Music Trade Review
Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 2 - Page 10
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10
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
It Pays
To Buy
Tonkbenches
Piano benches,
generally
speaking, come
in for little at-
tention outside
the m a t t e r of
price.
But
whereas there
is little differ-
ence between
the best and
the cheapest in
price, there is
vast difference
in quality.
Tonk Mfg. Co.
Clybourn Ave. and Lewis St.
CHICAGO, ILL.
Manufacturers
Publishers
"KD" 88
Tonkbench
Tonk
Topics
It Pays
To Buy
The Best
JANUARY 12,
1924
Blizzard Weather Brings Slackening
of Demand With the St. Louis Trade
Thiebes Co. and Artophone Co. Damaged by Fire—Union Housefurnishing Co. Takes Over Field-
Lippman Store—J. E. Reger With the Wurlitzer Co.—J. L. Horras Opens New Store
C T . LOUIS, MO., January 7.—The combina-
^ tion of after-holiday normal depression and
after-holiday abnormal weather was too much
for the piano business last week. It sagged
under the double burden. Piano men have little
reason to expect much the first week in the
new year. What expectations they were entitled
to were knocked cold by the blizzard which
came with the new year and increased in
severity until at the end of the week the tem-
perature was ten degrees below zero, the lowest
it has been for several years. People are set
against going out in that kind of weather to
buy pianos, and salesmen are not keen about
pursuing prospects, so there was a sort of a
truce with everybody hoping for a resumption
of business this week under ameliorated weather
conditions.
The building at 1103 Olive street, occupied by
the A. C. Thiebes Co., pianos, and the Arto-
phone Corp., manufacturer and distributor of
talking machines, was discovered in flames early
Thursday morning, and before the firemen were
able to extinguish the fire, which started in the
basement, $10,000 damage had been done to
building and contents, including 125 talking
machines. The flames were practically con-
fined to the basement, but considerable damage
was done in the salesrooms by water and smoka,
The building had been reopened in December
after repairs, following a fire July 19, which
did damage estimated at $235,000 to the build-
ings of the Artophone Corp. and the Lehman
Piano Co., next door. The Shattinger Music
Co. at that time shared 1103 with the Arto-
phone Corp. The Shattinger Co. is now in the
Arcade Building and the building at 1103 is
occupied by Thiebes, with the Artophone as
a department. The present fire is supposed
to have started from defective wiring, although
the building had just been inspected. The office
of the Artophone Corp. is at 1213 Pine street
pending repairs. Some damage was done by
smoke to the Lehman store.
The Union Housefurnishing Co. is now in
possession of the Field-Lippman Piano Co.'s
store and work has been begun on extensive
alterations,, including the enlargement of the
show windows. Harry Mount, who was with
the Field-Lippman organization, has been made
manager of the piano department under the new
ownership. His organization has not been com-
pleted. Charles Lippman will remain tem-
porarily in charge of the talking machine de-
partment. O. A. Field and W. A. Lippman,
heads of the old firm, have not announced their
plans. Charles Crouse, of the old organization,
will take a rest for a month before making a
new connection. Elmer Brady has taken a posi-
tion with the Baldwin Piano Co. A. Lutz has
taken a position with an insurance company.
J. E. Reger, lately with the Lehman Piano
Co., has taken a position with the Rudolph
Wurlitzer Co.
J. L. Horras, who sold out his Twelfth street
store two years ago to the Kirkland Piano Co.,
has again embarked in business at 2618 Cherokee
street. He is at present handling only the
Dctmer piano and the Edison talking machine,
but expects to add other lines.
Two phonographs, valued at $450, were stolen
recently from the F-G Music Shop, at 327 De
Balaviere avenue, by thieves who broke in
through a rear window.
State Department Rules
on Mexican Import Duties
arriving and also the promptness of delivery.
Notable among such letters received by Cable
& Sons is one from Howard I. Paul, their dealer
in Pottsville, Pa., who states that recent ship-
ments from the New York factory to his store
have exceeded his expectations from the stand-
point of efficiency. A shipment of Cable & Sons
pianos had been sent to him recently exactly at
the time he most needed them and he expresses
himself as very well pleased.
In Reply to Inquiry From Weser Bros. Holds
That Duties on Pianos at Vera Cruz May Be
Paid Legally to De Facto Authorities
Several piano manufacturers in and about
New York who do business with Mexican deal-
ers have had brought strongly to their atten-
tion the fact that there is really a revolution
in that country. In fact, Weser Bros., Inc., had
several pianos at the Custom House in Vera
Cruz and sought the advice of the Mexican
Consul in New York as to whom duties should
be paid in order to release the instruments.
