Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 8 - Page 9
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
AUGUST 23, 1919
9
INCREASING DEMAND A FEATURE OF MILWAUKEE TRADE
Local Market for Musical Instruments Constantly Broadening and Piano Men Foresee a Very J
Prosperous Fall and Winter Season—Alterations at Wurlitzer Store—Other News
H
MILWAUKEE, WIS., August 20.—Almost every
day there are new developments in the local
situation which mean an even broader and more
absorbing market for musical instruments and
supplies. In the face of the already serious
shortage of instruments as well as accessories
the prospects for getting new business between
now and the end of the year are excellent; in
fact, dealers say they are too good.
One of the most important developments is
the launching of a big campaign in Milwaukee
on Monday of this week, founded on the slogan,
"Own Your Own Home." This movement has
been in process of organization for nearly six
weeks and is based on broad, comprehensive
lines.
Interviews with dealers bring out the rather
unusual information that the workingman and
the farmer are two of the best buyers of pianos
and talking machines at this time. Not only
that, but the higher-priced instruments are sell-
ing far better than medium and low-priced
goods.
Edmund Gram, who is a well-known manu-
facturer of pianos, as well as a dealer, made a
three or four days' trip through central Wis-
consin last week, the purpose being to get
recreation at the same time that he had op-
portunity to get in personal touch with his deal-
ers in this particular territory. He says the
results were surprising -to an overwhelming de-
gree.
"The farmer seems to be waiting for the piano
man to come to him," said Mr. Gram. "I do not
know of a time when the rural population was
so eager to buy pianos. It is not so many years
ago when farmers received the piano dealer
with a club or an axe, speaking figuratively.
To-day they are at the front door with the cash
in their hands, asking anxiously when the piano
will be delivered."
Mr. Gram moved his factory into a larger
building on July 1, but orders already booked
call for more pianos than can possibly be built
in the next four or live months Other large
factories at Milwaukee are in a similar situa-
tion. Not only is factory capacity' insufficient,
but the difficulty of obtaining materials of all
kinds and the acute scarcity of skilled labor are
limiting factors.
Hugh W. Randall, president and general man-
ager of the J. 13. Bradford Piano Co., accom-
panied by Mrs. Randall and son, are expected
home late this week from an extensive motor
tour of the beautiful Lake region in extreme
northern Wisconsin. S. P. 1'atchin, manager of
the talking machine department of Bradford's,
left Saturday, August 16, on a two weeks' vaca-
tion trip.
Charles L. Nodine, manager of the piano
department at Gimbel Bros., is another vaca-
tioneer. Mr. Nodine left Monday for a two
weeks' stay at his summer cottage on Lake
Mills, in central Wisconsin.
O. R. Stiehm, business manager of the Ed-
mund Gram Piano House and secretary of the
Edmund Gram Piano Co., returned Saturday
from a delightful vacation with his family at
Lake Ripley, near Cambridge, Wis.
Announcement that W. G. Hay is retiring as
JANSSEN
The Most Talked About
Piano in the Trade
BEN H. JANSSEN
Manufacturer
82 Brown Place
New York
secretary of the Brinkerhoff Piano Co., Chi-
cago, to join the Flanner-Hafsoos Music House,
this city, as secretary and assistant treasurer,
was received with much satisfaction by the
local trade. That this energetic piano man
should select Milwaukee as the base of his fu-
ture operations is regarded as a high compli-
ment to the local industry, especially as it fol-
lows the entrance into the Milwaukee trade of
numerous men of unusually high standing as
executives and merchandisers.
The Milwaukee branch of the Rudolph Wur-
litzer Co., in the Palace Theatre Building, has
undergone some important alterations in the last
few weeks, which effect a considerable increase
is display and stockroom. New fixtures, wall
cases, display counters and other equipment
have been installed. A notable addition is a
complete stock of string and brass instruments,
which lines heretofore were represented only
in a relatively limited way. Since taking charge
of the local Wurlitzer business Manager L. J.
Kinnel has developed it from an inconspicuous
establishment to the rank of one of the larg-
est and finest music houses to be found any-
where in the city.
Another addition to the sales force of Robert
E. Lauer, manager of the music section of the
Boston Store, is Jack Tebo, who has jwet re-
turned from France after nearly two years at
the seat of war. Besides adding two new sales-
men in the last month Mr. Lauer has in mind
some improvements in the "plant" whereby the
department will get much additional floor space.
About six weeks ago Mr. Lauer received prac-
tically a trainload of Gulbransen player-pianos,
and he is congratulating himself on the size of
the order as well as the time of delivery, inas-
much as the advance in prices effective August
15 brought a splendid volume of buying before-
hand, which would otherwise have been ex-
tremely hard to meet.
