Music Trade Review
Issue: 1917 Vol. 64 N. 5 - Page 11
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11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
GRINNELL BROS'. MANAGERS HOLD ANNUAL CONVENTION
Over Fifty Piano Men Attend Four-Day Convention—Masque Ball and Banquet Features of
Gathering—Some Salient Points on Making Collections—New Association Officers Elected
DETROIT, MICH., January 30.—The greatest effort tremely well pleased with his record thus far,
to keep up collections with most concerns is and says he can see a great opportunity in De-
made during hard times or when business is dull, troit. Each week he stands with the top-notch-
although that period is usually the worse for ers in the sales department, and he is proving a
collections. The best time for going after your happy addition to the sales department.
collections is when the country is prosperous—
A repair department has been added to the
for instance, right now is a good time for every Detroit Piano Co., and is bringing in consider-
dealer to make a drive for prompt collections. able work with little effort. F. M. Ramsdell,
When work is scarce and business is dull, president of the company, who is always most
debtors have a good argument to ward off the conservative in his statements, told The Review
collectors by giving a~ legitimate excuse that correspondent that January was a good month,
they simply cannot pay—and what can the deal- and that he was sure 1917 would be a splendid
er do but accept the customer's word, and wait year for the retail piano dealer. This firm sells
patiently for conditions to improve. No use in the Mehlin, Emerson, Winter, Cable-Nelson,
repossessing the goods because most of the in- Lindeman and other pianos and players. On
struments would come back. But now when several of these lines, prices have been ad-
everybody is prosperous; where there is plenty vanced since the first of the year.
of money and plenty of work; when people are
Roy Dupraw, of the Clough & Warren Co.,
in the humor for spending money and are mak- says business is great—selling lots of pianos,
ing big money as compared to normal times— players and Manophone talking machines. In-
is the best time to keep up collections 100 per formation has come to us that the Clough &
cent. You can get the money now—later on W'arren Co. at its Adrian factory will soon bring
you may have trouble.
out a new miniature grand to sell for around
With more than fifty members present, the $650, and that the company is working on many
fourteenth annual convention of Grinnell new designs, styles and grades for its players
Brothers' managers opened last Monday in the and straight pianos. The complete new line
Grinnell Building, 243 Woodward avenue. For will be ready by spring and gives promise of
many years it has been the custom of the firm being on a par with many of the best-known
to hold these annual sessions, the purpose of lines manufactured in this country. The
which is to discuss' plans for the coming year. Clough & Warren Co. is now a half million dol-
The meeting lasted four days, and practically lar corporation.
J. M. Rieman is another salesman well known
every one of the branch managers of the twenty-
four Michigan stores was in attendance. C. A. in the piano business, who will shortly become
Grinnell, vice-president of the company, acted associated with the J. L. Hudson Co. piano
as chairman of all the meetings. There were store in Detroit. His connection becomes actual
business sessions morning and afternoon of each on February 5. Mr. Rieman is a man who has
day, and practically every phase of the business only had two jobs in his business career—one
was taken up—technical construction, salesman- with the John Wanamaker store, and the other
ship and advertising. One of the entertainment w.ith Lyon & Healy, of Chicago. For many
features was the masque ball held Tuesday eve- years'he was assistant manager at Chicago under
ning at the Board of Commerce, and which was Mr. Lemkuhl.
given by Grinnell Bros, in honor of the branch
Mark P. Campbell, president of the Brambach
managers and their wives under the auspices Piano Co., was a visitor last week. Mr. Camp-
of the Goodfellowship Club. About 600 people bell stated while here that his plant was way
attended, including officials of the company, em- oversold, and that 1917 will surely see all rec-
ployes, branch managers, their wives and ords for production broken at the Brambach fac-
friends. It was one gala event, most every- tory. He is still firmly convinced that there is
body coming in costume. Practically the whole a wonderful future for the baby grand. The
building was thrown open for the use of the Brambach baby grand has become one of the
dancers. A six-course dinner was served from special features at the J. L. Hudson Co. store.
9 until midnight. A solo dance was rendered
H. T. Sayward, secretary of Chickering &
by Miss Geraldine Grinnell, daughter of Mr. Sons, is expected to pay Detroit a visit early
and Mrs. C. A. Grinnell, and also by Miss in February.
