PRESTO TIMES
Established 1 8 8 4
AMERICAN ~
MUSIC TRADES-INDUSTRIES
1 Year
$1.00.
6 Months
60 cents
CHICAGO, ILL., OCT.-NOV., 1935
the close of the war on," Mr. La Motte said.
Rejuvenation in the Music Industries from
"This was brought about by the introduction of
various types of automatic musical instruments, the
and Activities in National Music
radio and the automobile. Today, however, there are
many marked indications of a great revival of interest
Trade Associations; Com-
in pianos and musical instruments of all kinds. This
ments on Past, Pres-
is very interesting to me especially because I have
contended for many years that nothing ever would
ent and Future
take the place of the piano, particularly, and other
musical instruments, in general, which allow individual
Episodes
self-expression.
TRADE PROGRESS AND A RECON- 'To express oneself in music, and to listen to the
expressions of others are two very distinct things and
DITIONED INDUSTRY
I am sure the American people would never forego
the right of self-expression in music. The facts are
that the number of new pianos manufactured in the
HE PAST of theN. A. M. United States almost doubled the previous year's out-
M. is brilliantly note- put; and we will have another increase of not less than
worthy. Many things for 50 per cent over last year."
The official staff of the National Association, one
trade betterment have
all, endorse President La Motte's sentiment and
been accomplished and and
every one of the executive committee also anticipates
t h e association stands marked activity in every move of association work for
well on its record of next year and emphasizes the advantage of displays
achievements.
and exhibits which is intended to be a marked feature
T h e PRESENT, as of next year's gathering so that with continued im-
evidenced by the 1935 provement and changes in piano construction as they
convention held in Chicago last July, indicates have started out this year a remarkable record is in
store for the music industries.
a revival of the best days of the past.
It is generally admitted that the showing of piano
The FUTURE reflects a bright and shining production that has been going on this year, recon-
structing and restyling of the upright design, eclipses
beacon ahead.
President-elect A. D. La Motte gives expres- anything in the line of piano remodeling that has
in many years. Conditions now clearly
sion for a greater association than so far has taken place
that the activity all along the line of piano
been possible. He gives assurance that the indicate
and general musical instrument building is represen-
next convention, which, he says, should be held tative of an awakened music industry taking its place
next year and a start to again be a yearly along with the other industrial progress of the day.
event instead of a biannual affair, a custom
The interest manifested in the exhibits at conven-
which the association fell into a few years ago. tions shows that gatherings of this kind cannot or do
With an entirely new slate of officers and ex- not develop into live wire demonstrations without
ecutive committee and the committees named linking the educational, the business and the open
by President La Motte for current activities, forum meeting elements, with the interests that bring-
displays and exhibits.
they all will work hand in hand in a way to about
Of nineteen piano exhibitors at the convention last
bring about the desire expressed by Mr. La July,
which has been the only massing of pianos on
Motte when he said: "I have a thought at this any occasion this year, nine of these exhibitors dis-
time that we should work through this year played their own version of a restyled upright, con-
and up to the next meeting towards having a sole type piano.
tremendous convention next year dedicated to
These were: Everett (spinet design), *Estey (neu
manufacturers' exhibits and general informa- art upright), Gulbransen (vertical grand), Haddorff
tion which will be advantageous to each and (Vertichord), Lester (Betsy Ross spinet), Mathushek
every dealer who attends." Continuing his (cabinet model spinet grand), Schiller (Schiller Ver-
Story & Clark (console models). Winter
plea" for a greater music convention, uniting tigrand),
(Musette). Wurlitzer (spinnette console).
the other associations which are identical in
interest with the music merchants' association,
Mr. La Motte says:
"In many cases' today I think it is necessary
that the enthusiasm of the dealer be reborn.
People have not changed, in fact more people
like music today than ever before, but the
enthusiasm and the vigor with which the .mer-
chants in all lines have been dedicating to their
business has waned decidedly. Where you
find a man who really has faith in the music
business and is enthusiastic and surrounded
by an organization that will work and collabo-
rate with him you will find that that man is
doing a good business, and I think these^ con-
ventions can be aroused to enthuse the dealers
to act and to carry on in this manner.
"I am anxious to see the sheet music, band
instrument and music merchants hold their
conventions simultaneously and that we all
co-operate to the fullest extent."