WHAT DO
YOU KNOW
ABOUT
J9
Seeburg's Style K
SALESMEN ENJOY REVIEW CARTOON i
Cincinnati Piano Men Find Local Application
for Recent Satire
CINCINNATI,
O., August
18.—Salesmen
in
piano circles are talking of a house conference
which was held along Piano Row during the
past week and it is evident the chairman of the
gathering had in mind a cartoon which recently
appeared in The Music Trade Review, the same
being devoted to the alleged energies of the
salesman.
It is said one of the supposed hustlers of the
house was delinquent in his attempt to sell a
real prospect, but the card system showed he
had been making regular visits. Some attention
was paid to this situation, but the remark which
caught the attention of the entire audience was
a statement by the manager. "Just don't for-
get," he said, "there are other salesmen who
are on the job and are getting business."
Clarence Gennett, of the Starr Piano Co.,
drove over from Richmond, Ind., on Friday
to have a talk with Manager Pauling, of the
Cincinnati store. The visitor stated that the
factory had reached the greatest production
stage in the history of the plant, but was still
unable to fill orders.
Albert Krell, former president of the Krell
Piano Co., who was recently injured in an auto-
mobile accident near Toledo, Ohio, has re-
turned to Cincinnati. Mr. Krell has not fully
recovered from the shock of the accident.
E. E. Roberts, of the Baldwin Co., is back
ftom a vacation spent along the St. Lawrence
River. C. L. Byars, manager of the Vocation
department of the Aeolian Co., is due back
from his rusticating trip.
All merchants speak in the same tone of the
continued demand on the part of the purchas-
ing public for goods.
"Midget Orchestrion
(Coin-Operated)
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuir
Do you know that:
It is coin-operated?
It pays for itself ?
It's the BIGGEST
L I T T L E Money-
Maker in the World?
It is the Littlest Big
orchestra in theWorld?
That if you tell these
facts to either the cafe,
restaurant or candy
men in your town
they'll order one and
then bowl you out for
not telling them sooner?
Write us today and
we'll tell you how
they are shipped.
J. P. Seeburg |
Piano Company |
Leaders in the Automatic Field g§
Factories, Seeburg Building, 419 West Erie Street
1
CHICAGO
I
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
AUGUST 23, 1919
9
INCREASING DEMAND A FEATURE OF MILWAUKEE TRADE
Local Market for Musical Instruments Constantly Broadening and Piano Men Foresee a Very J
Prosperous Fall and Winter Season—Alterations at Wurlitzer Store—Other News
H
MILWAUKEE, WIS., August 20.—Almost every
day there are new developments in the local
situation which mean an even broader and more
absorbing market for musical instruments and
supplies. In the face of the already serious
shortage of instruments as well as accessories
the prospects for getting new business between
now and the end of the year are excellent; in
fact, dealers say they are too good.
One of the most important developments is
the launching of a big campaign in Milwaukee
on Monday of this week, founded on the slogan,
"Own Your Own Home." This movement has
been in process of organization for nearly six
weeks and is based on broad, comprehensive
lines.
Interviews with dealers bring out the rather
unusual information that the workingman and
the farmer are two of the best buyers of pianos
and talking machines at this time. Not only
that, but the higher-priced instruments are sell-
ing far better than medium and low-priced
goods.
Edmund Gram, who is a well-known manu-
facturer of pianos, as well as a dealer, made a
three or four days' trip through central Wis-
consin last week, the purpose being to get
recreation at the same time that he had op-
portunity to get in personal touch with his deal-
ers in this particular territory. He says the
results were surprising -to an overwhelming de-
gree.
"The farmer seems to be waiting for the piano
man to come to him," said Mr. Gram. "I do not
know of a time when the rural population was
so eager to buy pianos. It is not so many years
ago when farmers received the piano dealer
with a club or an axe, speaking figuratively.
To-day they are at the front door with the cash
in their hands, asking anxiously when the piano
will be delivered."
Mr. Gram moved his factory into a larger
building on July 1, but orders already booked
call for more pianos than can possibly be built
in the next four or live months Other large
factories at Milwaukee are in a similar situa-
tion. Not only is factory capacity' insufficient,
but the difficulty of obtaining materials of all
kinds and the acute scarcity of skilled labor are
limiting factors.
Hugh W. Randall, president and general man-
ager of the J. 13. Bradford Piano Co., accom-
panied by Mrs. Randall and son, are expected
home late this week from an extensive motor
tour of the beautiful Lake region in extreme
northern Wisconsin. S. P. 1'atchin, manager of
the talking machine department of Bradford's,
left Saturday, August 16, on a two weeks' vaca-
tion trip.