Hunter, an employe in the Victrola department.
The Detroit Music Trades Association held
On Wednesday evening the branch managers its annual meeting on Tuesday evening, Jan-
were tendered the annual banquet at the Hotel uary 30, at the .Hotel Charlevoix, and elected
Charlevoix. The speakers were C. A. Grinnell, new officers, report of which will appear in the
A. H. Howes, of the piano department, and Detroit column of the ensuing issue.
Norval A. Hawkins, sales manager of the Ford
The freight congestion in and around Detroit
Motor Co.
continues to injure the piano business locally
C. A. Grinnell left January 28 for New York inasmuch as many shipments are delayed thus
to spend most of the week.
holding back the delivery of instruments for
Joseph B. Birdsong, who recently joined the prospective purchasers. The congestion is par-
sales organization of the J. L. Hudson Co., com- ticularly menacing the talking machine business,
ing from the Aeolian store in Milwaukee, is ex- dealers being short since the first of the year.
D. W. Mills, formerly with the Poling Music
Co., of Elkins, W. Va., recently joined the sales
department of the Clough & Warren Co.
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made good
instruments; in other words,
the sweetest things out.
RUDOLF PIANO CO.
72 East 137th Street
NEW YORK
RETURN CHARRED REMAINS OF PIANO
GALESBURG, WIS., January 29.—F. W. Rockwell,
manager of the Galesburg Piano Co., almost
fainted away the other day when he opened up
a piano box that was delivered to the company
and found therein the charred remains of what
had been a very pretty piano. It developed that
the home of the customer had been wrecked
by a fire, and the piano so badly damaged that
there was no salvage on it. The customer,
therefore, boxed the instrument and shipped it
back assessing the freight charge and hauling
expense on the dealer, likewise refusing to make
further payments. Anyone desiring a piano
with a new style charred case and thoroughly
roasted interior may have same without charge
by applying to Manager Rockwell.
The
"Talkin
Points"
about ****
Schmidt
Hammers
are all
Quality
Points
David H. Schmidt Co.
Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
GRINNELL BROS'. MANAGERS HOLD ANNUAL CONVENTION
Over Fifty Piano Men Attend Four-Day Convention—Masque Ball and Banquet Features of
Gathering—Some Salient Points on Making Collections—New Association Officers Elected
DETROIT, MICH., January 30.—The greatest effort tremely well pleased with his record thus far,
to keep up collections with most concerns is and says he can see a great opportunity in De-
made during hard times or when business is dull, troit. Each week he stands with the top-notch-
although that period is usually the worse for ers in the sales department, and he is proving a
collections. The best time for going after your happy addition to the sales department.
collections is when the country is prosperous—
A repair department has been added to the
for instance, right now is a good time for every Detroit Piano Co., and is bringing in consider-
dealer to make a drive for prompt collections. able work with little effort. F. M. Ramsdell,
When work is scarce and business is dull, president of the company, who is always most
debtors have a good argument to ward off the conservative in his statements, told The Review
collectors by giving a~ legitimate excuse that correspondent that January was a good month,
they simply cannot pay—and what can the deal- and that he was sure 1917 would be a splendid
er do but accept the customer's word, and wait year for the retail piano dealer. This firm sells
patiently for conditions to improve. No use in the Mehlin, Emerson, Winter, Cable-Nelson,
repossessing the goods because most of the in- Lindeman and other pianos and players. On
struments would come back. But now when several of these lines, prices have been ad-
everybody is prosperous; where there is plenty vanced since the first of the year.
of money and plenty of work; when people are
Roy Dupraw, of the Clough & Warren Co.,
in the humor for spending money and are mak- says business is great—selling lots of pianos,
ing big money as compared to normal times— players and Manophone talking machines. In-
is the best time to keep up collections 100 per formation has come to us that the Clough &
cent. You can get the money now—later on W'arren Co. at its Adrian factory will soon bring
you may have trouble.
out a new miniature grand to sell for around
With more than fifty members present, the $650, and that the company is working on many
fourteenth annual convention of Grinnell new designs, styles and grades for its players
Brothers' managers opened last Monday in the and straight pianos. The complete new line
Grinnell Building, 243 Woodward avenue. For will be ready by spring and gives promise of
many years it has been the custom of the firm being on a par with many of the best-known
to hold these annual sessions, the purpose of lines manufactured in this country. The
which is to discuss' plans for the coming year. Clough & Warren Co. is now a half million dol-
The meeting lasted four days, and practically lar corporation.
