do our utmost to continue to merit the confidence of
our patrons as we have in the seventy years of the
past."
MCMACKIN'S "PROFITABLE RENEWAL"
PROPOSITION
An o u t s t a n d i n g
Piano on which the
eyes of the Public
and Trade are fo-
cused.
T h e SpinetGrand
has set a new vogue
in the designing of
pianos.
Examine our new
models and designs.
Convention Head-
quarters — Stevens
Hotel 502A.
If it isn't a
MATHUSHEK,
it isn t a
SpinetGrand
Originators and Sole Manufacturers
MATHUSHEK
PIANO MFG. CO.
132nd St. and Alexander Ave.,
New York, N. Y.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT NEWMAN BROS.
. In accounting for the sale of the Newman Bros,
factory property at Cox Street near Chicago Ave-
nue, Chicago, the lawyers for the receiver present
the final account and report of Monte H. Sadler,
Receiver, and ask the court to enter an order approv-
ing final accounting. There was only about $3,700
on hand, which amount would all be wiped out in
fees and preferred claims so that general creditors
will apparently not receive anything.
15
Wholesale Representatives
MID-WESTERN
B. M. Strub,
540 N. Michigan Ave.,
Chicago, 111.
PACIFIC COAST
Louis F. Goelzlin
138 McAllister Street
San Francisco, Calif.
The slogan, "A Profitable Renewal," used by Mc-
Mackin, key repair specialist, is a fitting caption for
the work that conies from his workshop and studios
at Des Moines, Iowa.
Mr. McMackin is an expert; an expert in every
line of work carried on in his establishment and par-
ticularly in piano and organ key renewing.
A complete job at the McMackin shop consists of
beveling, polishing, fronts, sharps, refinishing and all
repolishing after which the entire keyboard is like
new.
Of late Mr. McMackin has been working out a
new system of recovering and other processes of
keywork that not only guarantee what may be said
to be perfection in keywork but reduces time and
expense, thus enabling him to make the special rates
for work which he now advertises.
The McMackin facilities in lacquer service and all
lines of band instrument polishing, lacquering and
making new, insure the highest class of work and
the lowest prices consistent with such work. They
have in this establishment one of the finest spraying
and polishing equipment in the country, and are en-
abled to give the best service in metal refinishing on
band instruments. Many dealers handle bridge lamps,
piano lamps and art novelties and they will find the
McMackin Service an ideal place to send work of
this kind.
PRESTO-TIMES has from time to time printed
testimonial leters from dealers who have sent their
work to the McMackin shop. All of them bear evi-
dence of the superiority of McMackin Service. There-
fore it is a pleasure to recommend the house of Mc-
Mackin and to refer readers to the special McMackin
announcement in this issue of PRESTO-TIMES.
THREE FIRMS SELECT BETTER
LOCATIONS
The W. F. Frederick Music Store, Uniontown, Pa.,
has moved from its former quarters where it was
located for nearly a quarter of a century to 61 West
Main Street, only a few doors from their former
location.
The Blaney Music Store, Concordia, Kans., is mov-
ing to a better location and more convenient sales-
room in the Ellis Starr Building of that city.
The Cunningham Music Company is now located
at 113 East 9th Street. Winfield, Kans.. in the store
formerly occupied by the Pierce Book Store. The
new Cunningham headquarters were completely re-
modeled and redecorated and make an excellent loca-
t'on for a growing piano business which the Cun-
ningham Company are pleased to say is a correct
report.
READY FOR ANOTHER CARLOAD
The Jones Piano House, Spencer. Iowa, the pro-
prietor of which is R. L. Jones, said to be now the
dean of music dealers in the Hawkeye State, has been
experiencing lively conditions in the piano depart-
ment of his business for some weeks past. A fair
normal trade is generally credited to Mr. Jones, but
of late business has taken a good spurt upwards with
the result that dean Jones wears a broad and "catch-
ing" smile. Several of the Jones sales were men-
tioned in the home town paper and of the dozen
piano sales mentioned, half of them were Gulbransens,
a high school and two prominent churches among the
number.
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