The official stated that the duties should not
be paid to the de facto government at Vera
Cruz, as the revolt was a local affair and would
terminate shortly.
Weser Bros., however, took up the matter
directly with the State Department at Wash-
ington and received the following ruling: "Un-
der generally accepted rules and principles of
international law American citizens are entitled
to pay duties to persons exercising de facto
authority at Vera Cruz, Mexico, and having
made such payments, to be free from further
obligation in the matter."
This authoritative ruling should prove of in-
terest and value to other manufacturers who
are faced with a similar problem.
Praises Cable & Sons Service
Special concentration on the idea of "dealer
service" by the executive and shipping staff of
Cable & Sons, New York, recently has been
accompanied by the receipt of many compli-
mentary letters from this company's representa-
tives at various points, who have been impressed
by the splendid condition in which goods are
J. P. Seeburg Piano Go.
Holds Sales Meeting
Traveling Representatives of J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co. Gather in Chicago After Most Suc-
cessful Year in History of the Concern
CHICAGO, III., January 5.—It was an enthusiastic
group of executives and traveling representa-
tives which met at the headquarters of the J. P.
Seeburg Piano Co. upon the occasion of their
regular annual sales conference last week. The
J. P. Seeburg Piano Co. in 1923 had the biggest
year in its history, and the men who carried
the message of the automatic instruments to
dealers in all parts of the country were not
backward in showing their satisfaction thereat.
When prohibition was enforced the story went
out that it would be the death-knell of auto-
matic instruments, but the accomplishments of
the J. P. Seeburg Piano Co. in 1923 refute this
argument once and for all time.
The most remarkable organization that an
automatic instrument concern has ever seen
has been built up by the Chicago concern, and
it is due to a remarkably energetic sales staff
that so many dealers have been shown the
profitable possibilities in the automatic instru-
ment field. In addition to the regular Chicago
executive and sales force the four following
travelers were in the city: R. H. McCabe, M,
Lemenoff, E. O. Ball and H. O. Ellis.
10
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
It Pays
To Buy
Tonkbenches
Piano benches,
generally
speaking, come
in for little at-
tention outside
the m a t t e r of
price.
But
whereas there
is little differ-
ence between
the best and
the cheapest in
price, there is
vast difference
in quality.
Tonk Mfg. Co.
Clybourn Ave. and Lewis St.
CHICAGO, ILL.
Manufacturers
Publishers
"KD" 88
Tonkbench
Tonk
Topics
It Pays
To Buy
The Best
JANUARY 12,
1924
Blizzard Weather Brings Slackening
of Demand With the St. Louis Trade
Thiebes Co. and Artophone Co. Damaged by Fire—Union Housefurnishing Co. Takes Over Field-
Lippman Store—J. E. Reger With the Wurlitzer Co.—J. L. Horras Opens New Store
C T . LOUIS, MO., January 7.—The combina-
^ tion of after-holiday normal depression and
after-holiday abnormal weather was too much
for the piano business last week. It sagged
under the double burden. Piano men have little
reason to expect much the first week in the
new year. What expectations they were entitled
to were knocked cold by the blizzard which
came with the new year and increased in
severity until at the end of the week the tem-
perature was ten degrees below zero, the lowest
it has been for several years. People are set
against going out in that kind of weather to
buy pianos, and salesmen are not keen about
pursuing prospects, so there was a sort of a
truce with everybody hoping for a resumption
of business this week under ameliorated weather
conditions.
The building at 1103 Olive street, occupied by
the A. C. Thiebes Co., pianos, and the Arto-
phone Corp., manufacturer and distributor of
talking machines, was discovered in flames early
Thursday morning, and before the firemen were
able to extinguish the fire, which started in the
basement, $10,000 damage had been done to
building and contents, including 125 talking
machines. The flames were practically con-
fined to the basement, but considerable damage
was done in the salesrooms by water and smoka,
The building had been reopened in December
after repairs, following a fire July 19, which
did damage estimated at $235,000 to the build-
ings of the Artophone Corp. and the Lehman
Piano Co., next door. The Shattinger Music
Co. at that time shared 1103 with the Arto-
phone Corp. The Shattinger Co. is now in the
Arcade Building and the building at 1103 is
occupied by Thiebes, with the Artophone as
a department. The present fire is supposed
to have started from defective wiring, although
the building had just been inspected. The office
of the Artophone Corp. is at 1213 Pine street
pending repairs. Some damage was done by
smoke to the Lehman store.
