AND EVERYW
1
SPECTACULAR
INCREASE IN PIANO
SHIPMENTS
The month of July was a banner one for the piano indus-
try showing an increase in shipments of instruments of 57.31%
over July, 1939. The total number of pianos shipped was 7,266.
These shipments were made by twenty eight members of the
piano manufacturing industry.
The comparison of July, 1940, with July of the past two
years is very interesting.
Upright
Grands
Total
1940
6,258 (86.13%)
1,008 (13.78%)
7,266
1939
3,868 (83.74%)
751 (16.26%)
4,619
1938
2,979 (80.17%)
737 (19.83%)
3,716
Shipments of the first six months of 1940 and 1939
Uprights
Grands
1st 6 Mos. '40
54,055(84.34%)
10,033(15.66%)
1st 6 Mos. '39
42,873 (81.69%)
9,612 (18.31%)
MTTFP
were:
Total
64,088
52,485
The piano industry is on the grand march and if nothing
happens to deaden business in the next four months the piano
industry will probably have enjoyed its best year for some
time. Other branches of the music industry also report good
increases in business despite the fact that there have been
some quiet spots during this year.
TRUCK TECHNIQUE IN PIANO
SELLING
Jenkins Piano Company—$1,000,000 a Year
In a very recent number of "Life" magazine, there was an
interesting article entitled "Truck Technique Helps Boom
Piano Sales in Farm Areas." This illustrated article covered
two full pages and three half pages. It told of the activities
of the Jenkins Music Company of Kansas City with its nine
branch stores spread over Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Okla-
homa, and Texas. Through these stores the company sells
more than $1,000,000 worth of pianos a year.
One of their most successful schemes is a truck operation
which is illustrated in the story. About twice a week a
Jenkins truck, several pianos, and a salesman go cruising
avound the nearby farm territory. Through this activity many
sales are made.
It is interesting to know that this story was inspired by
Lawrence H. Seize, Publicity Counsel for the National Piano
Manufacturers Association, and that he spent sometime in
this territory helping prepare the story. Miss Maria Sermolino,
associate editor of "Life," flew from New York to Kansas City
to investigate the story and then photographer George Strock
flew from Los Angeles to take the pictures.
WALTER K. BAHR—A DYNAMIC
WURLITZER "COPS" ADVERTISING
PRIZES
Ray Erlandson, Vice President and Sales Manager of the
Retail Store Division of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company
(pictured at left), and Walter Schwimmer, of Schwimmer
& Scott, Chicago advertising agency, do a bit of congratulating.
And they have good reason for celebrating, for Wurlitzer has
just copped three of the major awards offered in the "Class
A" division of the annual advertising and display competition
held in connection with the Convention and Trade Show of
the National Association of Music Merchants, just concluded
in Chicago. The award for the best piano ad of the year was
won by the Wurlitzer Detroit store; the Wurlitzer Cincinnati
store won second place for advertising musical merchandise;
and the Wurlitzer Cleveland store won the first prize for the
best piano window display. All Wurlitzer retail store ads were
prepared by Schwimmer & Scott of Chicago.
LEADER
The picture at the right shows the band instrument dis-
play in the window of the Waldon Music Shop, Allentown,
Pennsylvania, of which Walter K. Bahr is the owner, and
Martin Band Instrument Company dealer. Mr. Bahr is one
of those agressive, up-to-the-minute men who are the life of
the communities in which they live. It is a matter of pride to
our whole fraternity of music dealers to have in it men like
Mr. Bahr. He is not only a fine leader in his own business
and in his own city but has extended his influence to a wider
area. He was one of the prime movers in the organization of
the Lehigh Valley Music Dealers Association. He has been
the representative of the Retail Musical Instrument Dealers
Association in this same territory. Presto Music Times wants
to congratulate Mr. Bahr on the success of his business and
the service he is rendering in a large way in the music field.
This is a splendid window. Such displays promote our business
because of their attractiveness and appeal to the artistic sense
of the general public.
SEPTEMBER, NINETEEN FORTY
PAGE THIRTY-ONE
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