Charles L. Nodine, manager of the piano
department at Gimbel Bros., is another vaca-
tioneer. Mr. Nodine left Monday for a two
weeks' stay at his summer cottage on Lake
Mills, in central Wisconsin.
O. R. Stiehm, business manager of the Ed-
mund Gram Piano House and secretary of the
Edmund Gram Piano Co., returned Saturday
from a delightful vacation with his family at
Lake Ripley, near Cambridge, Wis.
Announcement that W. G. Hay is retiring as
JANSSEN
The Most Talked About
Piano in the Trade
BEN H. JANSSEN
Manufacturer
82 Brown Place
New York
secretary of the Brinkerhoff Piano Co., Chi-
cago, to join the Flanner-Hafsoos Music House,
this city, as secretary and assistant treasurer,
was received with much satisfaction by the
local trade. That this energetic piano man
should select Milwaukee as the base of his fu-
ture operations is regarded as a high compli-
ment to the local industry, especially as it fol-
lows the entrance into the Milwaukee trade of
numerous men of unusually high standing as
executives and merchandisers.
The Milwaukee branch of the Rudolph Wur-
litzer Co., in the Palace Theatre Building, has
undergone some important alterations in the last
few weeks, which effect a considerable increase
is display and stockroom. New fixtures, wall
cases, display counters and other equipment
have been installed. A notable addition is a
complete stock of string and brass instruments,
which lines heretofore were represented only
in a relatively limited way. Since taking charge
of the local Wurlitzer business Manager L. J.
Kinnel has developed it from an inconspicuous
establishment to the rank of one of the larg-
est and finest music houses to be found any-
where in the city.
Another addition to the sales force of Robert
E. Lauer, manager of the music section of the
Boston Store, is Jack Tebo, who has jwet re-
turned from France after nearly two years at
the seat of war. Besides adding two new sales-
men in the last month Mr. Lauer has in mind
some improvements in the "plant" whereby the
department will get much additional floor space.
About six weeks ago Mr. Lauer received prac-
tically a trainload of Gulbransen player-pianos,
and he is congratulating himself on the size of
the order as well as the time of delivery, inas-
much as the advance in prices effective August
15 brought a splendid volume of buying before-
hand, which would otherwise have been ex-
tremely hard to meet.
WHAT DO
YOU KNOW
ABOUT
J9
Seeburg's Style K
SALESMEN ENJOY REVIEW CARTOON i
Cincinnati Piano Men Find Local Application
for Recent Satire
CINCINNATI,
O., August
18.—Salesmen
in
piano circles are talking of a house conference
which was held along Piano Row during the
past week and it is evident the chairman of the
gathering had in mind a cartoon which recently
appeared in The Music Trade Review, the same
being devoted to the alleged energies of the
salesman.
It is said one of the supposed hustlers of the
house was delinquent in his attempt to sell a
real prospect, but the card system showed he
had been making regular visits. Some attention
was paid to this situation, but the remark which
caught the attention of the entire audience was
a statement by the manager. "Just don't for-
get," he said, "there are other salesmen who
are on the job and are getting business."
Clarence Gennett, of the Starr Piano Co.,
drove over from Richmond, Ind., on Friday
to have a talk with Manager Pauling, of the
Cincinnati store. The visitor stated that the
factory had reached the greatest production
stage in the history of the plant, but was still
unable to fill orders.
Albert Krell, former president of the Krell
Piano Co., who was recently injured in an auto-
mobile accident near Toledo, Ohio, has re-
turned to Cincinnati. Mr. Krell has not fully
recovered from the shock of the accident.
E. E. Roberts, of the Baldwin Co., is back
ftom a vacation spent along the St. Lawrence
River. C. L. Byars, manager of the Vocation
department of the Aeolian Co., is due back
from his rusticating trip.
All merchants speak in the same tone of the
continued demand on the part of the purchas-
ing public for goods.
"Midget Orchestrion
(Coin-Operated)
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuir
Do you know that:
It is coin-operated?
It pays for itself ?
It's the BIGGEST
L I T T L E Money-
Maker in the World?
It is the Littlest Big
orchestra in theWorld?
That if you tell these
facts to either the cafe,
restaurant or candy
men in your town
they'll order one and
then bowl you out for
not telling them sooner?
Write us today and
we'll tell you how
they are shipped.
J. P. Seeburg |
Piano Company |
Leaders in the Automatic Field g§
Factories, Seeburg Building, 419 West Erie Street
1
CHICAGO
I
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