J. M. Rieman is another salesman well known
every one of the branch managers of the twenty-
four Michigan stores was in attendance. C. A. in the piano business, who will shortly become
Grinnell, vice-president of the company, acted associated with the J. L. Hudson Co. piano
as chairman of all the meetings. There were store in Detroit. His connection becomes actual
business sessions morning and afternoon of each on February 5. Mr. Rieman is a man who has
day, and practically every phase of the business only had two jobs in his business career—one
was taken up—technical construction, salesman- with the John Wanamaker store, and the other
ship and advertising. One of the entertainment w.ith Lyon & Healy, of Chicago. For many
features was the masque ball held Tuesday eve- years'he was assistant manager at Chicago under
ning at the Board of Commerce, and which was Mr. Lemkuhl.
given by Grinnell Bros, in honor of the branch
Mark P. Campbell, president of the Brambach
managers and their wives under the auspices Piano Co., was a visitor last week. Mr. Camp-
of the Goodfellowship Club. About 600 people bell stated while here that his plant was way
attended, including officials of the company, em- oversold, and that 1917 will surely see all rec-
ployes, branch managers, their wives and ords for production broken at the Brambach fac-
friends. It was one gala event, most every- tory. He is still firmly convinced that there is
body coming in costume. Practically the whole a wonderful future for the baby grand. The
building was thrown open for the use of the Brambach baby grand has become one of the
dancers. A six-course dinner was served from special features at the J. L. Hudson Co. store.
9 until midnight. A solo dance was rendered
H. T. Sayward, secretary of Chickering &
by Miss Geraldine Grinnell, daughter of Mr. Sons, is expected to pay Detroit a visit early
and Mrs. C. A. Grinnell, and also by Miss in February.
Hunter, an employe in the Victrola department.
The Detroit Music Trades Association held
On Wednesday evening the branch managers its annual meeting on Tuesday evening, Jan-
were tendered the annual banquet at the Hotel uary 30, at the .Hotel Charlevoix, and elected
Charlevoix. The speakers were C. A. Grinnell, new officers, report of which will appear in the
A. H. Howes, of the piano department, and Detroit column of the ensuing issue.
Norval A. Hawkins, sales manager of the Ford
The freight congestion in and around Detroit
Motor Co.
continues to injure the piano business locally
C. A. Grinnell left January 28 for New York inasmuch as many shipments are delayed thus
to spend most of the week.
holding back the delivery of instruments for
Joseph B. Birdsong, who recently joined the prospective purchasers. The congestion is par-
sales organization of the J. L. Hudson Co., com- ticularly menacing the talking machine business,
ing from the Aeolian store in Milwaukee, is ex- dealers being short since the first of the year.
D. W. Mills, formerly with the Poling Music
Co., of Elkins, W. Va., recently joined the sales
department of the Clough & Warren Co.
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made good
instruments; in other words,
the sweetest things out.
RUDOLF PIANO CO.
72 East 137th Street
NEW YORK
RETURN CHARRED REMAINS OF PIANO
GALESBURG, WIS., January 29.—F. W. Rockwell,
manager of the Galesburg Piano Co., almost
fainted away the other day when he opened up
a piano box that was delivered to the company
and found therein the charred remains of what
had been a very pretty piano. It developed that
the home of the customer had been wrecked
by a fire, and the piano so badly damaged that
there was no salvage on it. The customer,
therefore, boxed the instrument and shipped it
back assessing the freight charge and hauling
expense on the dealer, likewise refusing to make
further payments. Anyone desiring a piano
with a new style charred case and thoroughly
roasted interior may have same without charge
by applying to Manager Rockwell.
The
"Talkin
Points"
about ****
Schmidt
Hammers
are all
Quality
Points
David H. Schmidt Co.
Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
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