The Union Housefurnishing Co. is now in
possession of the Field-Lippman Piano Co.'s
store and work has been begun on extensive
alterations,, including the enlargement of the
show windows. Harry Mount, who was with
the Field-Lippman organization, has been made
manager of the piano department under the new
ownership. His organization has not been com-
pleted. Charles Lippman will remain tem-
porarily in charge of the talking machine de-
partment. O. A. Field and W. A. Lippman,
heads of the old firm, have not announced their
plans. Charles Crouse, of the old organization,
will take a rest for a month before making a
new connection. Elmer Brady has taken a posi-
tion with the Baldwin Piano Co. A. Lutz has
taken a position with an insurance company.
J. E. Reger, lately with the Lehman Piano
Co., has taken a position with the Rudolph
Wurlitzer Co.
J. L. Horras, who sold out his Twelfth street
store two years ago to the Kirkland Piano Co.,
has again embarked in business at 2618 Cherokee
street. He is at present handling only the
Dctmer piano and the Edison talking machine,
but expects to add other lines.
Two phonographs, valued at $450, were stolen
recently from the F-G Music Shop, at 327 De
Balaviere avenue, by thieves who broke in
through a rear window.
State Department Rules
on Mexican Import Duties
arriving and also the promptness of delivery.
Notable among such letters received by Cable
& Sons is one from Howard I. Paul, their dealer
in Pottsville, Pa., who states that recent ship-
ments from the New York factory to his store
have exceeded his expectations from the stand-
point of efficiency. A shipment of Cable & Sons
pianos had been sent to him recently exactly at
the time he most needed them and he expresses
himself as very well pleased.
In Reply to Inquiry From Weser Bros. Holds
That Duties on Pianos at Vera Cruz May Be
Paid Legally to De Facto Authorities
Several piano manufacturers in and about
New York who do business with Mexican deal-
ers have had brought strongly to their atten-
tion the fact that there is really a revolution
in that country. In fact, Weser Bros., Inc., had
several pianos at the Custom House in Vera
Cruz and sought the advice of the Mexican
Consul in New York as to whom duties should
be paid in order to release the instruments.
The official stated that the duties should not
be paid to the de facto government at Vera
Cruz, as the revolt was a local affair and would
terminate shortly.
Weser Bros., however, took up the matter
directly with the State Department at Wash-
ington and received the following ruling: "Un-
der generally accepted rules and principles of
international law American citizens are entitled
to pay duties to persons exercising de facto
authority at Vera Cruz, Mexico, and having
made such payments, to be free from further
obligation in the matter."
This authoritative ruling should prove of in-
terest and value to other manufacturers who
are faced with a similar problem.
Praises Cable & Sons Service
Special concentration on the idea of "dealer
service" by the executive and shipping staff of
Cable & Sons, New York, recently has been
accompanied by the receipt of many compli-
mentary letters from this company's representa-
tives at various points, who have been impressed
by the splendid condition in which goods are
J. P. Seeburg Piano Go.
Holds Sales Meeting
Traveling Representatives of J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co. Gather in Chicago After Most Suc-
cessful Year in History of the Concern
CHICAGO, III., January 5.—It was an enthusiastic
group of executives and traveling representa-
tives which met at the headquarters of the J. P.
Seeburg Piano Co. upon the occasion of their
regular annual sales conference last week. The
J. P. Seeburg Piano Co. in 1923 had the biggest
year in its history, and the men who carried
the message of the automatic instruments to
dealers in all parts of the country were not
backward in showing their satisfaction thereat.
When prohibition was enforced the story went
out that it would be the death-knell of auto-
matic instruments, but the accomplishments of
the J. P. Seeburg Piano Co. in 1923 refute this
argument once and for all time.
The most remarkable organization that an
automatic instrument concern has ever seen
has been built up by the Chicago concern, and
it is due to a remarkably energetic sales staff
that so many dealers have been shown the
profitable possibilities in the automatic instru-
ment field. In addition to the regular Chicago
executive and sales force the four following
travelers were in the city: R. H. McCabe, M,
Lemenoff, E. O. Ball and H. O. Ellis.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).