Speaking at San Diego after returning from an
eastern trip. Mr. La Motte said that he was convinced
there will be a rise in the volume of sales of pianos
throughout the country from now on.
"The volume of piano business declined rapidly
Established 1 8 8 1
JOURNAL
Fifteenth
of
Publication
Month
MEETING OF THE OHIO MUSIC
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
The Twenty-third Annual Convention of the Music
Merchants Association of Ohio was held at the
Deshler-Wallick Hotel, Columbus, September 29 and
30. The meeting called together upwards of fifty
members, non-members and visitors.
To conserve time and that participants might get
back to their business with little loss of time the first
meeting was held Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening
the Annual Banquet was presided over by past presi-
dent, Otto B. Heaton, in the absence of President
Carl E. Summers. At the luncheon on Monday Presi-
dent Summers presided as toastmaster. The only
business meeting of the session was called to order
at 9:30 o'clock Monday forenoon. After the reading
of the report of Secretary Hyre several telegrams
were read inviting the association to hold its 1936
meeting. One was from F. B. Beinkamp inviting
Cincinnati as the next meeting place. Several tele-
grams were received expressing inability to be pres-
ent and wishing the meeting success.
Among the resolutions brought in by the commit-
tee on resolutions was one: resolved that the 1936
convention be held at Cleveland and that it be known
as the "Silver Jubilee" Convention, celebrating
twenty-live years of continuous existence of the or-
ganization.
Resolution number two cited praise for Carl E.
Summers, retiring president. Resolution number three
was praise for various individuals who have been of
particular assistance to the Ohio association.
The Nominating Committee brought in the follow-
ing nominations, each one being duly elected to the
office named: A. L. Maresh, president; R. D. An-
derson, vice-president; G. F. Gross, treasurer; R. G.
Hyre was re-elected secretary, assistant treasurer and
executive manager.
All of the terms of members of the Executive Com-
mittee having expired, the following nominations were
made:
Vic Williams, for one year (expiring 1936); Ralph
P. Crane, for two years (expiring 1937); Dan F.
Summey, for three years (expiring 1938); Omer E.
Westerfield, for four years (expiring (1939); Otto
Grau for five years (expiring 1940).
„, There being no further business to come before
the organization, the Twenty-third Annual Conven-
tion and Meeting of the Music Merchants Association
-of Ohio adjourned sine die.
QUIEN SABE?
A rumor afloat at Minneapolis and wafted to Chi-
cago indicated that something might yet come out of
the "Ruins of Holland," a possible reassembling of
*Estey exhibited special re-styled upright which
some of the leftover stuff of the defunct Holland Piano
although not of a distinct console type was unique in
design. Later designs in Estey Consoles, the Vic- Company, which was "beached" three or four years
ago. Inasmuch as several of the owners of the late
torian and the Colonial are now in the trade.
Holland piano concern were in the banking business
Hardly had piano manufacturers and the trade gen- and that J. E. Sleeper, who was the Holland factory
erally realized that a movement for precedence in
superintendent, was mentioned in a new deal, some
the field of a radically modified upright design was credence was given to the report, and there may be
taking place and that the precedence would be credited
"something in it." Quien sabe?
to one or two certain manufacturers, more enterpris-
ing perhaps and more alert even if not more sensitive
FINAL ON WILLIAM TONK & BROTHER,
to present-day conditions than the others, than several
INC.
of those "others" lost no time in getting to work on
"re-styling" in their own factory and in announcing'
The Judicial settlement in the assignment of Wil-
the early appearance of their own new, up-to-date re-
styled instrument. The rapidity of action and the liam Tonk & Brother. Inc., manufacturers of pianos
in New York City several years ago comes up in the
letters announcing their new instruments held many
County Courthouse at Pearl and Center streets. New
sales to dealers who had been their customers for
York, November 7th.
many years and were ready to order the "re-styles"
from them if they could deliver in a reasonable time.
Other manufacturers who did not show any "re- CABLE DISPLAY OF CONSOLE MODELS
modified" models at Chicago or were not regular
exhibitors at the Stevens Hotel have since gotten
Two attractive models of console type pianos illus-
their console product well under way and are ship-
trated in newspaper advertisements of the Cable
ping right along. These manufacturers, so far as
Piano Stores and often shown in Cable window dis-
definite information reaches Presto-Times, are:
plays are the Estey Neu-Art model console and the
(Continued on page 4)
Cable "Vertical console."
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